Week 8 NFL Best Bets

This is the most sparse week of action in the 2025 NFL season. Six teams are on bye, leaving us with just 13 games to watch from Thursday to Monday. However, there are still some quality showdowns, highlighted by the Green Bay Packers facing former quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Steel City. Rodgers was drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and played for the Packers until 2022. That’s when Rodgers was replaced by Jordan Love in a scenario reminiscent of when Rodgers finally replaced Brett Favre.

New England Patriots -7 vs. Cleveland Browns

Mike Vrabel is the second favorite to be named NFL Coach of the Year after Indianapolis’ Shane Steichen according to the football betting odds. Vrabel has done an excellent job with his former team and should get a big push as the New England Patriots have one of the league’s easiest remaining schedules. 

New England has now won four straight games since losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. Those last three victories have all come on the road, so they will be excited to return home for a tilt they are expected to win against the lowly Cleveland Browns.

Drake Maye is having a strong second season under center for the Patriots. Even though New England is averaging just 3.7 YPC and Rhamondre Stevenson continues to have fumble issues, Maye is thriving by completing over 75% of his passes and averaging 8.6 YPA. He isn’t turning the ball over either with only two interceptions in seven games, much to the delight of Vrabel.

Cleveland is coming off a 31-6 win over Miami to give rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel his first NFL victory, but the Browns didn’t do much in that game. They greatly benefited from four Miami turnovers and 11 penalties by their opponent. Cleveland finished the game with just 206 total yards as Gabriel largely dinked and dunked underneath.

The Browns will have a much more difficult time scoring points against a Patriots team that doesn’t shoot itself in the foot. New England is a top four run defense in the NFL, so Gabriel will have to beat the Patriots over the top to win this game, and the rookie from Oregon has yet to prove he can do that at this level.

Denver Broncos -3.5 vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Denver Broncos made history with their win over the New York Giants last week. Denver was trailing 19-0 at the start of the fourth quarter, yet the Broncos ended up winning 33-32 to set off a sideline celebration more reminiscent of a postseason victory. Their 33 fourth quarter points were the second-most in NFL history, and they were the first team in over 1,600 games to erase an 18-point deficit in the final six minutes per ESPN.

Now, the Broncos will take on a better NFC East team in the Dallas Cowboys. Denver might have laid an egg for the first three quarters against the G Men last week, but the Broncos should fare much better against a Cowboys team they match up against very well.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has arguably the best defense in the league. Denver gets to opposing quarterbacks more than any other team by a wide margin, and the Broncos have a shutdown cornerback in Patrick Surtain II. This secondary is healthy with nary an injury designation, and the other defensive backs are playing so well that first-round pick Jahdae Barron is largely being used in Dime formations.

Dallas has performed very well on offense as George Pickens has been fantastic with the Cowboys. The run game has looked very strong too, despite Dallas having so many new faces along the offensive line. Surtain has the talent to take away Pickens or CeeDee Lamb though, and the Cowboys don’t have a real threat in the passing game outside of their top two receivers.

The Cowboys are 1-3 on the road this season, and the Broncos have one of the best home field advantages in the game. Denver is 3-0 at home, and the hosts will benefit from playing at Mile High for a second straight week.

Green Bay Packers -3 at Pittsburgh Steelers

Aaron Rodgers will be the focus of most of the storylines surrounding this Sunday Night Football showdown between two of the NFL’s most storied franchises. Rodgers led Green Bay to its most recent Super Bowl title against Pittsburgh almost 15 years ago in Super Bowl XLV, but the future Hall of Fame quarterback and the Packers had a somewhat acrimonious parting at the end of the 2022 campaign.

Pittsburgh has not been good on offense yet again, although Rodgers has fared better than the Justin Fields/Russell Wilson combination did last season. The only real threat in the passing game has been D.K. Metcalf, and no other Pittsburgh receiver has over 200 receiving yards.

The Steelers have fared uncharacteristically poorly on defense to this point too. They rank in the bottom five in total defense, and it’s become clear that they can no longer rely on some of their veterans who are on the wrong side of 30.

Meanwhile, Green Bay finally broke its road skid against Arizona last week. The Packers were trailing the Cardinals entering the final quarter, but they came alive at the end to move to 4-1-1 on the season.

Jordan Love continues to develop as a signal caller. Love has some talented young receivers, but he will face a bit of a stress test here considering the injuries to Green Bay’s offense. Two starting offensive linemen are considered questionable, running back Josh Jacobs is questionable, and receivers Dontayvion Wicks and Christian Watson are questionable as well.

Despite the potential issues on offense, the Green Bay defense will stand tough and lead the Packers to a victory. Micah Parsons has given this unit a huge spark, and the Packers allow a league-low 4.5 yards per play. Rodgers will be frustrated and might commit a few turnovers trying to force things against his former team.