Week 8 is loaded with options at the top-used NFL betting sites. But which bets are actually worth your time and money? After doing heavy research, we’ve narrowed down the best three NFL picks to make. Keep reading to get our expert advice on the bets!
Against The Spread: Green Bay Packers at Buffalo Bills
We’re not going to lie, our eyes bulged when we first saw the Green Bay-Buffalo spread. Aaron Rodgers, the back-to-back MVP, is a double-digit underdog on the road in Sunday Night Football. We can’t prove it, but we have a strong hunch that might be the biggest underdog spread a Rodgers-led Packers team has ever had.
It’s a shock because of Rodgers' all-time greatness, but then again, it might be warranted. Green Bay has dropped three games in a row, most recently to a downtrodden Washington club (playing their backup signal caller). Now they’re going on the road to face arguably the NFL’s most-loaded team in the Bills. Not only that but Buffalo had an extra week to prepare for this matchup since they were on a bye last weekend.
Call us crazy, but we’re liking that Packers spread a whole lot. Much has been made about the lack of receiving options for Rodgers and all that is true. Both Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb are hurt. Sammy Watkins is back, but limited. Rookie Romeo Doubs is hot and cold. But this is still Rodgers we’re talking about. Giving an all-timer 10.5 points on the spread just doesn’t make sense.
Moreover, we expect the majority of bettors to hammer the Bills in this game. But a general rule of ours when it comes to sports betting is to fade the public. When everyone and their mother is convinced of one outcome — Buffalo blowing them out on primetime TV — then it becomes wise to do the exact opposite. Even if it takes a garbage-time TD, Green Bay will muster a way to cover. Here’s a 3-4 team that’s desperate, and at the very least, they can keep the game between 10 points.
Over/Under 41 points: Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
The NFL has relaxed rules to allow more scoring, which has led to an explosion of offense in the past decade. However, so far, the 2022 season hasn’t gotten the memo. Offenses across the league are struggling and unders have hit at a far higher rate than overs almost halfway into the year. Under is certainly a tantalizing option in a Carolina vs. Atlanta game, which features two un-explosive offenses.
The Falcons are a run-first team through and through. Only the Giants have handed it off to run more than Atlanta has this season. While they are having success on the ground, the Panthers present a challenge. The team is pretty set defensively, especially up front. Reports came out days ago that Carolina rejected trades for elite pass rusher Brian Burns, turning down as many as two first-round picks to keep him. Derrick Brown is another Pro Bowl-caliber player for the Panthers in the defensive line.
We foresee Carolina having success in bottling up the Falcons' run game. Likewise, we see its own offense struggling to get going. PJ Walker is the likely starter after leading the team to an upset win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. Walker played well — certainly better than Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold have in the past year — but let’s not put too much stock into it. This guy was a fourth-stringer in training camp and a regression to the mean is the more likely result.
Neither QBs can really air it out either, which makes big plays increasingly rare. All things considered, this matchup has under written all over it.
Moneyline: San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
It’s a rematch of the 2022 NFC title game, but boy oh boy, each team has seemingly regressed big time since then. The Rams have one of the most injured and worst offensive lines in the league, which has had cascading effects on the whole offense. Then there’s the Niners, who are still stuck in Jimmy Garoppolo purgatory. San Francisco's plan to replace him failed, and once again the QB looks like the Niners’ weakest link. That’s why it comes as no surprise that the San Fran-LA moneyline is almost a toss-up:
These two sides did play a month ago, a matchup in which the 49ers cruised to a 24-9 victory. San Francisco's defensive line — which is their biggest strength — harassed Matt Stafford all night long. Will anything change in the second go-round? We say no since the Los Angeles offensive line remains porous.
Our money is going on the 49ers here. Let’s not forgot that Kyle Shanahan has Sean McVay’s number. The former has beaten the latter seven times in a row in the regular season. Welp, you can make that eight after Sunday.
How To Bet NFL Week 8?
So what’s it going to be — fading our NFL Week 8 bets or tailing them? Whatever you decide, you can lock in your wagers at one of the underneath betting sites. Based on our latest sportsbook reviews, the featured sites are industry leaders when it comes to NFL offerings.
One extra perk each site offers beyond a large NFL betting menu is lucrative sportsbook bonuses. Through these deals, you could net hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play. Any money earned can be spent on NFL bets at your discretion, whether that’s on the picks we’ve mentioned or another of your choice. See the table below to get started before Week 8 begins.
