Each Week in This Article, I Will Rank Each of My Selections in Order of Confidence and Provide Reasoning on All of My Top Picks.

Nfl Pick’em Pool Strategy Week 8

We Typically Advise Proceeding Cautiously with Division Rivalry Games in This Article Each Week, but This Is One of the Few Exceptions. This Is the Most Well-Rounded Kansas City Roster in the Era, Which of Course Comprises Two Super Bowl Trophies and Three Appearances in the Final Game of the Season. According to Aaron Schatz, the Chiefs Are the First Team Since the 1999 Rams to Rank in the Top-Five in Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Dvoa Through the First Seven Weeks of a Season. Denver Beat Green Bay Last Weekend, but That Had More to Do with Green Bay Missing Field Goals and Inexplicably Throwing a Deep Interception on the Final Drive of the Game Than Anything Else. the Chiefs Continue to Rank Among the Best Teams Each Week in Defensive Pressure Rate, While the Broncos Continue to Be Among the Worst Teams in the League in This Category. This Is a Lopsided Matchup, Even If Kansas City Does Not Play Their Best Game. Mahomes and Company Should Be Able to Get the Job Done Here.

In Week 7, the Raiders Had the Fourth-Lowest Defensive Pressure Rate of Any Team in the Nfl. This Was Particularly Notable, Considering They Played the Chicago Bears, Which Had Only One Win Through Their First Six Games. Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham Openly Admitted That His Team Has Struggled with Tackling, and Will Place Extra Emphasis on That Area of the Game During Practice This Week. per Vic Tafur, the Lions Lead the Nfl in Yards After the Catch in 2023. on the Other Side of the Ball, Head Coach Josh Mcdaniels Was Accused by the Local Media This Week of “Coaching Scared” Due to His Limitations at the Quarterback Position.

Ravens (Vs. Cardinals)

Though It Is Tempting to Quickly Buy “Good News” in the Nfl, More Often Than Not, a Larger Body of Work Will Yield More Predictive Accuracy Than Overreacting to One Win. the Nice Thing About the Ravens Is That the Larger Body of Work Aligns with the Recent “Good News” We Saw Last Weekend When They Trounced the Lions. Has Been Outstanding to Begin the New Campaign, Ranking 9Th in Passer Rating from a Clean Pocket and 2Nd in Passer Rating When Under Pressure. Baltimore’s Defense Ranks 2Nd in Epa/Play and 2Nd in Success Rate Through Seven Weeks of Action, While Arizona’s Defense Ranks 29Th in Epa/Play and 32Nd in Success Rate in 2023. Travel Is Somewhat of a Concern, with the Ravens Potentially Still Feeling the Effects of Their International Adventure to Some Degree. However, Even a Trip out West Should Not Be Enough to Derail a Baltimore Team That Is Firing on All Cylinders Right Now.

Dolphins (Vs. Patriots)

Intra-Division Games Are a Breeding Ground for Upsets, Due to the Familiarity That Both Teams Have with One Another from Playing Each Other Twice Each Season. Nevertheless, Miami Should Be Able to Take Care of Business Here Against a New England Team That Has a Significant Amount of Talent on Injured Reserve – Including Linebacker Matt Judon and Defensive Backs Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, and Jack Jones. the Dolphins Have Lost Two Games This Fall, Both of Which Came Against Teams That Have – 1) a High-Powered Offense; 2) a Defense Capable of Getting Pressure On. New England’s Defense Managed to Get a Good Amount of Pressure on in Week 7, but That Had More to Do with Allen Holding the Ball Too Long Than Anything Else. in the Previous Two Weeks, the Patriots Ranked Worst and 3Rd-Worst in Defensive Pressure Rate Among All Nfl Teams. This Contest Might Be Slightly More Competitive Than the Spread Is Indicating, but the Dolphins Are the Superior Team and Playing at Home, Which Makes Them a Relatively Trustworthy Option This Weekend.

Seemingly Every Year in the Era, the Chargers Enter the Season as a Sexy Sleeper Team to Finally Contend for a Championship. Through Seven Weeks This Fall, They Once Again Find Themselves Underperforming Expectations with a 2-4 Record and a Negative 11-Point Differential. Fortunately for Brandon Staley and the Rest of His Team, This Group Gets an Extremely Favorable Home Matchup in Week 8 Against the Chicago Bears, Which Will Be Starting a Backup Signal Caller for the Second Consecutive Week. the Chargers Defense Has Been Better Under the Surface Since Their Bye Week, Getting Pressure on 32.8% of Opposing Dropbacks in Week 6 and 29.4% of Opposing Dropbacks in Week 7. During That Stretch, Their Epa/Play and Success Rate Are Both Worse Than the League Average, but That Should Change This Weekend Against a Less Talented Opponent, Following Back-to-Back Games Against the Cowboys and Chiefs. It’s Never Fun Trusting Brandon Staley, but It’s Difficult to See Them Losing This Game Outright.

Straight up Picks Week 8

By James H. Sterling

• Oct 8, 2026 • 7 min read

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

According to Aaron Schatz, the Top Four Teams in Dvoa Entering Week 7 Each Lost – the 49Ers, Lions, Bills, and Dolphins. This Was Only the Second Such Occurrence in the History of Dvoa, and the First Time Since Week 13 of the 1991 Season.

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.

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