Go ahead and take your pick of bizarre things in the first half of the 2017 NFL season. What’s your favorite? Is it the Bills or Dolphins being 4-2? The Jets still being in the playoff race? The Chiefs being the last undefeated team standing? The Packers suddenly showing up as the third-favorites in the NFC North? The Bears winning two games this year in which they completed fewer than three passes to wide receivers?
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There’s still nine more weeks in the wild yet wonderful world that is the NFL, and Week 8 promises to issue more twists and turns across the country.
The Numbers
0: The number of covers Miami has against the Ravens in the last seven meetings between these two teams. The Fins aren’t going to be helped this week by the fact that they are likely going to have to turn the ball over to Matt Moore in a short week of preparation after Jay Cutler broke two ribs on Sunday against the Jets. They will be helped, however, by the fact that the Ravens stink. Baltimore started at 2-0 and is 1-4 since that point. Zero may as well also be the number of healthy wide receivers Joe Flacco has to throw the ball to. Jeremy Maclin, Breshad Perriman and Mike Wallace are all dinged up and could all be out of the fold on Thursday, leaving a ragtag set of receivers in their place that would make every team in the NFL this side of the Giants blush.
10: The number of sacks the Colts allowed last week against Jacksonville. That also happens to be the point spread in their game this week against Cincinnati. The Bengals aren’t exactly playing like world beaters at the moment, especially after their 29-14 loss in Pittsburgh in Week 7 that could have been significantly worse. The fact that this a double-digit spread tells you exactly what the oddsmakers think of Indianapolis at the moment.
12: The number representing the highest point spread of Week 8. The Eagles, who have the best record in the NFL heading into their Week 7 Monday nighter against Washington, are laying a dozen against the 49ers at home. For as badly as Brian Hoyer has played this year, he certainly looked and felt like the better option after seeing C.J. Beathard stink up the joint last week against Dallas. Still, Hoyer isn’t a long-term answer in San Francisco, and this season is already lost. Kyle Shanahan may as well see whether he’s happened to find a diamond in the rough with Beathard.
25: The number of years between times the Broncos were shut out. A quarter of a century after its last time being blanked, Denver didn’t score against the Chargers to hand the hosts their first ever win at StubHub Center. The Broncos scored 66 points in their first two games combined this season; they’ve scored 42 in four games since.
50: The number of points in the over/under of the Bears/Saints game, the highest total amongst the Week 8 betting odds. This total makes no sense whatsoever. The New Orleans defense has emerged as viable, holding three of its last four foes to 17 points or fewer. Chicago, meanwhile, has absolutely no passing game whatsoever and is making no bones about it. The Bears attempted just seven passes in last week’s win over Carolina in a game that featured zero offensive touchdowns.
Opening Week 8 NFL Odds
Chiefs at Raiders (+3, 47.5)
Titans at Browns (+7)
Jaguars at Colts (+3)
Bengals at Steelers (-6, 41)
Ravens at Vikings (-5, 39.5)
Jets at Dolphins (-3.5, 38.5)
Buccaneers at Bills (Off)
Panthers at Bears (+4, 41)
Saints at Packers (+4, 47.5)
Cardinals vs. Rams (London) (-3, 47.5)
Cowboys at 49ers (+6, 47)
Seahawks at Giants (+8)
Broncos at Chargers (+1)
Falcons at Patriots (-4.5, 53.5)
Redskins at Eagles (-5, 48.5)
(Odds Courtesy of BookMaker.eu)
