NFL Week 8 Betting Recap
NFL Week 8 Betting Recap
This was an incredible week for highs and lows when it comes to betting and quarterback injuries. Let’s take a look at each game from Week 8 and look at the betting implications that occurred and may also affect the line in Week 9 and beyond.
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(closing lines) (Home team in caps)
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Tampa Bay (+10/43.5) over BUFFALO 18-24
This game was a closer one early on. The Bills could never really pull away, though they had a 24-10 lead in the third quarter, the Bucs covered this game late when Baker Mayfield hit Mike Evans for a 24-yard TD and they converted the 2-point conversion. Tampa Bay’s main issue is that they can’t run the ball. Mayfield threw for 237 yards and two TDs. Josh Allen completed 31 of 40 for 324 yards and ran for 41 yards.
Sunday, October 29, 2023
CAROLINA (+3.5/42.5) over Houston
Carolina finally got their first win and they needed an Eddy Pineiro 23-yard field goal with no time left to get the victory. Rookie QB Bryce Young completed 22 of 31 for 235 yards and a TD. Rookie C.J. Stroud was outplayed as a completed 16 of 24 for 140 yards and a TD run. The Panthers won with defense, because they rushed for just 44 yards.
DALLAS (-6.5/44.5) over LA Rams 43-20
Dallas rolled in another home game as Dak Prescott threw four TD passes. CeeDee Lamb caught 12 passes for 158 yards with two TDs. CB DaRon Bland also had a pick-six as Matthew Stafford went 13 of 22 for 162 yards and a TD before being removed for a right-thumb injury. He hit his thumb on the helmet of a Dallas defensive player on two separate plays to start the second half. Brett Rypien replaced Stafford and went 5 of 10 for 42 yards. Stafford is considered day-to-day with a sprained right thumb.
MINNESOTA (-1.5/41.5) over Green Bay 24-10
They used to call games like these “Pyrrhic victories”, because the Vikes won the battle, but may have lost the war. That’s because Kirk Cousins (23 of 31 for 274 yds, 2TDs) blew out his Achilles in the fourth quarter and was replaced by rookie Jaren Hall from BYU, He replaced Cousins and completed 3 of 4 for 23 yards. Hall will start this week for the 4-4 Vikings, but Minnesota just dealt for Joshua Dobbs from Arizona, who will likely start afterwards. As for Green Bay, they’ve now lost four straight games. Jordan Love completed 24 of 41 for 229 yards and a pick. He also led the team in rushing with 34 yards on 4 attempts and that’s a problem.
New Orleans (-1.5/43.5) over INDIANAPOLIS 38-27
The Saints’ offense has been stuck in neutral for most of the season, but they broke out against the 3-5 Colts. Derek Carr threw for 310 yards and two TDs, while Taysom Hill ran for two TDs and accounted for 121 yards. Alvin Kamar also had a TD run and a TD catch. Gardner Minshew passed for 213 yards and two TDs for the Colts. Rashid Shaheed caught three passes for 153 yards including a 58-yard dime from Carr in the second quarter.
MIAMI (-8.5/46.5) over New England 31-17
Tua Tagovailoa threw for 324 yards and three TDs and Tyreek Hill caught eight passes for 112 yards and a TD. In just eight games, Hill has now surpassed 1,000 yards receiving and he became the first receiver to do that in his first eight games. Jaylen Waddled caught seven passes for 121 yards and a TD for the Fins. CB Jalen Ramsey (knee) had his first pick of the season in his first game. Miami was never really threatened by the Patriots who fell to 2-6 on the season. Mac Jones completed 19 of 29 for 161 yards with two TDs and a pick.
NEW YORK GIANTS (+3.5/34.5) over New York Jets 13-10ot
In the ugliest game of the day in the rain in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Jets somehow found a way to win or the Giants found a way to blow the game. The Giants’ Graham Gano missed a 35-yard field goal with 24 seconds that would have put them up by six points. Instead, Zach Wilson drove the Jets downfield and they were able to get in field goal range. Greg Zeurlein booted a game-tying and then game-winning field goal. These teams combined for 24 punts, which was the most in an NFL game in at least 20 years. Saquaon Barkley rushed 36 times for 128 yards. Kavon Thibodeaux led the Giants with three sacks and a forced fumble. Tommy DeVito came in for the injured Tyrod Taylor during the second quarter. Daniel Jones is expected to return for their next game.
Jacksonville (-2.5/40.5) over PITTSBURGH 20-10
Pittsburgh was a home dog here and at times, they played like a dog on offense. Trevor Lawrence threw for 292 yards and a TD to lead the Jags to their fifth straight win. He hit RB Travis Etienne on a wheel route with 5:05 left in the third quarter to give the Jags a 17-3 lead. Mitch Trubisky replaced starter Kenny Pickett (ribs), who completed 15 of 27 for 138 yards, but had two picks including a Hail Mary pick to end the game. Pickett was 10 of 16 for 73 yards. The Steelers amassed just 261 total yards and were outgained 377-261. The only thing the Jags did wrong was commit three turnovers. Pickett is expected to play on Thursday night.
TENNESSEE (+2.5/35.5) over Atlanta 28-23
Rookie Will Levis threw four TD passes, including three to DeAndre Hopkins to lead the Titans (3-4) to a 28-23 win over Atlanta (4-4). Derrick Henry carried the ball 22 times for 101 yards and had four catches for 21 yards. Desmond Ridder threw for 71 yards before leaving the game due to concussion protocol. He was also sacked five times and was replaced by Taylor Henicke who completed 12 of 21 for 175 yards. Levis was supposed to share the QB position with Malik Willis, who fumbled on the opening drive. Regular starter Ryan Tannehill was out with an ankle injury.
Philadelphia (-7/42.5) over WASHINGTON 38-31
Washington seems to play the Eagles tight as they jumped out to a 14-3 lead and led 24-17 in the fourth quarter. But the Eagles exploded for three TDs in the fourth quarter as Jalen Hurts took over. He threw for 319 yards and four TDs, while WR A.J. Brown caught eight passes for 130 yards and a score. QB Sam Howell had a strong game but also had two fourth-quarter turnovers. He completed 39 of 52 for 397 yards and four TDs. Jahan Dotson caught eight passes for 108 yards. But since Washington fell to 3-5 and they dealt both EDGE rushers Montez Sweat (to Chicago) and Chase Young (to San Francisco) right before the trade deadline on Tuesday.
SEATTLE (-4/39.5) over Cleveland 24-0
Seattle jumped out to a 17-6 lead, but the Browns took a 20-17 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Geno Smith hit Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 9-yard TD pass with 38 seconds left to give the Seahawks the ugly win against a team with it’s starting QB (Deshaun Watson) and starting RB (Nick Chubb) out with injuries. Chubb is out of the season and Watson is out with a shoulder injury. P.J. Walker completed 15 of 31 for 248 yards with a TD, but also threw for two picks and lost a fumble. Geno Smith completed 23 of 37 for 254 yards for the Seahawks for 254 yards with two TDs. Tyler Lockett caught eight passes for 81 yards and a TD. Seattle improved to 5-2 and will travel to Baltimore this week.
ARIZONA (+9.5/44.5) over Baltimore 31-24
Some weeks, you get a few bad beats and other weeks you don’t. If you had Baltimore and the 9.5, you are wondering what the hell happened. Baltimore led 14-7 at the half and then appeared to take over at 24-7 in the fourth quarter because that’s what the Cardinals do. The play a tight first half and fold in the second half. After Justin Tucker hit a 48-yard field goal, Arizona scored 17 of the game’s next 24 points. That included a 47-yard field goal after they just scored a one-yard TD on a Josh Dobbbs pass to Marquise Brown with 1:14 left. The Cardinals recovered an onsides kick (fumble by Nelson Agholor) and then because time was running out, decided to kick the field goal and attempt another onsides kick (it failed). Gus Edwards led Baltimore with 80 yards and three TDs. Lamar Jackson had a very pedestrian game with 157 yards passing and a TD and barely ran the ball. The Ravens improved to 6-2 on the season, while Arizona fell to 1-7. Dobbs was traded on Tuesday to Minnesota, which means Kyler Murray (knee) is back or they move to rookie Clayton Tune at quarterback.
DENVER (+7/45.5) over Kansas City 24-9
The Chiefs were shocked by the Broncos for the first time since 2015. Patrick Mahomes (29-4 vs. AFC West) struggled with an illness and completed 24 of 38 for 241 yards with two picks and a fumble. Russell Wilson managed the game, going 12 of 19 for 114 yards and three TDs. The star of this game was the Denver defense, which forced five KC turnovers. With the win, Denver improved to 3-5 and held on to receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton at the trade deadline. The Chiefs had a six-game winnings streak snapped and fell to 6-2
LA CHARGERS (-10.5/45.5) over Chicago 30-13
This was a snoozefest of a Sunday night game. Justin Herbert threw for 298 yards and three TDs, while Cameron Dicker booted three field goals to improve the Chargers to 3-5. The Bears (2-6) were never really in this game under rookie Tyson Bagent, who completed 25 of 37 for 232 yards with a rushing TD and had two picks. He replaced Justin Fields (thumb) for the second straight game. The Chargers receive a big game from Austin Ekeler who caught five passes for 91 yards and rushed for 13 yards.
Monday, October 30, 2023
DETROIT (-7/45.5) over Las Vegas 26-14
Here’s another game that could have taken a strong/ugly turn depending on your bet. If you bet the Raiders, when Marcus Peters picked off Jared Goff and returned it 75 yards for a TD, you had a shot. That’s despite the fact that the Raiders scored just one offensive TD (Josh Jacobs 3-yard run) and Jimmy Garoppolo had a brutal game. He was sacked six times and threw for just 126 yards, while missing open receivers. But they were somehow in the game due to WR Josh Reynolds fumbling the ball deep in his own territory and then Jimmy G. threw a pick in the next possession. Detroit RB Craig Reynolds also fumbled the ball at the Vegas 3-yard line. Goff threw for 272 yards, while rookie Jahmyr Gibs had a career-game with 152 yards rushing on 26 carries and a TD. The Lions improved to 6-2, while the Raiders, who were quiet for some reason at the trade deadline, fell to 3-5.
