Potential NFL Parlays for Week 8

After an exciting Week 7 with plenty of games coming down to the wire and upsets, NFL odds are out for Week 8. From the Buccaneers hosting the Ravens on Thursday Night Football, to an exciting Bills-Packers matchup Sunday night, there are plenty of parlay options. Here are three potential parlays for this week.

NFC South Underdogs

Bets: Baltimore Ravens vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1.5, Carolina Panthers +6.5 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Odds: +257
Payout: $357.17 on $100 bet

What a difference an offensive line makes.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had to replace two Pro Bowl offensive linemen, three altogether, from last year’s squad, which has negatively impacted their offense. Still, I’m anticipating a bounce-back effort from the Bucs on Thursday Night Football after getting embarrassed the past couple of weeks.

Tampa’s yardage is up over their past three games while their scoring is down, making them progression candidates over their coming games as those metrics balance out. The Baltimore Ravens are trending in the opposite direction, putting up below-average yardage in three of their last four and failing to crack 300 yards in two.

Fade the Panthers after an upset win over the Buccaneers?

The Panthers’ defensive unit has been sharp, sitting in the middle of the pack in scoring and total defense. Additionally, the Falcons haven’t been as good as their scores and record may imply. Atlanta has the 13th-most points per game but the sixth-fewest yards, putting them on the fast track for regression.

Points Galore

Bets: Miami Dolphins vs. Detroit Lions Over 49.5, Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans Over 41.5
Odds: +264
Payout: $364.81 on $100 bet

Unders have been big in the early going during this NFL season, but the trend has corrected itself over the past couple of weeks and should continue in at least a couple of Week 8 matchups.

The Detroit Lions have been one of the more reliable over teams, eclipsing the total in four of six outings. The Lions are on opposite ends of the spectrum on offense and defense, accumulating the fourth-most yards per game and giving up more than any other team. The Miami Dolphins have been marginally better defensively, allowing the 12th-most yards.

However, they are due for meaningful offensive progression. Miami has been easily moving the ball downfield, albeit with limited scoring, which has taken a hit over their last few outings. A meeting with the Lions will help Miami get going on offense.

I can’t bring up terrible defenses without talking about the Houston Texans. Houston is just one spot ahead of the Lions, giving up the second-most yards in the league while ranking 20th in scoring defense. They’ve been atrocious against the run, letting teams run all over them to the tune of 164.7 yards per game.

That plays into the Tennessee Titans’ strength, who rely on their rushing attack more than nearly every other team. The Texans’ offense has looked lively and should put up enough points to help this game go over the total.

Moneyline Magic

Bets: San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams +110, Green Bay Packers +375 vs. Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns +135
Odds: +2244
Payout: $2,344.14 on $100 bet

The past few weeks have seen a few big underdogs win outright. I’m taking a similar approach to the upcoming schedule, highlighting three underdogs worth backing next week.

The defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams host their division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, at home in Week 8. Sean McVay and Co. are coming off a bye week and will be well-rested. Moreover, the Niners haven’t been the same team on the road that they’ve been at home.

Their total offense drops from 381.3 yards per game at home to 335.3 as the visitors, taking scoring down with it. Although the betting line doesn’t reflect it, circumstances favor the Rams in this one.

Betting against the Buffalo Bills is a challenging point to defend, but that’s the position I’m taking when the Green Bay Packers come to town. The Packers have fallen on hard times over their recent schedule, averaging just 270.3 yards per game over their last three contests.

That’s well off their season-long average of 331.6, and it’s time for the pendulum to start swinging the other way. Buffalo has seen an increase in passing yards allowed, and Aaron Rodgers needs to get the Packers’ aerial attack going. At +375 or better, Green Bay is worth a shot.

Lastly, Monday Night Football features an AFC North rivalry game with the Cleveland Browns hosting the Cincinnati Bengals. Granted, the Bengals are coming off a monumental victory, but they overachieved substantially relative to what we saw earlier this year.

Cincinnati totaled 537 yards against the Atlanta Falcons, nearly 200 more than their 366.1 average. A ferocious Browns defensive line will knock that back down towards average. The Browns’ chances of winning are better than the betting market implies.

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