NFL Week 8: 5 favorites to bet on the spread

5. Indianapolis Colts (-3) at Oakland Raiders

The Raiders have traded off just about everybody who can play. Of course, that wasn’t a long list to begin with, beginning with Khalil Mack and ending with Amari Cooper. Oakland now comes off its bye week at 1-5 and trying to figure out how it is going to stop anybody, making this a tough time to see Andrew Luck. The Colts have myriad problems of their own, but the quarterback alone makes them a favorite worth betting on in this affair.

4. Washington Redskins (-1) at New York Giants

The Redskins are leading the NFC East by a full game and a half over the struggling Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, and can maintain or widen that advantage on Sunday against the Giants. New York is a complete and utter train wreck at 1-6, with Eli Manning failing to throw the ball more than three yards downfield on more attempts. If the Redskins can avoid turning the ball over — and let’s not forget that Alex Smith is their quarterback, they should walk out with a win.

3. Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (-13)

The only reason this isn’t the top line in this piece is because the Patriots might blow the Bills completely out of the water and end up sitting Tom Brady for the second half. Buffalo is the worst team in football but any measure but record, with the Bills somehow having won two games on the year. The Bills are starting Derek Anderson in this Monday night affair, and despite actually having a respectable defense, there’s a good chance the Patriots go for 30 points or so.

2. Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-10)

The Chiefs have already beaten the Broncos once and this time, the game is at Arrowhead Stadium. While it appears Kansas City could well be without Justin Houston, Mitch Morse and Eric Berry, it still has Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt, Travis Kelce and Sammy Watkins on the field. In other words, checkmate. Denver has enough defensive talent to make a stop here and there, but you’re likely asking Case Keenum to score 24 or more points on the road to cover this spread.

1. Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers (-8)

Look, the Browns are improved, but that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement considering the team was 1-31 over its past two seasons. The Steelers are coming off their bye week and are at home. On top of that, Pittsburgh has been listening to how it only tied Cleveland in Week 1 since that final missed field goal, and so the Steelers have plenty of reason to come out with vengeance on their collective minds. This should be a shelling from start to finish.