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Free NFL betting picks for every Week 8 matchup in 2025. Expert analysis and predictions for NFL Week 8. Who should you bet in Week 8? Analysis for every game on the slate.
As we head into Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season, every game feels a little more meaningful as the playoff race is slowly beginning to heat up. We're continuing to separate the contenders from the pretenders.
This week, we have several teams on bye, including the Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, and Seattle Seahawks, which will make this week's slate shorter than usual.
Through the good, bad, and ugly, we'll dive into all the unique spots on this slate, as we go through every Week 8 game in this article, offering picks, predictions, and analysis for each and every one. Thanks for joining us here at RotoBaller; let's dive in!
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Minnesota Vikings 24, Los Angeles Chargers 21 (Thursday Night)
We kick off the Week 8 slate with a couple of teams that hold playoff aspirations but have been going in the wrong direction of late. Carson Wentz is expected to again get the start at quarterback for a Minnesota squad that's lost two of their last three, while Justin Herbert leads a Bolts squad that's dropped three of four.
The recent issue for Jim Harbaugh's team has been a leaky defense that's allowed 27 or more points in three straight games. L.A. was whipped handily by the Colts in all aspects last week, and while Carson Wentz hasn't been great under center for the Vikes, he's playing competently enough to take advantage of a leaky Colts secondary with high-end weapons Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Cincinnati Bengals 23, New York Jets 14
The addition of veteran Joe Flacco has injected some life into a Bengals offense that had flatlined in the absence of Joe Burrow. Cincinnati amassed 470 total yards and 33 points in its Week 7 Thursday night upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Flacco finds a window and Higgins does the rest.
BENGALS LEAD!
PITvsCIN on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/AlMG7JOIjD— NFL (@NFL) October 17, 2025
Carrying positive momentum, there's little reason to doubt the Bengals find success again this week against a lifeless - and winless - New York Jets squad. Quarterback Justin Fields was benched in last week's loss to Carolina, though it's fair to wonder how much upside veteran Tyrod Taylor brings to the table, should he get the start here.
No matter who is under center for Gang Green, they will likely be without top receiver Garrett Wilson, who is listed as questionable as of this writing.
Buffalo Bills 27, Carolina Panthers 20
A well-rested Buffalo team comes off its bye week looking to rebound from losses in its previous two games. The Bills' defense has been exposed across those last couple of outings, coughing up 443 total yards to Atlanta in Week 6 and 338 yards to the Patriots in Week 5.
Perhaps fortunately for Bills fans, they will likely square off against an Andy Dalton-led Panthers attack in this one, as Carolina QB Bryce Young looks doubtful for Week 8. The feisty Panthers have won three straight with defensive play that has far exceeded preseason expectations. However, I don't like their chances of slowing down a highly motivated Josh Allen this week.
San Francisco 49ers 21, Houston Texans 20
We'll call this one the "Injury Bowl", as both of these squads have been seriously depleted by injuries this season. The Niners enter the week with Brock Purdy and Ricky Pearsall both currently questionable, while star Texans receiver Nico Collins is recovering from a concussion suffered on Monday Night Football.
Houston's excellent defense will give them a chance in almost every game, but a scuffling Texans offense that's 23rd in the league in total yards per game likely won't be able to find much success against a Niners defense that's holding opponents to under 20 points per game. We'll give the slight edge to a San Fran offense that has a dynamic playmaker in Christian McCaffrey.
Philadelphia Eagles 24, New York Giants 20
This is a quick turnaround time for a rematch of these NFC East rivals that met in Week 6. That Thursday night outing resulted in a big Giants upset over the heavily-favored Eagles in what was a true coming-out party for NY rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo.
I don't envision a prideful Philly squad allowing that to happen again in Week 8. The Eagles' passing attack looked much improved in a win over Minnesota last week, with Jalen Hurts throwing for 326 yards and 3 TDs. Meanwhile, the Giants lost a heartbreaker in their upset bid over the Broncos in Mile High Stadium.
While Dart and company are still trending up, beating the defending Super Bowl champs twice in three weeks is a nearly impossible task.
New England Patriots 21, Cleveland Browns 13
The streaking Patriots handled the Titans 31-13 last week. They will look to again take care of business against an inferior team when they host the Browns in Week 8. New England quarterback Drake Maye's growth has been impressive, as he's led the Pats to wins in four straight.
However, Maye could face some resistance from a Cleveland defense that's allowing the fewest yards per game in the NFL to this point. We can expect an elite run-stopping Pats unit to keep the one-dimensional Browns offense in check this week in what should be a low-scoring affair. Look for this surging New England group to do enough to get the win at home.
Baltimore Ravens 28, Chicago Bears 27
This certainly feels like a tipping-point game for the 1-5 Ravens, who will look to turn their season around against a Bears squad that's reeled off four straight wins. Baltimore is coming off a bye week and is expected to have superstar QB Lamar Jackson back under center.
While Jackson's return will undoubtedly help a slumping Ravens offense that's mustered just 13 points in two full games without him, Baltimore's injury-ravaged defense is still a concern. Look for John Harbaugh's squad to play like their backs are against the wall - because they are - but for an upstart Bears squad to keep this one closer than the spread.
Atlanta Falcons 28, Miami Dolphins 13
The death march for Mike McDaniel and this lifeless Miami squad continues into Week 8, as the Fins travel to Atlanta to face a Falcons squad coming off a loss to the Niners on Sunday night football.
Bijan Robinson might literally rush for 200 yards in this one. Miami has been the NFL's worst team at defending the run, having allowed an eye-popping 159.3 rushing yards per game this season. This run-oriented Atlanta attack is uniquely equipped to take full advantage.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, New Orleans Saints 17
Still licking their wounds from a blowout loss to the Lions on Monday Night Football, the Bucs stay within the division to face the 1-6 Saints. Tampa has been snakebit by injuries this year, a trend that continued with the likely season-ending injury suffered by franchise pillar Mike Evans last week.
With Evans, Chris Godwin, and Bucky Irving all out for this one, the Bucs attack will center around Rachaad White, rookie receivers Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson, and tight end Cade Otton.
Despite the short-handed shape of the Tampa offense, they should still find some success against a low-energy Saints defensive unit that's coughing up almost 27 points per game this season. The New Orleans offense has also been stale, topping 20 points in just two games this year.
Denver Broncos 31, Dallas Cowboys 28
It probably says plenty about the talent and depth of the Denver roster that they enter this Week 8 matchup with Dallas with a 5-2 record, despite having trouble finding any sort of consistency on offense. Bo Nix and the Broncos offense did wake up and score 33 fourth-quarter points in last week's unbelievable comeback win over the Giants.
TAKE IT IN YOURSELF, 🔟
📺: @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/TGzql4iKwU
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 19, 2025
Perhaps they will carry that momentum into this matchup against a very vulnerable Cowboys defense that's allowing the NFL's most total yards per game to opponents. We'll see strength vs. strength with a Dak Prescott-led attack that's averaging over 31 points takes on a Broncos defense that's holding opponents to just over 18 per game. We'll give the slight edge to an elite Denver defensive unit at home, following what was a wake-up call game last week.
Indianapolis Colts 31, Tennessee Titans 14
The 6-1 Colts continued to impress with a Week 7 destruction of the Chargers, a game in which they led 23-3 at halftime and ultimately won 38-24. Indy's offense is clicking on all cylinders and averaging a league-high 33.1 points per game behind stellar play from Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and their offensive line.
An adrift Titans team poses little threat this week in Lucas Oil Stadium. Tennessee looked to be the same squad despite the firing of head coach Brian Callahan, dropping a Week 7 meeting with the Patriots 31-13. The already-abysmal Titans could be without several key contributors for this one, including Calvin Ridley, Jeffery Simmons, and L'Jarius Sneed. Indy clipped the Titans 41-20 back in Week 3. Look for a similar result this go around.
Green Bay Packers 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 23 (Sunday Night)
While the new Steelers quarterback has received much of the spotlight since coming to town, it has largely been the Pittsburgh defense that's been wobbly to this point. The Steelers are allowing the second-most total yards per game in the NFL, and enter this Sunday night matchup against Green Bay fresh off coughing up 33 points to Joe Flacco on the Bengals in a Week 7 loss.
Conversely, the Packers' defense appears to be trending in the right direction, as Micah Parsons gets more comfortable. The Pack are holding opponents to 20.5 points per game, and Parsons comes in off a dominant Week 7 performance that was his best since joining Green Bay. While the Packers haven't yet fulfilled the dominant promise they displayed early in the year, they should outmatch the Steelers here.
Kansas City Chiefs 28, Washington Commanders 14 (Monday Night)
Though their 4-3 record doesn't scream excellence, you could make a pretty good argument that the Chiefs are the best team in football at the moment. Since a sluggish 0-2 start, Kansas City has won four of its last five. The uptick has been aided by the MVP-caliber play of Patrick Mahomes and the return of key pass catchers such as Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy to the lineup.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has already been ruled out for this one thanks to a hamstring injury suffered in the club's Week 7 loss to the Cowboys. While veteran Marcus Mariota has performed admirably in relief of Daniels in other games this season, a primetime matchup against Chris Jones and a surging KC defense in Arrowhead is a nearly impossible task.
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