BSB NFL Two-a-Days: Week Eight

A great Week Seven leads us into a lightly scheduled Week Eight.  This week is the first of back-to-back weeks of just 13 games, as 6 teams enjoy their bye weeks.  There are still some pretty tasty matchups here on Halloween, though, including one across the pond.

BYES: Atlanta (5-2), Baltimore (4-3), Chicago (4-3), Cleveland (2-5), N.Y. Giants (4-3), Philadelphia (5-2)

Sunday, October 31:
1:00 (London, England) – Denver (2-5) vs. SAN FRANCISCO (3-4)
I like Mike Singletary to win the coaching battle here and have his guys more prepared to play overseas than Josh McDaniels’ Broncos.  Give me the Niners in Wembley Stadium.

1:00 – JACKSONVILLE (1-6) at Dallas (5-1)
In the shocker of the week, I am going with the Jags to pull off a massive upset here in Big D.  The Cowboys are coming off a short week, after their tough Monday night game against hated rivals, the Giants.  Plus, they might be looking ahead to a prime time matchup next Sunday night against Green Bay.  This is the quintessential “trap game” for the ‘Boys, and I don’t really trust Wade Phillips enough to avoid it.

1:00 – Miami (3-3) at CINCINNATI (4-2)
The tough schedule just keeps throwing bombs at the Dolphins, as here they get a really solid Bengals team in Cincy.  Any chance that the Bengals could be looking ahead to their matchup with Pittsburgh next week was probably eliminated when they lost to Atlanta last week because now they need the win.  This is a tough one, but I’m going with the Bengals.

1:00 – Buffalo (1-5) at KANSAS CITY (2-4)
The Chiefs are starting to play better, and the Bills stink.  Easy win here for KC at home.

1:00 – Washington (2-5) at DETROIT (1-5)
It’s just about now when the wheels fall off of the Shanahan-McNabb train.  Eight games in eight weeks with an aged QB and ancient RBs could take its toll.  Plus, the Lions are coming off of a bye here.  Just not a good spot for the ‘Skins, who limp into their bye week that probably could have come a couple weeks earlier for this beat up unit.

1:00 – CAROLINA (3-3) at St. Louis (1-6)
Don’t look now, but the Panthers are over .500.  I like them to be able to go into St. Louis and run all over the Rams defense.  Are they contenders?  I guess we’ll see…

1:00 – Green Bay (5-2) at N.Y. JETS (3-3)
I’m not all that high on the Jets, and I am very high on Green Bay, but this is just a really bad spot for the Pack.  The Jets went into the bye week last week smarting from back-to-back losses, while the Packers had an emotional, prime time game with Minnesota and that old QB of theirs.  Plus, the Pack had Dallas next week, so this is quite the trap game for them.

4:05 – Tennessee (4-3) at SAN DIEGO (6-1)
The Chargers keep rolling because this schedule just isn’t that tough.  They get to host the Titans, who are coming off a home loss to the Eagles, and are starting straight at a much-needed bye week.  I like the Bolts at home here.

4:15  – Minnesota (3-3) at NEW ENGLAND (4-2)
It goes from bad to worse for the Vikings, whose early part of the schedule does them no favors.  They have to travel to Foxborough one week after playing the Packers on Sunday Night Football.  Plus, the Pats are probably smarting from a loss in San Diego last week.  Real tough spot for the Vikes, who fall under .500.

4:15 – Tampa Bay (1-5) at ARIZONA (1-5)
Tampa is coming off their first win of the year, they will not get two in a row on the other side of the country.

4:15 – Seattle (1-5) at OAKLAND (5-2)
This is another game where I really wanted to pick against the Raiders, but I just didn’t have enough reasons to do it.  The Seahawks are not very good, so why would they come into the Black Hole and win?  Well, they probably won’t.

8:20 – PITTSBURGH (2-4) at New Orleans (7-0)
An in-tact Steelers team that is up against the ropes here.  A 7-0 Saints team that goes to Carolina next week and then gets their bye.  I’m going out on a limb here and giving this game to the team that needs it more.

Monday, November 1:
8:30 – Houston (4-2) at INDIANAPOLIS (6-0)
Both teams are coming off of their bye, which means this should be a fantastic game.  But, spurred by watching the Saints leave the ranks of the unbeaten the night before, I like the Colts to come out inspired and beat the Texans to continue their dominance of this division.

STANDINGS AFTER WEEK 8
NFC EAST
5-2 Dallas
5-2 Philadelphia
4-3 N.Y. Giants
2-6 Washington

Not a very beastly week for the NFC Beast, as both the Cowboys and Redskins lost, and the Eagles and Giants were on byes.  The race got a lot tighter thanks to the Jacksonville upset of Dallas. 

NFC NORTH
5-3 Green Bay
4-3 Chicago
3-4 Minnesota
2-5 Detroit

The AFC East takes down the Packers and the Vikings here this week.  The Bears, idle, are right there for this divisions.  The Lions got a nice win over Washington.

NFC SOUTH
7-1 New Orleans
5-2 Atlanta
4-3 Carolina
1-6 Tampa Bay

A big win for the Falcons, despite being on their bye week, as the Saints lost at home to Pittsburgh (a team that Atlanta has already beaten).  Carolina is quietly staying relevant, as they win their third in a row.

NFC WEST
4-4 San Francisco
2-5 Arizona
1-6 Seattle
1-7 St. Louis

The Niners get the job done in England, while the Cardinals keep pace.  This division is truly terrible.

AFC EAST
5-2 New England
4-3 N.Y. Jets
3-4 Miami
1-6 Buffalo

The Pats and Jets win, while the Dolphins and Bills lose.  This division is shaping up to possibly be a pretty good three-team race if the Jets and Dolphins can stay in it.

AFC NORTH
5-2 Cincinnati
4-3 Baltimore
3-4 Pittsburgh
2-5 Cleveland

Cincinnati and Pittsburgh both get gigantic wins on Sunday.  Just another year in the Black & Blue division.

AFC SOUTH
7-0 Indianapolis
4-3 Houston
4-4 Tennessee
2-6 Jacksonville

The Jags pulled off the biggest upset of the week, beating Dallas in Dallas, while the Colts reemphasized their dominance of this division on national TV Monday night with a win over Houston.  Tennessee lost for the fourth time in their last five games and are quickly fading.

AFC WEST
7-1 San Diego
6-2 Oakland
3-4 Kansas City
2-6 Denver

The story of the season right now is the Raiders and their 6-2 record.  If it’s possible to be an unimpressive 6-2, the Raiders are it, but a win is a win.  The Chargers continue to roll, while the Chiefs are starting to play better football.

Click here for Week Nine (available 9/7 at 11:00 am).