NFL Week 8: Breakdown, Predictions for Steelers-Saints and Other Major Games

After a NFL weekend that resembled a college schedule with the upsets and shocking results, the league is finally starting to see some teams separate themselves from the rest of the middle of the pack squads this season.

Of the bigger storylines coming into week eight, the defending champ Saints will need to shake off the blow the Cleveland Browns left this past Sunday as the Steelers makes a trip to Bayou in a matchup of potential Super Bowl contenders.

In the Big Apple, the Vikings might be missing number 4 in their game with the Jets as Brett Favre might be sidelined with a severe ankle injury possibly ending his NFL record start streak of 291 consecutive games beginning in 1992.

To round out the list, the Houston Texans will travel to Indianapolis as they look to duplicate the loss laid on the Colts on Opening Week in addition to both squads chasing the Titans currently resides in first place in the AFC South.

With that being said, lets get to the breakdown of the action for the upcoming week eight of the NFL…

This article is also featured on A Blue and Gold State of Mind.

Buffalo at Kansas City

Previous Week for Buffalo: at Baltimore – L, 37-34 OT

Previous Week for Kansas City: at Jacksonville – W, 42-20

Key Matchup: Kansas City’s Explosive Offense vs. Buffalo Point Hemorrhaging Defense

Analysis:

 For Buffalo, the Bills came up short against the Ravens on Sunday in overtime to fall to 0-6 this season and the losing streak will look to continue this week in a trip to Kansas City.

For Kansas City, the play of quarterback Matt Cassel and running back Thomas Jones has led the resurgent Chiefs to the top of the AFC West in 2010 with a 4-2 record after several seasons of being a doormat for San Diego.

Prediction: Kansas City 35-17

Jacksonville at Dallas

Previous Week for Jacksonville: at Kansas City – L, 42-20

Previous Week for Dallas: vs. New York – L, 41-35 

Key Matchup: Jacksonville Offense vs. Dallas Pass Rush

Analysis:

For the Jags, the team will need to lean on Maurice Jones-Drew as the offense lost QB David Garrard to injury two weeks ago against rival Tennessee in addition to depending on Todd Bouman under center for the foreseeable future.

For the Cowboys, the fork has been unofficially stuck in the 2010 season for Dallas as they lost Tony Romo to a broken clavicle suffered during the team’s fifth loss of the season against the Giants 41-35 last night on Monday Night Football.

Prediction: Dallas 24-10

Carolina at St Louis

Carolina at St. Louis

Previous Week for Carolina: vs. San Francisco - W, 23-20

Previous Week for St. Louis: at Tampa Bay – L, 18-17

Key Matchup: Sam Bradford vs. Carolina Defense

Analysis:

For the Panthers, the team has finally cracked in the win column for 2010 Carolina might have a two game winning streak when the clock runs out Sunday after starting O-5 this season.

For St Louis, the team will need to shake off the last second loss in Tampa Bay as rookie Sam Bradford has made an impact in an attempt to bring the Rams back from the basement of the NFC West after several seasons of residing in that position.

Prediction: St Louis 24-21

Miami at Cincinnati

Previous Week for Miami: vs. Pittsburgh

Previous Week for Cincinnati: at Atlanta – L, 39-32

Key Matchup: Carson Palmer vs. Miami Defense

Analysis:

For Miami, the Dolphins will look to bounce back from near win against the Steelers Sunday with a game in Cincinnati as they try to keep their slim hopes of making a run at the division title from evaporating before November.

For the Bengals, the season of high expectations has fallen on deaf ears as the team has feel 2-4 in the early part of 2010 but with the offensive outburst against Atlanta on Sunday might have the team on the right track as they welcome Miami to the Queen City.

Prediction: Cincinnati 28-24

Washington at Detroit

Previous Week for Washington: at Chicago – W, 17-14

Previous Week for Detroit: Bye Week

Key Matchup: Calvin Johnson vs. Redskins Pass Defense

Analysis:

For Redskins, the Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb combo is starting to make believers out of Washingtonians as the team has beat rivals Philadelphia and Dallas this season in addition with a winnable game this Sunday against the Lions.

For Detroit, the season will continue to slip away like in seasons past with a likely loss against McNabb and company this Sunday as the Lions have found ways to come up short all year from the Calvin Johnson no-call touchdown all the way to the present in 2010.

Prediction: Washington 31-24

Denver at San Francisco

Previous Week for Denver: vs. Oakland

Previous Week for San Francisco: at Carolina – L, 23-20

Key Matchup: Denver Offense vs. San Francisco Offense

Analysis:

For the Broncos, the team will need to regroup after a shellacking from the Raiders at home this Sunday with a trip to the Bay Area where the 49ers have been trying to regroup all season with just one win through the first six games of 2010.

For San Francisco, the breaks are just not coming to Mike Singletary and his team in 2010 with the poor play of offense that comes in the bottom of league in nearly every major category including being second to last in points scored with only 16 points this year.

Prediction: Denver 21-17

Green Bay at New York Jets

Previous Week for Green Bay: vs. Minnesota

Previous Week for New York Jets: Bye Week

Key Matchup: Aaron Rodgers vs. Jets Pass Rush

Analysis:

For the Packers, the team will have a chance to jump into first place after beating Brett Favre and the Vikings last Sunday in addition to Chicago being idle this coming week.

For New York, the team will look to continue their success during the 2010 season coming off their bye week as Mark Sanchez and the Jets hold the division lead over New England Patriots.

Prediction: New York 34-30

Tennessee at San Diego

Previous Week for Tennessee: vs. Philadelphia – W, 37-19

Previous Week for San Diego: vs. New England – L, 23-20

Key Matchup: Tennessee Defense vs. Philip Rivers

Analysis:

For Tennessee, the team will try to capitalize on their impressive 5-2 record so far in 2010 with a road game in San Diego where the Chargers lead the league categorically on offense and defense but have a perplexing 2-5 record.

For San Diego, the luck has to change for the team after nearly making an improbable comeback against New England in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter just to lose on a missed field goal in the final seconds of the game.

Prediction: Tennessee 30-21

Tampa Bay at Arizona

Previous Week for Tampa Bay: vs. St. Louis – W, 18-17

Previous Week for Arizona: at Seattle – L, 22-10

Key Matchup: Tampa Bay Defense vs. Arizona Offense

Analysis:

For the Bucs, the team will look to knock off the NFC West’s Arizona Cardinals this Sunday on the road after QB Josh Freeman stole a win from Sam Bradford and the Rams on a last second touchdown pass this past Sunday to push Tampa Bay to second in the NFC South.

For the Cardinals, the team is again looking up at Seattle after multiple years of the Cards being the flag carrier of the division but with the poor offense, the rest of the season will look to be rough at the very least especially with the up and coming Buccaneers coming to the Glendale this week.

Prediction: Tampa Bay 28-24

Minnesota at New England

Previous Week for Minnesota: at Green Bay

Previous Week for New England: at San Diego

Key Matchup: Brett Favre vs. Patriots Pass Rush

Analysis:

For Minnesota, the season might be on the line for the Vikings and the man behind center might not be number 4 as Brett Favre has a fractured ankle, they very same that was surgically repaired last April.

For the Patriots, the team will look to keep on a roll after escaping San Diego Sunday in addition to keeping pace with the Jets in the race for the AFC East which both comes into the week with identical 5-1 records.

Prediction: New England 30-28

Seattle at Oakland

Previous Week for Seattle: vs. Arizona – W, 22-10

Previous Week for Oakland: at Denver – W, 59-14

Key Matchup: Darren McFadden vs. Seattle Rush Defense

Analysis:

For Seattle, the magic of Pete Carroll in his days in Southern California has translated to the Seahawks this season as the team has remained perfect at home

For the Raiders, the record setting offensive explosion in the Mile High City might be a sign of the franchise turning around with Jason Campbell under center as the AFC West might be a toss-up at season’s end in January.

Prediction: Oakland 28-20

Pittsburgh at New Orleans

Previous Week for Pittsburgh: at Miami – W, 23-22

Previous Week for New Orleans: Cleveland – L, 30-17

Key Matchup: Ben Roethlisberger vs. Drew Brees

Analysis:

For the Steelers, the team will look to continue their role as arguable the best team in the league at 5-1 with a trip to Bayou against the defending champs who were stunned after an upset by the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

For New Orleans, the Super Bowl champs will need to compose their offensive unit after the aforementioned Browns loss which has the Saints looking up at division rivals Tampa Bay and Atlanta after week 8.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 31-28

Houston at Indianapolis

Previous Week for Houston: Bye Week

Previous Week for Indianapolis: Bye Week

Key Matchup: Matt Schaub vs. Colts Pass Defense

Analysis:

For the Texans, the team will need to bounce back to the form Houston displayed in the first couple weeks of the season which included a beat down of Peyton Manning and the Colts at home on Opening Day.

For the Colts, the team will look to take full advantage of the bye week as Indianapolis needs a win to keep pace with the red hot Tennessee Titans, who just put a beating on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Prediction: Indianapolis 35-31