Zone Blitz: NFL Week 8 Preview

Music to listen to: Boiling Death Requests by Omar Rodriguez Lopez

Lets predict some NFL games (home team in CAPS)

Indianapolis (+8.5) TENNESSEE: Everyone saw the Colts quit last week on the road at New Orleans. While it would make sense to take the Titans at home (I still think Tennessee wins the game), I think Indy will put up a much better fight this week. The Colts still have some talented players on the roster and I’m concerned about the lack of offense from the Titans, especially Chris Johnson who hasn’t rounded into form yet this season.

HOUSTON (-9.5) Jacksonville: The Texans get Andre Johnson back, Arian Foster is back in good form, the Jags coming off an emotional and physically taxing victory over Baltimore on Monday night and having to go on the road in a short week…this looks like the game where the Texans assert their authority in the AFC South.

CAROLINA (-3.5) Minnesota: I like what I saw from Christian Ponder last week but the Panthers get another victory at home. I heard Jon Richie bring this up on ESPN this week and it deserves mention here. Cam Newton looks like a Pro Bowl quarterback for the NFC and he’s a rookie that some people thought wouldn’t even make it in the league. For all of the talk about that quarterback in Denver I won’t refer to by name, I’ll take Cam’s career for the next five years over any quarterback in the league not named Aaron Rodgers.

New Orleans (-13.5) ST. LOUIS: The Rams are terrible…and stuck with Sam Bradford. Even if the Rams finish with the worst record in the NFL, no team is going to take on Bradford’s contract if they try to trade him and get Andrew Luck.

BALTIMORE (-12.5) Arizona: I’m putting a missing persons’ report out for Kevin Kolb…

NY GIANTS (-9.5) Miami: The Dolphins are going to make a serious run at going 0-16 this year…

BUFFALO (-6) Washington: This game is in Toronto but I think the Bills were able to get their act together in their bye week and come out with the victory.

Detroit (-3) DENVER: I’ll take a pass on Tebow time…

PITTSBURGH (+3) New England: The Steelers always seem to find a way to win these types of games…

SAN FRANCISCO (-8.5) Cleveland: I’m taking a chance with the 49ers and saying that they’re going to get the #2 overall seed in the NFC for the playoffs and get a bye. They have an easy schedule and can easily get 12 wins on the year.

SEATTLE (+3) Cincinnati: This is a toss-up but I have to assume that Seattle will play a good home game at some point this year and get a victory.

PHILADELPHIA (-3.5) Dallas: Tony Romo, on the road, on national TV…this line could be seven points higher and I’ll still take the Eagles.

SAN DIEGO (-4) Kansas City: The Chargers, especially Phil Rivers, will get healthy in this contest.

Season: 32-42-3