It’s Week 8! And it’s also Halloween weekend. While teams such as the 49ers, Giants, Texans and Saints can revel in all the Halloween festivities on their bye week, the other 28 squads must remain focused as the season approaches the midway point. 

Will Sam Darnold be seeing ghosts this week when the Seahawks take on the Bears in prime time? Possibly, but it might not matter so long as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the NFL’s receiving leader, is in the area. Perhaps Ben Johnson and the Bears will end up spooked when they face one of the league’s best defenses. 

Jared Goff might have dressed up as famed sack artist Bobby Boucher for Halloween, but on Sunday, he’ll need to be careful of the Vikings’ pass rush, which sacked him 10 times last season and leads the league in sacks this year. While the Vikings are the league’s lone undefeated team, five of our eight writers and editors see the Lions earning their third consecutive victory. 

What could be scarier than a Brian Flores defense? How about Pirates! In another early divisional battle on Sunday, the Falcons will head to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers as they each look to make up ground on the Panthers in the NFC South. In the AFC North, both the Browns and Steelers will fight for the division lead. This time around, Myles Garrett, aka the “Sack Reaper,” won’t be there for Cleveland to add to his quarterback “graveyard.” The most exciting game in the early slate, however, might just be the latest clash between the Ravens and Bills. With Lamar Jackson’s injury status still up in the air, our whole staff has picked Buffalo to win. Later on Sunday, the Broncos will look to keep the Chiefs from sweeping them, but our staff leans toward Kansas City rebounding and securing the win. 

Here’s who we have making picks this season:

Albert Breer, senior writer
Eva Geitheim, news writer
Mitch Goldich, senior editor
Mike Kadlick, senior news writer
Gilberto Manzano, staff writer
Conor Orr, senior writer
John Pluym, managing editor
Matt Verderame, staff writer

NFL, MMQB

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All picks are straight up. Visit SI Betting for picks against the spread and much more gambling content. 

Panthers at PackersAlbert Breer: PackersEva Geitheim: PackersMitch Goldich: PackersMike Kadlick: PackersGilberto Manzano: PanthersConor Orr: PackersJohn Pluym: PackersMatt Verderame: PackersRavens at BillsAlbert Breer: BillsEva Geitheim: BillsMitch Goldich: BillsMike Kadlick: BillsGilberto Manzano: BillsConor Orr: BillsJohn Pluym: BillsMatt Verderame: BillsTitans at BengalsAlbert Breer: BengalsEva Geitheim: BengalsMitch Goldich: BengalsMike Kadlick: BengalsGilberto Manzano: BengalsConor Orr: BengalsJohn Pluym: BengalsMatt Verderame: BengalsCardinals at CowboysAlbert Breer: CowboysEva Geitheim: CowboysMitch Goldich: CowboysMike Kadlick: CowboysGilberto Manzano: CowboysConor Orr: CowboysJohn Pluym: CowboysMatt Verderame: CowboysVikings at LionsAlbert Breer: LionsEva Geitheim: VikingsMitch Goldich: VikingsMike Kadlick: LionsGilberto Manzano: LionsConor Orr: VikingsJohn Pluym: LionsMatt Verderame: LionsRaiders at JetsAlbert Breer: RaidersEva Geitheim: RaidersMitch Goldich: JetsMike Kadlick: RaidersGilberto Manzano: RaidersConor Orr: RaidersJohn Pluym: JetsMatt Verderame: RaidersBrowns at SteelersAlbert Breer: SteelersEva Geitheim: SteelersMitch Goldich: SteelersMike Kadlick: BrownsGilberto Manzano: SteelersConor Orr: SteelersJohn Pluym: SteelersMatt Verderame: SteelersFalcons at BuccaneersAlbert Breer: BuccaneersEva Geitheim: FalconsMitch Goldich: FalconsMike Kadlick: BuccaneersGilberto Manzano: FalconsConor Orr: FalconsJohn Pluym: BuccaneersMatt Verderame: BuccaneersColts at JaguarsAlbert Breer: JaguarsEva Geitheim: JaguarsMitch Goldich: JaguarsMike Kadlick: JaguarsGilberto Manzano: JaguarsConor Orr: JaguarsJohn Pluym: JaguarsMatt Verderame: JaguarsChargers at RamsAlbert Breer: RamsEva Geitheim: RamsMitch Goldich: RamsMike Kadlick: RamsGilberto Manzano: RamsConor Orr: RamsJohn Pluym: RamsMatt Verderame: RamsChiefs at BroncosAlbert Breer: BroncosEva Geitheim: BroncosMitch Goldich: ChiefsMike Kadlick: ChiefsGilberto Manzano: BroncosConor Orr: ChiefsJohn Pluym: ChiefsMatt Verderame: ChiefsPatriots at DolphinsAlbert Breer: PatriotsEva Geitheim: PatriotsMitch Goldich: PatriotsMike Kadlick: PatriotsGilberto Manzano: PatriotsConor Orr: PatriotsJohn Pluym: PatriotsMatt Verderame: PatriotsEagles at CommandersAlbert Breer: CommandersEva Geitheim: CommandersMitch Goldich: CommandersMike Kadlick: EaglesGilberto Manzano: CommandersConor Orr: EaglesJohn Pluym: CommandersMatt Verderame: CommandersBears at SeahawksAlbert Breer: SeahawksEva Geitheim: SeahawksMitch Goldich: SeahawksMike Kadlick: BearsGilberto Manzano: SeahawksConor Orr: SeahawksJohn Pluym: SeahawksMatt Verderame: SeahawksAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow