The NFL’s Week 8 slate of games showcased teams dealing with injury woes, according to Jason McIntyre, co-host of THE HERD and FOX Sports Betting Analyst. He addressed a few of those teams, noting that despite the challenges they face, there are still some opportunities for profitable game picks. Having posted a 2-1 success rate in Week 7, McIntyre presented where he’s placing his bets in Week 8.
The Packers’ matchup against the Jaguars warranted a bet in their favor according to McIntyre, with the bet being placed early enough that the lines had not yet moved against him. The decision was based on Jacksonville’s struggle with a predictable and historically poor defense. Despite potential concerns over the Packers’ focus on non-divisional matches, McIntyre expressed confidence in their road performance, expecting them to easily score 30 points against Jaguars.
The Cardinals clashed with the Dolphins in a game that McIntyre expected favoring Miami, specially with the return of QB Tua. Michael McDaniel, according to McIntyre, would need to pull his team out of poor performance stretch by steering them to score top 30 points. The Cardinals lackluster record after a victory and current injuries to key defenders played into his prediction of a Miami win and cover.
The Bucs were at a disadvantage during their rematch against the Falcons. Chest injuries to their top receivers gave McIntyre reason to anticipate a less efficient and confident performance from Baker. Even with suitable replacements, this, coupled with other team issues, painted the Bucs match against the Falcons as a difficult endeavour for them. Despite the Falcons’ conservative playstyle, he predicted a Falcon win by over 2.5 points as the Buccaneers dealt with setbacks including a loss to the Ravens.
During a pivotal divisional match, a Falcon win would give them a boost towards divisional control. The Falcon’s history of close wins and losses added to the prediction complexity but McIntyre seemed confident in their ability to maintain control of the game, assuming a continued reeling performance from the Buccaneers. Despite these predictions, McIntyre also pointed out the game’s volatility due to the division’s closely contested nature and the Falcon’s conservative gameplay.
McIntyre presents his betting predictions based on form, player availability, and past performance, but acknowledges that outcomes can be influenced by many variables. As one of the sport’s leading betting analysts, he looks at team and individual stats as well as larger narratives surrounding the team management and team dynamics when placing bets. Yet, he reminds fans that ultimately, win or lose, it’s the unpredictability that keeps the sport exciting.
