NFL Picks Week 8: Picks and Predictions

Each Tuesday morning, Whatifsports.com's NFL simulation engine will provide you with predictions, box scores and statistics for every NFL game that week. The NFL simulation engine generates detailed information including the home team's chances of winning (Home Win %), average score and comprehensive box score link. If you want to share your new found NFL knowledge with friends and family, make sure to check out our NFL Widgets on the WhatIf To Go page or click on the social networking share bar located at the top and bottom of the article.

The statistical inputs to the thousands of NFL games simulated are based on rigorous analysis of each team's roster, depth chart and statistically based player ranking. Roster modifications have been made for injuries and suspensions and those players are not part of their team's game simulation.

To account for injuries and roster moves announced late in the week, we will be re-simulating some games on Thursdays throughout the 2010 NFL season.

Check out our 2010 NFL Season-to-Date page to follow our accuracy week-to-week and find Locks and Upsets of the Week.

Game of the Week: Packers at Jets

Week 8 offers a possible glimpse into the Super Bowl as the 4-3 Green Bay Packers journey to the Meadowlands to take on the 5-1 New York Jets.

For Green Bay, the 2009 campaign has been anything but consistent. After taking care of business against Philadelphia and Buffalo, the Packers dropped three of the next four, highlighted by two overtime heartbreaks and a record-setting penalty performance versus Chicago.

A barn-burner against putrid Detroit did little to alleviate apprehension amongst the Cheesehead faithful. Worse, Green Bay was waging a war with the injury bug, losing running back Ryan Grant, linebacker Nick Barnett and tight end Jermichael Finley for the season.

So you can imagine the fear and fretfulness that filled Lambeau Field when the hated Vikings and Packer pariah Brett Favre came to town in Week 8. Although still short of the halfway marker, each team's season stood in the balance, as Minnesota had stumbled out of the gate to the tune of a 2-3 record.

Fueled by Aaron Rodgers' 295-yard, two-touchdown performance and aided by three Favre interceptions, the Packers escaped 28-24 to right the ship and reestablished themselves as the team to beat in the NFC North.

Meanwhile, the Jets head into this clash of the titans with the best record in the NFL (shared with the Steelers) at 5-1. After an opening night blunder against Baltimore, New York has asserted its dominance against divisional foes New England, Miami and Buffalo. As one might suspect, the Gang Green D has been the backbone of this brilliance, allowing only 3.5 rushing yards per attempt and surrendering just two touchdowns on the ground.

As a unit, the New York defense is holding opponents to 16.8 points per contest, fourth best in the NFL. This mark is even more impressive when accounting for the absence of a healthy Darrelle Revis (who recently proclaimed he's 100 percent recovered from a hamstring injury).

Yet one would be remiss not to mention the contributions on the offensive end for the Jets. A rejuvenated and refocused LaDainian Tomlinson has been an adrenaline shot for the rushing attack, which ranks second in the NFL with 159.2 yards per game.

Mark Sanchez, viewed as the weak link in the proverbial chain during New York's 2009 playoff run, has been remarkably efficient and protective of the ball. During his rookie campaign, the former Trojan QB was a turnover machine, as Sanchez threw 20 completions to men in non-New York jerseys.

However, through six games in 2010, Sanchez has thrown nine touchdowns with just two picks. With newly acquired Santonio Holmes still adjusting to the offensive scheme, the aerial assault is now an asset, rather than an Achilles' heel, for the Jets.

So who comes out victorious in the WhatIfSports Game of the Week? According to our NFL simulation engine, the Packers win 53.5-percent of the time by an average score of 18-17. For the rest of the WhatIfSports Week 8 predictions, check below:

NFL Week 8
Matchup	Win%	Avg Score
Jacksonville Jaguars	28.3	20	Boxscore
@ Dallas Cowboys	71.7	28	Simulate Game
Buffalo Bills	33.9	20	Boxscore
@ Kansas City Chiefs	66.1	25	Simulate Game
Tennessee Titans	37.1	22	Boxscore
@ San Diego Chargers	62.3	26	Simulate Game
Miami Dolphins	43.5	16	Boxscore
@ Cincinnati Bengals	55.5	18	Simulate Game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	46.1	18	Boxscore
@ Arizona Cardinals	53.7	20	Simulate Game
Houston Texans	46.9	27	Boxscore
@ Indianapolis Colts	52.9	28	Simulate Game
Denver Broncos	51.1	22	Boxscore
@ San Francisco 49ers	48.3	21	Simulate Game
Green Bay Packers	53.5	18	Boxscore
@ New York Jets	46.1	17	Simulate Game
Seattle Seahawks	53.5	20	Boxscore
@ Oakland Raiders	46.1	19	Simulate Game
Minnesota Vikings	59.3	23	Boxscore
@ New England Patriots	40.5	20	Simulate Game
Pittsburgh Steelers	73.7	24	Boxscore
@ New Orleans Saints	26.1	16	Simulate Game
Carolina Panthers	74.9	23	Boxscore
@ St. Louis Rams	25.0	15	Simulate Game
Washington Redskins	74.9	28	Boxscore
@ Detroit Lions	25.0	18	Simulate Game