Week 8 NFL Picks: Predictions for Mid-Week Odds and Spreads

There's hope in Pittsburgh. Big Ben wants to return this week when the Steelers host the Cincinnati Bengals.

Ben Roethlisberger has been sidelined with a knee injury for the last four games. While the Steelers were able to come up with wins over the St. Louis Rams and San Diego Chargers in his absence, they lost games against the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs that they might have won had Roethlisberger been in the lineup.

The Steelers have one of the most explosive offensive attacks in the league with Antonio Brown at wide receiver and Le'Veon Bell at the running back slot, but it's not just about those superstars. DeAngelo Williams is an impressive backup running back, while Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant are both big-play performers at the wide receiver spot.

The Steelers have been stumbling and bumbling on offense with Mike Vick and Landry Jones at quarterback. Vick struggles to read defenses, while Jones doesn't have enough experience to get the job done.

If there's any way Roethlisberger can return to the lineup, this would be the week to do it. The Cincinnati Bengals are undefeated and have been playing sharp football. They are also well-rested coming off their bye week.

The Bengals would love to make it 7-0, but if the Steelers have their star quarterback in the lineup, expect them to play their best game and show the Bengals they have quite a bit of fight to their game.

Pittsburgh should be aggressive on defense at home. The team ranks 24th on defense, but that doesn't tell the full story. Pittsburgh was playing poorly in that area early in the season as it tried to adjust to defensive coordinator Keith Butler's system, but players were often out of position.

That's no longer the case. They will attempt to put pressure on Andy Dalton, who has had things his way at the start of the season.

He won't in this game. The Steelers will come out breathing fire and pull away in this game. The linemakers rate this game as even, according to Odds Shark, and Pittsburgh will put this game away in the fourth quarter.

Game	Line	Over/Under	Selection
Miami at New England	New England -7.5	51	Miami; Over
Detroit vs. Kansas City (London)	Kansas City -5	45	Detroit: Over
Tampa Bay at Atlanta	Atlanta -7.5	49	Tampa Bay; Under
San Diego at Baltimore	Balt. -3	50	San Diego; Under
Minnesota at Chicago	Even	42	Minnesota; Under
Arizona at Cleveland	Arizona -4.5	46	Arizona; Under
Tennessee at Houston	No line	--	Houston
New York Giants at New Orleans	New Orleans -3	49	New York Giants; Over
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh	Even	48.5	Pittsubrgh; Over
San Francisco at St. Louis	St. Louis -9.5	39.5	San Francisco; Under
New York Jets at Oakland	New York -1	44	Oakland; Over
Seattle at Dallas	Seattle -6	41	Seattle; Under
Green Bay at Denver	Green Bay -3	45.5	Green Bay; Under
Indianapolis at Carolina	Carolina -7.5	46.5	Carolina; Over

Vikings, Bears likely to engage in low-scoring battle

The Chicago Bears were among the worst defensive teams in the league the past two seasons, and that was one of the primary reasons the organization cleaned house and fired its general manager and its coaching staff.

Veteran John Fox was hired to restore a bit of dignity to the Monsters of the Midway, and he brought in former San Francisco 49er defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to upgrade the defense. So far, he has gotten impressive results.

The Bears don't have big-name personnel on their defensive team, but they rank 10th in the league in yards allowed. They are a well-positioned unit, and former Baltimore Raven Pernell McPhee has given them a lift with 4.0 sacks and by taking on a leadership role.

When the Bears host the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, they will be confronted with an aggressive, hard-hitting defense that ranks seventh in yards allowed. More than the numbers, head coach Mike Zimmer is one of the best defensive minds in the game, and he has given his players a dynamic scheme and demands they play with maximum effort on every snap.

Free safety Harrison Smith is a sharp-minded player who is like having a coach on the field. He leads the team with 37 tackles. 

Neither one of these defenses is likely to blink until late in the game. The linemakers have set the total at 42 points, and this game has the look of a sure under. Look for a 17-14 or 21-17 final, as this game goes under the total.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Seahawks finally hit their stride and hope to extend it

It was simply an awful start for the Seattle Seahawks. After winning the Super Bowl in 2014 and getting within a play of repeating that championship last year, Pete Carroll's team was sluggish in losing four of the first six games.

That's not acceptable in Seattle, and while Pete Carroll is not one to criticize his players publicly, he knows how to push the right buttons and get his team back on track. The Seahawks did just that in Week 7 in San Francisco, as they were in charge from start to finish and picked up a 20-3 victory.

The 49ers could not get their offense on track, and the Seahawks play another struggling team this week in the Dallas Cowboys. With Tony Romo and Dez Bryant sidelined, the Cowboys have had a tough time scoring points and holding onto the football.

The Seahawks are not about to give the Cowboys any sympathy. Their hard-hitting defense ranks third in the league, and they are likely to force the issue throughout the game as six-point road favorites.

It's difficult to see the Cowboys getting anything more than field goals in this game.

While Dallas will struggle to move the ball, the Seahawks have their power running game with Marshawn Lynch back in form. After being slowed with hamstring issues earlier this season, Lynch ran for 122 yards and a touchdown against the Niners.

He will dish out more punishment against the Cowboys, and Seattle will register another hard-hitting, dominant road win.