NFL Week 8 Picks: Picking the Surefire Locks of the Week

Week 8 definitely has a more competitive slate of games, on paper, than Week 7. However, that doesn't mean there aren't teams who are clearly locks to win their games this week.

The Baltimore Ravens host the Arizona Cardinals and are coming off a humbling loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. This is clearly a recipe for dominance from one of the league's most fearsome squads.

That fearsomeness stems primarily from the Ravens defense; their offense isn't much better, statistically, than the Cardinals. The teams are ranked 24th and 28th, respectively. However, that defense is going to have a field day with that weak Cardinals offense on Sunday. Ray Lewis and company have a reason to play with a chip on their shoulders after last week's loss, and the Cardinals are susceptible to smothering defenses.

After what happened to the Ravens last Monday night, it's doubtful any team could travel to Baltimore and emerge victorious. Indeed, the Cardinals have little chance to topple the undefeated-at-home Ravens this Sunday.

The Cleveland Browns head west to face the 5-1 San Francisco 49ers, one of the most surprisingly dominant teams in the NFL. The Niners are extremely well-balanced, ranking 17th overall in offense (13th in rushing and 11th in passing) and boasting a Top-Five defense.

The Browns, on the other hand, are practically the opposite of the Niners. They rank near the bottom of the league in both rushing and passing offense, and have the NFL's 14th-ranked defense. Browns quarterback Colt McCoy is struggling with accuracy issues, while the running game—led by Peyton Hillis—has been plagued with injuries and general slumping production.

This overall flat performance won't do them any favors when they take on the dynamic Niners on Sunday. The Browns simply have too many issues on both sides of the ball to be a serious threat to San Francisco. It's nearly impossible that they could pull out a Week 8 win against such a talented team.