NFL Picks Week 8: Lions, Ravens and More Teams Facing Midseason Must-Wins

Is there really such a thing as a must-win game in Week 8 of the NFL season? Well, in 2011 there actually happens to be a couple must-wins at midseason.

Whether it's a team desperate to shake a losing streak, a team desperate to bounce back from a bad loss or any other factor that plays into it, this is the time of the season where the games really start meaning a lot.

By midseason, the good teams are starting to separate themselves and the bad teams are falling away from the pack.

There are only a few more weeks for teams to establish themselves as playoff teams before the race is on, so every win counts.

All that being said, here are the must-wins for Week 8.

Detroit Lions

Winning this game in Denver is the difference between going 6-2 and 5-3 into the bye week for the Lions.

That may not seem like a huge deal, but it's also the difference between having two weeks to think about a three-game losing streak, or two weeks to prepare for the second half of the season without many questions.

Matthew Stafford is banged up and they are playing Tim Tebow and the magic touch Broncos, but this is a game that I think the Lions will win. In fact, they need to.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are coming off an extremely embarrassing loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night. So not only was it an upset, but it was a bad upset on national television.

They are playing a pretty bad Arizona Cardinals team this week at home. This is a team that is trying to establish itself as elite in the AFC, and there is no way that Ray Lewis is going to let them get upset twice in a row.

Tennessee Titans

With the Indianapolis Colts being down and out without Peyton Manning, the AFC South is wide open for the first time in forever. At 3-3, the Titans are still just a game behind Houston and they are matched with those dreadful Colts.

This is a game the Titans have no business losing. But the simple truth is, they cannot lose it if they want to have a legitimate shot at the AFC North.

Philadelphia Eagles

If somebody told you before the season that the "Dream Team" Eagles would be 2-4 and at the bottom of the NFC East come Week 8, you would have thought that person was crazy.

The sad truth is that this Eagles team is looking very bad, and if they can't get a win against the rival Dallas Cowboys, they will most likely fall into obscurity in 2011.

Michael Vick has looked horrible at times, but he's not getting much help. The offensive line can't block and the defense can't tackle. This team needs a win here to avoid a nightmare.