NFL Week 8 Upset Predictions 2023

NFL, Upsets, Week 1

Welcome to my post of the top NFL upsets this week. I will update this article throughout the entire season, sharing my bold predictions for every round of the 2023-24 football campaign. The goal is to recognize opportunities that the bookies and the crowd underestimate.

Without further ado, here are the most likely NFL Week 8 upsets.

Chicago Bears to Beat Los Angeles Chargers

  • Chicago Bears to win; +320
  • Los Angeles Chargers to win; -400

One of my favorite NFL Week 8 upsets is Chicago winning against Los Angeles. The Bears are far from perfect, but the team is trending in the right direction. They won two of the past three games, including victories over Las Vegas and Washington.

In Week 7, the defense and run game for Chicago were both outstanding. The Bears had 173 total rushing yards, averaging 4.6 yards per attempt. The defense finished the game with three interceptions and a touchdown.

Chicago’s third-string running back, D’Onta Foreman, also made the most of his opportunities. He posted 89 rushing yards and three total touchdowns against Las Vegas in Week 7. Foreman also forced seven missed tackles during the game!

For Los Angeles, it’s been another season of utter disappointment. The team has just two wins through six games, and the schedule won’t get any easier. The Chargers defense also ranks among the worst in the NFL.

The story for the Chargers this season has been their inability to finish games. In Week 7, Los Angeles only scored during the first half against Kansas City. In their game against Dallas, the Chargers surrendered 10 points in the fourth quarter and lost.

QB Justin Herbert’s regression in recent weeks has also been concerning. He posted passer ratings of just 72.7 and 68.6 against the Raiders and Chiefs, respectively. Herbert’s declining performance could also continue into Week 8 against Chicago.

I think the Bears can win if they can dominate the Chargers at the line of scrimmage. This team is a lot more physical than you think, and the run game is pretty dynamic. Also, I just don’t trust the Chargers to win a game with the way they’ve been playing.

Odds:
+320
My Pick:
Chicago Bears to win

Denver Broncos to Beat Kansas City Chiefs

  • Denver Broncos to win; +295
  • Kansas City Chiefs to win; -365

I’m also picking the Broncos to win over the Chiefs with one of my NFL upsets this week. I’m well aware of the fact that Denver hasn’t beaten Kansas City since 2015. However, I think this could be the game in which the stars will finally align.

The Broncos haven’t been very good this season. However, the team put together a pretty strong performance in Week 7 against the Packers. Denver tallied 339 total yards on offense and didn’t turn the ball over once.

Denver was fantastic in all three phases of the game against Green Bay. The defense, offense, and special teams all contributed and played incredibly well. However, it’ll take another full team effort for Denver to be victorious against Kansas City.

QB Russell Wilson also had one of his best outings of the season against the Packers. He threw for 194 passing yards and completed 69% of his passes while also posting a 98.9 passer rating. Wilson has 13 touchdown passes in seven games this season, which is pretty impressive.

Is it difficult for me to bet against Kansas City? Yes, because QB Patrick Mahomes is having another phenomenal season. He’s now posted 2,017 passing yards and 15 touchdowns through seven games.

Here’s one reason why I’m betting against Kansas City: win streaks have to end at some point. Denver also played Kansas once this year and only lost by two scores. I think the Broncos will come prepared and show more competitiveness in this game.

The Broncos can pull off the upset if they limit their mistakes against Kansas City. The offense will need to generate a few scores early on, and the defense will also have to force a few errors. Winning this game isn’t impossible, so the odds of +295 are too tempting to miss when looking for NFL Week 8 upsets.

Odds:
+295
My Pick:
Denver Broncos to win

Los Angeles Rams to Beat Dallas Cowboys

  • Los Angeles Rams to win; +235
  • Dallas Cowboys to win; -280

Another one of my NFL Week 8 upsets is Dallas succumbing to Los Angeles. The Rams are a lot better than they were last year and could make the postseason. The offense looks balanced, but the defense still needs to get better.

The Rams will enter Week 8 following a loss against the Steelers. It was a close game with multiple lead changes throughout it. Los Angeles generated 354 total yards of offense against a Steelers defense that has been dynamic all season.

The truth is that Los Angeles would have won against Pittsburgh if QB Matt Stafford had time to throw. He was under duress the entire game and had to get the ball out of his hands quickly. Stafford is currently on pace for nearly 4,700 passing yards this season.

Los Angeles also has one of the best wide receiving corps in the NFL. Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp each have at least two games this season with over 100 receiving yards. The Rams also have three receivers on pace for 800 or more yards.

The defense for Los Angeles has made a few critical mistakes this season. Although the unit as a whole is overachieving, they still need to be more consistent. The Rams have 12 sacks and five takeaways through seven games.

Los Angeles is also facing a Dallas team that has looked extremely uneven in 2023-24. The Cowboys suffered an embarrassing defeat against Arizona in Week 3. Dallas then lost to San Francisco by 32 points in Week 5.

I think the Rams will win this game if the offense can do its job and get off to a strong start. Kupp and Nakua are both remarkable receivers who can both explode at any moment. Los Angeles will have to continue feeding them the ball against Dallas.

Odds:
+235
My Pick:
Los Angeles Rams to win

Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Beat Buffalo Bills

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win; +295
  • Buffalo Bills to win; -365

I think there’s a good chance that the Buccaneers could win against Buffalo in Week 8. The Bills look out of sorts right now, having lost a winnable game against New England. The struggles in Buffalo this season are becoming more and more apparent.

The Bills were absolutely dreadful against the Patriots in Week 7. Buffalo’s defense gave up 364 yards against a team that was only scoring 12 points per game. The Bills also turned the ball over twice and couldn’t get anything going on offense until the second half.

Buffalo QB Josh Allen also hasn’t been himself lately. He’s thrown seven interceptions, which is tied for second worst in the NFL. Allen also tends to force the ball to his receivers when they’re not open, which puts the offense in difficult situations.

Tampa Bay isn’t the best team in the NFL by any stretch. The Buccaneers have struggled to manufacture touchdowns in the red zone all season long. However, with the way Buffalo has been playing, I think you should pick Tampa Bay to win this one.

Odds:
+295
My Pick:
Tampa Buccaneers to win

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