NFL Odds: Patriots Heavy Favorites Over Chargers In Week 8 Matchup
The New England Patriots will try to extend their lead atop the AFC East standings with a win Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Chargers as 7.5-point favorites on the NFL Week 8 odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
New England improved to 5-2 on the season with last week’s 23-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons as 2.5-point home chalk, leaving it one win up on divisional rivals Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins going into Sunday afternoon’s Chargers vs. Patriots betting matchup at Gillette Stadium.
With last Sunday’s win over the Falcons, the Patriots also have effectively buried concerns raised after the team sputtered to a 2-2 straight-up start while surrendering 32 points per game. New England substantially has improved defensively during its current three-game tear, allowing just 12.66 points per game resulting in a 3-0 run for the UNDER in totals betting.
The Patriots’ win streak also has revitalized their Super Bowl odds, which had slipped to +450 during their slow start but rebounded to +325 this week. The club’s strong play combined with an unfortunate injury to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers also have benefited Patriots pivot Tom Brady in his bid to claim NFL MVP honors for the third time in his career.
The 40-year-old had trailed Rodgers on the NFL MVP odds for most of the season, but with the Packers passer sidelined indefinitely with a broken collarbone, Brady has emerged as a +200 favorite, just ahead of Philadelphia Eagles pivot Carson Wentz at +300.
Brady also has dominated in recent meetings with the Chargers, throwing for 13 total touchdowns in six straight regular-season and playoff victories dating back to 2007, including a three-touchdown performance in New England’s 35-21 win as 6.5-point chalk in the Chargers’ last visit to Foxboro in 2011.
After opening the campaign with four straight outright losses, the Chargers travel east on a high. Los Angeles is riding its first three-game SU win streak since 2014, capped by last week’s 21-0 win over the visiting Denver Broncos in a clash pegged as a pick’em.
That victory followed outright wins as betting underdogs in road dates with the New York Giants and Oakland Raiders, and sets the stage for Los Angeles to establish its first three-game SU road win streak since Week 1 of the 2013 NFL campaign.
However, the Chargers have been dismal performers when visiting New England, going 1-7 SU in eight dates since 1983, while covering the spread just twice during that stretch.
Thumbnail photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images
