194 feet was one foot too short and the Saints survived against the Panthers playing without Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders . Week 7 had all of the most likely chosen teams win, so it’s on to week 8 for almost everyone in your pool. Bye weeks and the dwindling number of teams to choose from will make navigating the next few weeks critical in giving you a chance to win your pool. Is it time to take teams that aren’t the most likely to win so that you may be able to gain an edge on your pool?
As we always look for home favorites of 7 or more points, week 8 provides us with just two. The Chiefs are 19 ½ point favorite over the Jets and will be the team chosen by most in pools. This is a slam dunk and I’ve recommended waiting on choosing the Chiefs so that you can use them either this week or next. The Jets defense played better in week 7 holding the Bills to 6 field goals, but their offense could only muster 4 total yards in the second half. Yes, that’s 4 yards. Good thing Adam Gase gave up the play-calling so that no one could blame it on him.
The Eagles at home are 7 ½ point favorites over the Cowboys, and this is the last chance to take them before the last two weeks of the season. The Cowboys are going to be starting Ben DiNucci. DiNucci was at Pitt then transferred to James Madison (where I was able to see him play as my daughter was a student there). He’s a decent QB, but NFL ready? Not a chance. The Eagles secondary is made of swiss cheese, but the defensive line will not give him time to throw and mistakes will be made. The Cowboys secondary may be worse than the Eagles and Carson Wentz should be able to lead multiple drives into Cowboys territory. It won’t be a popular pick, but it’s one to consider.
The only other favorite of more than 7 on the board is Tampa over the Giants by 10 ½ on Monday night in the swamps of Jersey. Tom Brady won’t have Chris Godwin to throw to as he broke his finger and had surgery to repair it. He’s not expected to miss a lot of time but will definitely be out this week. Brady has been on fire the last four weeks leading the NFL in touchdowns and was 4th in passing yards over that time. Leonard Fournette returned from injury, and you might say that it’s no big deal, but he adds another threat from the backfield and the Giants will have to respect that when he’s on the field. The Giants are going to have a tough time against the Tampa pass rush and this will be the biggest problem for them on offense.
The Packers come off of their win in week 7 as 6 ½ point favorites at home over the Vikings. Davante Adams had a monster game with 196 yards and two touchdowns. The Vikings rank 29th in yards passing allowed per game and expect Rodgers and Adams to continue to put up some big numbers. The Vikings come off their bye having traded Yannick Ngakoue and that won’t help their cause. Dalvin Cook is still questionable to return from his groin injury, but if he does this could be a boost to the Minnesota offense. The Packers give up an average of 110 yds rushing/game, which ranks them 12th in the league. Divisional games are always tough, but the Packers should prevail as the Vikings may have entered tank mode.
Joe Burrow led a comeback in the late 4th quarter only to see the defense give it right back at the end of the game to the Browns. This week they face the Titans at home and are 6 point underdogs. The Titans lost an opportunity on another Stephen Gostkowski missed field goal to stay unbeaten. Facing the 28th ranked rushing defense, expect a big game from Derrick Henry . The Titans will try to stay on the field with the running attack to keep Burrow off the field. Burrow gives the Bengals a chance, but the defense won’t be able to stop Tannehill, Henry, Brown, and company.
The picks so far: Buffalo, Arizona, Chargers, Rams, Dallas, Miami, and New Orleans.
Pick of the Week: Tampa Bay
Seriously? I’m not taking the Chiefs? Spoiler alert: I’m saving them for next week. Tampa should handle the Giants despite being on the road. Taking Tampa also helps out next week when most people won’t be able to take the Chiefs. This is a strategy pick. If you are in a pool where you can take a team multiple times, then of course the Chiefs are the pick. I actually like four of these games this week and would be comfortable taking any of them (leaving out the Eagles). Looking ahead and taking the Chiefs next week allows me to plan on Green Bay in week 10 and Pittsburgh in week 11 both against the Jaguars. If I took the Chiefs this week that leaves New England and Pittsburgh next week. The Patriots are a mess and even though they play the Jets, I’d rather not go in that direction. Tampa has an 83% chance of winning and I’m going to go with that. Good luck this week and we’ll see you back for week 8 and my pick of the Chiefs. As always questions answered on Twitter @gasdoc_spit
Player News
Fox Sports’ Jordan Szhultz reports Packers signed LB/S Isaiah Simmons, formerly of the Giants.
The former first-round hybrid linebacker and safety has yet to live up to his No. 8 overall selection in the 2020 draft, but brings the unique ability to fill multiple positions over the middle of the field to a Packers defense that prefers to play a more inside-out style. There is upside in his athletic profile and versatility - perhaps another change of scenery will serve to unlock some of that potential.
Steelers signed WR Robert Woods, formerly of the Texans, to a one-year, $2 million contract.
The 33-year-old wide receiver has long since seen his days of 100-target seasons fall by the wayside, but he still adds a veteran presence to a relatively young wide receiver room in Pittsburgh. Woods played over 60% of the offensive snaps for the Texans just twice in 2024 after doing so 13 times in 2023, indicating a high likelihood he was brought in for his locker room presence and veteran savvy rather than as a consistent contributor to the offense. The low risk signing makes sense for both parties considering Woods’ age and the state of the Pittsburgh pass-catching corps.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports the Browns met with free agent WR Diontae Johnson.
Johnson had a forgettable 2024, to put it mildly. The former Steelers receiver saw himself traded to the Panthers last offseason only to later be traded to the Ravens, where his lack of playing time eventually led to his release. He then found his way to the wide receiver-needy Texans, who rostered him for just over three weeks. He was then claimed off waivers by the Ravens but was not eligible to play during the postseason. Now a free agent, Johnson, 28, has not enjoyed the market many expected him to see this time last year. He’s a productive receiver who has amassed 424 catches for 4,738 yards and 28 touchdowns in his six-year career, but it goes without saying that he’s likely in brand rebuilding mode as far as this offseason is concerned. It’s hard to imagine any team giving him a lucrative contract after last year’s disastrous campaign. That said, Johnson could still still provide help to plenty of needy teams and could prove to be a valuable contributor at a cost-efficient price. This is the first visit we’ve heard of for Johnson, who may meet with other teams before signing.
Commanders signed Louisville WR Ja’Corey Brooks.
Brooks (6’2/184) was a highly-regarded recruit coming out of high school and committed to Alabama with offers from Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, and Penn State among others. Brooks got on the map as a sophomore with 674 yards and eight touchdowns. He didn’t play much as a junior while dealing with a shoulder injury and transferred to Louisville for his senior season. Brooks returned to form in 2024 with a 61/1,013/9 receiving line as the Cardinals’ leading receiver. Louisville used Brooks to stretch the field with a 15.1 aDOT. Brooks doesn’t have a speedy top gear, meaning he was forced to win contested targets. Over a quarter of his looks were contested in his final season, but he did manage to reel in nearly 70 percent of those looks. Brooks also struggled with drops throughout his career and logged a 10 percent drop rate in 2024. Brooks needs to flesh out his route tree and clean up the drops to find a consistent role in the pros.
Giants signed South Carolina CB O’Donnell Fortune
Fortune (6’1/189) played five years with South Carolina, starting his final two years with the Gamecocks. His best season came in 2024, where he finished with 47 total tackles, a forced fumble, three interceptions, and three pass defections. Against the rush, Fortune posted a lackluster 54.0 run defense grade with 20.7% missed tackle rate. He is quick and has good vision, however there are times where he hesitates causing him to miss important tackle opportunities. Fortune blossomed on the outside though, posting a pristine 90.1 PFF coverage grade in 2024. He’s not as physical as he could be in contested catch situations and can be sluggish in his transitions. Despite his limitations versus the run, the potential is there for Fortune to become a regular on nickel packages as a coverage specialist.
Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald said Jalen Milroe “is a quarterback through and through.”
Macdonald’s comments come on the heels of him being asked if Milroe could be used in a “Taysom Hill role.” The second-year coach said Milroe is “going to be trained to play quarterback” and added that Milroe will be playing QB when he is on the field. Milroe is a hyper-athletic but raw prospect at the quarterback position and is expected to need a year or two of grooming to improve his abilities as a passer and decision-making. It would not be at all surprising if we saw him in some select packages this upcoming season, but it sounds like the team will not be using him in the hybrid role we’ve grown accustomed to seeing for Hill.