49ers or Cowboys bounce back?

If we’re being honest with ourselves, it’s a bit of a letdown to make our NFL Week 8 predictions after the phenomenally fun and undeniably loaded slate of games we had last week. However, there are still some fascinating games on the NFL schedule that should get your attention, starting with Sunday Night Football with the Dallas Cowboys coming off the bye to take on the San Francisco 49ers.

Simply put, it’s hard to think of two teams that need a win more than these two. The Niners were dismantled by the Chiefs last week and are below .500. Dallas was even worse before the bye, however, getting throttled by the surging Lions and sitting at a very disappointing 3-3. This game in San Francisco could and should be a massive momentum changer.

While most other matchups may not be as big or juicy, there should still be intrigue. Many of the obvious NFL contenders like the Vikings, Packers, Ravens, Chiefs, Bills and more have to go on the road to face inferior opponents. That sounds like a potential recipe for some disorders—we just need to figure out where they come from.

That’s the task at hand, and we’ll do our best as we dive into our NFL Week 8 predictions with head-to-head picks and against the spread after another week above .500 for us to stay on the green

Note: All lines courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds are updated periodically and are subject to change. All bets are 1 unit unless otherwise stated. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

2024 NFL Draft Record: 55-36 | ATS registration: 48-43-0

The toughest line to pick against the spread on this slate is undoubtedly the Packers who are only favored by 4.5 points against the lowly Jaguars. Yes, it’s in Jacksonville, but Green Bay has been a far superior team with Jordan Love and I’m sticking with that, even if it feels destined for disaster.

It’s also never fun when you have to take multiple heavy favorites because it’s hard to find a justification for the other side. The Chargers, Chiefs and Lions are all favorites of 7.5 points or more and we’re taking them all to win and cover. Once again, what could go wrong this week when it looks like things could go wrong in a hurry?

Dallas Cowboys (+4.5) at San Francisco 49ers

I’m in two minds when it comes to this game. First, the lack of success that Mike Zimmer and the Cowboys have historically had against Kyle Shanahan and his offense tree is troubling to say the least. But, it’s worth noting that the 49ers are without Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and potentially Deebo Samuel and George Kittle for this game. Will it really be a Shanahan offense that can be unloaded in Dallas?

The deciding factor for sticking with the Cowboys as road dogs in this one, though, is that Mike McCarthy has historically been great at adjusting after the bye. He is 12-5 overall after the bye and 3-1 during his time in Dallas. There was a lot to fix, of course, but that’s too strong a trend to ignore in this place, especially with how the 49ers are doing.

Buffalo Bills at Seattle Seahawks (+3)

On the other side of many of the games that are more than a touchdown apart, I’m opting to buy what that line might be telling us in Seattle. The Seahawks were pretty impressive against the Falcons, and while the Bills are a better opponent, we’re also getting this one with Buffalo making a cross-country trip to one of the toughest places to play in the NFL.

The Bills have been mildly inconsistent this season, even if they remain a contender, and this seems like the perfect kind of place for Seattle to cut them and raise some questions about how Amari Cooper can help stabilize them going forward. especially with Mike Macdonald familiar with Josh Allen and Co.

Falcons at Buccaneers (+2.5)

I am fully aware that the Buccaneers will be without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans for this game. And frankly, I think the odds makers want everyone to be well aware of where that line is set as well. But my faith in the Falcons is absolutely waning at this point, especially with Kirk Cousins ​​still not looking fully healthy or at least fully mobile in his recovery from a torn Achilles.

That’s something Todd Bowles must have seen on tape and prepared to take full advantage of. Also, the Bucs’ stable of running backs combined with some veteran receivers below Godwin and Evans makes me believe the offense can still take advantage of a Falcons defense that has struggled to get pressure in the backfield. So give me the Buccaneers to hold the serve in Tampa and not just cover, but get the win.