Another stacked weekend of NFL football is upon us, and as we head to the midpoint of the season, we’re still just getting started. I went 9-4 in Week 7, bringing my season total to 70-36. I’m pleased with my performance, but I think I’ll do a lot better this week. Let’s get into the picks:
Cardinals 34-17 Packers 
Thursday, 8:20 PM EST, FOX
Thursday Night Football this week was supposed to be legendary. The 7-0 Cardinals hosting the 6-1 Packers, Kyler Murray vs. Aaron Rodgers, two franchises who always produce classics, the list goes on and on. But, we’ve been robbed. Star WR Davante Adams tested positive for COVID, so he’ll be out for this game. That means the Packers offense will be derailed greatly. With Adams, they’re as lethal as anyone. But he’s their only real threat, so I don’t see much offensive production out of Green Bay in this game. Moreover, the Cardinals defense has been playing spectacularly as of late, so against a hobbled offense, they should be able to keep things in check. And with Kyler Murray and all those weapons on the other side, I think the Cards will breeze by in this one. It’s just a shame, because this had the potential to be one of the games of the season. Maybe you should be smarter after over 18 months of a global pandemic.
Falcons 26-23 Panthers 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
These two teams are trending in very different directions. The Falcons are genuinely the better team right now, and they definitely have it in them to continue this mini win streak. The Panthers are simply lost as their defense has fallen from grace and Sam Darnold is back to seeing ghosts. I don’t think this team can win a game for as long as Christian McCaffrey is out. I expect to see another big game from the Falcons offense, and I’m excited to see if Kyle Pitts continues playing like a monster.
Bills 31-13 Dolphins 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
No need to overthink this. Not only is this one of the NFL’s best teams against one of its worst, but it’s one of the biggest mismatches in recent memory. Josh Allen has never lost to the Dolphins, and every time they play, he and the rest of the Bills all go crazy. They don’t even play the Dolphins remotely close. And coming off a bye? With a rough loss the week before? Buffalo is going to go nuts in this game. The margin of victory will likely be bigger than what I’ve predicted, but I’m trying to be nice here. Just take the Bills ATS and enjoy your free money.
49ers 21-17 Bears 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
These two historic franchises could not be more down bad heading into this game. Neither of these teams are doing anything right at the moment, and it’s honestly sad to see. The Bears are one of the most embarrassing teams in football with a pathetic offense and a defense that’s falling off a cliff. Meanwhile, the 49ers offense can’t find its pulse, and their secondary might as well stay on the sideline. So, what gives in a matchup like this? To me, it comes down to a single matchup: the Niners front 7 vs. the Bears offensive line. Chicago’s OL is the worst in football by a very good margin, and San Francisco’s defensive line is still plenty talented, and I think they’ll disrupt Justin Fields enough to separate themselves for a win. You still can’t help but feel bad for the rookie.
Browns 24-20 Steelers 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
This is interesting. The Browns are treading water right now with all of their injuries, although they should be getting Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb back for this game. Both teams are coming off extended rest, as the Browns played last Thursday, and the Steelers had a bye week. I think both squads match up really well with one another, especially with Pittsburgh’s recent offensive developments. They’re slowly but surely figuring out that side of the ball, and their defense is still lockdown. But I’m sticking with Cleveland because of how dominant their run game is. We saw it on full display last week against Denver with a 3rd string RB, so with Chubb back, it should be all that and more. I think the Steelers offense can do big things against a weak Browns secondary, but I just don’t know if it’ll be enough to win. It should be a fun, physical, classic AFC North battle, and I’ll take what I think is the better team.
Eagles 27-17 Lions 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
The Lions are the kings of playing up to their competition, so what happens in a game against another terrible team? Well, maybe not a close game. The Eagles are the kings of the statpad, but against a very bad Lions defense, I think their offense can put in good work all game long. The loss of Miles Sanders shouldn’t hurt too much, as Kenneth Gainwell has proven himself as an effective runner and pass-catcher out of the backfield. Moreover, Detroit’s defense is just terrible, and I think a mobile QB like Jalen Hurts will be too much to handle. This could be close for a bit, but the Eagles are definitely the better team and should be able to pull away late.
Colts 28-24 Titans 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
This should be a fun one. This is an imperative AFC South matchup, and while it doesn’t feel like it, it’s also the 2nd game between these teams this season. The Titans easily dispatched of the Colts in their first meeting, but this is a different Indianapolis team now. They’ve figured themselves out, and they’re playing their best football. Tennessee isn’t showing any signs of slowing down either, after back-to-back wins against AFC giants. This is a very even matchup, and it’s almost impossible to pick. I’m rocking with the Colts for a few reasons. For starters, they are at home, and that can’t be understated, even if home teams have a losing record this season in the NFL. They’re also getting better QB play, as Carson Wentz has elevated this offense whereas Ryan Tannehill’s only job is to hand the ball off to Derrick Henry. Indy’s ability to beat you with both the run and the pass is simply too lethal, and while Tennessee’s defense is seemingly improving, I’m picking the more balanced team.
Bengals 31-10 Jets 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
This is going to be ugly. One of the NFL’s best teams against arguably its worst. A bit of a mismatch here. The Jets are not only terrible, but they’ll also be starting their backup QB Mike White in this game. If a 1980s offense like the Patriots can put up 54 against this team, then the explosive Bengals offense might break records in this game. Just bet it and forget it.
Rams 30-6 Texans 
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX
This is going to be ugly. One of the NFL’s best teams against arguably its worst. A bit of a mismatch here. Woah, deja vu anyone? Yes, the Rams played the Lions close a week ago, but they seemingly do that against garbage teams every year for some reason. Now that they got that relative dud out of the way, they’re well on their way to a romp of a disgracefully bad Texans team. I genuinely doubt Houston reaches double digits in this game. That’d be the shock of the week.
Chargers 27-24 Patriots 
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS
This is honestly one of the more under-the-radar games of the week, and maybe even the season. This is a really enticing matchup to me. The Chargers are obviously one of the league’s best teams, and their balance has won them so many games. But, the last time we saw them, their defense was carved up by the Browns. Now, they get a Patriots team that just dropped a 50 burger, albeit against the Jets. New England is slowly figuring out their offensive rhythm, and their defense is still very solid. This is a very even matchup, but I think the Chargers simply have too much talent to lose this game. When it comes down to it, I trust Justin Herbert a lot more than Mac Jones to lead his team to victory, but that says more about Justin than Mac. This should be a fun QB matchup, and a great game in general.
Jaguars 24-16 Seahawks 
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS
This game can go one of only two ways. It will either be the most unwatchable game of the season, or the most hilarious dumpster fire that you can’t take your eyes off of. Either way, the quality of football in Seattle on Sunday afternoon won’t be very good. The last time we saw the Jags, they picked up their first win, and honestly played pretty good football in doing so. Coming off a bye, why can’t they do it again? It is another very long road trip, but they’re luckily playing one of the most lifeless teams in football. The Seahawks aren’t worth a damn without Russell Wilson, and neither side of the ball has a pulse. I think the Jaguars have enough fight in them to pull off the road “upset”. I’d genuinely be more shocked if Geno Smith leads his team to victory than if Jacksonville were to win this game.
Washington 26-24 Broncos 
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX
I’d like to clarify something. Picking Washington to win this game isn’t a vote of confidence. It’s me trying to be realistic. I don’t have faith in this team to do anything correctly, but they really should be able to pull this off. Denver has been falling apart over the last month or so, and neither side of the ball can get anything going. Their offense has been extremely lethargic as of late under Teddy Bridgewater, and their defense has been porous. The latter will only get worse with Von Miller’s injury. Washington clearly has enough in them offensively to put up stats, so if they can translate that into points in this game, it should be enough to win. The defense will remain a problem, but if they can’t stop an offense this bad, then they absolutely deserve to lose.
Buccaneers 28-17 Saints 
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX
The Saints are the only team that has had the answers against the Buccaneers since Tom Brady has gotten there (in the regular season, that is). New Orleans beat Tampa Bay convincingly in both regular season games last year before being shut down by them in the playoffs. Now, Tampa is playing the hottest football on earth, and they will not be slowed down. The Saints still have a ton of defensive strength, but their offense won’t be able to keep up with the firepower that the Bucs have. Moreover, Tampa’s defense is only getting better, and the Saints could barely score on a very, very bad Seahawks defense a week ago. This could be close for a short while, simply because this is a divisional game, but I’d be shocked if it ends close. The Bucs are the kings of pulling away late.
Cowboys 31-28 Vikings 
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC
I cannot wait to watch this game. You guys know by now how high I am on both of these teams, so the fact that they get to duke it out on Sunday Night Football is a dream come true for me. Both of these offenses are so high powered, and both defenses have been playing much better than expected. I honestly think this is a very even matchup on paper, but I have to pick the Cowboys. They’ve simply shown more offensively, boasting a balanced attack that gets more impressive by the week. Dak Prescott is dealing with a calf injury coming into this game, but I think the team around him is plenty talented to make up for it if it does end up affecting him. Their defense has also been their closer all season long, and I don’t see why that has to change. The Vikings have plenty of talent of their own on both sides of the ball to stick around from start to finish, but I don’t think they have what it takes to be the better team in the clutch. Seemingly all of their games come down to the wire, and whether or not they come out on top is essentially a coinflip. I won’t leave my pick to chance on this one.
Chiefs 27-16 Giants 
Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN
The Chiefs need this bounce-back game like oxygen. It couldn’t be coming at a better time for them. Yes, the Giants are coming off of a dominant win, but that was against the Panthers, who have a significantly worse offense than this Kansas City team. While the Chiefs struggled on that side of the ball last week, I don’t see that happening in back to back weeks. I do think New York’s defense is nice and more than capable of making enough plays to make this game interesting, but their offense doesn’t seem to keep up with the Chiefs. It won’t necessarily be a blowout, but the better team will emerge victorious when it matters most. At least, the Chiefs better hope they do. Imagine the headlines if they lose this game.
All stats taken from ESPN.
Raza Talks Sports 