Six NFL teams are on their bye this week, which makes the Week 8 schedule a bit light. Even without contenders like the Lions, Seahawks and Rams in action though, there are still interesting games lined up.
Last week's bold predictions didn't turn out so hot, but in the NFL, a change of fortunes is always just a week away. That's what preseason favorites like the Ravens and Texans are hoping as they try to turn their seasons around against NFC teams with winning records. Cellar dwellers like the Jets, Titans and Dolphins will need much more than one positive performance to feel good about themselves, but everybody has to start somewhere.
Only two games this week feature a point spread of less than three points, meaning the sportsbooks aren't expecting many close games. That's usually right when we get some unexpected results, making it a perfect week to go out on a few limbs. With that in mind, here are four bold predictions that might actually come true.
Jaxson Dart does it to the Eagles again
It was just two weeks ago that the Giants not only upset the defending champion Eagles, they destroyed them in a 34-17 laugher. Why then is Philly more than a touchdown favorite for the rematch? Sure they're at home this time, and it's true that the Giants are coming off a devastating loss last week in which they gave up 33 fourth-quarter points to the Broncos, but I'm not expecting a hangover.
Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo are the new kings of New York, and they're too young to know what they're not supposed to know. They'll be filled with confidence going against a team they beat a couple of weeks ago, and without AJ Brown, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, the Eagles offense will be limited in its ability to keep up.
Dart and Skattebo combined for over 150 yards on the ground in the last meeting. Repeating that feat won't be as easy now that Jalen Carter is back, but the Eagles have been vulnerable on the ground even when he's been in.
This game will come down to Dart's ability to protect the football. He had a killer pick late against the Broncos, and the five turnovers he and the team had against the Saints in Week 5 was one of the year's most inexcusable offensive performances. I think the G-Men will be eager to bounce back against a team they know they can beat, and they'll get back in the win column.
The 49ers and Texans continue moving in opposite directions
The Texans are favored at home over the Niners this week, but I've finally learned my lesson when it comes to these two teams. Houston has a very good defense but still can't find ways to win, while the Niners keep managing to prevail no matter who is able to take the field for them. I'm riding with San Francisco.
Watching that Texans loss to the Seahawks on Monday night hammered home for me just how bad their offensive line is. Games are won in the trenches, and the Texans just don't have the horses. They were repeatedly unable to convert in short yardage situations as defenders kept immediately finding their way into the backfield, and though the Niners don't quite have the same athletes up front that Seattle has, Robert Saleh has been able to work magic on that side of the ball.
Brock Purdy is out again, but Niners fans have to be thrilled with what they've gotten from Mac Jones. George Kittle will also make his return, and it just happens to be National Tight End Day, a holiday he basically invented and always crushes. Even without Kittle, the Niners have been able to move the ball thanks to the consistent brilliance of Christian McCaffrey. Whether he's running the ball or catching it out of the backfield, the superstar hasn't yet run into a team that's been able to slow him down.
The Texans are dealing with injuries of their own. Nico Collins will miss the game with a concussion, as will Christian Kirk as he continues to deal with a hamstring injury. Is Dalton Schultz going to beat the Niners by himself? He won't even be the best tight end on the field. The Texans are 2-4 and desperate, but I like the Niners to win this one handily and take a half-game lead in the NFC West over the idle Rams and Seahawks.
The Cowboys get a big road win in Denver
It's high time we figured out if the Cowboys and Broncos are for real. What better way than to pit them against each other? Dallas has yet to win or lose two games in a row all season, while the Broncos are 5-2 despite playing with their food and falling behind nearly every week.
There's a lot more faith in the football-watching community in the Broncos right now because they have an elite defense, while the Cowboys very much do not. Bo Nix's refusal to do much of anything until the fourth quarter isn't going to work if he wants to keep up with Dak Prescott and Ceedee Lamb, though.
The Cowboys have proven this year that they can score on anybody. As good as the Broncos defense has been, they've still given up 29 and 32 points to the Colts and Giants, respectively. Dallas is going to move the ball and score, and if Nix waits so long to get going, it's going to be too late to catch up.
Both teams are in interesting division races. The Broncos currently lead the NFC West, but the Chiefs and Chargers are both breathing down their neck while playing a better brand of football. Kansas City looks to have regained their Super Bowl form, while the Chargers are fresh off their best performance of the season in blowing out the Vikings on Thursday night.
The Giants aren't quite ready to fully contend, and the Commanders were sliding even before losing Jayden Daniels. That means the Cowboys may be the only thing standing between the Eagles and the first repeat NFC East title in over two decades.
I tend to side with the better defense and the home team in most cases, but the Cowboys are dangerous right now. I think they build an early lead and keep the Broncos at bay in the fourth.
The AFC North becomes much more interesting
The Steelers have done well to put together a 4-2 record. That's been good enough for first place in the AFC North, but they've faced shockingly little competition as the Bengals, Browns and Ravens have floundered.
This division is never a cakewalk, and I expect it to get much more interesting this week. The Bengals fired the first salvo last Thursday by shocking the Steelers behind their old new quarterback Joe Flacco, and this week they face a winless Jets team that will be without their two best players, Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner.
The Ravens had their whole bye week to fix what's been ailing them, and it looks like they'll have Lamar Jackson back when they face a Bears team that has put together four straight wins. Baltimore is at home and has been phenomenal after a bye in the John Harbaugh era, so the Bears are going to have a really tough time making it five in a row.
Don't discount the Browns' chances to pull an upset in New England. The Patriots are red-hot, but Cleveland destroyed the Dolphins last week and have to be feeling good. Quinshon Judkins is making a case as the best rookie running back in the league, even over Ashton Jeanty and Bill Croskey-Merritt, while his former Ohio State teammate TreVeyon Henderson has taken a backseat to Rhamondre Stevenson.
The Patriots walked all over a terrible Titans team last week, and they may be overconfident seeing the Browns on the schedule. That would be a mistake, because Cleveland's defense can keep them in this game. I don't know if they'll win, but they'll be in it.
The Steelers will know what their division rivals have done when they take the field against the Packers on Sunday night in what is sure to be an emotionally charged game. Aaron Rodgers has downplayed the significance of playing his old team this week, but even without any possible ill feelings, the Packers are a good team that I expect to win.
This will be one of the most fun games of the week, not only for the Aaron Rodgers-Jordan Love battle, but for the TJ Watt vs. Micah Parsons pass-rushing duel. Rodgers has gotten the ball out quicker than any other quarterback this year, and he'll have to know that Parsons is fully up and running after recording three sacks and 10 pressures against the Cardinals last week. Green Bay's secondary is legit, though, and they won't let DK Metcalf run wild.
When Week 8 is in the books, the AFC North is going to look a lot tighter, with the Bengals just a half-game back, the Ravens off of life support and possibly even the Browns in the mix.