CBS Sports Projects Commanders, Jaguars to Win in Week 8 Amidst Analyst Slump

The NFL analyst desk at CBS Sports has released its predictions for Week 8 games, a slate that follows a difficult stretch for the service in the previous round. In the most recent week of action, the analysts went 8-6 straight up and 7-6-1 against the spread. The five designated locks for that period went 2-3, bringing the season total for those high-confidence picks to 17-17-1. The overall record against the spread stands at 45-59-3, while the moneyline record is 65-41-1.

The Week 8 board features five teams that the service has flagged as primary winners: the Jaguars, Bengals, Rams, Patriots, and Commanders. These selections are based on statistical disparities between opponents, including yards per play, passer ratings, and recent injury reports. The remaining games in the schedule are projected with smaller margins, reflecting a more balanced competitive field in those matchups.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are favored to defeat the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Colts are 2-5 and have lost three consecutive games. They average 4.5 yards per play, a figure tied with Philadelphia for the worst in the league. Quarterback Daniel Jones has thrown an interception in all but one game this season and ranks 31st of 33 eligible passers in rating. Jacksonville allows an 87.7 passer rating and has recorded seven interceptions, tying for third in the league. The projected score is Jaguars 33, Colts 20, with a spread of Jaguars -7.5.

The Cincinnati Bengals are picked to beat the Tennessee Titans at 1 p.m. The analysis notes that Cincinnati scored 35 points in the second half of its previous victory over Baltimore. Tennessee ranks 29th in passer rating and is tied for last in yards per attempt. The Bengals defense allows touchdowns on 35% of red zone trips, the third-best efficiency in the NFL, while the Titans score on 47.4% of their visits, ranking 27th. The projection is Bengals 35, Titans 21, with a spread of Bengals -10.5.

The Los Angeles Rams are expected to overcome the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium at 4:05 p.m., despite the Chargers being listed as the road team. The winless Chargers have a 5.6% turnover-worthy throw rate for quarterback Justin Herbert, the highest in the league. The Rams allow 186.3 passing yards per game, the fourth-lowest total, and have five interceptions. The projection is Rams 30, Chargers 17, with a spread of Rams -6.5.

The New England Patriots are favored to beat the Miami Dolphins at 4:25 p.m. The Dolphins earned their first win of the season against the Jets, but the analysis does not project a repeat performance. The Patriots are 8-4-1 against the spread on the road under head coach Mike Vrabel. They have gone 3-2 as road favorites, winning those contests by an average of 13 points. Miami allows 5.7 yards per play and a league-high 116.8 passer rating. The projection is Patriots 30, Dolphins 20, with a spread of Patriots -7.5.

The Washington Commanders are projected to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Sunday night game on NBC at 8:20 p.m. The Eagles played on Monday night and face a short week against a Washington team returning from a bye. The Commanders lost receiver Terry McLaurin for the season with a torn patellar tendon in Week 6. Stefon Diggs, Antonio Williams, and Chig Okonkwo are expected to provide support in the receiving corps. The Eagles are 0-2 against the spread on the road with an average margin of minus 8.0. The projection is Commanders 27, Eagles 17, with a spread of Commanders -4.

The remaining games in Week 8 include the Packers as 3.5-point favorites over the Panthers on Thursday. The Cardinals are 6-point underdogs at the Cowboys. The Falcons are 2.5-point underdogs at the Buccaneers. The Ravens are 3.5-point underdogs at the Bills. The Steelers are 3.5-point favorites over the Browns. The Raiders are 1.5-point underdogs at the Jets. The Lions are 3.5-point favorites over the Vikings. The Chiefs are 1.5-point favorites at the Broncos. The Seahawks are 3-point favorites over the Bears on Monday.