NFL Odds: Week 8 Underdogs To Watch In Potential Upsets
We're about to learn whether the Vikings are as good as their record says
There are some short favorites in Week 8 of the NFL season, which means there very much could be a handful of teams who defy the betting odds and pull the upsets.
Here are three teams we have circled who could do just that.
(+3.5) Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings
Are you completely sold on the Vikings through seven weeks, and if so, why? Minnesota does come out of its bye week with a 5-1 record, but the Vikings are either overachieving or have benefited from some fortunate situations. Their 3.4 estimated wins at Football Outsiders are 17th in the league and obviously fall short of their actual five, and they've benefited from the 20th-most difficult schedule so far. Their best win of the season is a victory at Miami in which the Dolphins started Skylar Thompson before he got hurt and Teddy Bridgewater took over. And even then, Bridgewater got it to a six-point game before Dalvin Cook's game-breaking 53-yard touchdown run. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are a very interesting team all of a sudden. Arizona's defense ranks 19th by EPA allowed, but if you take out that horrendous Week 1 showing against the Chiefs, they shoot up to No. 9. The offense is admittedly uneven, but it wouldn't be surprising to see them build off an impressive showing last Thursday. They technically have a rest disadvantage with Minnesota off the bye, but it's not as pronounced as it could be with the Cardinals coming off the Thursday night mini-bye.
(+2) Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans
The betting market certainly indicates a feeling that Ryan Tannehill won't play Sunday. The Titans quarterback injured his foot last week against Indianapolis, and that could open the door for Malik Willis to make his NFL starting debut. At the very least, it sounds like Willis is going to get more run with the offense Sunday. Getting your first extended taste of NFL action on the road against a divisional opponent -- even one as "bad" as the Texans -- is a tall task. That becomes even more difficult when it's a veteran head coach like Lovie Smith on the other side of the field building a game plan designed to stop you. The Texans will probably struggle to score themselves, but this could be a good Rex Burkhead spot. Only five teams have allowed more receptions to running backs this season. It just wouldn't be shocking to see Houston pull off an upset in a low-scoring affair.
(+4.5) Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
This game is a pretty interesting litmus test. We saw last week that the Falcons are completely porked against good offenses that can run up the score and take away the threat of Atlanta's top-ranked rushing attack. No one is going to confuse Carolina for Cincinnati, but the Falcons' defensive issues -- a lack of a pass rush plus a banged-up secondary -- look like they'll persist for at least another week. P.J. Walker has looked, all things considered, like an upgrade at quarterback over Baker Mayfield in Carolina. Touchdown Wire pointed out Walker tied with Joe Burrow last week for the most completions of 20 yards or more (three). Burrow, of course, did so against the Falcons, and so, here we are.
