NFL Picks Week 8: Which Teams Are Ready To Start a Streak?
As we enter Week 8 of the NFL season, it's time to make a new batch of picks for teams that will go on a winning streak.
Entering Week 4, Eli Manning and the 1-2 New York Giants were supposedly on the verge of imploding, and head coach Tom Coughlin was on the hot seat. Four weeks later, the Giants are 5-2, tied with the Atlanta Falcons for best record in the NFC and a popular pick for NFC Champions.
Although it gets exponentially tougher to turn your season around as it gets later, here are five teams that are going to do just that starting in Week 8.
No. 1: Detroit Lions (1-5)
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Upcoming Schedule
vs. Washington
vs. New York Jets
at Buffalo
at Dallas
Matt Stafford is back. And not a moment too soon, as backup quarterback Shaun Hill was injured in the Lions Week 6 game against the quarterback killers, the New York Giants.
Stafford completed 11 of 15 passes for 83 yards before going down with an injury in Week 1. In the preseason he was 37-of-52 (71.2 completion percentage) for 353 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
If Shaun Hill can throw for 1,309 yards and nine touchdowns in five games as the Lions starter, imagine what Stafford can do.
Their streak will need to start against two tough opponents, but the games come at home. After that they travel to face two very beatable teams. The Lions have a positive point differential despite their 1-5 record. This week they start making a run at a Wild Card in the NFC.
Start of the Streak
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The push for a NFC Wild Card starts in earnest this Sunday when the Lions welcome the Washington Redskins to Ford Field.
Washington is 4-3, but they only won last week's game against Chicago by three points despite six turnovers from the Bears.
The Lions one strength is their passing offense, which averages 258.7 yards a game (seventh in the NFL). The Redskins biggest weakness, despite the four interceptions this past week, is their passing defense, which surrenders 292.1 yards a game (31st in the NFL).
Matt Stafford has a good game back and gets momentum rolling in the right direction at home leading up to a difficult matchup against the New York Jets, also at home.
No. 2: Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)
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Upcoming Schedule
vs. Miami
vs. Pittsburgh
at Indianapolis
vs. Buffalo
Marvin Lewis is now in a similar situation to Tom Coughlin circa Week 4. His Bengals team, once expected to compete for the AFC North title, looks no better than the fourth place Cleveland Browns, who defeated the Bengals in Week 4!
Something has to happen now if Lewis has any hope of keeping his job and if the team wants to avoid the powder-keg that is the Owens-Ochocinco tandem from blowing sky-high.
The Bengals have a tough stretch of three games coming up, but two of those three games are at home. After winning back-to-back tough games against Miami and Pittsburgh, the Bengals will have momentum going into Indianapolis and shock the shaky Colts, propelling themselves back into the AFC Wild Card discussion.
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Start of the Streak
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If the Bengals hope to beat the Dolphins, they will need to make sure they wrap-up Brandon Marshall and the Miami Dolphins passing game.
After allowing Roddy White to catch 11 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns, the Bengals defense will prove up to the task in Week 8.
On the offensive side of the ball, they will need to get Carson Palmer going a lot earlier against a Miami pass defense that lacks quality defenders outside of star cornerback Vontae Davis.
It will help that the Bengals are in the friendly confines of Paul Brown Stadium.
No. 3: Carolina Panthers (1-5)
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Upcoming Schedule
at St. Louis
vs. New Orleans
at Tampa Bay
vs. Baltimore
It's really impossible for the Panthers passing game to get any worse than it's already been this season.
And it won't.
Matt Moore is healthy, but more importantly, so is Steve Smith. The two should combine to lift the Panthers passing game just enough to open up lanes for the team's beleaguered running game.
The improving offense will face three straight winnable games against NFC opponents, including divisional matchups against the Saints, at home, and the Buccaneers, on the road. This stretch of games culminates with a tough game at home against the Ravens.
Start of the Streak
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The Panthers, already on a one-game win streak, will look to keep the momentum going with a road game against the Rams.
While the Rams are a solid team that always gives a good effort, they are still very beatable, especially against Carolina's resurgent offense.
Matt Moore will find Steve Smith early in the dome, which will open up the Panthers' running game and lead to a victory against the Rams.
Remember, last season the Panthers went 4-1 with Matt Moore as starter down the stretch. Sunday they'll start to get back some of that magic.
No. 4: San Diego Chargers (2-5)
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Upcoming Schedule
vs. Tennessee
at Houston
Bye
vs. Denver
at Indianapolis
How is a team that ranks first in total offense and total defense 2-5? Special teams disasters and bone-headed gaffes are exactly how that happens'
The Chargers are going to address these problems and right the ship starting this weekend and pull themselves back into the AFC West race.
Getting Vincent Jackson back this week will certainly help the Chargers do just that. Malcolm Floyd is still hurt, but this Chargers offense will be at full strength very soon.
They will make teams begin to pay.
Start of the Streak
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The start of the Chargers slow climb back to the top of the AFC West will begin with an extremely difficult home game against the Tennessee Titans, who are 3-0 on the road this season.
San Diego will have to shutdown Chris Johnson and Javon Ringer to win this game. Their fourth-ranked rush defense will be up to the challenge.
Meanwhile, Philip Rivers' reunion with Vincent Jackson will be blissful, as the Chargers have their way with the Titans 23rd-ranked pass defense.
No. 5: San Francisco 49ers (1-6)
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Upcoming Schedule
vs. Denver (London)
Bye
vs. St. Louis
vs. Tampa Bay
at Arizona
Jed York still believes in his team.
Mike Singletary still believes in his team.
And you should too. Why?
Look at that schedule! The most disappointing aspect of the 49ers season has been the ineptitude of Frank Gore and the running game. But with back-to-back matchups against weak rush defenses in Oakland and Carolina, Gore has gotten a little momentum going.
Next on the schedule is a Denver team that was just gashed for 328 yards against the Raiders. That game in London is followed by winnable home games against the Rams and Buccaneers.
Start of the Streak
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From one Smith to another.
We've already mentioned the success the Frank Gore and the 49ers running game should have against the Broncos.
But the more important issue for the 49ers this week is the quarterback position. Troy Smith will start in place of Alex Smith this week when San Francisco takes on Denver in London's Wembley Stadium.
With Alex Smith's tenuous hold on the starting job, this is Troy's chance to shine and stake his own claim as the 49ers quarterback. What better place to do that than in Europe, in front of a nonpartisan crowd and not hostile Broncos fans or anxious 49ers fans.
Thanks For Reading!
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Got any questions, thoughts, comments?
Don't be shy. Tell me what you think about my picks and make your own. The only qualification is that the team be below .500. Maybe you think the Vikings or Cowboys are primed to go on a run (any Kitna fans?). Or maybe the Bills and Ryan Fitzpatrick are prepared to shock and awe the league.
Thanks again for reading.
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