The post NFL Best Bets For Week 8 From Action Network appeared first on SportsHandle.

Rest and bad weather should play key roles in what happens on the field during the NFL’s Week 8, and bettors would be wise to study what’s going on off the field in those categories, according to our colleagues at Action Network.

The Bengals, Cowboys, and Jets enter their respective games with an extra week off to heal and study for their latest tests. That rest should give the Cowboys a clear advantage over the visiting Rams, and with a healthier Joe Burrow in the pocket in Cincinnati, expect the Bengals to bring a win back from the West Coast Sunday. The Jets finally get a break from playing against the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

But the game that could be the craziest to watch Sunday will be the Chiefs at the Broncos, during which the high is expected to be 29 degrees and up to 14 inches of snow could fall Sunday. That will make for a slick field, forcing both teams to throw the ball. Patrick Mahomes has the advantage in that category in an AFC West gaming pitting the league leader (Kansas City) against the cellar dweller (Denver).

Every weekend throughout the NFL season, Sports Handle will bring you “Best Bets” from Action Network‘s experts, including their research and arguments like those below for why each pick is a good bet.

Rams vs. Cowboys

Pick: Cowboys -6
Book: Bet365
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET on FOX

John LanFranca: In a game that should see the Cowboys control the line of scrimmage, the Rams will once again find themselves at a disadvantage against a well-rested Cowboys squad coming off a bye week.

For all of the discourse regarding the performance of Dak Prescott, in obvious passing situations, he ranks as the sixth-best quarterback in the NFL in expected points added. Prescott is not only coming off his best game of the season as a passer, but as a rusher as well. I expect the Cowboys’ red-zone issues to be alleviated by a combination of preparedness after the bye, designed rushes from Prescott and a vulnerable Rams defense.

Prescott’s counterpart, Matthew Stafford, will not have the same luxury. The strength of the Rams up front is the right side of the offensive line. Rob Havenstein, PFF’s 17th-ranked tackle, is dealing with a calf injury, missing practice both Thursday and Friday and is listed as questionable. He is likely to be limited, at best, if not miss this game.

For more analysis on this game, check out the full article here on Action Network.

Jets vs. Giants

Pick: Jets -3
Book: FanDuel
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET on CBS

Anthony Dabbundo: The Giants posted back-to-back quality performances against two overvalued defenses with major holes. Neither the Commanders nor Bills were able to truly rattle Tyrod Taylor into mistakes, but the same will not be true Sunday for a neutral-field contest.

The Jets are three-point favorites, which isn’t something you’ll see often for quarterback Zach Wilson going forward or looking back — he has the lowest EPA and success rate. He’s never been a favorite of more than 2.5 points until now.

The Jets have played the toughest schedule of QBs in the entire NFL — Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, and Josh Allen. Despite this tough schedule, the Jets are 10th in success rate and 12th in EPA per play allowed. It’s an elite unit overall and should feast as the schedule lightens up in the second half and they get matchups with some of the worst offenses going forward.

The line should be over a field goal given the significant mismatch for the Jets in the trenches here.

For more analysis on this game, check out the full article here on Action Network.

Bengals vs. 49ers

Pick: Bengals +5
Book: Bet365
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS

LanFranca: Anytime (and anywhere) a healthy Joe Burrow is catching more than a field goal, it’s likely the Bengals are the side to play. Burrow has covered the spread 66.6% of the time as an underdog and has an identical 66.6% cover rate on the road throughout his career. 

It’s difficult to put into context just how much Burrow’s calf injury impacted the Bengals’ overall performance. Cincinnati is the third most pass-heavy team in football, opting to pass at a 67.1% rate through six games, even with Burrow’s injury looming over the offense. Burrow should be healthier after the bye week. 

There are specific matchups in this game that favor the Bengals, one of them being their ability to limit the 49ers’ pass rush. While undoubtedly somewhat a product of Burrow getting the ball out quickly, Cincinnati’s offense has an adjusted sack rate of only 5.3%, which is the fifth-best mark in the league. Adjusted sack rate is a metric that weighs opponents, down and distance, and even factors in intentional grounding. The 49ers’ pass rush ranks 25th in adjusted sack rate. 

I’m more than happy to take the points with a rested Bengals team and expect them to get a road victory on Sunday afternoon.

For more analysis on this game, check out the full article here on Action Network.

Chiefs vs. Broncos

Pick: Chiefs Over 27.5 Points (+105)
Book: FanDuel
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS

Dylan Wilkerson: Kansas City has rebounded quite nicely from its opening loss to the Detroit Lions, winning six straight. The Broncos have not had nearly as much success as the Chiefs, winning two games to date. Denver has one of the worst defenses in the NFL, and although its offense is not bad on paper, it seems to struggle to get any sort of momentum going in-game.

The weather in Denver will play a huge factor in this game. The forecast includes a high of 29 degrees, with 6-14 inches of snow. The wind won’t be much of a factor, topping out at 10 MPH. When the football field is snowy and traction is tough to come by, it tends to favor the offense. I expect to see the weather set both teams up for a lot of passing situations, keeping both defenses on their toes. 

Denver’s defense is really bad. It is allowing a league-worst 6.5 yards per play, a league-worst 5.5 yards per rush, and a second-worst 8.4 yards per pass attempt. It’s given up more than ,000 yards after the catch. Kansas City’s game plan should be clear, throw the ball far, and often. 

For more analysis on this game, check out the full article here on Action Network.

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