NFL Predictions Week 8: Betting Odds for 14 Teams to Make the Playoffs

Week 8 of the NFL season is the perfect time to start handicapping team's chances of making the playoffs, especially when bye weeks have almost run their course.

It's important to note that the Green Bay Packers were 4-3 through seven games during their Super Bowl run in 2010.

Let's take a closer look at 14 teams from a betting perspective of possibly playing beyond the regular season.

Washington Redskins (3-3)

The Washington Redskins are tied for second place in the NFC East division with the Dallas Cowboys, sitting just a game behind the New York Giants.

Quarterback John Beck has replaced Rex Grossman, which didn't produce a victory in dropping a 33-20 contest to the Carolina Panthers as 1.5-point road underdogs last Sunday.

Injuries are starting to mount up, which has me looking the other way.

With out-of-division games against the New England Patriots and New York Jets still looming, I just don't see it.

Odds:  Yes (+500), No (-800)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)

Tampa Bay is 4-3 on the season and will be facing a revenge-minded New Orleans squad when it comes off its bye week.

Quarterback Josh Freeman is suffering through a forgetful campaign through seven games, as his 73.1 passer rating is far behind the number that he finished with last year (95.9).

The next three weeks will determine a lot, facing the Saints, Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers.

Odds:  Yes (+350), No (-500)

Chicago Bears (4-3)

If you don't think the Detroit Lions are that good this year—than I definitely recommend buying the Chicago Bears at the current price to make the playoffs.

After all, the team was 4-3 at this juncture in 2010, making it all the way to the NFC Championship Game.

Matt Forte is challenging Minnesota's Adrian Peterson as the best back in the division, which could prove useful during cold-weather games down the stretch.

Not out of the question.

Odds:  Yes (+270), No (-330)

Oakland Raiders (4-3)

The AFC West division is up for grabs due to the San Diego Chargers being the biggest underachievers in the history of the NFL.

Oakland gave up a ton to acquire former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, which certainly didn't pay off in a 28-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week.

Oddsmakers and bettors alike will be anxiously awaiting to see how this team comes out of the bye, as it will likely set the tone for the rest of the year.

Too much risk to get involved at this point—in both directions.

Odds:  Yes (+175), No (-235)

Tennessee Titans (3-3)

The Tennessee Titans came out of their bye week flat, dropping a 41-7 contest to the Houston Texans as three-point home favorites.

It was a tremendous opportunity to take control of the AFC South, but the team is now 0-2 against divisional foes, but has two games remaining against the winless Indianapolis Colts.

Running back Chris Johnson has 268 rushing yards through six games, something that has me looking elsewhere in terms of reaching the playoffs.

Odds:  Yes (+170), No (-220)

Buffalo Bills (4-2)

The Buffalo Bills are 4-2 on the season and are third in the NFL in scoring with 31.3 points per game.

A challenging schedule remains, but the team may receive a break in playing against a revenge-minded New England squad that may be resting players in the regular-season finale in Foxborough.

Without question, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick needs to stay healthy and capture both remaining games against the winless Miami Dolphins.

Drop one of those contests and it will be a cold winter in Buffalo.

Odds:  Yes (+120), No (-150)

Philadelphia Eagles (2-4)

The Philadelphia Eagles have a long road ahead in reaching the playoffs, entering this week's game with the Dallas Cowboys with a 2-4 record.

If you believe quarterback Michael Vick can remain healthy for the final 10 games—than you might find some value in wagering on this proposition.

I personally find the odds short, which is due to the amount of bets the sports books took before the season started on the "Dream Team" winning the Super Bowl.

Tremendous value in taking a negative stance here.

Odds:  Yes (+120), No (-150)

New York Jets (4-3)

The New York Jets are the NFL's biggest roller coaster.

Everything was beautiful at the beginning in opening the season with two wins, dropping three consecutive games on the road, but righting the ship in capturing victories over the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers before the bye.

Whew—I'm worn out.

Considering the team has advanced to the AFC Championship Game the last two years—definitive value here.

Odds:  Yes (-105), No (-125)

New York Giants (4-2)

Not sure if you'll ever find an uglier NFL team with a 4-2 record after six weeks, but I still believe this team has a shot of reaching the Super Bowl.

The running game has been non-existent, ranking 30th in the league, averaging 90.2 yards per game.

What keeps me interested is a defensive line that is the best in football when completely healthy, something that hasn't been seen all year.

Getting tremendous value here due to the competitiveness of the NFC East.

A lot to like.

Odds:  Yes (-115), No (-115)

Dallas Cowboys (3-3)

The Dallas Cowboys do have depth at key positions, something that is crucial when playing wagering in the futures market.

I doubt that rookie running back DeMarco Murray is going to continue running for over 200 yards a week, but it was nice to see with Tashard Choice and Felix Jones being banged up.

The schedule is favorable outside of the NFC East, but can you trust quarterback Tony Romo.

That's for you to decide.

Odds:  Yes (-220), No (+170)

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

You're simply not going to win a lot of games when turning the ball over seven times, something that caused the Pittsburgh Steelers to trip up against the Baltimore Ravens to open up the season.

All is right in the Steel City with a 5-2 record through seven games, but a big test is upcoming with the New England Patriots strolling into town Sunday.

Very little value remains in playing this proposition wager.

Odds:  Yes (-350), No (+270)

Detroit Lions (5-2)

After starting off the season with a perfect 5-0 record, doubt is starting to enter the minds of Detroit Lions' fans across the nation.

Losing consecutive home games as favorites to the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons will do that.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford has shown to be prone to injury, which has me focusing in on a nice price in saying this upstart team will not be playing in the postseason.

What do you think?

Odds:  Yes (-350), No (+270)

Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

I'd love to suggest readers to play against the Baltimore Ravens not making the playoffs, but three favorable games remain on the schedule.

One thing to keep an eye on is the health of safety Ed Reed, who has been dealing with a neck issue and didn't practice today.

He's been known to miss a few games and that usually has a big affect on this defense.

Definitely a situation to watch after this week's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Odds:  Yes (-600), No (+400)

New Orleans Saints (5-2)

The only reason that I'd possibly wager on the New Orleans Saints NOT to make the playoffs is the simple fact that the prop is being offered.

Sports books don't like giving free money away.

Quarterback Drew Brees is enjoying another tremendous season, while the addition of Darren Sproles has been a major upgrade from Reggie Bush.

The schedule is challenging after this week's road contest in St. Louis.

I just hope my Super Bowl pick doesn't get caught looking ahead Sunday.

Odds:  Yes (-800), No (+500)