USFL Week 8 Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions (Sunday)
Sunday’s first USFL game has two clubs going in opposite directions, yet, the sliding squad is surprisingly favored. Sunday’s second game features two teams with different feelings after Week 7, with one winning a tightly contested game and the other losing a heartbreaker. Will the shoe be on the opposite foot this week for them?
USFL Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Week 8 (2023)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
New Jersey Generals vs. Memphis Showboats
The Generals have lost four consecutive games. Conversely, the Showboats have won four straight. Yet, the Generals are favored, suggesting oddsmakers and bettors are still unconvinced the Showboats are the real deal.
To New Jersey’s credit, they’ve been in every game they’ve lost during the four-game streak, losing by three, three, six, and three points. Memphis has alternated blowouts and tight wins, winning by 19, seven, 22, and three points during their four-game winning streak.
The game should be close and might be a defensive struggle. However, Memphis should have the edge. Two meaningful advantages for the Showboats are in turnover margin and return average. Memphis leads the USFL in turnover differential, forcing four more turnovers than they’ve committed. New Jersey is in the basement, ranking last in turnover differential, giving the ball away four more times than they’ve taken it away.
Additionally, the Showboats are first in kick return average (28.6 yards), and the Generals are last (22.5). Neither team has much margin for error since they’re relatively evenly matched. So, Memphis’s advantages on kickoff returns and taking care of the football should pay dividends, making the Showboats an appealing moneyline bet at a plus line.
Pick: Memphis Showboats Moneyline (+110)
New Orleans Breakers vs. Michigan Panthers
The Breakers were the final undefeated team in the USFL this year, racing out to a 4-0 start. Sadly, they’ve lost three straight since their hot start.
The Panthers had a more perilous fall, opening 2-0 before losing four straight. However, they halted their losing ways in a 25-22 victory against the Generals last week.
Even with last week’s win, Michigan has been outscored by 31 points this year. Conversely, the Breakers have outscored their opponents by 14 points, despite the three-game losing streak.
The Breakers have lost by seven, six, and four points during their skid. Moreover, they lost to the 4-3 Showboats, 4-3 Stars, and 5-2 Stallions. Michigan’s ability to squeak out a three-point victory against the struggling Generals in Week 7 shouldn’t cause gamblers to overlook the Panthers’ futility in the four previous weeks when they lost by 15, 19, 16, and 14 points.
The Breakers have a sizable offensive advantage over the Panthers. New Orleans leads the USFL in yards per game (342.0), and the Panthers are fifth (282.4). The Breakers are also better defensively than the Panthers, allowing fewer points per game (19.6 versus 20.9) and yards per game (272.4 compared to 283.0). Thus, laying the 3.5 points on the favored Breakers appears to be the correct bet.
Pick: New Orleans Breakers -3.5 points (-110)
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.