Big Favorites Highlight NFL Week 8 Tips, Totals, Teasers and Trends

More big favorites highlight the NFL Week 8 tips with eight of the 13 games featuring point spreads of at least -6 points. That includes in the only division game with the New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (-7.5) in a rematch of Week 6 when the Giants won 34-17 as a +7.5 point home 'Dog. 

Lets' shoot for more totals winners following our top Week 7 totals tip winner in the Panthers 13-6 win at New York over the winless Jets, who managed just 220 yards offense. That followed 82 total yards at 1.4 yards per play and negative -10 yards passing in the Jets Week 6 loss in London, 13-11 to Denver. Not quite as pathetic as the Raiders, who had just 3 first downs and 95 yards total offense in a 31-0 shutout loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City this past Sunday. 

Still, NFL game totals were 8-7 over/under for the week and 57-51 O/U year-to-date with potential variance in O/U and ATS records based on grading and line movement at the leading online sportsbooks. 

Not a quality NFL card in Week 8 with just one division game and more big favorites on the biggest bye week of the season. Six teams take a break including the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, who delievered a Monday Night Football victory in Week 7 to complete our 3-0 picks. The Rams and Seahawks are now tied with the San Francisco 49ers for first place in the NFC West with 5-2 records. The Detroit Lions (5-2) are also on a bye week, and trail the Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) in the NFC North with the Packers sporting the best record in the NFC. 

But NFL futures at BetOnline still have the Lions (+350) as favorites to win the NFC ahead of the Packers (+400) and defending Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles (+500) with the Rams (+600) the other single-digit favorite. 

We'll use some of our rushing stats and strategies to guide us again this week following a 3-0 sweep on our NFL Week 7 picks (0-2 opinions). 

NFL Week 8 Odds

Betting lines and NFL odds from BetOnline and top online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. Point spread on favorites and division games in bold. 

- Minnesota at Los Angeles Chargers (-3), 44.5 - Thursday
- New York Jets at Cincinnati (-6.5), 44.5
- San Francisco at Houston (-1), 42
- Chicago at Baltimore (-6.5), 49
- Miami at Atlanta (-7.5), 44.5
- Buffalo (-7.5) at Carolina, 46
- New York Giants at Philadelphia (-7.5), 44
- Cleveland at New England (-7), 41
- Tampa Bay (-3.5) at New Orleans, 47
- Tennessee at Indianapolis (-14), 48
- Dallas at Denver (-3.5), 50.5
- Green Bay (-3) at Pittsburgh, 45.5 - SNF
- Washington at Kansas City (-12.5), 48 - MNF

Bye Weeks: Cardinals, Lions, Rams, Seahawks, Jaguars, Raiders 

Key games and early NFL Week 9 betting lines include the two current AFC favorites battling it out in Buffalo between the Chiefs (+240) and Bills (+325). 

- Kansas City (-1.5) at Buffalo, 52.5
- Minnesota at Detroit (-7.5), 48
- Indianapolis (-2.5) at Pittsburgh - both teams will remain in first place in their AFC divisions regardless of Week 8 results.

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Game Totals 

Dallas at Denver - Over 50.5

Monitor the NFL Weather with up to seven cities and outdoor stadiums showing potential rain in the forecast. That includes up to a 30% chance of rain in Denver, light winds and temperatures in the upper 60's. Game day update, no rain and light winds less than. 10 mph 

A pair of improbable comeback wins for the first place Broncos (5-2) the past three games with wins over the Eagles (18 unanswered points 4Q to win 21-17) and a 33-32 home win over the Giants last week after trailing 26-8 with less than 6 minutes remaining in the contest. The Broncos have a pair of top cornerbacks and a league-high 45% pressure rate as they lead the NFL in cover 1 rate. The Cowboys (3-3-1) and QB Dak Prescott are averaging 30% more yards per play versus cover 1 than other coverages (6th). The Cowboys offense leads the NFL averaging 390 yards per game and No. 2 at 6.1 yards per play. That includes 262 passing yards per game (No. 2), and both the Cowboys and Broncos average 37 pass attempts per game (top-6). The deficient Dallas defense is allowing 6.1 yards per play (No. 30) and the Broncos defense has faced fewer quality quarterbacks. Denver's defense is not as good as perceived as they've faced some poor quarterback play by the Titans, Jets and Bengals. But against quality quarterbacks, the Denver defense allowed QB Herbert and the Chargers 29 first downs and 386 yards (270 passing) and the Colts and QB Jones 26 first downs, 476 yards and 29 points. Then last week the Giants and rising rookie QB Dart 26 first down, 387 yards and 32 points. Looks like another shootout in the Mile High. 

Added NFL Week 8 Totals Picks

- Packers-Steelers over 44.5
- Packers team total over 24
- Falcons team total over 26.5

The Steelers defense gave up 470 yards and 328 passing to 40-year-old Joe Flacco and the Bengals last week in a 33-31 loss. Week 1 they gave up 400 yards and 32 points to the pathetic Jets. Week 2 the Seahawks scored 31 points on 395 yards offense at Pittsburgh. You get the point, the Steelers defense is far from expectations or perception ranking bottom five in the league in yards per game allowed (375). The Packers offense has scored 27 points four times this season and 40 against Dallas on the road. Green Bay is sixth in points per drive this year and second in explosive play rate. The Packers defense has minimized explosive plays which has led to fewer possessions. But Steelers QB Rodgers gets the ball out quickly and can negate the Packers pass rush. Pittsburgh's offense is average in yards per play (5.5), but top 5 in yards per point margin. Green Bay is a league-best +1.2 net yards per play (5.7 offense, 4.5 defense), and holds a +1.1 net yards per play advantage over the Steelers and should win another higher-scoring game.    

Totals Trends 

Some totals trends of note in select games include: 

Buffalo at Carolina - Per VSiN analytics report, Road teams coming off their bye week (Bills) are 40-20-1 over/under since 2021. If those teams lost as a favorite, the games are 16-33-1 over/under 1992. The Bills are also on a 5-0 Under the total run in post-bye week games, and allowing just 14.4 points per game. I would prefer if clueless QB Bryce Young was playing, but he'll likely miss the game (ankle) with backup Andy Dalton playing. Still, the Panthers will lean on RB Rico Dowdle and their top-3 rushing attack (140/game) that has averaged a league-high 193 rushing yards per game during their current 3-game winning streak. The Panthers have a league-high 48% rush success rate and a favorable matchup on the ground as the Bills are surrendering 0.06 EPA/rush (29th).  

Teasers

All four Week 7 teaser recommendations came through, and this week we chip-in the following teams to mix and match for your 6-point teasers legs in two or three team (+) teasers. 

- Falcons, Bills, Cowboys 

While our NFL Week 7 picks produced a 3-0 result, our player props fell off to 0-3 to snap the 12-0 run and now 12-3 since Week 3. The Rams big lead had their backup running back take more carries in the second half to leave Kyren Williams just short of his rushing yards total. Browns TE Fannin had 4 receptions to lead Cleveland, but came up 1 short of winning with Browns rookie QB Gabriel attempting just 18 passes against the defenseless Dolphins. Then on Monday Night Football, Texans WR Nico Collins had 4 receptions at haltime, but couldn't get over 5.5 receptions for the game. That despite a team-high 10 targets, which matched TE teammate Dalton Shultz, who had 9 receptions on 10 targets, ugh. 

More picks, parlays and props to follow into the weekend and any additional tips, totals, teasers and trends to update along with information you can bet on. 

You can bet on it. 

FairwayJay is a proven sports handicapper with top of the leaderboard success in NFL pointspread prognosis. Fairway is recognized as one of the sports industry's insightful analysts, and he chips in additional sports betting coverage and reporting on industry news and events. Follow FairwayJay here at OSGA.com and on X @FairwayJay for more sports betting insights.