Sunday Blitz – Week 8

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

7 minute read

Editor's Note: Kevin Rogers has won 10 of his last 15 NFL selections and is currently on a 8-1 guarantee run. He is locked and loaded with a trio of Sunday afternoon games. Click to win!

GAMES TO WATCH

Eagles at Bills (-1 ½, 42) – 1:00 PM EST

There was plenty of hype around Philadelphia (3-4 SU, 2-5 ATS) to start the season as a legitimate threat to win the NFC. The Eagles have been passed by the likes of the Saints, Packers, and 49ers for that distinction, as Philadelphia needs to bounce back quickly to return to the playoff discussion. The last two weeks have been a disaster, at least from a defensive standpoint as the Eagles allowed 38 points at Minnesota and 37 points at Dallas, both losses. Philadelphia is 1-3 on the road while handing Green Bay its only loss of the season back in Week 4.

The Bills (5-1 SU, 4-2 ATS) continue to take advantage of a weak schedule as Buffalo held off Miami as 17-point favorites, 31-21. Buffalo scored its most points in a game this season, but also allowed its most points after limiting its previous five opponents to 17 points or fewer. All five teams the Bills have beaten own losing records, including three teams that have won one game or fewer (Dolphins, Bengals, and Jets). Buffalo has failed to cover in two home victories as a favorite, while compiling a 1-4 ATS mark as chalk at New Era Field since last season.

From a totals standpoint, the Eagles have hit the OVER in four of five opportunities with totals of 50 or below, while the Bills drilled their first OVER of the season after five consecutive UNDERS.

Best Bet: Eagles 27, Bills 23

Panthers at 49ers (-5 ½, 42 ½) – 4:05 PM EST

Only two undefeated teams remain in the NFL as San Francisco (6-0 SU, 4-2 ATS) returns home after a 9-0 shutout of Washington. The 49ers failed to cash as 10-point favorites, but it was the third consecutive time San Francisco held an opponent to single-digits. Due to a scheduling quirk, the 49ers are hosting their first NFC foe of the season in Week 8 after beating the Steelers and Browns already at Levi’s Stadium.

The Panthers (4-2 SU, 4-2 ATS) return from the bye week after causing seven turnovers in a 37-26 victory over the Buccaneers in London. Carolina improved to 4-0 SU/ATS since Kyle Allen took over at quarterback for the injured Cam Newton, as the former University of Houston standout has thrown seven touchdowns and no interceptions. The Panthers own a perfect 3-0 record on the record (including that London victory), while running back Christian McCaffrey will be happy not to see Tampa Bay, who held him to below 40 yards rushing twice, compared to averaging 137.5 yards rushing in the other four games.

Carolina is making its first visit to San Francisco since the 2017 opener when the Panthers blew out the 49ers, 23-3 as 4 ½-point road favorites. The Panthers will be tested in their next three road games as after the 49ers’ contest on Sunday, Carolina travels to Green Bay (Week 10) and New Orleans (Week 12) over the next month. San Francisco has a quick turnaround as the Niners venture to Arizona on Halloween night on Thursday.

Best Bet: 49ers 20, Panthers 16

Browns at Patriots (-10 ½, 44 ½) – 4:25 PM EST

Besides San Francisco, New England (7-0 SU, 5-2 ATS) is the other unbeaten team in the NFL, which is not a surprise. The Patriots haven’t allowed more than 14 points in a game this season, while pulling off their second shutout of 2019 by blanking the Jets, 33-0. New England created six turnovers, including intercepting Jets’ quarterback Sam Darnold four times. The Pats have dealt with plenty of injuries on offense, but New England has eclipsed the 30-point mark six times, while outgaining three opponents by 200 yards or more.

The Browns (2-4 SU, 2-4 ATS) travel to Foxborough following their bye week after blowing a 14-point lead in a 32-28 home defeat to Seattle in Week 6. Cleveland has yet to win a home game this season at 0-3, but the Browns’ two victories have come away from FirstEnergy Stadium against the Jets and Ravens. In their only opportunity as an underdog of a touchdown or more this season, the Browns dropped 40 points in a blowout of Baltimore, as Cleveland is listed as a double-digit ‘dog for the first time since cashing in a 21-18 defeat at New Orleans receiving 10 points in 2018.

New England has compiled a 3-1 ATS ledger this season as a double-digit favorite, while posting an impressive 7-1 ATS mark since the start of 2018 when laying at least 10 points. The Browns and Patriots haven’t hooked up since 2016 in Cleveland when New England easily cashed as 10-point favorites in a 33-13 rout.

Best Bet: Patriots 31, Browns 21

SUPERCONTEST PICKS

Kevin Rogers (3-2 last week, 18-17 this season)

Buccaneers +2 ½
Jaguars -6
Eagles +1 ½
Panthers +5 ½
Dolphins +14

Chris David (1-4 last week, 12-23 this season)

Bears -4
Rams -13
Broncos +5 ½
Browns +13
Steelers -14

SURVIVOR PICKS

Kevin Rogers (3-1)

Eliminated – Rams lost to Buccaneers in Week 4

Chris David (7-0)

Used – Seattle, New England, Dallas, L.A. Chargers, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Buffalo

Week 8 Selection - Pittsburgh

BEST TOTAL PLAY

OVER 49 ½ - Giants at Lions

Detroit got its offense going last week against Minnesota, but couldn’t slow down the Vikings in a 42-30 defeat. The Lions have allowed at least 23 points in five of six games this season, while the Giants have been torched in six of seven games, by giving up 27 or more six times. Rewinding back to the Green Bay debacle two weeks ago, Detroit was limited to five field goals and one touchdown, as the Lions are moving the ball, it’s just about cashing in and these two teams can have a track meet at Ford Field.

TRAP OF THE WEEK

The Colts are coming off a huge divisional win over the Texans to move into first place of the AFC South. Now, Indianapolis looks to avoid a letdown against Denver, who is fresh off an ugly home loss to Kansas City last week. The Broncos dealt away their top wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to San Francisco earlier in the week, but Denver did pick up a victory in its last road game at Los Angeles in Week 6. The Colts have won four of their last five games with the lone loss in this stretch coming to the Raiders as 5 ½-point favorites, which happened right after a home win against the Falcons.

BIGGEST LINE MOVE

The Jaguars opened up as 4 ½-point favorites against the dismal Jets on Monday, but after New York’s performance against New England, that number spiked to seven at the Westgate Superbook by the weekend. Jacksonville owns a 4-2 ATS record with rookie Gardner Minshew starting at quarterback following last week’s victory at Cincinnati. The Jets have scored a total of 20 points on the road this season in losses to the Patriots and Eagles, but Sam Darnold makes his first away start of 2019 for New York.

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW

The last six teams to take the field prior to hosting a Thursday night game this season have covered the spread, while the past five squads have won outright. The team in this situation in Week 8 is Arizona, who hosts San Francisco next Thursday. In fact, all five of these clubs that won all did so by double-digits, but the Cardinals (who travel to New Orleans) are the first underdog in this situation since Week 2 when the Jaguars visited the Texans.

You can reach Kevin Rogers via e-mail at rogers@vegasinsider.com

Kevin Rogers can be followed on Twitter at virogers.

Where to place a bet this NFL Season?

Use our exclusive BetMGM Bonus Code VIBONUS1500 to unlock BetMGM’s welcome offer for new sportsbook users!
Compare the latest NFL Odds from the best sportsbooks before placing a bet on this week's games.
Check out the North Carolina Sportsbooks just before they launch legal online sports betting.

Nfl News

NFL APR 26, 2024