2026 NFL Season ~ Week Eight
Emmie and Canasta with Bob… offering up the Golden Choices
Seattle made a statement. A huge statement as they dominated Kansas City.
Atlanta knocked San Francisco out of the unbeaten club. Tampa Bay actually looked impressive. And Dallas looks poised to handle the NFC East in a division no one really seems to want.
Minnesota – the Minnesota Vikings – are the lone unbeaten club. The Chargers don’t have a win.
It’s the NFL, where even when you know what’s happening, you really have no idea what will happen.
Emmie had a solid run in week seven, with Canasta also turning in a winning record. My horrible week means Emmie has a bit of breathing room at the top as our only participant with a winning record on the year. Canasta and I are now fighting for second place, but the overall gap is still very close as we still haven’t reached the season’s midway mark.
Trying to give some additional information and get more research into my picks. (I’d better, or those two are going to run away and hide.)
Once again, we’ve got four teams off this week, giving us a total of fourteen games to select. Odds drawn from USA Today.
CAROLINA AT GREEN BAY (-3.5)
It wasn’t the loss to the Bucs that hurt, it was the 43-13 loss to the Bucs.
Green Bay has been looking much improved since their “what the heck” start, and I won’t fault them for a 3-point loss on the road against Detroit.
I just don’t see Carolina winning this game to begin with, let alone a short week after a dismantling.
Bob: Green Bay
Emmie: Carolina
Canasta: Green Bay
BALTIMORE AT BUFFALO (-3)
Is it me, or is there something interesting surrounding the Bills this season? Hard to put words to it, because it’s almost like the fever and passion are still there, and the desire to have them win hasn’t wavered, but somehow there’s a realistic take it game by game atmosphere where this year feels methodical. Kinda destined. But in really hushed tones. Like everyone that’s thrilled watching a no-hitter but finally understands not to say a word while it’s happening.
The Ravens are too unbalanced. They’re giving up just shy of 24 a game while scoring a league dominating pretty much non-spectacular exactly the same.
Bob: Buffalo
Emmie: Buffalo
Canasta: Buffalo
TENNESSEE AT CINCINNATI (-10.5)
My first reaction in any game evaluation is to ask this: Can the underdog win this game?
Obviously, the underdogs win impossible victory games all the time. It’s just a starting point. Because if you think there are several paths to victory, excessive point spreads should immediately be questioned and no true wagers placed.
The Bengals haven’t been a circus on offense this season. They also haven’t been a turnstile on defense. But in the past two games on the road, they have cleared 30 and shown some traces of waking up.
The Titans are not going to win this game.
Bob: Cincinnati
Emmie: Cincinnati
Canasta: Tennessee
ARIZONA AT DALLAS (-6.5)
The Cowboys are surrendering points at a ridiculous pace. The Cardinals, somehow, are surrendering them even more easily.
What I don’t like about Dallas this year is the Jekyll and Hyde approach. It used to be fun to chuckle as Dak Prescott went wild early in the year, only to watch the Eagles and Commanders have better playoff runs. Not in 2026. They haven’t won two in a row. They’re 3-4 and supposedly in control of the division. And yet, here they are, facing a home game they should win.
Everything about this game, including 4 of the 5 Arizona losses being by 12 or more, say Dallas. Even the bandwagon in Dallas is firing up (with Cowboys fans seemingly talking more than Bills fans).
When all of the information – especially the bandwagon – guarantees a victory for one side, you know what to do. Take the other.
Bob: Arizona
Emmie: Arizona
Canasta: Arizona
MINNESOTA AT DETROIT (-3.5)
Detroit is 4-2. Do you know who they played in the losses? Buffalo on the road, opening the new stadium, and they scored 31. Carolina on the road, and they scored 26. I know the New Orleans game was a close and almost blown disaster story, but this season is hardly filled with moments that are embarrassing.
While I love the Minnesota story, I have issues with the Vikings. They don’t score. At all. They beat the Bears 9-3. Against Miami and Indianapolis they put up 15 and 16. Oh, while impressive on defense, they haven’t exactly been tested by fully healthy versions of the talented teams, or, well, by talented teams.
Detroit averages more than 30 a game. They will score at least 24 here. Can the Vikings keep pace?
Bob: Detroit
Emmie: Minnesota
Canasta: Detroit
INDIANAPOLIS AT JACKSONVILLE (-9.5)
Everything about the Titans and Bengals applies here. And, in general, on an ordinary Sunday, say back in week one or two, you could make an argument that the Colts had a chance to win.
Then game the fire sale. Everything must go.
Bob: Jacksonville
Emmie: Jacksonville
Canasta: Jacksonville
LAS VEGAS AT NEW YORK (JETS) (-1.5)
Three wins in a row. Four losses in a row. Which Raiders team arrives in New York?
In fairness, the Raiders lost to the Chiefs, Patriots, Bills, and Rams. I still think they’re not good, but not as bad as many anticipated. With the Jets, Browns, Titans, Chargers, and Cardinals still to come, 8 or 9 wins is not impossible for them. I think 6-11 or 7-10 is the likely landing spot.
Honestly, even with 2 wins, the Jets can’t get out of their own way. They’re no threat to run away and score more than 25 or so. It’s the disaster of 2025 that makes anything this season look good. If you don’t think I’m telling the truth, remember the celebration when they got an interception against Chicago? You know, an interception of Chicago quarterback Tyson Bagent in a 23-12 loss. Williams didn’t play, they lost the game, but it was the first pick since the 2024 season, so the media went headline crazy. Little things, big news.
Bob: Las Vegas
Emmie: Las Vegas
Canasta: New York
CLEVELAND AT PITTSBURGH (-3.5)
Does Cleveland have a winning record? Yes. Yes, they do. And at 5-2, it’s a solid winning record. But one of the problems I have with the team is point differential. They’ve been outscored on the year by thirteen points. In fact, after losing week one 34-10 to Jacksonville – and because Jacksonville outscored Cleveland 24-0 in the first half of that game - there has never been a time this year when the Browns have scored more points than they’ve given up. And. They’re 5-2.
And yet, look at the crazy wins they have. 2-0 in the division with wins over Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Knocked off Carolina. None of those wins seem to be something to overlook.
The trouble is it all feels like a mirror ready to shatter. After six games, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cleveland topped the division at 4-2, with the Browns holding the tie-breaker. But entering week seven, it felt like everyone was waiting for Lamar Jackson to decide if he has any healthy football to contribute or if the Ravens will yet again underdeliver even after changing their head coach. It still felt like everyone wants to know if Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are going to make a playoff run. It did not feel like the Browns were a team to consider seriously.
And, honestly, it still does not feel like anyone cares about the Browns or Steelers. (With the exception, of course, of the fans of the Browns and Steelers.)
Right? Isn’t that why last week, when the Ravens and Bengals played, all of us were watching that game as a true divisional contest and this one gets the shoulder shrug?
How the heck is one of these teams headed for 6-2? How? Really. How?
Bob: Pittsburgh
Emmie: Pittsburgh
Canasta: Cleveland
ATLANTA AT TAMPA BAY (-2.5)
They’ve been awful at home. Take away the outburst last week in Carolina, and they barely score. I don’t care about Baker Mayfield and injuries and excuses. Heck, Mayfield wasn’t on the field when they beat Dallas. Tampa Bay isn’t just a bad team. Somehow, they’ve become boring. Which is awful, because I’m a fan. I want to be excited that they made a bit of a statement against the division leader last week.
But then here comes Atlanta. So far, they have lost two, won two, lost two, won last week patterned themselves. They’ve had some big scoring games, and some big scoring opponents. They are, in every way, an 8-9 team defying categories.
What Atlanta does have is a strange belief in Michael Penix. Add Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts, and the Falcons might have the three most dynamic players on offense. (I said might. I said might.)
When faced with questions and zero answers, believe the big names will produce.
Bob: Atlanta
Emmie: Atlanta
Canasta: Tampa Bay
LOS ANGELES (CHARGERS) AT LOS ANGELES (RAMS) (-6.5)
Here’s the reality. The high-flying, bold prediction, new Chargers offense has been the worst unit in football. (You want to laugh, raise your hands and defend them, don’t you? Sure, Jim Harbaugh is an idiot about greatest quarterback ever bravado, but the worst unit in football?)
Folks, the Dolphins are second lowest in scoring in the league. They average more than a point a game higher than the Chargers.
With all of the Rams injuries, they have a long road to travel in order to stay competitive, get healthy, and make waves in the playoffs. They’ve still put up just about as many points in the past three games as the Chargers have in six.
I want to take the Chargers. I want to believe the Chargers are due to pull off what the Dolphins delivered last week. But I can’t look at the evidence and make any case for emotion.
Bob: Los Angeles (Rams)
Emmie: Los Angeles (Chargers)
Canasta: Los Angeles (Chargers)
KANSAS CITY (-1) AT DENVER
Loving this game.
For me, it is the marker of where the Chiefs stand. Are they for real, or just a result of no one having any idea of what to expect or how to play them after their brutal 2025 season? And was last week against the Seahawks an indicator of reality after the amazing start?
And it is a true judgment game for the Broncos. A loss here and – though the Chiefs losing last week helps on this issue – there is room to argue a ridiculous idea that perhaps they are more realistically fighting the Raiders for a wild card playoff spot rather than looking for a division title and deep playoff run.
I expect the Broncos to keep the Chiefs offense relatively in check. Certainly not surrendering the 31 they did in week one when these two played. It’s going to be a close game, and the irrelevant spread becomes even more meaningless.
Bob: Denver
Emmie: Kansas City
Canasta: Denver
NEW ENGLAND (-7) AT MIAMI
This may be the most important game on the Patriots’ schedule for 2026.
Really.
No, really. I mean that.
If you looked at the schedule when it was released, you would have seen Seattle, Buffalo, and Chicago as part of the first seven for New England. There was also a somewhat emotional Tom-Brady-Bowl with Las Vegas coming to Gillette. And the mirror-has-three-faces Pittsburgh organization defeated New England last year.
So, 4-3 and facing Miami felt like an inevitability before the very first kickoff.
And here we are. 4-3.
But we’re there because Jacksonville has been much more impressive than expected. Buffalo on the road delivered a strong victory to the record. Then fill in everything else about where one might expect, and…
New England 4-3 and facing Miami.
Do you know what’s next for the Pats? A Green Bay team that may not be trustworthy, but has been looking better than they did early on and could get Micah Parsons back soon. A trip to Detroit to face what should be a potent offense and a Lions team in need of every win they can grab. A cross-country trip to face Jim Harbaugh and Justin Hebert and a Los Angeles team that was never bad enough to be this bad and begin wondering if they’d lose every game. Oh, and, after all of that – ho-hum, no big deal – a back-to-back-to-back run of Buffalo, Minnesota and Kansas City.
Ouch.
I thought everything accomplished last year was at least one or two seasons early for New England. Loved Mike Vrabel coming in. And I thought this year would be the one to challenge for the playoffs and maybe division. I thought next year would be one where they became a true threat. Then they went to the Super Bowl in 2025, and everyone is clamoring for more out of 2026. Price of success. Well, the playoffs in 2026 absolutely hinge on beating the Dolphins here.
Bob: New England
Emmie: Miami
Canasta: New England
PHILADELPHIA AT WASHINGTON (-5.5)
We are reaching the point in the season where – as the news of Philadelphia fades because there are far more interesting things to talk about than a bad team facing injuries and a million questions – where both of these teams are going to just kind of disappear from our consciousness and the 2026 season.
The possibility that it doesn’t happen is Jayden Daniels.
Solid rookie season. Injuries in 2025 – and honestly, so far in 2026 – lend substance to disappointment with the team results and also his durability.
At 1-4-1, it’s not like Washington is threatening anyone right now, even division rivals Philadelphia and New York. Plus, after scaring Minnesota and defeating Houston, in a couple of weeks we might be pointing at New York as the main threat to Dallas. Heck, New York leads the division by a game right now with the current tie-breaker over Dallas.
Still, this is a winnable game for Washington. Lose it, and the season is pretty much done. The wild card becomes non-existent, and a lot of ground is lost in the division. (If it weren’t for Philadelphia having injuries all around and no quarterback on the roster, you could almost see trap game written all over this contest.)
Bob: Washington
Emmie: Washington
Canasta: Washington
CHICAGO AT SEATTLE (-3)
I was going to say it. I was going to say Seattle is not a good team.
Sure, they’re fine. And actually, they are a good team. Edge-of-the-playoffs caliber. But they feel more like a one-and-done than a dynasty. They don’t have a top quarterback. They don’t have a slam the door week after week defense that pounds opponents, leaving physical and emotional trauma that lasts weeks beyond the contest. They have a brilliant wide receiver and some good players.
It’s my opinion. An opinion. But I hadn’t seen much to change my mind.
Then they stuffed Kansas City. Destroyed them. 20-3.
Enter the Bears.
Caleb Williams and the Bears on offense looked unreal in week one. Then he got hurt. Williams has been back for two games, the Bears won them both, and the team scored 31 and 30 in those matches.
Bob: Chicago
Emmie: Chicago
Canasta: Seattle
WEEK SEVEN RESULTS
Bob: 4-9-1
Emmie: 8-5-1
Canasta: 7-6-1
OVERALL
Bob: 47-55-5
Emmie: 52-50-5
Canasta: 45-57-5