Best Value NFL Week 8 Betting Odds

Best Value NFL Week 8 Betting Odds

Written by on August 3, 2016

The month of October comes to an end in Week 8 of the 2016 NFL season. The week kicks off with a Thursday night matchup in Nashville between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans. It concludes with an NFC North showdown on Monday night in Chicago between the Vikings and Bears. The Rams, Dolphins, Giants, Steelers, 49ers and Ravens are all on the bye week. Here are two early value picks on NFL betting lines.

Here’s a Closer Look at the Best Value NFL Week 8 Betting Odds

San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos (-6.5 in NFL betting)

This could be the final meeting between the Broncos and Chargers while the Bolts are still based in San Diego. They could move to Los Angeles next season. The Chargers were swept by Super Bowl champion Denver last year and lost 27-20 in Week 17 as the Broncos clinched the AFC’s top seed. Broncos QB Brock Osweiler threw for 232 yards, including a 72-yard TD pass to Demaryius Thomas on the game's second play. But he was victimized by five turnovers, including two interceptions that weren’t his fault, and a fumble by Emmanuel Sanders at the 10-yard line after a 46-yard reception. Osweiler was pulled in the third quarter for Peyton Manning in what would prove the final game of his regular season career. The Broncos’ offense had two touchdown drives and two field goal drives with Manning in the game and finished with 503 total yards, including a season-best 210 yards rushing. San Diego lost projected No. 3 receiver Stevie Johnson to a torn knee ligament this week and has replaced him with veteran James Jones. Johnson injured his meniscus shortly after making a diving catch on a 7-on- 7 drill during the second day of training camp. Neither the full extent of the damage nor his recovery timetable will be known until after the procedure is performed, coach Mike McCoy said Monday. As for Jones, he matched up well with San Diego’s first opponent this season, the Chiefs, last year. He beat current No. 1 cornerback Marcus Peters for two catches though Peters is quicker and faster. Jones, 32, finished with 50 receptions for 890 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games with the Green Bay Packers in 2015. The Chargers have solid depth at receiver behind starters Keenan Allen and Travis Benjamin in Dontrelle Inman, Tyrell Williams and Javontee Herndon, but it’s mostly unproven. Williams has seen extra work with the first-team offense since Johnson went down. Williams stands 6-foot- 4, 204 with 4.43 speed and a 39 1/2-inch vertical. He caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers in Week 17 last year.

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers (-3.5 in NFL betting)

Did oddsmakers not watch the NFC Championship Game? The Panthers hosted the Cardinals in that game and embarrassed them 49-15. The Panthers forced four first-half turnovers. Arizona had only one other game last season with that many giveaways. By the time all 60 minutes had elapsed, Arizona turned the ball over seven times. That's the most by any team in any playoff game since the Packers had eight versus the Rams in 2001. Cam Newton had 382 total yards against the Cardinals. That’s the second-highest total from a winning QB in the past two playoffs. Luke Kuechly returned a interception for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. He’s the first player with two pick-sixes in a single postseason since Asante Samuel in 2006. Good news for Carolina is that second-year WR Devin Funchess is having an outstanding training camp. “He’s becoming such a good young pro and understanding what it takes to be successful,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “And when he’s not doing things right he really gets on himself, so I’m glad to see that maturation that he’s going through.” Even with Kelvin Benjamin back after missing all of last season, Funchess is expected to play a big role in an offense which promises to spread the ball around. He is a good bet to better his 63 targets from last season. His momentum from the end of last season — when he had 31 catches for 473 yards and five touchdowns—has carried into this summer. Go Carolina here in NFL betting. I expect it to be at least a TD favorite by Week 8.