Week 8 Sunday Slate Betting Preview and Picks: NFL Odds, Edges, and Predictions
The Sunday board is loaded with actionable Week 8 NFL Odds at BUSR, and this write-up breaks down seven matchups with a precise, data-driven angle for each. The goal is simple: translate matchup notes into practical NFL Betting decisions. You’ll see consistent logic applied across the card, plus references to the totals and spreads exactly as posted at BUSR. While these are early-window games, everything here helps shape your bankroll posture before Sunday Night Football closes the day.
New York’s quarterback situation remains unsettled, though the offense tends to find late scores that keep outcomes inside one possession against non-elite opponents. That late-scoring profile matters because Cincinnati’s defense hasn’t shown the closing gear required to salt away a game with clock-draining runs or consistent stops. The Jets’ most reliable offensive lever is Breece Hall. Cincinnati’s run defense is described as abysmal and has struggled all month to fit runs and finish tackles, which invites a script where Hall stacks efficient early-down gains and keeps the sticks in range. The Bengals also concede production to tight ends, which gives Mason Taylor room to work the middle and flats on money downs. If Garrett Wilson can go, that unlocks a legitimate downfield stressor, and the handicap upgrades by a whole unit given his separation skills and run-after-catch profile.
Joe Flacco’s recent surge has been real against secondaries that couldn’t match Ja’Marr Chase on the perimeter. Pittsburgh didn’t slow that connection, and Green Bay only managed it for a quarter. This matchup again tilts toward the Bengals’ explosive passing if Sauce Gardner remains in protocol. Expect Flacco to keep targeting Chase in isolation and leverage Chase Brown in favorable boxes. New York’s defense hasn’t offered much resistance, and the pass rush lacks the consistent push to change the math for Cincinnati’s protection. When the Jets fail to create negative plays, the Bengals settle into rhythm and stack yards after catch, especially on crossers and quick outs that reduce risk.
Market movement has inflated this number from an advance look of -2.5 to -6.5 based on a small sample of hot passing. That’s classic overreaction territory. The Jets have routinely hung around within one score and have multiple ways to backdoor it if needed. Cincinnati lacks a trustworthy running game to run the clock out, which keeps the door open late.
George Kittle’s return matters on multiple levels. It expands the pass game on safety reads and improves the run game through edge and second-level fits. That boost showed up with more daylight for Christian McCaffrey after a slow ground start to the season. The matchup still leans toward running, since Houston rates far better against the pass than the run. Quarterback health and availability are the key items to watch. If Brock Purdy plays, the floor rises in early-down efficiency. If it’s Mac Jones, expect a supervised call sheet geared to reduce exposure against a Texans front that wins on quick edges and simulated pressure. Either way, the 49ers’ tackles can hold up long enough to build play-action shots if the ground game lands early.
Seattle’s front overwhelmed Houston’s battered line a week ago. This setup is friendlier. Without Nick Bosa, San Francisco’s pressure rate is down, giving C.J. Stroud more clean pockets to find Nico Collins and work deep comebacks and glance posts. Houston can also lean on the run if it features Woody Marks rather than plodding volume. The 49ers’ middle is lighter without Fred Warner, which loosens cutback lanes and makes split-zone and duo more effective. That blend sets up manageable third downs where Stroud’s ball placement excels on outs and digs. With the defense healthier on the back end and the pass rush still reliable, Houston has enough two-way balance to dictate pace.
Line value flagged by the move through zero from Texans -2 (advance) to 49ers -favored on open, then back to Texans chalk, found support from sharp money. Houston is the side with the healthier trench outlook and the cleaner QB environment. Lower total aligns with both teams’ run paths and compressed explosive rates.
Chicago’s offense gains and loses throttle based on the opponent’s health on defense. Against injury-riddled units, the run game sets a floor, and Caleb Williams can layer quick-game into intermediate shots. If Baltimore’s defensive starters trend back, Chicago’s margin tightens. The plan still points toward D’Andre Swift’s volume into favorable fronts, with Williams leveraging play-action and movement to create clean looks for Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore. The key stress is pass protection in known passing spots. Chicago’s line is better than last year, and the offense can live in second-and-6 when the run game lands. The undercard angle: if Baltimore’s pass rush remains muted, Williams will have time to work full-field reads.
The handicap hinges on Lamar Jackson’s availability. With Jackson, the entire menu opens. Zone-read freezes edges, Derrick Henry gains lighter boxes, and Baltimore’s shot structure off heavy looks generates chunk plays without high risk. Without Jackson, the offense gets narrow and leans on Henry into stacked fronts and quick game to Zay Flowers, which caps the ceiling and invites stalled drives. Against Chicago’s improved front, the Jackson run threat is the single biggest variable. If he plays, expect the Ravens to control tempo and field position, pinning the Bears deep and forcing Williams to work through third-and-medium situations into tight windows.
Personnel statuses steer the pick. With Jackson and key defensive pieces trending in, Baltimore has enough two-way leverage to clear the number. Without that defensive health, Chicago becomes live to cover.
The offense has spiraled with injuries and poor blocking. Tua Tagovailoa is pressing, and turnovers are stacking because the route tree has condensed without Tyreek Hill and with Darren Waller now on injured reserve. The line has not handled speed or power, and that shows up in failing to sustain drives and in long down-and-distance situations. De’Von Achane remains the best path to explosive plays, though that now skews toward receiving value because defensive fronts are crashing run lanes. When the pocket collapses, the Dolphins’ progression stalls, and possessions end early.
This is a tailor-made script for Bijan Robinson. Miami has bled rushing yards for weeks, and Robinson’s vision and acceleration punish poor fits. He tilts boxes and generates play-action value for Michael Penix Jr., who then gets clean looks to Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Kyle Pitts against a secondary with communication lapses. Atlanta’s pass rush has climbed into a productive tier, which heightens the turnover potential against a quarterback who extends plays into trouble. With a clear trench edge, the Falcons are positioned to own time of possession and stack plus drives.
The spread still lags the on-field gap. Atlanta is stronger on both lines, owns the rushing mismatch, and has the cleaner turnover profile. That usually yields favorites covering more than a touchdown, especially when the opponent’s offense is one-dimensional. Totals angle leans lower when the favorite controls the ground game and the dog struggles to protect.
Josh Allen draws a defense that has looked improved but has not been stress-tested by top quarterbacks often. When facing quality arms, Carolina conceded points in volume, and Allen’s dual-threat profile creates problems on broken plays and the scramble drill. James Cook’s early-season spike likely doesn’t repeat against a Panthers front that has graded well against the run since Week 2, so Buffalo should lean pass-first with tempo and isolation routes to its primary targets. The Bills’ offense is still built to surge in spurts, which matters because their defense can give up methodical runs that lengthen opposing drives.
Carolina’s offense runs through Rico Dowdle behind an offensive line that has found some cohesion in the run game. The mismatch for Buffalo is interior run fits if Matt Milano isn’t near full speed, since missed fits unlock second-level creases Dowdle can hit. Andy Dalton is steady and will take the throws available off play-action, which helps Carolina stay balanced if the score stays within two possessions. The hinge is third-and-long. Buffalo still rushes the passer with teeth, and Dalton’s turnover profile rises if protection breaks late in the down.
Focus for Buffalo should be good coming off two straight losses, though a look-ahead to Kansas City sits on deck. The number sits on a key at -7, which makes side exposure less attractive unless you have a strong feel for Milano’s readiness. The handicap supports a professional effort and a two-score win more often than not. Yet the better angle lies in a modest-scoring environment: Buffalo’s run defense invites methodical drives, while Carolina’s pass-rush resistance lowers explosive plays.
Jaxson Dart has transformed the Giants’ offensive temperament. He extends plays, threatens with legs, and elevates belief in late-game scenarios. Cam Skattebo’s emergence gives New York a physical rushing dimension that travels. Philadelphia’s run defense rates well overall, and effort should be better than the first meeting when the Giants piled up ground gains, though New York still projects to find balance if the line wins enough on doubles and combos. The route tree doesn’t have a classic WR1 that wins every snap, yet the motion, movement, and RPO layers give Dart defined answers and keep the ball moving. With that approach, staying inside big numbers becomes far more likely.
After a flat prime-time effort, Jalen Hurts delivered one of his better throwing performances, feeding A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith with timing and precision. Even without a consistent run game, that aerial rhythm can carry drives and build leads. The issue has been closed. Without a mauling run-blocking profile this season, Philadelphia leaves room for late covers. Saquon Barkley’s revenge angle against his former team collides with line-play realities: holes haven’t been there, and the Giants’ front handled him previously. If the Eagles want margin, they’ll need another efficient performance from Hurts and red-zone touchdowns instead of field goals.
Philadelphia is capable of jumping ahead, yet the lack of a consistent finish on the ground re-opens windows late. New York’s form with Dart trends toward feisty underdog results, and the backdoor stays live against a defense that has given up fourth-quarter points in multiple spots. The total can clear if Hurts stays hot and the Giants’ tempo rises when trailing.
Quinshon Judkins sets Cleveland’s offensive identity. Against a Dolphins front that couldn’t stop anyone, he delivered three touchdowns without asking Dillon Gabriel to carry the load. New England is stouter against the run and lives in sound fits, which raises the difficulty level for Cleveland’s preferred path. That pushes more work onto Gabriel, whose arm strength limits vertical stress and compresses the field for defenders. The Browns still own an advantage in the trenches on inevitable downs and distances and can grind out enough possessions if they avoid negative plays and pre-snap errors.
Drake Maye has been excellent against soft schedules, stacking 200-plus yards and triple-digit passer ratings in a streak that puts him in selective company. This assignment rates as his first real test of the season. Cleveland’s defense can squeeze windows without blitzing and muddy first reads. The Patriots’ run game won’t bail him out to the same degree as last week, so Maye must win from the pocket under tighter conditions. New England’s edge comes from coaching and situational execution, yet the number reflects a tax against a competent opponent that runs and defends well enough to shorten the game.
Laying a full seven against a defense and ground game like Cleveland’s is expensive. The model here priced New England -4.5, which means the +7 captures two key numbers and offers better long-term value than a square favorite. Lower total environments also correlate to underdogs covering spreads north of a touchdown.
Tampa Bay heads into New Orleans looking for a divisional rebound spot after a national TV loss, and the matchup fits their strengths. Baker Mayfield’s receiving corps keeps rotating, but Emeka Egbuka’s return helps open passing lanes against a Saints defense that struggles to create pressure. That will let Mayfield get comfortable in the pocket and sustain long drives.
The Buccaneers should also control tempo on the ground. Chicago gashed this same Saints front a week ago, and Tampa Bay’s Rachaad White is set up for his best workload in weeks. If the Bucs can force the Saints to defend multiple run concepts, play-action will follow, exposing the secondary.
New Orleans continues to lean heavily on Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill, but against Vita Vea and Tampa Bay’s top-tier run defense, those lanes close fast. Spencer Rattler will be forced into higher-volume passing situations without strong protection, which usually leads to turnovers. With the better defense and more stable quarterback play, Tampa Bay holds both matchup and motivation edges.
Indianapolis enters Week 8 off an emphatic win and with its offense clean and healthy. Jonathan Taylor’s burst last week should carry over against a Titans front ranked 22nd versus the run, and Daniel Jones will have easy play-action windows to target Tyler Warren and the tight ends. The Colts have outgained nearly every opponent up front, and Tennessee offers no reason to expect that to change.
The Titans’ offensive line remains one of the worst in the league, giving up the most sacks through seven games. Cam Ward faces a Colts defense that already leads the league with 159 pressures, so that pocket time will be rare. Without a functional ground game, Tennessee becomes predictable and vulnerable to negative plays.
Indianapolis could be in a mild flat spot off a cross-country win, but the mismatch is still enormous. The Colts’ offense should move at will, while the defense forces turnovers and short fields. Anything less than a two-touchdown result would be a disappointment.
The Cowboys come in hot after a solid offensive stretch with Dak Prescott, but they meet a Broncos defense that typically locks in at home. Denver’s front can exploit Dallas’ weak run defense by letting J.K. Dobbins or R.J. Harvey establish early momentum, which opens downfield looks for Bo Nix. Denver’s offense tends to settle into rhythm when it avoids third-and-long, and this setup provides precisely that.
Dallas’s offensive talent can still put points on the board, especially with CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson creating mismatches. However, the Cowboys’ defense continues to struggle against balanced attacks, ranking near the bottom in run defense. That creates an ideal bounce-back opportunity for Denver after last week’s uneven effort against the Giants.
The market has tilted too far toward the public underdog. The advance line was Broncos -4.5, and with heavy betting on Dallas, -3.5 offers rare line value. Denver should capitalize on its ground advantage and home-field edge.
The Packers’ defense has regressed sharply since Week 2, giving Aaron Rodgers a clear path to success against his former team. Rodgers remains efficient against soft coverage looks, and the Packers’ secondary has been unable to stop intermediate passes. DK Metcalf and the tight ends both profile as consistent mismatches across the middle.
Pittsburgh’s defense under Mike Tomlin thrives as an underdog unit. The Steelers are well-positioned to pressure Jordan Love, whose mechanics break down under heat. Even if Love finds early success, the Packers’ inability to close out drives on defense keeps every opponent alive late in games.
Motivation and coaching align perfectly for the home dog. Rodgers will be locked in against Green Bay’s back end, and Tomlin’s record in this spot speaks for itself. Expect a tightly contested, physical game with the Steelers pulling away late.
Pick: Steelers +3, Over 45.
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