SportsLine Experts Back Steelers, Chiefs, and Eagles for Week 8 NFL Slate

Three betting experts from SportsLine have released their top predictions for the National Football League's Week 8 slate.

The analysts identified three specific games for their recommended best bets. Their selections include the Pittsburgh Steelers as home favorites against the Cleveland Browns, the Kansas City Chiefs as moneyline favorites against the Denver Broncos, and the Philadelphia Eagles as point spread underdogs against the Washington Commanders.

Matt Severance, a SportsLine expert, focused on the Steelers versus Browns matchup. He noted that Cleveland has played inconsistently on the road this season. The Browns totaled 22 points in losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets, while scoring 27 points in wins against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans. Severance pointed out that Cleveland defeated visiting Pittsburgh in Week 2. However, he emphasized that the Steelers have a 11-0 record against the spread in home games within the AFC North. He stated that the Steelers have not lost at home to Cleveland in regular season play in several decades.

David Bearman, another SportsLine expert, analyzed the Chiefs versus Broncos contest. He observed that the Broncos hold a 5-2 record but rank 30th in total offense and 23rd in total defense. Bearman argued that Denver cannot rely on long plays, such as a 62-yard quarterback touchdown run or a 52-yard touchdown swing pass, to beat Kansas City. He noted that the Chiefs remained competitive in their fourth quarter loss to Seattle despite a poor performance. Bearman highlighted the mismatch between Denver's 28th-ranked rush defense and Ken Walker III, who leads the NFL with 701 rushing yards. He referenced the Week 1 meeting where the Chiefs dominated with 392 yards to Denver's 176, 19 first downs to 9, and 34 time of possession to 26. In that game, Walker rushed for 173 yards.

R.J. White, the third SportsLine expert, evaluated the Eagles versus Commanders game. He acknowledged that Philadelphia faces injury issues but performed well against the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles held a lead late in the third quarter against Dallas but failed to secure defensive stops against a strong offensive unit. White viewed Washington as a step down in quality for the Eagles, particularly with wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jacory Croskey-Merritt sidelined. He pointed out that Washington's only win this season involved just one drive longer than 43 yards, yet the team scored 33 points. The Commanders currently have the 31st-ranked scoring defense in the league. White stated that he did not believe the combined units of the Commanders deserved to be favored by the current market margin.

Combining these three selections into a single parlay bet would yield a payout of +573. That odds structure means a bettor risking $100 would win $573 if all three picks succeed.

The Week 8 schedule includes 12 games on Sunday. Key absences from the roster include wide receivers A.J. Brown of the New England Patriots, DeVonta Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Emeka Egbuka of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. These injuries impact the projected performance of the teams involved in the expert recommendations.