One of the biggest games of the week will be the Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens showdown as the two teams vie for the top spot in the conference. Which team has the upper hand? That’s where we’ll start with our look at the top underdogs for NFL Week 8 AFC betting.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
NFL Week 8 AFC Betting Odds
Pittsburgh Steelers +3.5
While Baltimore is coming in as the 3.5-point favorite in this game, this matchup is closer than the online betting lines suggest. The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a huge victory over the Tennessee Titans in their last game, keeping them unbeaten throughout the first seven weeks of the season. They also have the No. 1 defense in the NFL at the moment, which is a tribute to their incredible pass rush and potent secondary. The Steelers are bound to give Baltimore all they can handle in this division clash between two AFC powerhouses – especially since the Ravens haven’t been able to generate much success passing the football this year. Pittsburgh will be able to cover the spread in this matchup.
Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns
NFL Week 8 AFC Betting Odds
Las Vegas Raiders +2.5
The Las Vegas Raiders are currently listed as the underdog heading into this matchup after their loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are facing off against the Cleveland Browns who were able to get a big divisional win against the Cincinnati Bengals in their last matchup in week 7. Baker Mayfield impressed with five touchdown passes. However, this game is going to be much closer than expected. The Browns just lost star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for the year (ACL). His absence will limit the options that Baker Mayfield has to throw to. Stay up-to-date with all NFL injury news here.
All signs point to them being without their star running back Nick Chubb as well, although Kareem Hunt has been filling in admirably. The Raiders will need to limit their mistakes and get their rushing attack going. This is something they haven’t been able to do in recent weeks. If they can, it will take a ton of pressure off their inexperienced defense. This will allowing them to avoid fatigue and fly around against the injury-riddled Cleveland offense. Even though the Browns are the home favorites here, watch out for the Raiders to come in and cover the spread.
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos
NFL Week 8 AFC Betting Odds
Denver Broncos +3
Another AFC game that could be closer than the NFL odds suggest is the division matchup between the Chargers and the Denver Broncos. The Chargers are listed as three-point favorites in this contest. This is after their 39-29 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in their last matchup in week 7. Meanwhile, the Broncos were completely dismantled at home by the Kansas City Chiefs, losing 43-16. The Broncos defense isn’t to blame for that loss, as the Chiefs had scored on special teams and on defense. They held Patrick Mahomes to just 200 yards passing and only allowed 101 total rushing yards. If Denver is able to generate some type of offense in this game, then they should be able to make this competitive.
