NFL Picks Week 8: New England Patriots and Teams That Should Be on Upset Alert

Surprising upsets occur in the NFL on a weekly basis. Last week it was the Jacksonville Jaguars knocking off the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 12-7. Nobody knows for sure what will happen in Week 8, but it is a safe bet that at least one decided favorite will fall.

Say what you will about teams like the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots being too good, but parity is alive and well in the NFL. Literally any team is capable of beating another in a given week, and that is what makes the games so exciting.

It will be interesting to see which teams come from out of nowhere to score big wins this weekend. Here are five teams that should be on upset alert and are in serious danger of losing in Week 8.

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are only 2-5, but it is very clear that they are a vastly improved team from last season. The chief reason for that has been No. 1 overall pick Cam Newton. The rookie quarterback has been an absolute revelation in proving all of his detractors wrong by being one of the league's leading passers and being a threat with his legs as well.

Many have begun to jump aboard the Carolina bandwagon as it is favored by 3.5 points against the 1-6 Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

I was ready to give up on the Vikings, but they showed a lot of fight last week in losing by just six to the Green Bay Packers. The Vikes are now starting a rookie signal caller in their own right in Christian Ponder, and he certainly has some tools.

I don't expect this game to come down to either quarterback, though. I think the running game will loom largest in deciding the winner. I'm specifically talking about the Vikings' running game behind All-Pro Adrian Peterson. The Panthers have one of the league's worst run defenses, and I believe that is what has held them back. Look for Peterson to tear the Panthers to shreds en route to a Minnesota win.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals may not have an overly impressive talent pool, but through grit and determination, they have managed to push their way to a 4-2 start this season. That is certainly a commendable feat as the Bengals were expected by many to be among the NFL's worst teams this season.

Despite having few believers, the Bengals have gotten the job done thanks to a rock-solid defense and a responsible offense. Running back Cedric Benson has experienced a renaissance and has run with a purpose, while rookie quarterback Andy Dalton has made smart decisions all season long.

The Bengals will be favored by three on the road against the 2-4 Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The Seahawks, like the Bengals, don't possess talent that jumps out at you, but they can win some messy games. With Benson out due to suspension, Dalton may have to pass the ball more, and I think an underrated Seattle defense can coax him into some mistakes in a hostile environment.

San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers seemed to be a much more focused team than usual to open the season as they raced out of the gates to a 4-1 record. The Chargers have long had issues with slow starts that have forced them to scratch and claw back into contention for the entire season.

That dangerous game caught up with them last year as the Kansas City Chiefs ended up taking the AFC West crown. After starting off 0-3, it looked like the Chargers wouldn't have to worry about the Chiefs this season. As the Chiefs get set to host the Chargers on Monday, though, lo and behold they sit at 3-3 and are just one game behind the 4-1 Chargers.

The Chiefs are like a pesky gnat that doesn't seem to be going away as they just continue to battle back despite being without the services of running back Jamaal Charles and safety Eric Berry. Kansas City played the Chargers tough in Week 3 and very nearly came away with a win. The Chiefs are in much better form right now and I believe they will be able to exploit the struggling Philip Rivers and beat the Chargers.

Philadelphia Eagles

No team has been a greater disappointment this season than the 2-4 Philadelphia Eagles. Not only were the Eagles returning with an explosive offense featuring the likes of Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, but they seemed to make big defensive improvements in free agency as well.

That hasn't been the case, however, as the front seven has hemorrhaged rushing yards and the offense has been extremely turnover prone. Because of their poor start the Eagles are essentially in must-win situations on a weekly basis, and that is a very heavy burden to carry.

The Eagles will face another somewhat underperforming team in the 3-3 Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. While Philly is a 3.5-point favorite, the Cowboys have been the better team this season and could conceivably be undefeated if not for late-game failures. This should be a close, high-scoring affair, but I think the difference will be Cowboys rookie running back DeMarco Murray, who will wear out the Eagles in the running game.

New England Patriots

The hallmark of a truly great team is that they are able to continue to win in spite of their shortcomings. That has been the case for the 5-1 New England Patriots this season. The offense led by quarterback Tom Brady is as dominant as it ever has been, but the Pats have had to overcome a league-worst pass defense.

It has only come back to haunt them once this season, but there is the potential for it to happen again this weekend as the Patriots take on the 5-2 Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. Pittsburgh has played much better as of late, and its passing game has been humming thanks to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

That isn't a good sign for the Patriots, although New England has had great success against the Steelers during the Brady/Bill Belichick era. Pittsburgh's defense is still among the league's best despite a couple slip-ups, and if they can at least contain Brady a bit and put some pressure on him, then I think Roethlisberger and the offense can lead the Steelers to victory.