NFL Picks Week 8: Expert Predictions, Odds Guide and Over-Under Lines

A successful wagering weekend in Week 8 of the 2020 NFL season will require deft handling of the many divisional rivalries on the slate.

It starts with Thursday's NFC South showdown between the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers and rolls through Sunday night's NFC East collision between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. In between, the Pittsburgh Steelers will put their unblemished record on the line against the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots will tussle with the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers will head north to lock horns with the Seattle Seahawks.

Get more of these divisional duels right than wrong, and your wallet will be thanking you Tuesday morning. To help point you in the right direction, we will provide the latest lines and over/under totals from DraftKings, predict the score for each contest and deep-dive into our best bets.

Odds Guide and Over-Under Lines

Don Wright/Associated Press

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers (-2) | O/U 51.5 | Panthers 31-27

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-6.5) | O/U 51.5 | Packers 37-31

Tennessee Titans (-5.5) at Cincinnati Bengals | O/U 53.5 | Titans 24-16

New York Jets at Kansas City Chiefs (-19.5) | O/U 49 | Chiefs 38-10

Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns (-2.5) | O/U 51.5 | Raiders 34-24

Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) at Miami Dolphins | O/U 46 | Rams 27-16

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-4) | O/U 46.5 | Ravens 24-21

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills (-3.5) | O/U 42.5 | Patriots 23-20

Indianapolis Colts (-3) at Detroit Lions | O/U 50 | Lions 23-20

Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5) at Denver Broncos | O/U 44.5 | Chargers 27-24

New Orleans Saints (-4) at Chicago Bears | O/U 43.5 | Saints 21-17

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (-2.5) | O/U 54 | Seahawks 28-27

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (-8) | O/U 43 | Eagles 28-13

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-10.5) at New York Giants | O/U 46 | Bucs 34-21

Best Bet No. 1: Chiefs -19.5 vs. Jets

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

The New York Jets are winless on the season and 1-6 against the spread. They are the worst team in football, and it isn't particularly close.

So as astronomic as a 19.5-point spread might feel, it's not only sensible—it's one you should exploit.

Based on point differential, the Chiefs' average game has been a 10.7-point victory. The average Jets game is a 16.9-point loss. Kansas City could steamroll past this number.

Patrick Mahomes hasn't had many outrageous-by-his-standards performances this season. This is his opportunity to zip past his season highs of 385 passing yards and four passing touchdowns. The Jets allowed Brett Rypien to clear 240 yards with two scores. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for three scores against them. Kyler Murray totaled 411 yards, including 380 through the air.

This should get out of hand instantly.

Best Bet No. 2: Raiders +2.5 at Browns

David Becker/Associated Press

In a QB-driven league, your betting sense should always start tingling when the team with the superior passer is getting points.

Maybe not everyone will agree that Derek Carr is better than Baker Mayfield, but virtually every metric favors the former. He has more yards (1,726 to 1,392) in fewer games (six to seven) with a higher completion percentage (72.0 to 63.1) and fewer interceptions (two to seven). Carr ranks sixth overall with an 80.8 total QBR, per ESPN. Mayfield is ninth at 76.6.

Cleveland's top running back, Nick Chubb, is sidelined with a sprained MCL, and its best receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., is out for the year with a torn ACL. Both defenses are leaky, but Las Vegas has the weaponry to take advantage of that.

Why, exactly, are the Browns favored here? Their 5-2 record is the obvious answer—the Raiders are 3-3—but it doesn't indicate a stronger resume. Cleveland has two wins over the Cincinnati Bengals, two wins over the NFC East and a victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Las Vegas, meanwhile, owns triumphs over the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs.

Best Bet No. 3: Eagles -8 vs. Cowboys

Chris Szagola/Associated Press

Admittedly, wagering on the Eagles to win by more than a touchdown isn't a particularly comfortable proposition. Carson Wentz keeps running hot and cold, and those fluctuations are no doubt affected by the damage done to his supporting cast by the injury bug.

Saying that, have you seen the Cowboys since they lost Dak Prescott in Week 5? If you haven't, one word will bring you up to speed: yikes. Dallas has played twice since Prescott suffered a gruesome ankle injury. It's been outscored 63-13 in those contests—and one was against the Washington Football Team.

Oh, and Prescott's replacement, Andy Dalton, is in the concussion protocol. So the Cowboys quarterback Sunday night could be Ben DiNucci, a seventh-round rookie out of James Madison.

Not to keep spinning this broken record, but yikes.

Win this game, and the 2-4-1 Eagles can buy themselves some breathing room in the NFC East with Washington on a bye. Feel free to bet big on Philadelphia—or, maybe more accurately, against Dallas.

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21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/NH/IA/CO/IL only. Odds and lines subject to change. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.