NFL Predictions Week 8: Top Underdogs Picks, Vegas Odds and Score Predictions

In a week when the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins all claimed Week 7 victories, no earth-shattering upsets truly occurred.

Welcome to 2015's NFL. When the majority of the league isn't very good, an also-ran is bound to strike gold once in a while against another mediocre squad. Even the five undefeated teams have flaws despite their perfect records.

At least one 6-0 franchise will fall when the Green Bay Packers meet the Denver Broncos Sunday night. Among the other four, one must especially tread lightly upon facing a divisional foe at the worst possible time.

A look at Week 8's odds, via Odds Shark as of Wednesday morning, reveals another batch of games where only a few underdogs prevailing would constitute significant upsets. Yet plenty of outcomes could alter the season's script.

Away	Home	Odds	Prediction
Miami Dolphins	New England Patriots	NE -8	34-27 NE
Detroit Lions	Kansas City Chiefs	KC -5	23-20 KC
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Atlanta Falcons	ATL -7.5	28-20 ATL
Arizona Cardinals	Cleveland Browns	ARI -5	27-17 ARI
San Francisco 49ers	St. Louis Rams	STL -9.5	20-12 STL
New York Giants	New Orleans Saints	NO -3	27-24 NO
Minnesota Vikings	Chicago Bears	Even	24-20 MIN
San Diego Chargers	Baltimore Ravens	BAL -3	31-30 BAL
Cincinnati Bengals	Pittsburgh Steelers	Even	35-31 PIT
Tennessee Titans	Houston Texans	HOU -4.5	16-9 TEN
New York Jets	Oakland Raiders	NYJ -1	27-22 NYJ
Seattle Seahawks	Dallas Cowboys	SEA -6	17-6 SEA
Green Bay Packers	Denver Broncos	GB -3	23-17 GB
Indianapolis Colts	Carolina Panthers	CAR -7.5	30-27 CAR

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Let's not declare the AFC North over just yet. The Cincinnati Bengals could claim a commanding 3.5-game lead by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, but they'll likely face their foes at full strength.

On Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters he intends to see Ben Roethlisberger return this Sunday, per ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler.

"We don't have any reservations or limitations about his ability," Tomlin said. "As I sit here today, we're comfortable where he is in his overall ability. We're going to need him, obviously."

The Steelers held the fort down without their starting quarterback, winning two of four games with 20.5 points per game. Yet Landry Jones, who failed to guide Pittsburgh past the 2-5 Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, couldn't have matched wits with Cincinnati's No. 3 offense.

For the first time this season, Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant will all share the field. When Bryant joined the fray last season, the Steelers scored 332 points through 10 contests, beating the Bengals twice in December. Roethlisberger registered 335.9 passing yards per game with 24 touchdowns.

By ESPN Stats & Info's calculations, a star-studded offense at full strength tilts the arrow in Pittsburgh's favor:

Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have both suppressed points despite ranking No. 22 and 24, respectively, in total defense. Everyone who is expecting the bad Andy Dalton to surface will have to wait at least another week longer, as Pittsburgh has relinquished a 68.8 completion percentage and 7.7 yards per pass attempt.

On the other side, Roethlisberger turns Brown back into the league's most dangerous wideout. Bryant, meanwhile, has reached the end zone 12 times in 13 career games. Yet the biggest reason to pick the Steelers is Bell battling a Bengals defense that is conceding 4.9 yards per carry. A healthy Steelers offense will showcase football's most prolific attack to keep Cincinnati honest.

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans

Favoring the Houston Texans shouldn't happen anymore this season.

The 44-26 final score doesn't come close to portraying the calamity of Houston's Week 7 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Before Brian Hoyer and Nate Washington played garbage-time heroes for their handful of fantasy investors across the globe, the Texans entered halftime down 41-0. 

Now they'll once again have to survive without Arian Foster, who tore his ACL during Sunday's defeat. Per the team's Twitter page, head coach Bill O'Brien confirmed his star running back's season-ending injury:

For the second straight year, the Tennessee Titans teased everyone with a Week 1 victory, only to promptly fall off the map. They've lost five straight games since stomping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including a 38-10 blowout of their own to Miami.

However, they also have dropped three of those games by three points or fewer. Devonta Freeman and Julio Jones both had big days, but it only led to 5.5 yards per play and 10 points for the Atlanta Falcons last weekend. Tennessee will follow a similar blueprint this weekend, silencing anyone not named DeAndre Hopkins in an otherwise feeble Texans offense. 

The scariest part about this putrid matchup: It kind of matters. This year's AFC South, led by the 3-4 Indianapolis Colts, who are refusing to take the hand-gifted division, makes 2014's NFC South look decent. Tennessee's minus-20 point differential rates first among the grouping.

Weston Kenney/Associated Press

Nothing but the No. 1 pick should even be remotely in play here, but the Colts refuse to beat anyone outside the division. Tennessee quietly possesses the NFL's No. 5 defense, and J.J. Watt has failed to single-handedly carry Houston's No. 23-rated unit.

Prepare for the Titans to feel hopeful about their playoff chances after improving to 2-5.