Bleacher Report's Expert Week 8 NFL Picks

Bleacher Report’s NFL crew fully understands that sometimes you have to expect the unexpected on game day.

If you asked anyone in the group about a potential Week 7 lock, they may have circled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-11) over the lowly Carolina Panthers. Well, that would’ve blown up in everyone’s face. Our experts still avoided a losing consensus record, though, which shows that you can trust us—for the most part.

NFL analysts Gary Davenport, Brent Sobleski, Kris Knox and Maurice Moton, editor Wes O'Donnell and B/R Betting host of Winners Only Wednesdays Greg Ivory roll into Week 8 with three unanimous picks for road favorites. That’s right—show some confidence in a few road warriors, starting Thursday night. Also, our panelists have a strong warning for one of the two double-digit spreads on the slate.

Before we break down our Week 8 picks, check out the latest expert standings with last week’s records in parentheses.

1. Moton: 58-46-4 (8-6)

2. Davenport: 55-49-4 (6-8)

3. Ivory: 51-53-4 (6-8)

T-4. Knox: 48-56-4 (7-7)

T-4. O’Donnell: 48-56-4 (8-6)

6. Sobleski: 44-60-4 (6-8)

Consensus picks: 54-48-4 (6-6)

Lines are from DraftKings as of Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m. ET. Check DraftKings for the latest odds info. Information on public betting trends is courtesy of the Action Network. ATS records are provided by Team Rankings.

Editor's Note: Ravens defeated the Buccaneers 27-22 on Thursday night.

DraftKings Line: Ravens -1

After a 21-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said the team has gone into a “dark place.” Well, the reigning NFC South champions better figure something out as they step onto Thursday night’s prime-time stage.

The Buccaneers will try to avoid a three-game skid and their fifth loss in six weeks. Moton doesn’t see that happening, though.

“With such a thin spread, anyone who bets on the Buccaneers thinks they have a good chance to win this game, but Tampa Bay hasn’t given us a reason to believe that over the past month,” he said.

“The Buccaneers have scored just 21 total points in their previous two contests against a couple of 2-5 squads in the Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers. Even more worrisome for this particular matchup, they’ve lost their defensive identity as a stout team against the run, giving up 151-plus yards on the ground in three of the last four weeks.

“With running back Gus Edwards back in the fold to take some of the rushing workload off quarterback Lamar Jackson, Baltimore will wear down Tampa Bay’s interior defense en route to a victory by a touchdown. This week, the Ravens won’t allow a struggling squad to hang around late in the game.”

Predictions

Davenport: Ravens

Ivory: Buccaneers

Knox: Ravens

Moton: Ravens

O’Donnell: Ravens

Sobleski: Ravens

Consensus: Ravens -1

Score Prediction: Ravens 27, Buccaneers 21

DK Line: Jaguars -2.5

The Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars will have a 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff in London, which adds a neutral element to this matchup. Keep in mind that the Broncos have yet to win a game away from their turf at Empower Field at Mile High.

Bettors should proceed with caution with this matchup because of Denver's quarterback situation. Last Sunday, when asked if Russell Wilson will play in Week 8, head coach Nathaniel Hackett told reporters that his starting signal-caller is “trending in that direction.”

Though that sounds like an optimistic outlook for Denver, Moton backs Jacksonville whether Wilson starts or Brett Rypien fills in for him again.

“Last week, against the New York Jets, Rypien went 24-of-46 passing for 225 yards and an interception. If he draws another start, the Broncos may not reach double digits on the scoreboard in consecutive weeks. However, Denver isn’t much better off with a banged-up Wilson under center.

“Physically, Wilson has fallen apart over the past few weeks. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, the Broncos signal-caller took an injection for pain near his throwing shoulder because of a strained latissimus dorsi. Last week, Rapoport and Pelissero reported that Wilson has a partially torn hamstring. When you toss in chatter about Hackett's job security (h/t ESPN's Dan Graziano), the Broncos have a situation that could go south quickly if the offense continues to sputter in London.

“Wilson’s arm and mobility may be limited or compromised if he suits up for this contest, which isn’t good for the league’s lowest-scoring offense. As for the Jaguars, they have lost by eight points or fewer in four consecutive weeks, but running back Travis Etienne Jr. has exploded on to the NFL scene, averaging at least 7.1 yards per carry in each of his last three games. He’ll lead the Jaguars to victory over the Broncos, who allow 4.7 yards per rush attempt (ranked 23rd leaguewide).

Predictions

Davenport: Broncos

Ivory: Jaguars

Knox: Jaguars

Moton: Jaguars

O’Donnell: Jaguars

Sobleski: Jaguars

Consensus: Jaguars -2.5

Score Prediction: Jaguars 20, Broncos 16

DK Line: Patriots -2.5

As the New York Jets continue breathing down the necks of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East, they’ll face some adversity.

Gang Green lost rookie running back Breece Hall (torn ACL) and versatile offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker (triceps) for the season, which may be a disastrous double body shot to a team that racked up 135-plus rushing yards in each of its last three outings. In that time span, quarterback Zach Wilson has thrown for 441 yards without a touchdown or an interception.

Though Wilson has done a good job at managing the offense and protecting the football, Davenport doesn’t think that’s enough to get the job done against the New England Patriots.

“We're living in a world where the Jets are 5-2 and a game out of first in their division while the Patriots are reeling after getting throttled at home. I figure at some point in the next week or so either Thor is going to show up, Godzilla is going to crawl out of the ocean or all the plants are going to try to kill us (if you haven't seen the Mark Wahlberg cinematic masterpiece The Happening, watch it. Soon. You're welcome).

“The thing is, while the Jets have impressed defensively and avoided mistakes, I just don't trust the passing game. And with Hall out for the year, Wilson may actually have to throw the ball. This isn't to say the Jets are bad. But they aren't as good as their record, and the Patriots will expose that this week.”

Last year, as a rookie, Wilson threw for 261 yards and four interceptions in two games against the Patriots. He has to get over a hurdle against New England to give the Jets a chance to win this game. Thus far, the second-year signal-caller hasn’t given us a reason to back him on that. We're split, but be careful if you've considered the Jets (+2.5) in this game.

To end the chatter about a quarterback controversy, New England tabbed Mac Jones as the starter for this contest.

Predictions

Davenport: Patriots

Ivory: Patriots

Knox: Jets

Moton: Patriots

O’Donnell: Jets

Sobleski: Jets

Consensus: None

Score Prediction: Patriots 24, Jets 20

DK Line: Eagles -10.5

The Pittsburgh Steelers have to take the good with the bad as rookie first-round quarterback Kenny Pickett learns on the job.

Since Pickett took over for Mitch Trubisky in Week 4, he’s thrown for 771 yards, two touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 68.5 completion rate. You can clearly see the positives and negatives in his game.

On one hand, Pickett has the mobility to extend plays and move the chains. More importantly, he’s able to distribute the ball to his playmakers, throwing for 257-plus yards in two out of his three starts (he had to leave one of the starts early because of a concussion). Yet Pickett must make better decisions with the football to limit turnovers.

O’Donnell cut Pickett some slack because of the competition on the Steelers’ schedule over the past few weeks. The B/R editor believes the Steelers will hang around with a single-digit point margin (as they did last Sunday against the Miami Dolphins) to cover the spread.

“Pickett's Steelers haven't really figured it out yet. The team’s injuries haven't helped, and the schedule hasn't been easy since the rookie took over (at Bills, home vs. Bucs and at Dolphins) and that trend continues with a trip to Philadelphia. The last time the NFL's lone unbeaten squad won by double digits, however, was back in Week 3. I'll roll the dice on the points here.”

Ivory agrees with O’Donnell. Nonetheless, a majority of our crew firmly backs the Eagles, who are coming off a bye week and are well-prepared for the Steelers with a mostly healthy roster. Also of note, Philadelphia has a new pass-rusher in Robert Quinn, whom it acquired Wednesday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, to pursue Pickett in the pocket.

Predictions

Davenport: Eagles

Ivory: Steelers

Knox: Eagles

Moton: Eagles

O’Donnell: Steelers

Sobleski: Eagles

Consensus: Eagles -10.5

Score Prediction: Eagles 31, Steelers 17

DK Line: Cowboys -9.5

The Chicago Bears will go into Jerry’s World (AT&T Stadium) on a psychological high after an upset 33-14 win over the New England Patriots.

Based on Justin Fields’ production over the last couple of weeks, the Bears may have figured out how to use his strengths to their advantage. The second-year signal-caller rushed for 82-plus yards in Weeks 6 and 7.

Fields doesn’t have the pass-catching group to aggressively attack defenses through the air. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney is the only player on Chicago’s roster who’s eclipsed 12 receptions and 158 receiving yards for the season. Furthermore, the young quarterback must work on his ball placement, as he has the highest rate of poor throws at 24.1 percent.

As a result, Fields has to make up for shortcomings in the passing game with his legs, which has helped Chicago moved the ball as of late.

Moton believes the Bears stay within one score of the Cowboys in a slow-paced slugfest.

“Even though the Cowboys have their starting signal-caller in Dak Prescott back under center, this matchup will likely end with two low relatively low scores because of the stout defenses on the field, which increases the probability that Chicago covers the spread,” he said.

“Under head coach Matt Eberflus, who served as a defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts for four years, the Bears have a stingy unit on that side of the ball, ranking seventh in points allowed. Even without edge-rusher Robert Quinn, whom the Bears traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago should be able to slow down the Cowboys offense with Prescott in just his third game of the season and second start after thumb surgery.

“Dallas may go with a ground-and-pound approach on offense against the Bears’ 29th-ranked run defense as Prescott progresses further away from surgery. Assuming the Cowboys don't get too many explosive plays through the air, the Bears hang around with their run game and lose by a touchdown or less. Keep in mind that running back Ezekiel Elliott has a sprained knee."

Most of our group respectfully disagrees with Moton and expects the Cowboys to win at home by double digits. Perhaps Prescott connects with wideouts CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Noah Brown and tight end Dalton Schultz for a ton of yards through the air.

Predictions

Davenport: Bears

Ivory: Cowboys

Knox: Cowboys

Moton: Bears

O’Donnell: Cowboys

Sobleski: Cowboys

Consensus: Cowboys -9.5

Score Prediction: Cowboys 24, Bears 14

DK Line: Dolphins -3.5

Through the first seven weeks, the Miami Dolphins have gone 4-1 when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa starts under center. In three of those games, the Dolphins covered the spread, pulling off upsets against the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills in back-to-back contests. Remember, he exited the Cincinnati Bengals game in the first quarter because of a concussion.

Last week, the Dolphins fell two points short of covering the spread against the Pittsburgh Steelers—thanks in part to head coach Mike McDaniel, who chose to go for a conversion on fourth down rather than kick a chip-shot field goal from the opponent’s 14-yard line.

The Dolphins will face the Detroit Lions, who have allowed the most points and yards per game through the first seven weeks of the season. Miami shouldn’t have any issues converting on fourth down if McDaniels takes an aggressive approach against a team that’s also top 10 in scoring and top five in total offense. Remember, the Lions may welcome back running back D’Andre Swift, who’s missed the team’s last three games with a shoulder injury.

Despite the possibility that Swift gives the Lions a significant lift on offense, Ivory stuck with our consensus pick on this one.

"Let’s break this down simply by the quarterback position first. Believe it or not, Jared Goff has helped lead the Lions offense to 24 or more points in four outings this year, losing three of those games by one possession, but they still covered the spread. However, Detroit's consecutive lopsided losses, including a 29-0 pounding by the New England Patriots, has me second-guessing.

"Meanwhile, Tagovailoa has performed well this season, grinding out four wins as a starter. Tagovailoa's supporting cast with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will allow the Dolphins to send the Lions further into a downward spiral. A majority of the public money is pouring in on the Dolphins, which moved the line a half-point in their favor. I’m following suit. Give me Miami."

Predictions

Davenport: Dolphins

Ivory: Dolphins

Knox: Dolphins

Moton: Dolphins

O’Donnell: Dolphins

Sobleski: Dolphins

Consensus: Dolphins -3.5

Score Prediction: Dolphins 35, Lions 30

DK Line: Vikings -3.5

The Arizona Cardinals certainly missed three-time All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins, who made his 2022 season debut after serving a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

In Week 7, against the New Orleans Saints, Hopkins hauled in 10 out of 14 targets for 103 yards in a 42-34 win. Also of note, the Cardinals defense had a strong performance in its last outing with pick-sixes on consecutive drives.

Moton doesn’t expect the Cardinals defense to repeat its Week 7 scoring production, but he points to Hopkins’ return and the addition of Robbie Anderson as reasons Arizona pulls off an upset. Furthermore, the B/R analyst isn't all that impressed with the Vikings.

“The Vikings have a 5-1 record, but they haven’t looked all that impressive through their four-game winning streak,” he said.

“Minnesota battled close with the one-win Detroit Lions, an Andy Dalton-led New Orleans Saints squad that didn’t have running back Alvin Kamara or wideout Michael Thomas in London, the Chicago Bears, who led them going into the fourth quarter, and the Miami Dolphins with rookie seventh-rounder Skylar Thompson and Teddy Bridgewater splitting time under center because the former suffered an injury. The Vikings won all those games by eight points or fewer.

“While we don’t dissect the context of wins in the standings, bettors should know that the Vikings haven’t looked dominant in their winning streak, which means opponents with offensive playmakers can make things interesting in games with them.

“With Hopkins back on the field along with newcomer Robbie Anderson, who can take the top off a defense, Arizona should be able to move the ball against Minnesota’s 28th-ranked pass defense. Don’t be afraid to place a wager on the Cardinals moneyline.”

On the other hand, a majority of our crew believes the Vikings’ Week 7 bye allowed them to tighten up in areas such as their pass defense and come out of an off week on a tear.

Predictions

Davenport: Vikings

Ivory: Cardinals

Knox: Vikings

Moton: Cardinals

O’Donnell: Vikings

Sobleski: Vikings

Consensus: Vikings -3.5

Score Prediction: Vikings 28, Cardinals 23

DK Line: Falcons -4.5

This matchup won’t garner headlines, but the outcome of the game may change the complexion of the NFC South standings.

Last week, at home, the Carolina Panthers celebrated a big 21-3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Panthers will look to go 3-0 against NFC South opponents in a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, who would move into first place in the division if they win and the Buccaneers lose to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night.

If Carolina wins and Tampa Bay loses, the Panthers would pull into first place via tiebreaker even if the New Orleans Saints beat the Las Vegas Raiders. Why? Because Carolina beat New Orleans in Week 3.

Though Sobleski didn’t call for total NFC South chaos, he gives the Panthers a fair shot to stay competitive against the Falcons.

“Who knew that all the Panthers needed was to fire their head coach and inject third-string quarterback PJ Walker into the starting lineup to look like a functional—dare we say competent—football team? More importantly, Walker adds a different dynamic to the offense with his ability to push the ball down the field.

“The Falcons remain banged up in the secondary with A.J. Terrell and Dee Alford both nursing hamstring injuries, Jaylinn Hawkins out with a concussion and Casey Hayward possibly dealing with a season-sending shoulder injury. A couple quick strikes could keep this divisional contest close.”

Our crew gave a slight nod to the Falcons because of their offensive playmakers. Quarterback Marcus Mariota has two young pass-catchers at his disposal in second-year tight end Kyle Pitts and rookie wide receiver Drake London—both can take over a game.

Predictions

Davenport: Falcons

Ivory: Falcons

Knox: Panthers

Moton: Falcons

O’Donnell: Falcons

Sobleski: Panthers

Consensus: Falcons -4.5

Score Prediction: Falcons 30, Panthers 24

DK Line: Raiders -1.5

Even if you don’t follow suit with our consensus pick for this game, make sure you take the over on the point total. Bettors should prepare for the Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints to put on an offensive firework show.

The Saints are tied for fourth in yards per play (6.1), and the Raiders list seventh in that statistical category. On the flip side, the Silver and Black ranks 26th in points allowed, but as Knox highlights, New Orleans is worse than Las Vegas when it comes to giving up scores.

“I'm not ready to believe in a Raiders turnaround just yet, but the decline of the Saints defense is my concern for New Orleans here. A year ago, only three teams allowed fewer points than New Orleans. This year, the Saints are giving up 28.6 points per game, second-most in the NFL. Coupled with an injury-hampered offense that can't find consistency at quarterback, that's a problem.

“The Saints are allowing an average of 4.6 yards per play on the ground. I see that poor run defense being the difference against a Las Vegas team that has remembered how to get Josh Jacobs going. The Raiders win their second straight coming out of a Week 6 bye, and I see them winning by at least a field goal.”

Bettors should pay close attention to the injury report for both teams.

For the Saints, cornerback Marshon Lattimore, guard Andrus Peat and wide receivers Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry all missed the team’s previous game. On the Raiders side, tight end Darren Waller sat out of Week 7 because of a hamstring injury, though he practiced Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the Saints named Andy Dalton their starting quarterback over Jameis Winston, who isn’t 100 percent healthy. New Orleans has more roster question marks than Vegas. Moreover, the Raiders offense has hit its stride with Jacobs rushing for 143-plus yards in three consecutive weeks with six total touchdowns in that time span.

Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson is a perfect 16-of-16 on field-goal attempts. Take the Silver and Black to win by three with a late kick from 40-50 yards.

Predictions

Davenport: Saints

Ivory: Raiders

Knox: Raiders

Moton: Raiders

O’Donnell: Raiders

Sobleski: Raiders

Consensus: Raiders -1.5

Score Prediction: Raiders 34, Saints 31

DK Line: Titans -2

Some of you may wonder about this spread with a bit of confusion.

How does a 4-2 squad on a four-game winning streak only get two points against a club with the league’s second-worst record?

For starters, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has an ankle injury and wore a walking boot after the team’s Week 7 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He had to briefly come out of the game for a medical check but returned to finish the contest.

Secondly, Tannehill struggled against the Texans last season. In Week 11 of the 2021 campaign, he threw for 323 yards, a touchdown and four interceptions at Nissan Stadium.

With that said, Moton pointed out a key difference that will swing the final score in the Titans’ favor even though rookie third-rounder Malik Willis may have to play if Tannehill doesn’t suit up.

“Last year, the Texans beat the Titans 22-13 and lost to them by just a field goal in the season finale, but running back Derrick Henry didn’t play in either of those games because he underwent foot surgery,” he said.

“Despite the uncertainty around Tannehill, the Titans will eventually run away with a win in this matchup. Henry has rushed for 102-plus yards in each of the last three games (three touchdowns in total), and he’ll extend that streak to four outings in a matchup with the league’s worst run defense.

“Last week, Houston gave up 143 yards and three touchdowns to Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. Just think about what the two-time rushing champion will do Sunday. Henry runs for 150-plus yards, and the Titans win decisively.”

Predictions

Davenport: Titans

Ivory: Titans

Knox: Titans

Moton: Titans

O’Donnell: Titans

Sobleski: Titans

Consensus: Titans -2

Score Prediction: Titans 24, Texans 20

DK Line: Seahawks -3

In a matchup between two pleasantly surprising teams, the Seattle Seahawks lead the NFC West with quarterback Geno Smith under center, and the New York Giants have already eclipsed their win total from the previous season by two victories.

Through the first seven weeks, bettors have cashed in with Big Blue as the Giants go into this matchup tied with the Atlanta Falcons for the best record against the spread (6-1). With that said, two of our panelists have a hunch that the Giants have played with fire too many times this season, winning all of their games by eight or fewer points with fourth-quarter comebacks in each of the last three weeks.

O’Donnell isn’t ready to budge on the Giants until they finally dig a hole too deep to climb out of late in a game.

“The Giants getting points on the road again, huh? I said back in Week 5 that I wouldn't change off them in this scenario, and that continues," he said. "Admittedly, Seattle is better than I ever expected it to be, but until the Giants stumble, they've got my pick."

The Seahawks have outscored their last two opponents (the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers) by double digits, so the Giants must avoid an early deficit or else they’ll face an extremely difficult task in pulling off another comeback. Seattle may be without star wideout DK Metcalf (knee) in this contest, though.

We’re going to see tailbacks Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Walker III take over this game as they run through bottom-tier run defenses. New York and Seattle rank 28th and 29th against ground attacks, respectively.

Expect this Seahawks-Giants matchup to come down to one late-game mistake. New York has turned the ball over just once over the last three weeks. Seattle has committed at least one turnover in every game this season. With that statistical tidbit, bettors should back the Giants here.

Predictions

Davenport: Seahawks

Ivory: Seahawks

Knox: Giants

Moton: Giants

O’Donnell: Giants

Sobleski: Giants

Consensus: Giants +3

Score Prediction: Giants 26, Seahawks 24

DK Line: 49ers -1.5

At home, the Los Angeles Rams will look to even their season series with the San Francisco 49ers, whom they lost to 24-9 in Week 4.

As Sobleski points out, Los Angeles could welcome back multiple players for this matchup, which gives him confidence that the Rams have a better performance in the second meeting between these teams.

“The biggest factor in Los Angeles' favor is the fact the Rams are coming off their bye with two weeks to prepare for their division rival. The time off allowed the squad to get healthier. The organization designated wide receiver Van Jefferson, cornerback Troy Hill and linebacker Travin Howard to return from injured reserve on Monday.

“Center Brian Allen is back practicing with the team as well, though left tackle Joe Noteboom's season-ending injury does shake up the offensive line a bit. Even so, a healthier and prepared Rams face a 49ers squad licking their wounds after the Kansas City Chiefs lit up their previously No. 1-ranked defense.”

With a stronger offensive line and perhaps another playmaker in Jefferson who can stretch defenses, quarterback Matthew Stafford may have the supporting cast to attack the 49ers’ third-ranked total defense.

Yet our crew gave the consensus nod to the 49ers, who could give star running back Christian McCaffrey a bigger workload in his second game with the team. If that’s the case, he has a shot to rack up 100-plus scrimmage yards because of his dual-threat capability. Head coach Kyle Shanahan can create nightmarish mismatches with him Sunday.

Predictions

Davenport: Rams

Ivory: 49ers

Knox: 49ers

Moton: 49ers

O’Donnell: 49ers

Sobleski: Rams

Consensus: 49ers -1.5

Score Prediction: 49ers 24, Rams 21

DK Line: Colts -2.5

At the beginning of the week, the Indianapolis Colts decided to bench Matt Ryan in favor of second-year quarterback Sam Ehlinger. The 37-year-old signal-caller has a shoulder sprain, but according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team didn’t make its decision because of the injury.

Ehlinger can move a lot more than Ryan in and out of the pocket, which will help the Colts mask their pass-protection issues. He ran for 1,903 yards and 33 touchdowns at Texas.

Knox has some faith in Ehlinger, who can provide a jolt to the Colts offense if he protects the ball.

“I'm probably going against the grain here, but I really believe Indianapolis has found its quarterback in Sam Ehlinger," he said. "OK, that's not at all true, but I do believe that Indy will find a spark by moving away from the turnover machine that has been Matt Ryan.

“The Colts should lean heavily on a now (mostly) healthy Jonathan Taylor in this game. The Commanders have a strong defensive front, but they're still allowing 4.5 yards per carry. The Colts’ receiving corps is more threatening than the Packers' unit right now, so I don't see Washington clamping down on the run as it did against Green Bay last week. As long as Ehlinger can make fewer mistakes than Taylor Heinicke, I see Indy getting a much-needed home win by a fairly comfortable margin.”

While Ehlinger brings more athleticism to the Colts’ quarterback position, and Indianapolis has Taylor in the backfield, the AFC South club has an inexperienced signal-caller who hasn’t thrown a regular-season pass in the NFL.

Most of us can see Washington taking advantage of Ehlinger’s greenness to win this game and get back to .500.

Predictions

Davenport: Commanders

Ivory: Commanders

Knox: Colts

Moton: Commanders

O’Donnell: Colts

Sobleski: Commanders

Consensus: Commanders +2.5

Score Prediction: Commanders 23, Colts 20

DK Line: Bills -11

As the Green Bay Packers try to stop the bleeding on a three-game losing streak, they may have to do it without wide receiver Allen Lazard whose status for Sunday’s game seems unclear because of a shoulder injury.

The Packers need all offensive hands on the deck against the Buffalo Bills’ second-ranked scoring offense and No. 1 defense in points allowed. Lazard isn’t a household name, but he leads Green Bay in receiving yards (340) and touchdown receptions (four), so his absence would be a huge blow to the Packers’ aerial attack.

Despite the uncertainty around Lazard, Davenport expects quarterback Aaron Rodgers to put together a decent performance to keep Green Bay in the game, or the Packers to simply rack up points late to maintain some of their competitive dignity.

“When the schedule was released, this game was pointed to as a marquee matchup,” he said. “A Super Bowl preview. Appointment viewing. Now the regular season isn't even halfway over and it's tornado meets tomato can in a matchup with a double-digit point spread.

“My confidence level in the Packers right now is limbo-low because I've seen them play the last three weeks. But 10.5 points is a lot to lay against Aaron Rodgers, and while I fully expect Buffalo to win outright, there's a lot of backdoor cover potential here.”

Predictions

Davenport: Packers

Ivory: Packers

Knox: Bills

Moton: Bills

O’Donnell: Packers

Sobleski: Bills

Consensus: None

Score Prediction: Bills 35, Packers 23

DK Line: Bengals -3.5

Last week, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow lit up the Atlanta Falcons defense, preventing the NFC South club from covering the spread for the first time this season.

After a rough 2022 season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers (two touchdown passes and four interceptions), Burrow has distributed the ball to his playmakers with a hot and efficient hand, throwing for 13 touchdowns and just one interception.

Burrow isn't going to rack up touchdowns through the air with ease against the Cleveland Browns pass defense, which has allowed just eight scores in seven contests. With that said, Joe Mixon could have a big game against a run defense that’s allowed the most scores leaguewide.

Furthermore, the Bengals have yet to allow a touchdown in the second half of any game this season. Cincinnati can beat or shut down an opponent in so many ways. Ivory couldn’t argue against the unanimous consensus in favor of the Bengals.

"A majority of the public has backed the Bengals and for good reason. In its last five outings, Cincinnati is 4-1 straight up and 5-0 against the spread. Meanwhile, the Browns have dropped four consecutive games. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett hasn’t produced enough offense to win ballgames. The bold print is clear here: Roll with last year's Super Bowl contender. Joe Burrow and Co. get the job done. Burrow has already amassed 2,000-plus yards and 15 touchdowns through the air this season."

Predictions

Davenport: Bengals

Ivory: Bengals

Knox: Bengals

Moton: Bengals

O’Donnell: Bengals

Sobleski: Bengals

Consensus: Bengals -3.5

Score Prediction: Bengals 28, Browns 24

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