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NFL Week 8 Totals Odds, Picks & Predictions (2023)

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It’s the last week in October, which means we have to pay even closer attention to the weather forecasts in the NFL. Luckily, the forecasts around the country for games in outdoor stadiums look pretty good, so we don’t have to take the weather into account this week. Keep it top of mind going forward, though, as it could be a huge factor in the second half of the season when evaluating numbers.

Weather aside, a late-game pick-six and garbage-time touchdown in the Raiders-Bears game prevented us from going 2-1 four weeks in a row. It happens. I’m going to shake that one off and look to get back on the positive side of the ledger this week with three more picks that stand out when looking at this week’s totals.

Let's get to the NFL Week 8 total picks.

Week 8 Totals Picks

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Chicago Bears @ Los Angeles Chargers - O/U 46.5

Undrafted rookie free agent quarterback Tyson Bagent got the start for Chicago last week, with Justin Fields recovering from a thumb injury. Bagent managed just 162 passing yards on 28 attempts, resulting in a paltry 5.8 yards per attempt. The Bears travel to Los Angeles this week to take on the Chargers, whose defense sits right around the top 10 in most defensive categories this season.

On the other side of the ball, both Justin Herbert and Austin Ekeler are playing through injuries of their own, and LA has already lost their No. 2 receiver, Mike Williams, for the year.

These two teams have met four times, and the under is 3-1 in those matchups. Both units may look to focus on their ground games, which will limit opportunities to score. This number feels about a touchdown too high.

The Pick: Under 46.5 (-110)

Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Commanders - O/U 43.5

The Eagles have recently dominated this NFC East rivalry, winning five of the last six against the Commanders. The defending NFC champions have posted 23 points or more in all but one game this season. Now they face a Washington defense that just surrendered 34 points to them in Week 4. A.J. Brown has been one of the hottest receivers in the NFL, posting at least 130 yards in each of his last five games. Expect that to continue against Washington’s 29th-ranked defense.

Can the Commanders put up enough points to push this total over the number? The key will be protecting Sam Howell. Washington is on pace to break the NFL record for sacks allowed. Howell hit the turf with the ball six times last week in a 14-7 loss to the Giants and has been sacked 40 times already this season. If the second-year quarterback can get some time, the Commanders should be able to put up some points. If the game gets out of hand, they’re also entirely capable of putting up some garbage time points. Back the over here.

The Pick: Over 43.5 (-105)

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins  - O/U 46.5

Not that there was any question before the year, but the New England dynasty is clearly over. So much so that the Patriots fan base and media have started talking about life after Bill Belichick. After scoring fewer points each week leading up to Week 7, New England finally put it all together and upset the Buffalo Bills last week 29-25. Unfortunately, this week, the Patriots travel to Miami to take on the high-flying Miami offense. South Florida has been a house of horrors for New England over the years, and this year may be no different.

The only difference with this week is the status of Miami’s top two receivers. Both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are questionable. That leaves Tua Tagovailoa with options such as Braxton Berrios and Cedrick Wilson Jr. With Devon Achane already on IR and Raheem Mostert missing practice this week, the Dolphins’ offense may be severely limited in their ability to move the ball. All signs point to a defensive tussle in Miami.

The Pick: Under 46.5 (-110)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Friday:

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