Week 8 NFL Best Bets: Colts, Patriots Go Back In Time To Lead AFC

By Bill Speros Oct 20th, 2025 12:04 PM EDT

Drake Maye and Daniels Jones have their teams atop the AFC and 10-4 ATS.

The AFC has gone full 2005 in 2025, and we’ve taken notice in our Week 8 NFL Best Bets. The Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots own the top two playoff spots in the conference. But this time, Peyton Manning spends his Sundays prepping for each Monday night ManningCast. And Tom Brady quarterbacks the FOX Game of the Week as the network's No. 1 analyst.

This year, Daniel Jones has done his best to imitate Manning. And Drake Maye fills the QB 1 spot long-held by Brady in New England. While both QBs trail Patrick Mahomes & Josh Allen (among others) in MVP markets, each has emerged as just the right leader at the just the right for just the right roster. True to his moniker, Indiana Jones brings a long and varied history to Indy (6-1). A true anti-hero, this “Indy” does whatever’s necessary using the most rudimentary tools available, plus Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren. Maye comes straight out of QB central casting. He stands around +1500 to win MVP at most top sports betting sites. His youth bodes well for Mike Vrabel and a Patriots (5-2) fanbase that hasn’t enjoyed a playoff victory since Super Bowl 53.

How About Them Broncos?

The national Sunday 4:25 p.m. on CBS sends Jim Nantz and Tony Romo to Denver as the Cowboys visit the Miracle Mile High Broncos. Denver scored 33 points in the 4^th quarter Sunday to erase a 26-8 lead with less than 7 minutes to play and nab stunning 33-32 win with a field goal at the gun. Week 8 begins on Thursday as the Minnesota Vikings visit the Los Angeles Chargers. The Sunday night game sends Green Bay to Pittsburgh. Washington visits Kansas City on Monday night. There are 6 games in the 1 p.m. Sunday window. And the NFL has finished its run of games in Ireland and the UK.

There are six NFL teams on the bye this week: Detroit, Las Vegas, the LA Rams, Arizona, Seattle and Jacksonville.

NFL Week 8 Best Bets: Odds & Picks

DAY/DATE	MATCHUP	BEST BET	TIME/TV
Thu., Oct. 23	Minnesota Vikings at LA Chargers	LAC -2.5	8:15 p.m. (Prime)
Sun., Oct. 26	Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots	NE -6.5	1 p.m. (FOX)
Sun., Oct. 26	Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons	ATL -9.5	1 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Oct. 26	Chicago Bears at Baltimore Ravens	UNDER 50.5	1 p.m. (FOX)
Sun., Oct. 26	Buffalo Bills at Carolina Panthers	CAR +7.5	1 p.m. (FOX)
Sun., Oct. 26	N.Y. Jets at Cincinnati Bengals	CIN -4.5	1 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Oct. 26	San Francisco 49ers at Houston Texans	UNDER 42.5	1 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Oct. 26	N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia Eagles	OVER 42.5	1 p.m. (FOX)
Sun., Oct. 26	Tampa Bay Bucs at New Orleans Saints	TB -5.5	4:05 p.m. (FOX)
Sun., Oct. 26	Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos	DAL +3	4:25 p.m. (CBS)
Sun., Oct. 26	Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers	PIT -3	8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Mon., Oct. 27	Washington Commanders at K.C. Chiefs	KC -9.5	8:15 p.m. (ABC)

Favorite Underdog / Value Total (O/U)

NFL Week 8 Best Bets: Game-By-Game Breakdown

Thursday, October 23
Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video)

BUZZ: The Vikings and Chargers get the short week after losses on Sunday. The Vikings stumbled at home in 28-22 loss to Philly. The Colts short-circuited the banana-color-clad Chargers 38-24 at Indianapolis. The Chargers were riddled with injuries on offense, and saw their defense wrecked by Colts RB Jonathan Taylor. Thankfully, for LA, the Vikings lack a similar offensive punch.

PICK: Chargers -2.5 (-105) ESPN BET via OddsJam

At 5-2, Mike Vrabel's Patriots have surpassed their 2024 win total after back-to-back 4-13 seasons. (USA TODAY)

Sunday, October 26
Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots, 1 p.m. (FOX)

BUZZ: The 5-2 SU & ATS Patriots may not want to return to Gillette Stadium, having going 4-0 on the road thus far in 2025. New England enters this game on a three-game heater, winning and covering at Buffalo, New Orleans, and Tennessee. The Browns splashed the Dolphins 31-6 Sunday, in what was more an scrimmage than a real game. Cleveland's defense, led ny Myles Garrett, takes dead aim at Drake Maye this week. Maye broke a Tom Brady/Patriots record by completing 21 of 23 pass attempts (for 91.3%) in New England's 31-13 payback-for-Mike Vrabel rout of the Titans. Maye, however, got battered a bit by Tennessee. The Patriots' run game and pass blocking holds the key this week in what could be a slog.

PICK: Patriots -6.5 (-115) DraftKings via OddsJam

Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. (CBS)

BUZZ: The Dolphins have been taking on water for weeks. Mike McDaniel's team got deep-sixed by the Browns 31-6. The Falcons sputtered Sunday night. falling 20-10 to the host 49ers. Atlanta has shown itself capable of playing well against lesser opponents. And they don't get much lesser than the 1-6 Dolphins. And that win over the Jets doesn't really count. The Dolphins have been outscored on average 9.3 PPG.

PICK: Falcons -9.5 (-110) BetMGM via OddsJam

Chicago Bears at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. (CBS)

BUZZ: The ailing Ravens come off the bye and expect to have Lamar Jackson back at QB this week. Dennis Allen's defense faces an upgraded opponent after handling his former team (the Saints) on Sunday. The Bears forced 4 turnovers. Don't expect the Ravens to cooperate as much this week. Given the potential for some rust in terms of the Ravens offense with Jackson back, and the strength of the Bears defense, we'll lean into the under here.

PICK: Under 50.5 Points (-110) DraftKings via OddsJam

Buffalo Bills at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. (FOX)

BUZZ: The red-hot Carolina Panthers have won three straight and now own a share of the best record in the NFL against the spread (5-2). That is not a misprint. Both the Bills and Panthers last lost to the juggernaut that is the New England Patriots. The BIlls come off the bye and a tough Sunday night loss to New England in Week 6. The Panthers beat the Jets Sunday. Which is like . . . beating the Jets. Josh Allen and the Bills need a win here to keep pace with the Patriots in the AFC East. That is not a misprint, either. But the Panthers' defense keeps this one within reach for the hosts.

PICK: Panthers +7.5 (-112) FanDuel via OddsJam

New York Jets at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. (CBS)

BUZZ: Don't get between Joe Flacco and the end zone. The 40-year-old QB threw for 342 yards and 3 TDS in Cincy's upset win over Pittsburgh Thursday. Even without Joe Burrow, the Bengals have some juicy pieces on offense. And more than enough to rattle the going-nowhere-and-still-winless Jets. But Gang Green caught a big break Sunday with the Giants' historic collapse in Denver. Now the Jets are no longer the biggest laughing stock in the Big Apple/Northern New Jersey.

PICK: Bengals -4.5 (-118) FanDuel via OddsJam

San Francisco 49ers at Houston Texans, 1 p.m. (CBS)

BUZZ: The on-again, off-again, often-injured 49ers were on again Sunday night. Christian McCaffrey stacked 200 total yards from scrimmage in San Francisco's 20-10 over Atlanta. CMC ran for 129 of those yards and scored 2 TDs. Expect that to be the 49ers' game-plan until further notice. The Texans came off the bye Monday night but had yet to beat a team with a winning record before facing Seattle.

PICK: Under 42.5 Points (-105) FanDuel via OddsJam

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m. (FOX)

BUZZ: What better way for the Giants to follow the "Worst Loss Ever" than with a visit to Lincoln Financial Field and a game against their bitter NFC East foe Eagles? Big Blue blew leads of 19-0 and 26-8 (with 6:38 to play) in the 4th quarter, while allowing 33 points. “This is going to haunt us for a long time,” said Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger. Eagles, meanwhile, found their defending champion mojo at Minnesota, as Jalen Hurts threw for 326 yards and 3 TDs in a 28-22 win. They have plenty of film on how to score on the Giants, now, as well.

PICK: Over 42.5 Points (-115) BetMGM via OddsJam

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints, 4:05 p.m. (FOX)

BUZZ: Baker Mayfield and the Bucs faced Detroit Monday night. So this one's bound to be a bit of letdown. The Bucs swept New Orleans last season by an average margin of 16 points. The 1-6 Saints have scored more than 22 points just once this season. The Bucs grind out another win here, but it won't be pretty.

PICK: Buccaneers -5.5 (-120) ESPN BET via OddsJam

Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)

BUZZ: How about them . . . Broncos? Denver put up 33 points in the 4th quarter, to beat the Giants Sunday. The Broncos busted leads of 19-0 and 26-8 (with just 6:38 to play) before winning it 33-32 with a field goal at the gun. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo make the call on the national CBS telecast. Dak and the 'Boys routed Washington 44-22 Sunday, keeping the Commanders to just 7 points in the 2nd half. Prescott threw for 3 TDs. The Cowboys have just one loss in the past month, but remain stuck at 3-3-1. They're slightly better on the line at 4-2.

PICK: Cowboys +3 (-115) ESPN BET via OddsJam

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts 4:25 p.m. (CBS)

BUZZ: The No. 9 tiebreaker in the NFL is "best net points in common games." The Patriots beat Tennessee 31-13 Sunday. If New England and Indy get down into the weeds when it comes to playoff seeding, this game may determine the outcome. The Colts average 33.1 points per game. But look for a lot more this week.

PICK: Colts -13.5 (-115) Hard Rock Bet via OddsJam

Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

BUZZ: Aaron Rodgers faces his other former team for the first time since leaving the Packers after the 2022 season. Mike Tomlin and Rodgers have the Steelers on track to win the NFC North, despite their Thursday night loss to Joe Flacco and the Bengals. But they've yet to fully impress. jordan Love and the Packers haven't lost in a month. But their last loss came on the road in the AFC North (to Cleveland). Look for a vintage night from A-Rod against his old squad, especially as a home underdog.

PICK: Steelers +3 (-110) BetMGM via OddsJam

Monday, October 27
Washington Commanders at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)

BUZZ: Happy Sports Equinox! With Game 3 of the World Seires, and the NBA and NHL in action, the NFL completes the sports sweep with Patrick Mahomes, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs playing host to Washington. Mahomes returned this week to the top spot in MVP betting markets. The Chiefs have won and covered in 4 of 5 games since an 0-2 start. Only a miraculous Broncos win to be prevented KC from owning a piece of first place in the AFC West this week. The Commanders absorbed a 44-22 beating Sunday via the Cowboys. Their overall age is showing, as they owned the oldest roster in the NFL in Week 1.

PICK: Chiefs -9.5 (-110) Hard Rock Bet via OddsJam