NFL WEEK 8: Our official predictions for who wins this weekend

Matt Ryan didn't practice on Thursday, meaning it's likely that 38-year-old backup Matt Schaub will be taking over quarterbacking duties for the Falcons. Schaub has started just two games since the 2013 season.

Atlanta has had no shortage of problems so far this season, but the play of Ryan hasn't been one of them. There's enough raw talent on the Falcons that they could put things together any day, but I'd wait a week before backing them with my money.

This feels like a classic let-down spot for the Colts. Coming off of a big win over the Texans to take sole possession of first place in the AFC South, a home loss to the lowly Broncos would be just baffling enough to make sense in this year's NFL.

Ten days removed from an embarrassing loss at home to the Chiefs, public perception of the Broncos couldn't be lower, meaning it's the perfect time to back them.

Drew Brees has been practicing this week and looks likely to make his first start since Week 2 on Sunday. In his absence, the Saints have been perfect, with backup Teddy Bridgewater guiding the offense to five straight wins.

I don't generally like backing quarterbacks in their first game back from injury, but the Cardinals soft secondary and the excitement of the home crowd makes the Saints the play here.

The Chargers find new and innovative ways to lose football games every week. The Bears mostly rely on Mitch Trubisky to handle that for them.

This is almost too obvious a pick, to the point that I considered backing the Bears just to be contrarian. Chicago hasn't shown anything in the past three weeks that says they deserve to be 4-point favorites.

Until Mitch Trubisky shows he can move the ball against a defense that isn't playing prevent because they're already up four scores in the fourth quarter, it's pretty tough to bet on Chicago.

Sam Darnold's "seeing ghosts" comment on the sideline grabbed most of the media attention after the Jets' big loss to the Patriots on Monday night, but the problems for New York began before he even took the field.

Whatever gameplan head coach came up with for Monday night was severely lacking, and that's not a problem that solves itself because they're no longer facing the Patriots.

The Jaguars have proven able to beat the teams they should be beating so far this season, and the Jets are a team they should beat.

The Los Angeles Rams pulled out of their tailspin last week with a convincing 37-10 win over the Falcons on Sunday.

This week they're in London to face the Bengals. While I don't especially enjoy laying such a large spread on one of the international games, Cincinnati has not shown a lot of signs of life this season, while the Rams still need every win they can manage to keep pace with the Seahawks and 49ers in the NFC West.

The Lions have lost three straight games. Their two wins so far this season have come by six points combined. Mostly, all the Lions do is play competitive games, making it tough to lay a touchdown with them, even against a floundering Giants team.

In a battle of quarterbacks you'd probably prefer not to bet on, I'll trust Ryan Tannehill over Jameis Winston.

It feels unlikely that Winston will replicate his six-turnover performance from London, and he may break out for one of his rare, brilliant performances that make you almost believe he could be worth another contract.

But when it comes to putting money down, he's burned me one too many times to bet on again.

The Bills have benefitted from a reasonably cushy schedule to prop up their 5-1 record, with wins coming against the Jets, Giants, Bengals, and Dolphins.

The Eagles are desperate for a win and likely eager to reset their narrative after getting embarrassed by the Cowboys on Sunday.

The Bills are probably a playoff team in the AFC, but this is not their game.

The 49ers have proven me wrong time and time again after I've dismissed their undefeated start to the season. No longer.

Carolina's run without Cam Newton has been as impressive as anything any team has put together so far this year. Still, if there's anything that's going to rattle a relatively unexperienced quarterback, it's Nick Bosa and the 49ers defense.

The Raiders have reached the final game of their extended road trip that left them away from Oakland for six weeks. In this last game before returning to the Bay for a three-game homestand, I think some Raiders might get caught sleeping a bit.

You don't get rich betting against the Patriots, and chances are this will look foolish just minutes after kickoff, just as my bet on the Jets did last week.

But this is a lot of points to spot a desperate Browns team that is coming off of their bye week. Baker Mayfield has been far from good to start the 2019 season, but he's undoubtedly got both the talent and the swagger to show up for a big game on the right day.

Patrick Mahomes' status is still unknown, and until it is, I wouldn't put down money on this game on either side.

Andy Reid has proven his ability to make nearly any quarterback look like a star. However, the Chiefs defense has been shaky against offenses that can move the ball, and without Mahomes, it feels like it will be tough for them to keep pace.

Yes, the Dolphins are bad.

But the Steelers haven't done anything this season to show me they deserve to be a two-touchdown favorite against any team in the league.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is Ryan Fitzpatrick, but at least he's a known quantity, and he's been known to show up for primetime games and deliver shockingly good performances. I'll take my chances with him over Mason Rudolph or Devlin Hodges any day.

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