LAST WEEK’S RECORD IN STRAIGHT PICK-EM (9-5)
SEASON RECORD: (61-46)
Happy Halloween as we bring you week 8 of our spooky thoughts inside our heads. Perhaps as “ZOMBIES!!” As we’ve been the walking dead all season until this point.
NFL WEEK 8 STRAIGHT PICK-EM
THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME
CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-3) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-3)
The Thursday night game has both the Packers and Panthers coming off ugly losses. The Packers lost to a division rival as they shot themselves in the foot multiple times. The Panthers made their ugly mistakes as well. The Panthers suffered a beat down by their division rival, the Buccaneers. On a short week, who corrects their ugly witchy habits first? The Packers will unleash their Dawg Josh Jacobs who will play his first game at home since being suspended by the NFL earlier this year. He got his feet wet in Detroit. I think he has a big game here. Jordan Love will play better with play action pass. The Milwaukee Brewers won their first World Series ever earlier in the week. It’s a week everything goes the cheese heads’ way. Bryce Young will keep things interesting. The Packers offense will have their way with the Panthers defense to get back in the win column.
OUR PICK: PACKERS
THE SUNDAY SLATE
ATLANTA FALCONS (3-4) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-5)
Don’t let the records fool you as any losing record goes in the NFC South. As no team that resides in the NFC South are out of it. This is the Monster Mash bowl because both the Falcons and Buccaneers were the only two teams in the division to win their game last weekend. The Falcons gave the 49ers their first loss of the season in a shocker. Then Baker Mayfield was back on the field as the Buccaneers destroyed the kitty kats from Carolina in a beat down. Both teams are excellent at defending the run. The Buccaneers run game has come alive recently. Bijan Robinson for the Falcons is one of the best running backs in the game. It will come down to who has the better game at the QB position. Mayfield or Michael Penix from the Falcons? The Buccaneers have not won a home yet and are 0-4 in the pirate ship. This game will be a close affair. You could flip a coin. I like Mayfield getting it done & especially the Buccaneers will build off the big win last week. I just can’t see the Buccaneers going 0-5 at home.
OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS
BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-3) AT BUFFALO BILLS (5-1)
Guess who’s back for the Ravens? Lamar Jackson just in time to face Josh Allen in another epic showdown between these two quarterbacks. The Ravens find themselves being the doormat of their own division as they lost the last two games and their offense has been dead in the water with Tyler Huntley at QB. The Bills are well rested coming off their bye week. This game should be another classic shoot out between the teams. On defense the Ravens have probably overall this season been playing better than the Bills. The Ravens were scorched for 35 points last week from the Bengals and Joe Burrow. The Bills hope they found solutions over the bye week for their problems on their defense. Will Jackson be rusty? Will Allen be rusty from the bye week. The Bills are tough to beat at home. I think the Bills prevail as their defense makes a big play to seal the deal here.
OUR PICK: BILLS
ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-5) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (3-4)
It was back to business as usual for the Cardinals last week when the Broncos gave them a beat down. The Cowboys beat up the Eagles on Monday night and inch closer to the .500 mark for the season. Before the Broncos match, the Cardinals upset the Rams. Can the Cards upset the Cowboys? Last time the Cowboys have won consecutive games, you have to go back to last year in weeks 11-13 where they strung some victories together. The Cowboys play better at home. The Cardinals defense is a bottom feeder in the NFL which allow 8.5 yards per pass attempt.
Only way Cardinals will upset the Cowboys is if their offense can win this game in a shoot out. The Cards have the best tight end in the game in Trey McBride, who leads the NFL in his position with receptions. He had 10 catches last week. He has 59 catches for the season. The Cowboys will zone in on him on defense. Throw everything at him including the kitchen sink. The Cowboys know they have a great chance to win the NFC East, but they need to stack up victories especially against teams like the Cardinals. I think the Cowboys will paint the field red with Cardinal feathers in a monster lopsided win.
OUR PICK: COWBOYS
TENNESSEE TITANS (1-6) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-2)
The Tennessee Titans started their annual haunted estate sale where many players have to go. Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense will not have to worry about Jeffrey Simmons creating havoc up the middle. The Bears purchased Simmons at the estate sale for draft picks. This match up has a struggling offense which the Titans are. Then Joe Cool for the Bengals is coming off back-to-back games with 4 touchdown passes and no interceptions. The Bengals defense should corral Tony Pollard, the Titans running back, in this one. The Bengals are a 10.5 favorite. The Bengals uniforms look like gigantic pumpkin heads. It’s Halloween weekend, so you’ve got to pick orange over powdered blue and white the Titans wear as their costumes.
OUR PICK: BENGALS
CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-2) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-2)
The Sexual Predator Deshaun Watson costume has been one of this year’s Halloween’s scariest costumes. Like last year and the year before. At least he is consistent in something. The Browns and the Steelers are at the top of the AFC North division right now with identical records. In the first meeting between these two rivals, the Browns won at the Dawg Pound. The Browns have not swept the Steelers since 1988. The Steelers have won three straight games. The Browns have won two straight. The last time the Steelers lost was to the Browns this season. The Browns have lost 22 straight games in Pittsburgh. I feel Aaron Rodgers will have a better performance and get away from the Browns blitzing defense getting the ball off quickly and hitting some short passes for a few big plays. The Steelers defense could rattle the predator’s cage early, make him uncomfortable most of the game, and find a few ways to get a few takeaways they would need to seal this one up for Pittsburgh. It will be a close game. Steelers push the Browns to second place in the division with the win.
OUR PICK: STEELERS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (3-4) AT NEW YORK JETS (2-5)
Can Geno Smith get his revenge on his former team, the Raiders? The Raiders started out of the gates at 3-0 & now have lost 4 straight games. Smith most likely wants to put that disaster season he had dressed in sliver and black last year in his rear view mirror as he has rebounded from that dreadful year. Kirk Cousins may be hearing whispers as they may pull the plug on him very soon and hand the keys over to the number 1 draft pick, Fernando Mendoza. The Jets gave the Dolphins their first win last week. I like the Jets defense in this one. I think Smith can light up a Raiders defense giving up 28 points per contest as well. Jets are at home. Geno flips the bird once again, but this time it’s his old team.
OUR PICK: JETS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-0) AT DETROIT LIONS (4-2)
Something will have to give in this match up between division rivals. The Vikings defense, one of the best in the league, is facing the Lions offense which is running like a well-oiled machine with Jared Goff pushing all the right buttons. Then you have a Vikings offense which has been riding along on a few flat tires and hoping they get some new treads on the wheels at some point soon.
Then you have the Lions defense which is just a pile of scrap waiting to get into the car crusher. The Vikings are perfect this season and remain the only team in the NFL that has not lost a game yet. The Lions at home are perfect 3-0. Once again something has to give here. The Vikings luck runs out in Motown. Jared Goff out does Kyler Murray and the Lions defense plays like they belong in the NFL. At least for this week.
OUR PICK: LIONS
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-5) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-2)
The last time the Colts won in Jacksonville, you have to go back to 2014 when Andrew Luck was the quarterback. The Jaguars are coming off a bye week. Last time they were in action they lost overseas to the Texans in a thriller of a game. Last year the Colts started out of the gates with a record of 8-2. Since then they are 2-12. This week the Colts have already sold off a few pieces in trades sending players elsewhere. It may be an “everything must go” kind of sale. Daniel Jones is struggling after a great year last season. Colts wide receiver Josh Downs wants out. I feel like this team is deflated and will be going through the steps and motions like brainless zombies. Thinking this may be your last game as a Colt. Trevor Lawrence and the Jags should be licking their chops as they prey on the dead carcass called the Colts. Like a flock of vultures feasting on them like Halloween candy being stolen from a kid by a bully. Jags get back on track here.
OUR PICK: JAGUARS
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-3) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-5)
Miami’s linebacker Chop Robinson is on my all pro Halloween team. Nicknamed Chop, I’m hoping he gives the Patriots QB a judo chop chop and makes him cough up the ball more than once. The Dolphins will need takeaways if they are going to beat the Patriots. Dolphins won their first game of the year last week versus the Jets. Meanwhile the Patriots lost to the Bears on Thursday night, so they have had time to reflect on their loss and are well-rested. Dolphins QB Malik Willis has rushed for a touchdown and thrown for at least 1 touchdown pass in two straight games. No Dolphins QB has done that in three straight games. I can see the Dolphins giving the Patriots a game here for three quarters & then quietly letting this game get away from them. The Patriots will play solid defense against an offense with not many play makers. Maye will have a so-so game and deliver at the end.
OUR PICK: PATRIOTS
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (5-1) AT DENVER BRONCOS (5-2)
I’m not sold on the Chiefs as the Seahawks exposed Kansas City last week as their offense did not do much. The Broncos lost to the Chiefs in week 1 where Kenneth Walker ran all over that Broncos defense in his Kansas City debut. The Broncos defense are giving up 4.6 yards per rush to their opponents this season. The Broncos defense have held their opponents to 17 points or less the last three games. Bo Nix finally had his best game of the season last week versus the Cardinals which is nothing to brag about. Patrick Mahomes is not lighting up the skies either. This game has a defense stalemate written all over it. I think the Broncos will slow down Walker enough to even the series with the Chiefs. The Broncos need this win especially if they want to repeat as AFC West champions. I like the Broncos at home as well.
OUR PICK: BRONCOS
LA CHARGERS (0-6) AT LA RAMS (3-4)
One of these two LA teams will escape Los Angeles with a victory. Which team has more Jake Plissken in them? The Chargers are well-rested coming off their bye week. However the Chargers offense is averaging 15 points per game which is at the bottom of the barrel of the league. For the few Chargers fans, you have to believe they have gathered torches and pitch forks looking for the head of offensive coordinator, Mike McDaniels. For the Rams that everyone picked to win the Superbowl, they need 1 more victory to get back to the .500 mark. They come into this week coming off a big win versus the Raiders as they demolished the silver and black. You have to bet on Rams QB Matthew Stafford over Justin Herbert right now. The Chargers lack of a running game makes them very predictable. I think the Rams defense can handle this challenge. Usually teams that have not won a game are like caged animals. Anything can happen. The Chargers pulse is weak and they don’t has any Snake Plissken in them.
OUR PICK: RAMS
THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-5) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1-4-1)
The Sunday night game reminds me of the villain in Walking Dead, the Governor and his zombie arena. Placing people to fight out to the death with zombies trying to eat your flesh. Both the Commanders and Eagles are walking dead with all the injuries both teams have. Scary Terry McLaurin is out for the year for the Commanders. The Eagles will be without their starting QB Jalen Hurts. The Commanders are coming off a bye week. Vic Fangio’s defense is just a skeleton of its former self as the Cowboys smoked that unit on Monday night. Then all the rumors swirling around that the Eagles will be having a garage sale of whatever is left standing. I have to go Commanders here because they seem like they are a little better put together right now over their rival the Eagles.
OUR PICK: COMMANDERS
THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME
CHICAGO BEARS (5-2) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-3)
To cap off week 8 in the NFL, we have a monster movie on Monday night. The Dark Side which is what Seattle’s defense is nicknamed versus the Ice Man, which is what Bears fans call their QB Caleb Williams. The Bears added a game wrecker of their own on their suspect defense in defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Titans. The Bears are expected to unleash their beast in this game. Meanwhile the Seahawks defense gave the Chiefs their first loss of the year as they suffocated their former teammate Kenneth Walker, who has been running all over the NFL wearing the red colored jersey now. The Seahawks also made a move by acquiring left guard Quentin Nelson to sure up their offensive line. The Seahawks is expected to get back running back Zack Charbonnet, who will make his season debut. This game could be a early NFC Championship preview. I think the Seahawks will feed off what they did to the Chiefs last week and dismantle the Bears offense. Cool down the Iceman. I think this will be a close game and one of the better Monday night games in terms of solid defense on display. It is very hard to win in Seattle. Both teams have solid head coaches. I give Seattle’s defense the edge and the X-factor in this hard fought battle. Part two could very well happen later on this season.
OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS
