NFL Picks Week 8: Which Teams Will Continue Writing Tickets to Postseason?

The New York Giants and New Orleans Saints are two teams well on their way to a postseason appearance, and their respective contests this week won't likely do much to derail them from this path.

The Giants host the 0-6 Miami Dolphins on Sunday and should have a far easier time dispatching the woeful squad than the Denver Broncos had last week.

Miami ranks 29th overall, as it has significant problems on both offense and defense, while the Giants are a top-10 squad on both sides of the ball. It's a clear mismatch, with the Dolphins getting the short end of the deal.

But a win's a win, and in the competitive NFC East, the Giants need all the victories they can get. Each team has a win over another in the division, and should the Cowboys or Redskins also pull a win this week, the margin will remain slim.

However, in terms of overall team balance and consistency of play, the Giants are easily the favorites to win the division.

The Saints, at 5-2, are at the top of the NFC South, though there are two teams—the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons—that are sitting just behind them at 4-3. While a win over the St. Louis Rams won't push them beyond the Buccaneers when it comes to divisional standings, it helps their chances to earn a playoff berth on the strength of their win-loss record.

The Rams are the second winless opponent for the Saints in as many weeks and, like the Indianapolis Colts before them, have little chance of defeating New Orleans and its explosive offense.

Granted, New Orleans has issues on defense that could harm it down the stretch, but it shouldn't prove to be much of a liability against the league's worst offense. The Rams have scored just 56 points so far this season and have allowed 171, while the Saints are the highest-scoring offense in the NFL, racking up 239 points in seven games.

The Saints have proven they've got what it takes to win their division and make the playoffs, and while the NFC South isn't a lackluster division, New Orleans' league-leading offense should carry it to the postseason once again.