2021 NFL expert predictions, odds and spreads: Picks for Week 8, including Packers at Cardinals and Cowboys at Vikings - The Athletic

With six teams out of the NFL picture last week, the bye apocalypse (“byepocalypse?”) created strange happenings around the league. And that might be an understatement as underdogs rediscovered their swagger, points were tough to come by for some clubs (others had no issue piling it on), and the Cardinals covered the largest line of the season.

Some of the more interesting numbers from Week 7:

Betting favorites have now posted a winning record in four consecutive weeks, though this was a closer call as they went 7-6 against the spread. Underdogs covered in two of three primetime games and produced one of last week’s four outright wins. There have been 40 outright underdog victories through seven weeks.

The Bengals (+6.5) were the heaviest long shots to win outright. And Cincinnati didn’t just win. Joe Burrow threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns and linked up with Ja’Marr Chase eight times for 201 yards and a score as the Bengals crushed Baltimore by 24 points. That seemed to be the theme for outright winners last week, winning by an average margin of 20.5 points.

One day, the Lions are going to finish the job and win a game. But Sunday was not that day. As a consolation prize (for bettors only), Detroit did manage to cover when faced with some of the longest any team has seen this season. The Lions closed +16.5 and lost to the Rams by nine.

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2021 NFL expert predictions, odds and spreads: Picks for Week 8, including Packers at Cardinals and Cowboys at Vikings - The Athletic
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