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With the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans on a bye, the AFC South went 1-1 final week. QB Trevor Lawrence led a 46-yard landing drive within the last 4 minutes because the Jacksonville Jaguars edged the New Orleans Saints, and the Indianapolis Colts suffered a heartbreaking loss within the last minute to the Cleveland Browns.
Listed below are predictions for Week 8’s slate of video games:
Houston Texans (3-3) vs. Carolina Panthers (0-6): The Panthers have truly been surprisingly good in opposition to the cross on protection (ranked ninth within the league). That begs the questions: How does rookie C.J. Stroud bounce again from throwing the primary interception of his profession, and the way does he fare in opposition to a top-10 cross protection?
Stroud threw for 242 yards in opposition to Baltimore, 199 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in opposition to New Orleans, and 249 yards and a landing in opposition to Atlanta, which have the Nos. 2-, 4- and 6-ranked cross defenses, respectively.
Exterior of Adam Thielen, the Panthers offense doesn’t provide a lot by way of playmakers, and Bryce Younger ranks twenty second in touchdowns and Thirtieth in passing yards, making this one of many simpler matchups on Houston’s schedule. It would keep attention-grabbing within the first half, however the Texans ought to draw back as the sport wears on.
PREDICTION: Texans 31, Panthers 20
Indianapolis Colts (3-4) vs. New Orleans Saints (3-4): The Saints are already 1-2 in opposition to the AFC South this 12 months, and their lone win was a one-point victory over the Titans in Week 1. The Saints have dominated their AFC South opponents in complete yards, first downs and time of possession, they usually’ve gained the turnover battle. What’s been their Achilles’ heel is red-zone offense. New Orleans went a mixed 3-for-12 in journeys to the crimson zone in opposition to the Titans, Texans and Jaguars.
Gardner Minshew has thrown for 300 yards in back-to-back video games, and Josh Downs has emerged as an actual weapon within the cross sport (16 receptions, 243 yards, two touchdowns over his final three video games). Jonathan Taylor seems to be discovering his groove, and Zack Moss is an ideal complementary piece within the run sport as effectively. The Saints have a top-10 protection, and it’ll be examined on Sunday.
PREDICTION: Colts 26, Saints 21
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2): Winners of 4 in a row, the Jacksonville appears to be rounding into type. In video games in opposition to groups with profitable information, the Jags have performed a few of their greatest soccer, edging out the Buffalo Payments, dominating the Atlanta Falcons and taking part in the Chiefs to inside one rating.
Pittsburgh is a troublesome workforce to peg as all 4 of its wins have are available one-score video games whereas each its losses have been blowouts. That is to not point out the unpredictability of a Matt Canada-coached offense. This sport will come all the way down to how effectively QB Kenny Pickett performs. The Steelers have the fifth-worst dashing offense within the NFL, and the Jags have the No. 4 dashing protection, so Pittsburgh’s success will seemingly have to come back from Pickett’s arm.
Conversely, Trevor Lawrence has averaged 227 yards passing with 5 touchdowns and only one interception in Jacksonville’s four-game win streak, and Travis Etienne is fourth within the NFL in dashing yards and third in touchdowns. The Thirtieth-ranked Steelers protection may have its palms full.
PREDICTION: Jaguars 24, Steelers 13
Tennessee Titans (2-4) vs. Atlanta Falcons (4-3): Don’t count on loads of offense on this one with the Titans beginning rookie QB Will Levis and Atlanta’s Desmond Ridder throwing a number of touchdowns simply as soon as in seven video games. Although head coach Mike Vrabel mentioned Levis and Malik Willis will each play, this isn’t the preseason, so one ought to clearly get the lion’s share of the snaps. My cash is on Levis.
With Tennessee breaking in a brand new QB, the Falcons ought to count on to see a wholesome dose of Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears. Henry’s rushed for 60 or extra yards in 4 of six video games, and Spears has performed 52 p.c or extra of Tennessee’s offensive snaps in 5 of six video games. The Titans RB duo versus the Falcons run protection, which ranks No. 8 within the NFL and is certainly one of 12 items to permit lower than 100 yards dashing per sport, is the matchup to observe.
PREDICTION: Falcons 22, Titans 16
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