NFL Week 8 Preview

Evan: I am moving to a mixed-use against my instincts pick strategy. Let’s see if anybody can figure it out. This will be very exciting.

Falcons @ Eagles, Sunday 1:00pm
Evan: Falcons have been overachieving, and they have been winning games they shouldn’t on paper. The Eagles should win this on paper, and they will. Pick: Eagles
Mike: I think the common analysis on this game is that the Eagles D will confuse Matt Ryan and the Eagles will win easily. Makes sense. I think if the Falcons win this game you learn that they are legit and the Eagles about as good as we thought they were. Pick: Eagles
Ahad: The Eagles record after a bye week speaks for itself. Andrews not playing doesn’t hurt them too much in this game. Pick: Eagles
Matt: Well the games aren’t played on paper, and I think the Falcons have a good chance in this game. They were able to go into Green Bay and come out with a win. If the Falcons can create running lanes for Turner, they could pull the upset. However, I think with an extra week to prepare, the Eagles win. Pick: Philly

Buccaneers @ Cowboys, 1:00pm
Evan: The sans-Romo Cowboys looked lost last week and the Bucs are a surprising 5-2. Instincts say Bucs but instincts also say that the Cowboys right the ship at home. Pick: Bucs, in OT
Mike: The Cowboys can’t possibly look as bad as they did last week, can they? Pick: Buccaneers
Ahad: The Cowboys are mess right now. There is a lot of talk going on about this team completely falling apart. Pick: Bucs
Matt: My team is in disarray right now, and they have a tough stretch coming up starting this weekend. The season can go down the drain pretty quickly if the team doesn’t come together and play better. They will need to be scrappy in this game and be the aggressor. I feel like the Bucs are lucky to be 5-2. Whichever defense plays better will determine the outcome. Pick: Buccaneers

Bills @ Dolphins, 1:00pm
Evan: I’m a Bills guy, always have been. If they make it to the Super Bowl, I’m getting a Trent Edwards jersey. Pick: Buffalo
Mike: Dolphins are not good. They got hot, beat the Pats and then beat the Chargers coming off a bye week. Everything else points to the fact that they are not good. Pick: Bills
Ahad: The Dolphins are playing better than a lot of people expected. The Bills have a legitimate shot at winning the division. Pick: Bills
Matt: The Dolphins should put up a good fight at home. Buffalo is clearly the better team, though. Pick: Buffalo

Giants @ Steelers, Sunday 4:15pm
Evan: I like the Steelers at home, especially if they can get ahead early and force Eli to throw the ball to catch up. Pick: Giants
Mike: Now here is an interesting game. The Steelers were a popular Super Bowl pick, then the Eagles D tore them apart, now they are a popular pick again. The Giants have a chance to duplicate what the Eagles did. Pick: Giants
Ahad: I don’t know which team I dislike more. All the talk that has been going on about the Ravens putting bounties on Mendenhall and Ward is probably the most exciting things going on for these teams. Even with their 5th string running back, I think the Steelers pull this one at home. Pick: Steelers
Matt: Good matchup of tough defenses and (generally) good running games. The Steelers keep winning games they really have no business winning. Somehow, Big Ben, after being sacked 10 times in a game, finds a way to make the plays that count. He will need to because he probably will be sacked that many times by the Giants front seven. This battle of 2004 first round picks at QB should make for a very good ballgame. I like Jeff Reed’s ability to kick at Heinz Field where opposing kickers seem to struggle. Pick: Steelers by a FG.

Colts @ Titans, Monday 8:30pm
Evan: I know nothing about the Titans, accept they are good. I feel like they are not even a real football team, what does a Titan have to do with Tennessee? It’s similar to my feelings on the Astros, which is kind of odd given the Houston-Tennessee connection. Pick: Colts
Mike: Last week, I thought the Colts were back. They would roll through the rest of their schedule. Then the Packers took care of them no sweat. The Titans have a chance on MNF to show Evan (except he’ll probably be watching the World Series) and everyone else why they are good. Pick: Titans
Ahad: If Kerry Collins isn’t still hung-over from celebrating the PSU victory over Ohio State, the Titans have a really good chance. The Colts looked as if they were starting to get things going, but after that performance against Green Bay, things don’t look so good. This is the Titans first national game of the season I believe. Granted, I will be watching the World Series but the Titans can prove something to the non-baseball fans out there. Pick: Titans
Matt: Is it time for a changing of the guard atop the AFC South? The Colts can’t stop the run very well, and the Titans run it better than anyone. Can Manning keep his team afloat? He will try, but it won’t get the job done. Pick: Titans

Schedule for Week 8