NFL Picks Week 8: New York Giants and Favorites That Will Fail to Cover

While it isn't always the case, picking NFL games straight up is usually fairly easy. There's a reason why you have to bet against point spreads, however, and that is because Las Vegas and various other betting outlets want your hard-earned money.

We can sometimes become enamored with a certain team and pick them to win regardless of how large the spread is. That can be a very dangerous game that often comes home to roost. Here are three favorites that will win on Sunday, but fail to cover the spread.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans scored a nice bounce-back victory last week by destroying the Tennessee Titans 41-7 and snapping a two-game losing streak. Houston certainly appears to be back on track and could very well get stud wide receiver Andre Johnson back this week after missing a few weeks with a hamstring injury.

Houston will be favored by 10 points at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, but the Jags were able to pick up an inspiring 12-7 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night. Houston certainly has the better team, but the Jags have played close games against some top-notch teams this season.

I don't see the Jaguars pulling off a second-straight upset, but it isn't ridiculous to think that they could stay within one score against the Texans. Houston has a strong offense, but Jacksonville's defense has been generally solid all year. That said, the Jags should keep the game within reach.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers have been among the league's best teams this season with a record of 5-1 and they would seem to have a favorable matchup against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Browns won't be pushovers, though, as their 3-3 record will attest to.

San Francisco has gotten the job done thanks to an excellent defense and a methodical offense. The Niners are far from explosive, though, so it is conceivable to think that the Browns will be able to hang around for the duration of the game.

Cleveland isn't likely to score much either, but they are capable of holding onto the ball for long stretches due to quarterback Colt McCoy's efficiency in the short passing game, as well as their commitment to the run. I definitely think the 49ers will win, but Cleveland will cover the nine-point spread, as well.

New York Giants

At 4-2 the New York Giants currently have a firm grasp on the NFC East and are getting healthier on defense with each passing week. They also have a fortuitous opponent on the schedule in the winless Miami Dolphins this weekend.

The Dolphins haven't been proficient offensively since quarterback Chad Henne was lost for the season, and their pass defense leaves a lot to be desired, as well. Giants quarterback Eli Manning has played quite well over the team's past few games and he figures to be able to have another nice day on Sunday.

While all signs would seem to point to an easy win for the G-Men, they tend to underachieve at times. That was the case a few weeks ago when they lost to the Seattle Seahawks at home. I don't think Miami has the horses to ultimately come out on top, but I do think that the Giants will receive a bit of a scare.