Arizona Cardinals

NFL Predictions: Week 8 Picks and Hot Takes From Around the NFL

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:02 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

We’re back with NFL picks, week eight edition here at NFL Mocks. As always, you can find full NFL news and NFL predictions here on the site, as well as newsy notes on both college football and the NFL Draft. You can follow the site on Twitter @NFLMocks, and the author @JoeWedra.

Last week’s 7-7-1 record was by far the worst of the year, disappointing in more ways than one. I’m not terribly upset with the record (it happens, the NFL is strange), but the fact that I now have a tie on the season record. Can we all agree that ties should have no place in professional sports?

There are winners and losers for a reason. The whole “you both kinda won, but both kinda lost” result is disgraceful and must be remedied. As a wise man once said – you play to win the game!

This week, let’s hope the wins come early and often in this column.

Oct 23, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley reacts during a post game press conference after a game against the Oakland Raiders at EverBank Field. Oakland Raiders won 33-16. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans, 8:25 p.m. ET on Thursday, NFLN

The Jaguars win if…

They play up to their abilities on the offensive side of the ball.

This game looks to be a scrappy one on the surface. Both teams are lagging behind in the AFC, but not by a terrible amount considering the current state of the conference. With a win here, Jacksonville’s season can potentially take a turn in the right direction – that is, if the offense can find a way to manage production early and often. Thus far, the Gus Bradley “revival” has largely disappointed on both sides of the football. Talent is there across the board for Blake Bortles… it’s about time the on-paper potential bursts onto the scene and becomes game-breaking.

The Titans win if…

The running game continues to provide sparks.

Many might tune in tonight for Marcus Mariota, but the talent that exists in the Tennessee running game is too great to ignore. DeMarco Murray is again getting his opportunity to prove that he’s a top-five back in the league (newsflash: when healthy, he is). Should the Titans O-Line continue to provide lanes against Jacksonville, there’s a victory to be had here. As always, Mariota won’t have to be a stud to lead his guys to victory here. Simple execution can and should get the job done.

Titans grab win on short week against Jacksonville, 21-17.

Oct 29, 2016; London, United Kingdom; Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden (center) speaks flanked by defensive end Chris Baker (92), linebacker Ryan Kerrigan (91), receiver DeSean Jackson (11), receiver Pierre Garcon (88) and quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) during the NFL International Series Fan Rally at the Victoria House. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Redskins vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, FOX

The Redskins win if…

The secondary, perhaps without Josh Norman, finds a way to cover A.J. Green.

Green torched the Browns last weekend (what’s new?) to the tune of 169 yards over 8 catches. Once again, the Dalton/Green duo proves to be the key game-planning weapon in this Cincinnati offense – and when stopped, there’s not a large game-breaking presence to be had. Now, that’s not to say Green’s skill is an easy threat to extinguish or the Bengals don’t have other ways to score. Rather, Washington’s chances of winning drastically increase if they place an emphasis on the containing of Green. Of course, that starts with pressuring the QB and giving the secondary an opportunity to win their one-on-ones. And this year, there are few teams better at causing disruption than the Redskins.

The Bengals win if…

The efforts from the defense are consistently impressive.

Lost in the overall picture in the AFC this season is the role of the Bengals and their potential to still make a run at not just a wild card spot, but the division. They’ve been faced with a brutal early-season schedule (PIT, DEN, DAL, NE all included) and have won the games they’ve been expected to with great defensive efforts. Sure, you’d like to see a win or two against the top-tier squads, but just because they’ve lost doesn’t mean this is a bad football team. They’re still well-coached – this week, we’ll see how well Cincy is able to match up schematically with an impressive Redskins roster.

Redskins battle to win late in London, 26-23.

Oct 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) passes the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, CBS

The Patriots win if…

Nothing drastic happens to alter the game.

At this point, it feels rather unintelligent to pick against the Patriots in any game they play the rest of the way in 2016. With a healthy Tom Brady (still playing like he’s at his peak) and Bill Belichick taking command of the team, there seems to be little anyone can do to control the game against the Patriots. The defense is loaded with talent and Brady has a consistent running game to pair with a stout passing attack. How could you ask for anything more?

The Bills win if…

The front-seven creates enough disruption up front to derail the New England running game.

The only path to victory this Sunday for Rex Ryan appears to make the Patriots one-dimensional and force them to win with their passing game. Of course, against Tom Brady, this isn’t exactly the sexiest strategy in the world, but it’s one that should be emphasized this week. When New England is great, it’s because of the brilliant effectiveness of the running game – throughout the years, the Pats’ ability to keep the ball in their hands via the run game has largely been under-valued. If Ryan and Co. create schemes to keep that aspect of the game in check, they’ll have an opportunity to pull off the surprise.

Patriots cruise to another win against Buffalo, 30-17.

Oct 23, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor (11) reacts on the sidelines against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets at Cleveland Browns, 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, CBS

The Jets win if…

The Ryan Fitzpatrick storyline continues to develop positively.

We might not exactly be sure what the long-term future holds for the New York Jets quarterback spot, but it’s fairly safe to say that it’s Ryan Fitzpatrick’s job for the rest of the season… as long as he holds onto the football. But that’s a story for another day. In this one, Fitzpatrick and his group on offense shouldn’t have a terrible time scoring against Cleveland, even on the road. The Browns can turn on a switch sometimes and make things interesting, though. For Fitzpatrick, no turnovers should translate to a crucial road win.

The Browns win if…

Terrelle Pryor plays and dominates.

We know he’s dealing with a pesky hamstring issue, and it’s unfortunate to place the possibility of winning upon one player’s shoulders. But one thing is certain about Pryor now and looking ahead to the future – this guy is a stud. There isn’t much to look forward to on Sundays when you take a look at the current Browns roster, but Pryor’s game-breaking ability makes up for that void. If he has a big game and the Cleveland defense kicks into full gear, they could finally get into the win column this weekend.

Jets dominate in Cleveland, pick up second consecutive win, 23-16.

Oct 23, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) looks to pass against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, CBS

The Chiefs win if…

Their defense can effectively handle the Indianapolis offense.

Often perhaps overrated, the Indianapolis offensive attack has plenty of holes, and it starts up front. Protecting Andrew Luck hasn’t been the simplest task for this squad in the past, an area of play that Andy Reid’s group should look to capitalize on this week. I’m a firm believer that the Chiefs are one of the sneakiest postseason contenders, and that belief starts and ends with the potential on the defensive end. When they’re on, that unit is unbelievably good.

The Colts win if…

This game becomes a scrappy, low-scoring game.

The biggest opportunity for Indianapolis to grind out a win here should come in a sloppy, defense-first affair. And unfortunately, that doesn’t exactly fit into how the Colts conventionally win ballgames. Still, the major concern moving forward is the state of this Indianapolis defense, which doesn’t seem to have the energy to push through opponents and limit big days from the opposition. Should they show up, this will be a must-watch game. If not, it could be an ugly afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Chiefs stay hot with win in Indianapolis, 27-20.

Oct 23, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The game ended in a 6-6 tie after overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks vs. New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, FOX

The Seahawks win if…

The defense continues the path left from last week’s… tie.

Ties are awful. Let’s all agree on that and move forward. However, the aspect of that game most ost in the shuffle was almost certainly the play of Seattle’s defense, which was simply brilliant against an impressive Arizona defense. Year after year, this Seahawks defensive group is coached up to perfection, a testament to the work going on behind closed doors during the week – Pete Carroll and Co. doesn’t get enough credit.The Saints present a tough task, which would make it even more impressive if the ‘Hawks can dominate for a second consecutive week.

The Saints win if…

They end up winning the battle against Kris Richard’s group.

If there’s an offense able to stretch the field and compete against the current makeup of the Seattle defense, it’s one akin to the one that the Saints boast. They do one thing and they do it very well – throw the football, a lot, and score points. Of course that’s easier said than done in a matchup such as this one, but they should be able to collect their fair share on Sunday. If Brees finds a rhythm, New Orleans fans know the drill.

Saints surprise Seahawks with play on offense, out-score Seattle, 29-27.

Sep 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack (52) stands on the field before the start of the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland Raiders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, CBS

The Raiders win if…

They can effectively balance the run and pass.

Derek Carr, while still one of the best young arms in the game, can still only do so much at the helm of this offense. The Raiders are moving in the right direction and Carr is undoubtedly the right guy for the job – but if the staff is serious about a deep postseason run, they’ll want to work on solidifying the running game by any means necessary. A healthy Latavius Murray certainly helps, especially if they can pair his regular carries with creative touches in space with other weapons. This Sunday, Carr will have plenty of opportunities to throw. But owning the time of possession won’t hurt to win this game and build ahead for the future of 2016.

The Bucs win if…

Their defense can do what they haven’t – create havoc with splash plays.

Tampa Bay is well on their way (nice rhyme there, eh?) to building a contender, but you’d still like to see more disruption in all areas of their defensive play. Oakland isn’t going to lie down and not score points; the goal in this one should be creating a fast start on defense to keep their offense in the game late. The only way Carr won’t have his way on a regular basis is if disruption comes from the pass rush in the form of QB hurries.

Raiders win another on the road, take down Tampa Bay, 24-21.

Oct 17, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians against the New York Jets at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers, 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, FOX

The Cardinals win if…

Carson Palmer can put up a patented big-number game.

Palmer might get the inconsistent label thrown his way by doubters, but there’s no denying that he has the ability – and currently, the weapons – to manage a flashy stat line against Carolina this Sunday. If the Panthers secondary can’t improve quickly, they might have a difficult time winning more than one or two more the rest of the year. It might seem like a harsh prediction, but this team isn’t close to being at the level of last season’s Super Bowl contender. On paper, Arizona can seemingly dominate the matchup against this Carolina defensive backfield.

The Panthers win if…

Their bye week allowed extended work to start a winning streak.

If Carolina wants to avoid the top-five in the 2017 Draft, it’s safe to say a turnaround is needed immediately. Not many would’ve predicted a 1-5 start entering into their Week 7 bye week, but alas it’s where we stand. Unfortunately for prediction and game pick purposes, I’m not exactly sure what needs to happen for Carolina to win this game. Their early performance has been terribly difficult to break down. Can they win? Sure. But it’ll take a heck of a performance at home against one of the NFC’s best.

Cardinals capture road win against Panthers, 28-21.

Oct 24, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) looks at his tablet following a turnover in the second half against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Texans 27-9. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions vs. Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, FOX

The Lions win if…

Their defense can continue to keep Houston’s offense off-balance.

Last week, Denver did a phenomenal job at shutting down Brock Osweiler and the Texans offensive attack in a big way. Houston has the talent on the outside, but Osweiler’s clear shortcomings are becoming more and more concerning, especially when faced with pressure-filled situations. For the Lions to win on Sunday, getting ahead early and forcing Osweiler into adverse situations is almost a sure-fire way to beat this Texans team. Lost in the schedule of the early portion of the year – Detroit is an impressive squad.

The Texans win if…

The offense finds a way to be fully effective.

Living up to their potential on offense has seemed difficult as of late for Houston, especially with a roster filled with impressive firepower. Osweiler isn’t in the top-tier of QBs in the NFL, but he’s plenty capable of spreading the ball around scoring points with this arsenal at hand. This Sunday, focus should be fully on finding a way to jump-start this group with big plays and an effective run-pass split. Against the Detroit defense, there’s no better time to start to find a groove.

Texans find rhythm on offense, beat Lions, 27-24.

Oct 24, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian (13) scrambles with the ball in the first half against the Houston Texans at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, CBS

The Chargers win if…

The defense forces Denver’s offense to be one-dimensional… again.

What the Chargers were able to do just two weeks ago (hello, weird schedule anomaly) was rather brilliant against the surging Broncos, devising a fantastic game-plan to get the win on a short week on Thursday night. Some might say that San Diego is at a disadvantage now, being the underdog with Denver having fresh tape and a larger week to prepare, but I’d argue that the Chargers are still in the driver’s seat to win this game. If the defense can effectively quiet the rushing attack and put the game on Trevor Siemian’s shoulders, there’s a very real possibility that Phillip Rivers and that offense can keep up to capture a surprise win this weekend.

The Broncos win if…

On the flip side, they can run the football from the start.

When you boil this game down, it sure seems like biggest matchup is indeed this Denver run game against San Diego’s defensive front. You’d imagine that if the Broncos can keep the ball in their possession and limit the amount of times Rivers has the chance to drive down the field, they’ll likely win this football game. And overall, that starts with an effective rushing attack. With C.J. Anderson likely out, watch for Devontae Booker to be the turning-point. He’s extremely talented and will succeed if the offensive line provides running lanes.

Broncos pull off tight win at home, beat Chargers, 24-22.

Oct 9, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a pass during the second quarter against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons, 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, FOX

The Packers win if…

The secondary can find a way to match up with Atlanta’s passing attack.

It’s easy to take a look at this game and put the onus on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense, but as 2016 has moved along it is very clear who holds the keys to the NFL’s most impressive point-scoring offense. Nobody has been better at airing it out this year than Matt Ryan, impressive considering there isn’t one sole factor that is putting the Falcons over the edge. It’s all simply come together, undoubtedly a beautiful sight for Falcons fans. You’d like to think that Green Bay’s offense can keep up, but there’s no question that their secondary will have to do their part in order to find a way to win on Sunday afternoon.

The Falcons win if…

*See analysis above.*

Truthfully – it all revolves around the performances when Matt Ryan is on the field. It’s pretty clear-cut: if this Sunday’s play is consistent with the 2016 trends, they’ll win. If the Packers scheme up an impressive plan to knock the offense into a state of confusion, Green Bay will keep it tight until the end. No need to make this too complicated – just enjoy the game and watch the matchup of the weekend.

Falcons host Packers and capture tight win, 31-28.

Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) walks out of the locker room for action against the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, NBC

The Eagles win if…

Dallas doesn’t fire on all cylinders.

Perhaps this is a pretty simple key to victory here, but why make it any more difficult than it needs to be? The 2016 version of the Cowboys offense is unlike anything we’ve seen before, and – newsflash – it doesn’t have as much to do with Dak Prescott as it does the brilliance of the guy in the backfield. Ezekiel Elliott might already be a top-five back in the NFL, proving so with his steady improvement throughout the season. Philly’s defense has been the real deal – managing a win on Sunday Night Football on the road at Dallas would be nothing short of eye-opening.

The Cowboys win if…

Both sides of the ball contribute as they were before the bye week.

Fresh from a week off, it’s difficult to dive into the Cowboys roster and find a glaring hole. They were nearly perfect in their five-game winning streak after week one’s tight loss, with seemingly every component on both sides of the ball collecting improved results by the week. If their play is on-par with the performances that we saw in games against Cincinnati and Green Bay, how can they lose here in a key divisional clash?

Cowboys continue to roll with Prescott and Elliott, pick up 26-17 win over Philadelphia.

Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) waits inside the tunnel before game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Vikings, 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears, 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, ESPN

The Vikings win if…

There isn’t a total meltdown on the defensive side of the football.

More from NFL Mocks

You might call the Vikings the sure-fire winners in this one (and you wouldn’t exactly be wrong), but this game has more importance that it might seem on the surface. After the hot start, things begin to become very dangerous if somehow Mike Zimmer’s team finds a way to lose in Chicago against the 1-6 Bears. To keep that from happening, it’s up to the defense to continue their winning ways. That group is scary good, and there’s no reason to believe they won’t live up to their potential in a matchup such as this one.

The Bears win if…

Somehow, some way they can manage to win the battle against the Minnesota defense.

It’s been a wild season for the Bears, and there isn’t really any fair way to sum up their play in 2016. It just hasn’t been good – if you’re looking for the obvious statement here, there you have it. They simply have to be better. And if they want any chance of pulling off the upset on Monday, it’ll be up to the group on offense to put up enough points to surprise us all.

This article originally appeared on

share

Get more from Arizona Cardinals Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions