Which Teams Do You Prefer To Win This Week (Week 8, 2024 Edition)

As the NFL enters Week 8 it's starting to be clearer which teams will be at the top of their divisions and which teams will be at the bottom of their divisions. The results of Week 8 will make it even clearer. There may be a top tier team at this point that falls off the cliff and one of the struggling teams may rise up into the mix, but in general terms, most at the top and bottom will remain near their spots at seasons end. There will be more movement from the middle moving up or down that may be a bigger surprise by the time the season is over. Right now, there is only one lopsided division that being the AFC East with Buffalo holding a 3-game lead. Only 4 teams are down 4 games in their division. All of those are in the AFC. 9 AFC teams have at least 3 wins. 12 teams in the NFC have at least 3 wins. There are 3 one-win teams in the AFC and only one in the NFC. Those 7 playoff spots in each conference will become clearer sooner in the AFC than in the NFC.

The Saints need miracles to happen for them to make the postseason after losing 5 in a row. No team has ever made the playoffs after losing 5 games in a row during a season. D.A. has never coached a team to 4 straight wins. Those are long odds to overcome. Oddly enough, this week isn't a must win week but a win this week would go a long way towards stopping the bleeding. A win would keep the Saints within 2 games of the division lead and within 1 game of 2nd place with a chance to play each of their division opponents one more time. ATL plays at TB this week. One of them will lose. That's a start. It would help if the Saints can start something themselves.


No Teams Have A Bye This Week And All Games Will Be Played In The USA.


Thursday Night Football

MIN (5-1) @ LAR (2-4) - An NFC matchup with 2 teams that have both had their Bye week already. They each have 11 games remaining. I'd prefer the Rams to lose. A loss here could put them in the sell category before the trade deadline. The Saints host the Rams in Week 13. Hopefully the Saints will have had a resurgence, and the Rams will be playing out the string. Hard to see the Queens sitting out the dance at this point with a few skate matches ahead.

Sunday Early Games

BAL (5-2) @ CLE (1-6) - An AFC North matchup between the front runner and the bottom dweller. The Saints host the Brownies in Week 11. It looks as though it will be a homecoming for JW. I'm for the Ravens in this one.

TEN (1-5) @ DET (5-1) - An interconference game between one of the worst teams and one of the best teams. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if the Titans won although DET is one of the more fun teams to watch play. Still, Titans.

IND (4-3) @ HOU (5-2) - An AFC South matchup between the 2 best teams in that division. An Indy win would tie up the division. I like the Texans, but I'd prefer to see a down to the wire stretch run finish. Go Colts!

GB (5-2) @ JAX (2-5) - This is an easy one to hope for but hard to see it happening. The Jags got a win last week. Maybe they can do it 2 games in a row. Saints go to GB in Week 16. A GB loss here could start a slide. Go Jags!

ARZ (3-4) @ MIA (2-4) - An interconference matchup between 2 teams that have struggled so far this season. I'd rather see the Fins find their way back into the playoff race while clipping the wings of the red birds. Go Fish!

NYJ (2-5) @ NE (1-6) - An AFC East matchup. One team already fired its HC. The other may do so by seasons end. I'd rather see NE give the Jets the knockout blow and possibly keep the Patriots out of the HC hunt in 2025.

PHI (4-3) @ CIN (3-4) - An interconference game that is a no brainer. After a horrible start the Bengals have worked their way from the bottom back into the mix. I'm for Joe Chasing the Iggles out of the building this week.

ATL (4-3) @ TB (4-3) - An NFC South matchup that will put one of these two teams in the division lead all alone. Sadly, one of these two teams will win and will have the inside edge on winning the division. IMO, the worst case would be an ATL win. It would not only give them a one game lead in the division over TB, but they would have swept TB and would own the tiebreaker against them should they end the season leading the division with identical win/loss records. They would have a 4-0 division record compared to a 1-2 division record by TB. Worse, they would own at least a 2 or possibly a 3-game lead over the Saints at the end of the day. In the event the Saints got on a roll, beating their remaining division opponents, the best they could finish is 4-2 in the division. Unless the Saints somehow manage to win the division outright, they won't win any tiebreakers against ATL. On the other hand, should TB win they would take the division lead by 1 game and share the head-to-head split with ATL. They would move to 2-2 in the division and drop ATL to 3-1 in the division. They would then have a 2 or 3 game lead over the Saints at the end of the day. Not a pretty picture no matter which way you turn the page. Looking ahead I think TB has a slightly easier remaining schedule. Even with that said I still think it would be best if they win. For one, the first rule as a Saints fan is to never want ATL to win (with rare exceptions do we not want them to lose). Secondly, I think TB may struggle a bit down the stretch with the loss of Godwin and Evans. They could lose a game or two that they otherwise might have won. Clowns Remaining Schedules: @ TB, DAL, @ NO, @ DEN, BYE, LAC, @ MIN, @ LV, NYG, @ WAS, CAR. Yuks Remaining Schedule: ATL, @ KC, SF, BYE, @ NYG, @ CAR, LV, @ LAC, @ DAL, @ CAR, NO


Sunday Afternoon Games

BUF (5-2) @ SEA (4-3) - Another interconference game that is a no brainer. The Bills could dampen the wings of the Gulls this week. That would put the NFC West back into play for all other teams. I'm good with that. Bills!

CHI (4-2) @ WAS (5-2) - An NFC matchup of two up and coming teams. Someone has to win the East. That looks to be the Commandos at this point. Let it be. Saints host them in Week 15. I say knock the Bears into hibernation.

CAR (1-6) @ DEN (4-3) - While it's nice that SP has seemingly turned the corner in Mile High, the bar is still a bit high for the Broncos to see the postseason in 2024. I'd prefer to see the Pansies get a win to worsen their draft spot.

KC (6-0) @ LV (2-5) - An AFC West matchup between the top and bottom teams. The undefeated Chiefs just got better this week trading for D-Hop. A Raiders loss could have them selling and thinking holidays in Week 17.

NO (2-5) @ LAC (3-3) - A huge game on the road for the Saints this week. The past 3 losses can almost be excused due to the crazy number of injuries. Wetting the bed in the 2 prior losses in the waning seconds are the difference of possibly being 4-3 at this stage. Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda! What's crazy is that this week is not actually a must win for the Saints mathematically, but it sure is for the psyche of the team and for the fan base. Stopping the skid of a 4-game losing streak can't be understated. A 5-game losing streak would have even the most optimistic Saints fans in a funk. Beginning what could be a winning streak starting Sunday would bring a lot of hope where there is little as of now. The Chargers have had their ups and downs as well. Their defense has carried them to this point as they are #1 in the league in points allowed with a stingy 13.8 per game. They rank 7th in total defense, 5th against the pass and 9th against the run. Ironically the Bolts are only 19th in the league in sacks while the Saints, with their pathetic pass rush, are 20th. Bryan Bresee (4.0), Alonte Taylor (3.5) and Carl Granderson (3.0) have more sacks than Khalil Mack (2.5), Joey Bosa (2.0) and Bud Dupree (2.0), albeit in one more game played. Still, who would have thought so? The Chargers struggles have mainly been on offense. They rank 25th in total offense, 24th in passing, 18th-20th in rushing, and 26th in scoring. The Saints will have to flip the script on defense and hold the Chargers to their 17-point average and somehow score more than that to get a win in this one. Turnovers will be key for each team. The Chargers are plus 6. They have created 10 turnovers with 6 interceptions and 4 fumbles while having thrown only 1 interception and giving away 3 fumbles. The Saints meanwhile are plus 2 in turnovers. They have created 13 turnovers with 10 interceptions and 3 fumbles while having thrown 6 interceptions and giving up 5 fumbles. The Saints won't win if they lose the turnover margin. They probably can't afford to give away any at all to win this game.


Sunday Night Football

DAL (3-3) @ SF (3-4) - This is a big NFC matchup for both teams. Both trail in their respective divisions. The Saints have a win over the Boyz but don't play the 9ers this season. The Saints will need both teams help down the stretch where the Cowgurls play both ATL and TB and the Whiners play TB. The Saints will want DAL and SF to win those games but not many others. I wouldn't mind seeing Jerrys Kids drop this one in PrimeTime just to watch Jerrah squirm. Then they may be more motivated the following week when they travel to ATL and later in the season on Christmas week when they host TB. The Cowgurls only have two patsies on their remaining schedule in the GMen and the Pansies. They may not get to 9 wins this season. Their remaining schedule: @ SF, @ ATL, PHI, HOU, @ WAS, NYG, CIN, @ CAR, TB, @ PHI, WAS. It won't be a cakewalk for the Whiners either. Their remaining schedule: DAL, @ TB, SEA, @ GB, @ BUF, CHI, LAR, @ MIA, DET, @ ARZ. I think the 9ers have an easier path to get to 9 wins. Still, I'd prefer to see the Cowgurls take the loss in this one, just because.


Monday Night Football

NYG (2-5) @ PITT (5-2) - This is an easy one. The Saints travel to play the NYG in Week 14 in early December. The Steelers have been one of the bigger surprises so far this season. There's still life in the G-men. Steel it this week.

Anyone got something different?