NFL Picks 2023: Early Week 8 Odds to Exploit after Final Week 7 Results
Week 7 was a thrilling slate that featured several telling outcomes. The Philadelphia Eagles looked like a legitimate Super Bowl team for perhaps the first time this season, while the Baltimore Ravens made a lot of noise by blowing out the red-hot Detroit Lions.
The Kansas City Chiefs finally opened up their offense, while the Los Angeles Chargers stumbled to a decisive loss in Kansas City and a 2-4 record.
The Chargers now have a mere half-game lead on the lowly Denver Broncos.
Week 8 is going to be just as important, perhaps even more so with the October 31 trade deadline looming. Expect several games to be hotly contested in what is very much a make-or-break week for multiple teams.
Below, we'll dive into three games to target based on the early Week 8 odds.
Check the latest lines at DraftKings.
Seakawks -2.5 Versus Browns
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The 4-2 Seattle Seahawks are set to host the 4-2 Cleveland Browns in what could be one of the most pivotal games of Week 8. The Browns are locked in a tight AFC North race, while the Seahawks are looking to catch the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.
Cleveland has won two in a row, but it has benefited from some questionable late calls and the clutch kicking of Dustin Hopkins. That recipe is not sustainable, and the Browns vaunted defense appeared very vulnerable against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7.
With quarterback questions lingering in Cleveland—Deshaun Watson exited with another injury on Sunday—Seattle represents a terrible matchup for them. The Seahawks have loads of offensive playmakers, and their defense is beginning to come together.
Seattle ranks 12th in points allowed and hasn't allowed more than 17 points in any of its last three games.
For the Browns to pull off the upset, they'll need another point-producing performance from Myles Garrett and the defense, and there's simply no way that can be counted on. Seattle should win by at least a field goal.
Ravens -8 at Cardinals
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The Ravens should be flying high after beating the Lions in a 38-6 landslide. Up next are the Arizona Cardinals, who are playing hard for head coach Jonathan Gannon but not playing particularly well.
Arizona did upset the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3, but that remains its only win on the season. The Cardinals have lost their last four by double digits.
Another double-digit loss is likely in store for Arizona. The Ravens aren't perfect—they've hurt themselves with turnovers in their two losses—but they have enough offensive and defensive talent to overwhelm the Cardinals.
Arizona's 23rd-ranked pass defense will have trouble containing Lamar Jackson, while Joshua Dobbs and the Cardinals offense may struggle to even sniff the end zone. Baltimore is allowing an average of just 13.8 points per game, while the Cardinals have scored just 19 points over the past two weeks combined.
Yes, the Ravens will be on the road for this one, but the line feels extremely low, and it is likely to reach double digits by the weekend.
Chiefs -8 at Broncos
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Are the Kansas City Chiefs going to beat the Denver Broncos in Denver on Sunday? Probably. Kansas City hasn't lost to the Broncos since 2015, during Peyton Manning's final season in Denver and long before the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes.
Will the Chiefs win by more than a touchdown? That too feels likely. Denver's defense did stand tall against the Green Bay Packers in Week 7, surrendering 331 total yards but only 17 points.
However, there's a big difference between rattling Jordan Love and limiting Mahomes. The Chiefs offense found its stride against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7, and it could build on that 31-point performance against Denver.
Of course, it's the Chiefs defense—which has allowed only one team, Detroit, to score more than 20 points this season—that presents the biggest challenge for the Broncos. Russell Wilson has had the occasional good game, but the offense hasn't been consistent enough to challenge Kansas City in any sort of back-and-forth battle.
The Broncos will have home-field advantage, but that has meant little for them this season. Kansas City won the first meeting by two scores, and it will likely replicate that outcome in Week 8.
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