Bierman’s Best Bets – NFL Week 8
Alright, Sandman Nation! We had a nice showing last week, going 3-1 and improving to 11-9 on the season. This weekend’s slate didn’t offer too many eye-catching matchups, but I’m feeling good about these three picks. We’ve got one big favorite and one big underdog in the mix. Nothing beats a great football weekend, and we’re expecting another round of exciting games to cheer on—enjoy!
Texans (-5.5) at Colts (*All lines are from DraftKings Sportsbook)
The Colts sit at 4-3 and an impressive 6-1 ATS, but much of their success feels like smoke and mirrors. Anthony Richardson returned last week against the Dolphins, showing some spark with 56 rushing yards, but his passing game remains inconsistent, making me wonder if they’d be better off with veteran Joe Flacco. Meanwhile, the Texans are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Packers on a last-second field goal at Lambeau, but I’m expecting a strong bounce-back performance here. CJ Stroud continues to be explosive, even without Nico Collins, and Joe Mixon looked rejuvenated, shredding the Packers’ defense. Add in a Texans defense ready to stifle Richardson, and I like Houston to roll in Indy.
The Pick: Texans –5.5
Titans at Lions (-11)
Last week, we took the Lions as underdogs on the road against Minnesota, and it paid off. This week, we’re flipping the script and happily giving a big number, as Detroit hosts one of the NFL’s worst teams, the Tennessee Titans. The Will Levis experiment has faltered, and unfortunately for Titans fans, Mason Rudolph isn’t the solution either. Tennessee’s offense is a disaster ranking near the bottom of the league in yardage and averaging two turnovers per game. And their defense, despite ranking first in yards allowed, was completely dismantled by Buffalo last week. Now they travel to face the #2-ranked Lions offense and a top-10 Detroit defense. This game won’t be close—Detroit will dominate. Confidently lay the points.
The Pick: Lions -11
Raiders (+10) at Chiefs
Who would have predicted that the Kansas City Chiefs would be 6-0 if I told you before the season that they’d lose their starting running back and #1 wide receiver, that Travis Kelce would be solid but not spectacular, and that Patrick Mahomes would have more interceptions than touchdowns at this point in the season? Yet here we are, with the Chiefs as the NFL’s only undefeated team. But don’t kid yourselves – this team has real flaws and is far removed from the dominance of their past Super Bowl winning squads. While I expect their winning ways to continue on Sunday, I do like the Raiders to cover the spread. With Aiden McConnell injured, Gardner Minshew stepping in could provide the spark this team needs. Tight end Brock Bowers is a key weapon, and Alexander Mattison can grind out yards to slow the pace. Combined with their underrated top-10 defense, the Raiders should keep this game competitive and cover.
The Pick: Raiders +10
