CINCINNATI — The following is a breakdown of the key games from week eight of the NFL season as well as previews and score predictions from all the games in week eight.
Thursday Night Football: Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals – 8:20 p.m. on FOX and NFL Network (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Kristina Pink) Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Kugler, Kurt Warner, Scott Graham) – Colin Cowherd said it earlier this week, and I agree with him; this might be the best Thursday Night Football game in history. It also may be a potential NFC Championship preview.
Green Bay’s six-game winning streak has completely made their week one blowout loss to New Orleans an anomaly. But tonight they’ll have to win a potentially high-scoring game without their best receiver and the NFL’s best receiver, Davante Adams, and another wide receiver out tonight in Allen Lazard. But as long as Aaron Rodgers is playing quarterback, the Packers stand a chance, especially when considering J.J. Watt is not playing tonight for Arizona.
Arizona is as good as their 7-0 record shows. Kyler Murray has quickly ascended into MVP-caliber status, and his dual-threat abilities make this Cardinals offense very difficult to stop through the air and on the ground. With Green Bay’s secondary thin in depth without pro-bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander, that could be the key to the Cardinals bread and butter of throwing the deep ball.
Game pick: Cardinals 34 Packers 31
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns – 1 p.m. on CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson)
There is a lot riding on this game. Both teams need to win to remain in strong contention for a playoff spot and to keep pace with the Bengals and Ravens in the AFC North.
These two teams enter Sunday’s game on polar opposites regarding momentum. Pittsburgh has won its last two games, and is well-rested off a bye week last week, while Cleveland has dropped two of its last three games and has injuries to several key players. Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and cornerback Denzel Ward are both out Sunday, and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is listed as questionable as of Friday ahead of Sunday’s matchup.
One player who will be on the field Sunday for the Browns is quarterback Baker Mayfield. This is a prove-it game for Mayfield, and that’s with him leading the Browns to a playoff victory in Pittsburgh this past January. Mayfield’s accuracy has been there this season, but he’s 24th in passing yards, tied for 27th in touchdown passes and is 25th in quarterback rating. This upcoming stretch is crucial for him to show the Browns front office he’s worthy of a contract extension.
Pittsburgh has had an up-and-down season thus far. They have won two straight since falling to 1-3, mainly thanks to their defense and running back Najee Harris. The key to being successful on offense for the Steelers is their ability to run the ball, especially with wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on injured reserve and tight end Eric Ebron out Sunday.
It’s weird going into this game with the Browns as the favorites in a rivalry where they were second fiddle for so long. And while they might be the favorites, the Steelers can’t be taken lightly.
Game pick: Browns 21 Steelers 20
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints – 4:25 p.m. on FOX (Joe Davis, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi)
America’s Game of the Week features a rematch of last year’s NFC Divisional playoff matchup between Tampa Bay and New Orleans. The last time these two teams played proved to be the last game ever for legendary Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Now, the Saints are led by Jameis Winston, who has guided the Saints to a 4-2 record despite not having Michael Thomas to throw to. Despite being Jekyll-and-Hyde, Winston does have a very respectable 13-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. And if the Saints defense is able to build off of their strong performance at Seattle last Monday night, they can play with the vaunted Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay is clearly in mid-season form. Tom Brady leads the league in completions, attempts, passing yards and touchdown passes, and he’s 44 years old. Brady and his receivers are clicking, especially Mike Evans coming off a three-touchdown game last week in a blowout of Chicago.
In rivalry games, though, stats are thrown out the window. And something tells me New Orleans is going to pull the upset this week.
Game pick: Saints 27 Buccaneers 24
Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya) Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Rod Woodson, Ross Tucker)
I’m really intrigued by this game. Both teams have really good offenses with quarterbacks playing at high levels. Dallas doesn’t necessarily need to win this game as far as the NFC East standings go, but Minnesota sure does as far as playoff contention goes if they are a legitimate contender or not.
Dallas has been, perhaps, the best team in the NFC so far this season. Not only has their offense been humming, but their defense has been complimenting them immensely. The question, now, is, will quarterback Dak Prescott be able to play through a calf injury on Sunday?
Kirk Cousins and the Vikings have won their last two games and are coming off a bye week, so things are looking much better for Minnesota than through the first two weeks of the season. Dalvin Cook is back healthy running the football while Adam Thielen, once again, has proven to be a reliable receiver for the Vikings.
I think this will be a high-scoring game, and it could go either way. Until Dak Prescott is officially ruled out, I am rolling with the slightly more talented Cowboys in this one.
Game pick: Cowboys 34 Vikings 27
Monday Night Football: New York Giants @ Kansas City Chiefs – 8:15 p.m. on ESPN (Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters) ESPN2 (Peyton and Eli Manning and select guests) Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner)
This game is suddenly an important game for both teams. The big story coming into this game is what is wrong with Kansas City. They just haven’t been their lethal selves at all this season. Nothing has come easy for them, even offensively.
Meanwhile the Giants shook off some of their struggles last week with a win over Carolina, but now they have to build off it. Head coach Joe Judge’s job has been called into question this season, but a winning streak by a Giants team that historically has played competitively under Judge could be the key to insuring he sticks around to try and build a winning culture in New York.
Game pick: Chief 34 Giants 20
Other week eight games
Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets – 1 p.m. on CBS – This could be a trap game for the Bengals, but I think they’re too talented to let that be the case. The Bengals offense is rolling, as is their defense, and the Jets don’t have the talent on either side of the ball to stop them.
Game pick: Bengals 38 Jets 13
Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts – 1 p.m. on CBS – A crucial AFC South matchup, and a must-win for the Colts. If the Colts win, they’re just a game out of first place in the AFC South. If the Colts lose, they’re three games back and will be swept by the Titans this season. Tennessee is coming off a pummeling of Kansas City, and the last two times Derrick Henry has faced the Colts in Indianapolis, he’s rushed for 178 and 149 yards respectively.
Game pick: Titans 31 Colts 21
Los Angeles Rams @ Houston Texans – 1 p.m. on FOX – I could write an extended preview for this game, but there’s no need to. So I’ll spare myself some typing and just say…
Game pick: Rams 38 Texans 10
Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions – 1 p.m. on FOX – The Lions are due for a win at some point, right? Maybe it’s this game with Chris Spielman getting inducted into the Lions Ring of Honor and the Lions playing a slumping Eagles team. This game feels prime for the Lions to finally get off the shneid.
Game pick: Lions 27 Eagles 21
San Francisco 49ers @ Chicago Bears – 1 p.m. on FOX – These two teams badly need wins to snap respective losing streaks. The 49ers season is hanging on by a thread, a season that featured high expectations coming in. Chicago, meanwhile, must figure out the quarterback position with Justin Fields’s inconsistent development and if Andy Dalton should be summoned back in as the starter.
Game pick: 49ers 23 Bears 17
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons – 1 p.m. on FOX – Two teams who enter this game on polar opposites of the momentum spectrum. Carolina has been in a free fall since their 3-0 start while Atlanta has rebounded nicely from a 1-3 start to win its last two games behind an offense that’s suddenly rolling.
Game pick: Falcons 27 Panthers 17
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills – 1 p.m. on CBS – The only hope the Dolphins have in this game is that it’s a division game, and division games tend to be close. But I don’t think that will be the case in this game, as was the case the last time Miami played in Buffalo when they lost 56-26.
Game pick: Bills 41 Dolphins 14
New England Patriots @ Los Angeles Chargers – 4:05 p.m. on CBS – Another crucial game for both teams. For as great as Justin Herbert has been this season, he has struggled against good defenses. And the last time he and the Chargers faced Bill Belichick’s defense, it wasn’t great. As in, a 45-0 loss not great.
Game pick: Patriots 27 Chargers 20
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Seattle Seahawks – 4:05 p.m. on CBS – In any other year, I’d feel totally comfortable picking Seattle to win, but they are 0-3 at home this season. And Jacksonville is not a team to take lightly, especially now with a win under their belts.
Game pick: Seahawks 21 Jaguars 18
Washington Football Team @ Denver Broncos – 4:25 p.m. on FOX – One team, Washington, is here because they have been a major disappointment this season. The other team, Denver, is here because they have lost four in a row after starting 3-0. Which team turns their season around? That’s my key question for this game.
Game pick: Broncos 24 Football Team 17
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 