The 2019 NFL season is absolutely monumental for the top two picks in the 2015 NFL Draft. Top pick, Jameis Winston will be looking for some real improvement with quarterback guru Bruce Arians taking over in Tampa Bay. The same goes for No. 2 pick, Marcus Mariota who has also yet to prove he can be a true franchise quarterback despite the fact that he and the Tennessee Titans have recorded winning records in each of the last three seasons.
If you’re fired up about the quickly approaching 2019 NFL regular season and you’re looking for some expert betting insight, then you’re going to love the trio of Week 8 expert picks that you’re about to get, starting with the intriguing inter-conference clash between Winston and Mariota. Let’s get started.
2019 NFL Week 8 Must-Bet Games
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tennessee Titans
- When: Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 1:00 PM ET
- Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
- TV: FOX
- NFL Week 8 Odds: Tennessee -5.5
Tampa Bay hired no-nonsense quarterback whisperer Bruce Arians to lead them into a new era, following the pitiful three-year Dirk Koetter term that saw the Buccaneers go 5-11 in each of the last two seasons. By the time this Week 8 matchup rolls around, we’ll all know whether Arians has helped improve the play of talented, but enigmatic, 2015 No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston or whether the Bucs will be looking to move on from the former Florida State star.
Tennessee is in Year 2 of the Mike Vrabel era, and like his counterpart in Tampa Bay, 2015 No. 2 overall draft pick Marcus Mariota is now on the clock after failing to get the Titans past their three consecutive 9-7 finishes.
The Titans went 8-8 ATS last season and an identical 4-4 ATS at home and on the road. I personally don’t think the Titans made the right hire to bring out Mariota’s best and I believe the hiring or the widely-respected Arians is going to pay immediate dividends for both, Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers franchise.
If you didn’t know, the last four teams to hire Arians as either an OC or head coach (Arizona, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland) all experienced an immediate increase in wins and points per game in his first year. Tennessee might hold it down at home, but the Bucs are the pick with the points!
Pick: Tampa Bay +5.5
Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers
- When: Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 4:05 PM ET
- Where: Levi Stadium
- TV: FOX
- NFL Week 8 Odds: San Francisco -2.5
Carolina underachieved in a big way last season by going 7-9 one year after posting a fine, 11-5 mark and reaching the postseason. Now, Carolina will be heading into Week 8, looking to subdue a San Francisco 49ers team that is looking to rebound from its own disappointing 4-12 campaign in 2018.
The Panthers still have Cam Newton under center and they’ve got some real talent at the wide receiver position in D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel. I’m also expecting Carolina to feature dual-threat running back Christian McCaffrey even more this season. Frisco is hoping Jimmy Garoppolo is finally the answer at quarterback, plus they made some nice offseason moves on the defensive side of the ball by adding veteran linebacker Dee Ford and drafting defensive end Nick Bosa with the second overall pick in the draft.
Despite posting an awful 2-6 ATS mark on the road last season, Carolina is the pick for me in this Week 8 matchup, seeing as how they’ve got the edge at all of the skill positions and on the defensive side of the ball until I see otherwise. While Carolina is coming off a losing season in 2018, you should know the Panthers have alternated winning and losing records in each of the last six seasons! Cam Newton and company eke out the hard-fought road win to cover the chalk as a surprising 2.5-point road dog.
Pick: Carolina +2.5
NY Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars
- When: Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 1:00 PM ET
- Where: EverBank Field
- TV: CBS
- NFL Odds: Jacksonville -4
While the New York Jets have turned to former Dolphins head coach Adam Gase as the guy to help franchise signal-caller Sam Darnold reach the next level in his maturation as an NFL quarterback, I’m thinking the Jets made a big mistake by hiring the guy that insisted Jay Cutler was the guy to lead his team back in 2017.
Conversely, I’m intrigued by the possibilities in Jacksonville with the Jaguars going out and getting former Eagles Super Bowl-winning veteran quarterback Nick Foles. Just two seasons ago, Jacksonville reached the AFC Championship by going 10-6 while ranking a stellar fifth in scoring (26.1 ppg) and even more impressive second in points allowed (16.8 ppg). Just last season, the Jags finished fifth in points allowed (19.8 ppg), but their offense failed miserably in finishing 31st in scoring (15.3 ppg) as veteran quarterback Blake Bortles finally flamed out after being given far too many opportunities if you ask me.
Now with Foles under center, I’m thinking the Jags could very well revert back into the team that routinely shut down their opponents while playing ball-control offense by power rushing the ball with Leonard Fournette and keeping defenses honest with just enough passing from Foles.
The Jets have a much tougher way to get back to being respectable in 2019, but Jacksonville could surprise in a big way. The Jags win this Week 8 matchup while covering the chalk with just a bit of room to spare.
Pick: Jacksonville 24 NY Jets 17
