NFL Week 8 Picks: Predictions for Games Against the Spread

We're nearly to the halfway point of the NFL season, and still no one knows what to expect.

Look at last week for proof. The New York Jets were a field goal away from beating the New England Patriots—who were 39-3 in their previous 42 home games—in Foxboro. The defending champion Seattle Seahawks were outcoached and outperformed on special teams in a loss to the St. Louis Rams. The previously winless Jacksonville Jaguars blew out a Cleveland Browns squad that had been playing very well.

Still, while unpredictable results are inevitable, trends are beginning to emerge, and we're starting to get a slightly better grasp on the league as a whole.

That in mind, let's take a look at the Week 8 slate as well as a few of the best bets of the week.

NFL Week 8 Picks

Date	Matchup	Spread	Pick Against Spread
Thu., Oct. 23	Chargers at Broncos	DEN (-6.5)	Broncos
Sun., Oct. 26	Lions at Falcons (in London)	DET (-3)	Lions
Sun., Oct. 26	Texans at Titans	HOU (-2)	Texans
Sun., Oct. 26	Rams at Chiefs	KC (-6)	Rams
Sun., Oct. 26	Vikings at Buccaneers	TB (-2)	Vikings
Sun., Oct. 26	Seahawks at Panthers	SEA (-3)	Seahawks
Sun., Oct. 26	Ravens at Bengals	CIN (-2.5)	Ravens
Sun., Oct. 26	Dolphins at Jaguars	MIA (-4)	Dolphins
Sun., Oct. 26	Bears at Patriots	NE (-7)	Patriots
Sun., Oct. 26	Bills at Jets	NY (-2.5)	Jets
Sun., Oct. 26	Eagles at Cardinals	ARI (-2.5)	Eagles
Sun., Oct. 26	Raiders at Browns	CLE (-7)	Raiders
Sun., Oct. 26	Colts at Steelers	IND (-1.5)	Colts
Sun., Oct. 26	Packers at Saints	NO (-1.5)	Packers
Mon., Oct. 27	Redskins at Cowboys	DAL (-9)	Cowboys

Note: Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

Houston Texans (-2) at Tennessee Titans

Odds are J.J. Watt won't win MVP—Lawrence Taylor in 1986 was the last defensive player to win the award—but that's more telling of the perception of the award than Watt's play. Because there has been no individual player—at any position—more transcendent than Mr. Watt in 2014.

The 25-year-old has "only" 5.0 sacks through seven games, but he's operating at a higher level than 2012, when he recorded 20.5. Sports Illustrated's Doug Farrar explains:

"

This season, however... well, he's playing at an entirely different level, with a 9.8 pressure percentage (five sacks, 22 hits and 19 hurries on 470 snaps). Watt's perceived value is insane because he can get pressure from any gap and in the face of double-teams, but when you add in the fact that he's providing some sort of pressure on nearly one in 10 offensive plays -- well, that's not really even human. His five sacks tell so little of the story.

"

Watt, per Farrar, has recorded 46 pressures this season. The next highest player is Cameron Wake, who is having a dominant season in his own right, at 29.

"He’s a special player," Tennessee Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt added, via TitansOnline.com. "There have been a few of those during the course of the years, but I don’t want to get into comparisons with other players. He’s got his own identity, and he’s doing a nice job with that."

Now, add freakish athletic talent Jadeveon Clowney, who is expected to return after missing the last six games, to the mix. NFL Philosophy put it simply:

Watt by himself is as close to unstoppable as it gets. Watt on the same D-line as Clowney is an unfair combination. Watt and Clowney peeling their ears back and running rampant after Zach Mettenberger, who is immobile, making his first NFL start and playing behind an O-line that has given up the seventh-most sacks in the NFL?

Well, that's a recipe for a blowout.

Oakland Raiders (+7) at Cleveland Browns

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

There may not be such a thing as a moral victory in the NFL, but there certainly is in betting. 

The Oakland Raiders have yet to win a game this season, but since moving to Tony Sparano as head coach, they lost to the San Diego Chargers by three on a late scoring drive and were within a score for most of the second half against the Arizona Cardinals.

Again, it goes in the "L" column all the same, but it's an indication the Raiders are capable of keeping the game close. And that's all that matters here.

The running game, in particular, is what will be critical for success Sunday. Darren McFadden has quietly racked up 128 yards on 28 carries (4.57 YPC) in the last two games. The San Francisco Chronicle's Vic Tafur noted an impressive stat:

On the other side of the ball, the Browns are 30th in the NFL in yards per carry allowed (5.0) and were gashed by former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson a week ago.

"We don't have any excuses, this is the truth and the truth hurts," said linebacker Karlos Dansby, via Cleveland.com's Tom Reed.

Brian Hoyer and the Cleveland offense are a good bounce-back candidate after a miserable Week 7 showing, but Oakland should be able to pound the ball on the ground and keep this one within a touchdown.