It’s that one week of the year. The one week that you all have been waiting for. OK, probably not. Fine, most definitely not. Definitely not for THE WIFE, I’ll say that much. That’s because this is the week of the year when THE WIFE (that HATES sports) is our special guest picker. We haven’t officially made an in-house bet on the winner, but I’m sure that I’ll have to do the dishes or whatever else if I meet my demise. Here we go with our Week 8 NFL Top Picks and CFB Bets.
Pick Your Knows
Confident with your own picks? Think you know who will cover? Go ahead, “pick your knows”.
This is a season long contest with potential prizes going out to our winners, so if you want to join in on the fun, drop a comment here at The Wife Hates Sports… or over at the land of the SportsChump. We take our top five games of the week against the spread. If you beat us and go undefeated, that leads to fun prizes and heaps of praise on our websites.
Here are our TOP FIVE Best Bets for the week, including my Week 8 NFL Top Picks and College Football Best Bets. The list is ranked in order of confidence, from 50 “dollars” down to $10.
DraftKings Sportsbook: Current NFL and College Football Lines
Week 8 NFL Top Picks and CFB Bets – The Wife Picks Edition
KP’s Picks: The Wife Hates Sports
$50: Penn State Nittany Lions (-6.5) at Wisconsin Badgers
My fingers are extra hesitant to keep typing the Nittany Lions under my $50 slot. Yet, here I am. Madison is always a tough place to play. The “Jump Around” tradition is always fun. The Nittany Lions are coming off a bye week. The extra prep and rest should help, although Franklin teams never quite seem to take advantage of that. Wisconsin is 14th in total defense. By stats, that’s the best defense Penn State has faced this season. But is stat skewed by opponents faced? I think so, because Wisconsin allowed 80 points combined against Alabama and USC. Give me this explosive Penn State offense to win by at least a touchdown. Nittany Lions cover on the road.
$40: Atlanta Falcons (-2.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
You should typically avoid divisional rivalry games such as this one. We know what the Bucs are capable of. Baker Mayfield has had a strong season and Tampa Bay can score in bunches. But the biggest news comes at the wide receiver position. The Bucs will be without both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin this week. Godwin is also out for the year. This means that the rest of the offense will need to step up and step up fast. Will it be rookie Jalen McMillan? Sterling Shepard? There may be a trade by the deadline, or some of these guys will gel, but this quickly? I’m banking on no. Falcons cover on the road.
$30: Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos (-10)
The Panthers stink. Again. Andy Dalton was in a car accident during the week and won’t play. Fortunately, he and his family are ok – but these are the stories you simply can’t make up in the Carolinas. Bryce Young is back under center and maybe the break has done him some good. But also maybe not. Bo Nix has had some moments during his rookie season. Last week’s stat line was solid both through the air and on the ground. Expect more of the same against the lowly Panthers. Broncos cover at home.
$20: Missouri Tigers (+17) at Alabama Crimson Tide
Somehow, I’ve managed to latch onto Missouri for a few weeks now. Alabama is still a strong team, we all know that – but not the juggernaut under Saban. You can look at the numbers all day, but it’s SEC vs SEC – and two very good teams. Alabama has home field and that’s likely why the line is more bloated. I’ll keep it simple and look at the schedule, where Alabama’s last three games have all been a TD or less (Georgia, Vanderbilt, and South Carolina). Missouri’s defense is 9th in yards per game allowed. This game won’t get out of hand. Give me Missouri and the points.
$10: Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Navy Midshipmen (+13.5)
This one is for THE WIFE. She picked this week and she was so thrilled about it. We will see how she does. But we got married in Annapolis, Maryland. She has photos with some of the Midshipmen. So I wanted to pick this game, as well. Not just for that, but also Navy is ranked. What a story with both Army and Navy this year. Regarding the game, it’ll be that Navy rushing offense against the Irish’s run defense. That’s the key matchup. Notre Dame has only allowed one TD on the ground this year. Overall, I think Navy will hang tough and this should be a fun watch. Give me Navy and the points.
THE WIFE’s Picks
$50: Carolina Panthers at Denver Broncos (-10)
I know the Panthers are bad, so I’ll pick the Broncos. They’re local and yes, they are bad.
$40: Green Bay Packers (-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars
When asking for a quote on this game, she just said “I’m annoyed I have to do this”. Sure, that works.
$30: Chicago Bears (-3) at Washington Commanders
I know the Redskins are good for a change, but they’re gonna lose. She did say Redskins, so that’s cool.
$20: Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Navy Midshipmen (+13.5)
Annapolis all the way, baby! Visit that town if you haven’t already.
$10: Penn State Nittany Lions at Wisconsin Badgers (+6.5)
I’ll pick Wisconsin, because… I don’t know. She knows my alma mater, guys.
On the Outside Looking In (Other Games I Considered):
- LSU Tigers (+2.5) at Texas A&M Aggies – Will Brian Kelly being doing a weird dance by Sunday?
- New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers (-6) – Is Russ having a resurgence in the Steel City?
- Arkansas Razorbacks (-6.5) at Mississippi State Bulldogs – MSU hung with ranked teams over last two
- Dallas Cowboys (+4) at San Francisco 49ers – Cowboys seem like the obvious pick, but should they?
- Arizona Cardinals at Miami Dolphins (-3.5) – Tyreek and Tua back again, but do we trust it?
- Auburn Tigers at Kentucky Wildcats (-1.5) – The SEC is full of surprises
- New York Jets at New England Patriots (+7) – Drake Maye showing some potential in recent weeks
- Oklahoma State Cowboys (+7) at Baylor Bears – I’m a man, I’m over 40
Week 8 NFL Top Picks and More: SportsChump
$50 on Notre Dame at Navy (+14) Game played at MetLife Stadium
Has anybody been paying attention to what Navy is doing this season? The Midshipmen are blowing teams out and scoring in bunches. Quickly, show me what you’ve done with the Old Navy. It’s in the mall. You’re welcome for the obligatory dad joke. In all six games this season, Navy has scored at least 34 points. Notre Dame ran the Midshipmen out of Dublin last year by a final of 34-3. When these games are played in South Bend, the outcomes tend to be one-sided, however, except for last year, when this rivalry is played on a neutral site, the margins of victory are substantially slimmer. Notre Dame has won the last six games in this historic college football rivalry, Navy’s last win coming in Jacksonville in 2016.
Prior to that, Navy’s previous win came six years earlier in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the stadium now known as MetLife. This year’s game will be held, you guessed it, in MetLife Stadium with the hopes of drumming up some of that old magic. There’s too much history here, Navy is too competitive to be pushed around by a team that lost to Illinois and struggled with Louisville. Navy keeps this one uncomfortably close. I’ll take Navy and the two touchdowns.
$40 on Dallas Cowboys (+7) at San Francisco 49ers
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to two of the worst defenses in the league. What’s funny is that, headed into the season, we all thought they’d be two of the best. Heck, I even drafted Dallas’ defense in fantasy. Fortunately, there’s a waiver wire. The Dallas Cowboys are second to only the Carolina Panthers for points allowed per game. Similarly, the 49ers have allowed 23 or more points in five of their last six games. They simply could not stop Patrick Mahomes last week and, while few teams can, the Niners looked Keystone Kop-like. Predicted by many to return to the Super Bowl, they have lost four of their last six games.
Brock Purdy threw three picks and failed to throw for a single touchdown for the first time since Week One. His targets are dropping like flies and while Dallas doesn’t have nearly as many targets, at least they still have Cee Dee Lamb. The Cowboys have had an entire week to stew on how badly they got embarrassed by Detroit and while they’re not a good football team, apparently neither is San Francisco. These teams are in desperation mode and this NFC rivalry means too much. In a game that won’t be as good as it should be on paper, I expect the lowly Cowboys to keep things competitive with the equally lowly Niners. Some services had this opening line as high as seven. Right now, the Niners aren’t beating anybody that soundly. Give me Dallas plus the touchdown.
$30 on Buffalo Bills at Seattle Seahawks (+3)
Most people are enamored by the Bills, as they should be. They’re a 5-2 football team that appears poised to win the AFC East, a division featuring the rebuilding Pats, the oft-concussed Fish, and the very Jets-like Jets. But a closer look at the Bills shows a flaw. I’m not entirely convinced they can beat a good team on the road. Buffalo’s five wins have come against the Cards, Fish, Jags, Jets and Titans. You know who they’ve lost to? The Texans and Ravens. There’s no shame in that. Those are two playoff teams. Although Seattle currently leads their underachieving division, they are slowly proving they might belong in the playoff conversation.
By no means consistent, the Seahawks return home after a cross-country trip where they man-handled Atlanta. We all know the ‘Hawks can score with the best of them, and I’ll be honest, the injury to DK Metcalf scares me (sprained MCL). He has not practiced this week, however, the Seahawks can win without him if they must. It’s easy to talk yourself out of betting Seattle considering the Metcalf injury but Seattle needs this win far more than Buffalo does, who is already three games up in the AFC East. I like the Bills. I just want them to prove they can win on the road before I no longer take the home team and the points in their matchups. Seattle plus the three.
$20 on Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3)
What a difference a play makes. Or rather two plays in the case of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Down 10-0, the mighty Ravens (if you wanna crown ‘em, then crown their ass) had met their match. Baker Mayfield was leading the well-oiled machine known as the Tampa Bay Bucs offense up and down the field. Then Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans reaggravated his hamstring injury and that was all the Ravens needed to turn the tide. In Evans’ absence, the Bucs offense sputtered, and the Ravens took control. Baltimore scored 34 unanswered and that was all she wrote. Until, in a last-ditch effort to try and tie the game, a freak injury ended Chris Godwin’s season, a dislocated ankle caused by a tackle the league had retroactively fined the defender for. In one of the more depressing games I can remember, the Buccaneers lost their two brightest offensive weapons, but nobody is playing violins for them.
They host the Atlanta Falcons who stole a game from Tampa in Week Five. News of the Evans and Godwin injuries flipped this line from Bucs -2 ½ to +3, understandably so. This is the last time these two teams will play this season, barring any bizarre (and rather unlikely) post-season match-up. It’s also a battle for first place in the NFC South. As we’ve discussed in the past, Kirk Cousins is familiar with how easily games can be won and lost in this league. He also knows it’s best to keep a Tampa team down while he has the chance. But I have faith in the Bucs, plus it’s Creamsicle Sunday. While Baker Mayfield will be missing his top two targets, he now has a three-headed monster at running back. Additionally, I fully expect Tampa’s defense, which has been sub-par by their standards, to gain a little retribution for the night Kirk Cousins torched them not long ago. Since I’m in a taking mood, and still have faith that the men in that locker room have not given up on their season, I’ll take the Bucs plus the 3.
$10 on Arizona Cardinals (+4 ½) at Miami Dolphins
There’s been a lot of Tua talk lately. Should he play again, or shouldn’t he? The Miami Dolphins official statement was that they were going to leave Tua’s future in football up to him, which will make for a nice dramatization in the biopic. Their straddle can be construed as the right stance in some lights or dreadfully wrong by others depending on where you stand on the NFL and CTE. For example, some argue, how can the Dolphins not discourage him from playing any further and doing any more damage. Yeah, that’s not how it works. You don’t just pay a guy $200 million and later tell him to do as he pleases. Tua has told the media he plans to play this weekend. He even tossed the ball around the yard, so much so that it allegedly brought Tyreek Hill to tears. Officials couldn’t confirm whether Hill’s tears came from him no longer playing with Patrick Mahomes.
Tua’s post-concussion return could not come soon enough as the Fish are flailing, losers of their last five. Miami’s offense is predicated on timing, and it takes more than just a week of practice to get these players in synch, despite Hill’s innate ability to beat defenders down the field. This week, they play against another diminutive and agile quarterback whose offense is also unpredictable and based on timing. Coming off a short week, the Cards can score at will one week and disappear the next, which makes gambling on them a risky endeavor. Signs point to Tua playing but I’m not ready to take the 2-4 Dolphins and start laying points even if Tua is back. I’ll take the Cards and the 4 ½.
Last Week’s Recap: The Wife Hates Sports
- $50: Carolina Panthers at Washington Commanders (-8.5)
- $40: Auburn Tigers at Missouri Tigers (-4)
- $30: Central Florida Knights at Iowa State Cyclones (-13.5)
- $20: Baltimore Ravens (-3.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- $10: Georgia Bulldogs (+5) at Texas Longhorns
Season Stats for Kevin Paul and The Wife Hates Sports (Top Five Only)
- NFL: 10-5-1 ($170)
- CFB: 12-6-1 ($250)
- Overall: 22-11-2 ($420)
Week-by-Week for Kevin Paul and The Wife Hates Sports (Top Five Only)
- Week 01: NFL: 1-2 ($20) | CFB 1-1 (-$10) | Week: 2-3 ($10) | Overall: 2-3 ($10)
- Week 02: NFL: 3-0 ($100) | CFB 1-1 (-$10) | Week: 4-1 ($90) | Overall: 6-4 ($100)
- Week 03: NFL: 1-2 (-$60) | CFB 1-1 ($30) | Week: 2-3 (-$30) | Overall: 8-7 ($70)
- Week 04: NFL: 0-1 (-$30) | CFB 4-0 ($120) | Week: 4-1 ($90) | Overall: 12-8 ($160)
- Week 05: NFL: 1-0 ($20) | CFB 2-2 ($50) | Week: 3-2 ($70) | Overall: 15-10 ($230)
- Week 06: NFL: 2-0-1 ($50) | CFB 2-0 ($90) | Week: 4-0-1 ($140) | Overall: 19-10-1 ($370)
- Week 07: NFL: 2-0 ($70) | CFB 1-1-1 (-$20) | Week: 3-1-1 ($50) | Overall: 22-11-2 ($420)
Chime in with your top picks for the week. Thank you for visiting The Wife Hates Sports!
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