2023 Season – Week 8 – Previews & Predictions
Los Angeles Rams (3-4) at Dallas Cowboys (4-2) 1:00p (ET)
A well-rested Dallas Cowboys team welcomes the Los Angeles Rams to AT&T Stadium on Sunday. The Rams weren’t able to hold off the Steelers’ offense in the final quarter of last week’s game, allowing 14 straight points and ultimately watching a 7-point lead turn into a 7-point loss. The Cowboys had a terrible performance against the 49ers two games back, but responded very well with a 20-17 win over the Chargers in Week 6.
The Rams have a unique combination of veteran stars and a lot of young players, and their youth is starting to show a little bit. The Cowboys have disappointed at times, but for the most part, their roster talent has won out and they have been a relatively dominant team this season.
Micah Parsons and company are expected to give LA’s offense a lot of problems. The Rams should keep this matchup competitive for three quarters. However, the Cowboys will ride their defense to a comfortable win.
Final Score: Rams – 17, Cowboys – 27
Minnesota Vikings (3-4) at Green Bay Packers (2-4) 1:00p (ET)
After a Monday Night Football showdown against the 49ers, the Minnesota Vikings are on the road this week for an NFC North rivalry matchup at Lambeau Field.
Following a 19-17 loss to the Denver Broncos, the Green Bay Packers dropped to 2-4, which is more or less where most people expected them to be at this point. Early on in the season, the Packers looked like they might be one of the surprise teams, but a handful of injuries on both sides of the ball and Jordan Love’s inconsistency have really put Green Bay in a difficult position heading into this crucial divisional matchup.
The Vikings look like they’re starting to figure things out with wins over the Bears and 49ers. The Packers have lost 3 straight games, their offense struggles to move the ball and score points, and their defense is 30th against the run. I’m taking the Vikings to win this game.
Final Score: Vikings – 23, Packers – 20
New York Jets (3-3) at New York Giants (2-5) 1:00p (ET)
The New York Jets should be feeling pretty good about themselves coming out of their bye week. They went into the break with a surprising 20-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in their pocket. Wearing throwback uniforms on Sunday against the Washington Commanders, the New York Giants got themselves a rare 14-7 victory, and look to win back-to-back games for the first time this season.
The defense has carried most of the load for the Jets, but Zach Wilson has slowly been getting better. The NY Giants are listed as the home team in this game, but the NY Jets won’t have any disadvantage, because, well…they are playing at home!
As long as they keep winning, the Jets are perfectly fine with winning ugly, and even without Aaron Rodgers, they have gotten to 3-3. The Giants offensive line is horrible, and they’re last in the league in scoring offense. And this week they’re going up against one of the most talented defenses in the league. I’m taking the Jets to win a low-scoring affair.
Final Score: Jets – 16, Giants – 13
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) 1:00p (ET)
The Jacksonville Jaguars have established themselves as the clear team to beat in the AFC South. After escaping with a 31-24 victory in New Orleans, the Jaguars stay on the road and head to Pittsburgh for a meeting with the Steelers, who have posted consecutive wins over the Ravens and the Rams. Last Sunday against the Rams, Pittsburgh came back from a 17-10 fourth-quarter deficit with a pair of unanswered touchdowns to win 24-17.
The Jacksonville Jaguars may not always be the prettiest team in the league, but they keep on winning games. The Steelers are exactly the same, but they have their own specific style of “winning ugly”. Pittsburgh is ranking 31st in the league in yards per game this season (273.5) and 26th in scoring, and they are going to need to score above their season average of 17 points per game in order to beat the Jaguars.
Jacksonville flirted with disaster a little bit with a narrow win over the Saints, who made a strong comeback late in that game. With the Steelers playing at home, you’ve got to think their defense will come through in a big way.
Final Score: Jaguars – 20, Steelers – 23
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