NFL Odds Week 8: Underdogs That Will Notch Outright Victories

Before the 2013 season began, not many would have tabbed the New York Giants as one of the worst teams in the NFL. That title would have belonged to some franchise like the Oakland Raiders, who have been surprisingly decent thus far.

Another team that might have been lumped into that category would be the New York Jets, with boisterous head coach Rex Ryan being a lame duck and yelling his way out of town.

But the G-Men have endured severe struggles, the Raiders are relevant, and the Jets just beat the New England Patriots to pull within one game of the AFC East lead.

The Giants won their first game of the season Monday night, but they're being disrespected with regard to the spread by oddsmakers against the Philadelphia Eagles.

That's true for the Raiders and Jets as well. Read on to find out why you should not only bet on these three clubs to cover the spread but also bet on them as outright winners.

New York Giants (+6) over Philadelphia Eagles

The running game is still a cause for concern for the Giants, as it ranks 31st in the league, but New York got its first win Monday night to save its season heading into this NFC East clash.

Quarterback Eli Manning didn't throw an interception after racking up 15 before the 23-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings. That was due in part to a more conservative game plan, which ESPN Stats & Info highlighted:

As improbable as it might seem, the team that started 0-6 would be only two games back in the division with a win on Sunday and a Dallas Cowboys loss.

With the way the Eagles can put up points in a hurry, New York's rushing attack shouldn't be much of an impediment to victory with the season hanging in the balance.

NFL.com's Marc Sessler reports that Nick Foles is battling a concussion sustained in last week's loss to Dallas, while Michael Vick is still on the mend from a hamstring injury. That means rookie Matt Barkley could start in Week 8.

It does appear Vick will be under center, but whether he will be effective and possess his usual unique athleticism is another matter.

With the Eagles' instability at quarterback and Manning's uncanny ability to perform well when least expected, look for the G-Men to string together back-to-back wins and get back into the NFC East chase.

prediction: Giants 27, Eagles 24

New York Jets (+6.5) over Cincinnati Bengals

One prime candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year has to be the Jets' stud defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, who has been tearing it up in the trenches for the defensive guru Ryan.

Pro Football Focus has Richardson as the best first-year player overall, justifying new general manager John Idzik's heavy investment in the Missouri product.

Richardson has helped the Jets become the No. 2 rush defense in the league, while the exotic pressures Ryan throws at opposing quarterbacks have kept New York in the top 10 against the pass even without superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis.

That's bad news for Bengals QB Andy Dalton, who needs an established ground game to rely on before he panics, makes usually one read and heaves it to receiver A.J. Green.

Dalton's rookie counterpart Geno Smith is mobile enough to beat defenses with his feet and arm. Smith's 11 interceptions are a concern, but he hung tough enough to beat the Patriots in Week 7.

This should be a defensive battle, but Smith's knack for being clutch—he already has four game-winning drives this season—will push the Jets to a statement win over the AFC North leaders.

Prediction: Jets 24, Bengals 20

Oakland Raiders (+3) over Pittsburgh Steelers

If the AFC West weren't so tough—what with the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, the Denver Broncos' prolific offense and the resurgent San Diego Chargers—you might believe Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor's assertion that Oakland will make the playoffs.

Maybe next year, but this Raiders team is no laughingstock. Pryor is making a case for himself as the signal-caller of the future despite a depleted offensive line and no running game to back him up.

Pryor, though, was at fault for the majority of the 10 sacks the Kansas City Chiefs had in Week 6's 24-7 loss. However, head coach Dennis Allen professed confidence in his dynamic dual-threat QB:

Going up against a complex Steelers defense won't be easy, but the fact that Pittsburgh is coming off a hard-fought AFC North win over Baltimore makes the task a little easier.

It's a long trip to the Black Hole for an aging Steelers roster, and the youthful Raiders enter the game fresh off a bye week.

A win here would indeed put the Raiders back into the playoff discussion, as their next four games beyond this meeting of 2-4 clubs are also against foes with current losing records.

Prediction: Raiders 20, Steelers 13

Away Team	Home Team	Winner (Spread)
Carolina Panthers	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Panthers (-6.5)
Dallas Cowboys	Detroit Lions	Lions (-3)
Cleveland Browns	Kansas City Chiefs	Chiefs (-7)
Miami Dolphins	New England Patriots	Patriots (-7)
Buffalo Bills	New Orleans Saints	Saints (-12)
New York Giants	Philadelphia Eagles	Giants (+6)
San Francisco 49ers	Jacksonville Jaguars	49ers (-16)
New York Jets	Cincinnati Bengals	Jets (+6.5)
Pittsburgh Steelers	Oakland Raiders	Raiders (+3)
Washington Redskins	Denver Broncos	Redskins (+13.5)
Atlanta Falcons	Arizona Cardinals	Falcons (+2.5)
Green Bay Packers	Minnesota Vikings	Packers (-10)
Seattle Seahawks	St. Louis Rams	Seahawks (-11.5)