NFL: Richard Graves gives the lowdown on all the Week Eight action

Sky Sports News' Richard Graves previews the weekend's NFL action and gives his predictions for the next round of games.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26

Detroit Lions @ Atlanta Falcons (London) Live on Sky Sports 2 HD, 12.30pm

Detroit's much feared offense isn't firing on all cylinders, but they're doing just enough to win at the moment - aided by the League's No 1 ranked defense which is conceding an average of only 15 points per game, a figure which is only bettered by the Baltimore Ravens. WR Calvin Johnson is still a big doubt with an ankle sprain, but he has travelled to London although, with a bye week next week, the Lions may elect to hold him out again. 

The Atlanta Falcons offensive line resembles the team's current form - a mess! Already missing starting linemen, Sam Baker, Lamar Holmes and centre, Joe Hawley, Hawley's replacement, Peter Konz is now out for the season with a knee injury as well! It all means that QB Matt Ryan is getting very little protection in the pocket. He was sacked five times against the Ravens and Atlanta were held to just 254 total yards. You have to believe the Lions defense are licking their lips in anticipation of this match-up. 

Amazingly with a 2-5 record, the Falcons are just a game and a half outside first place in the NFC South and a win at Wembley would put them right back in play-off contention but......that's a mean defensive line in Detroit!

Pick: Detroit Lions

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals Live on Sky Sports 2 HD, 4.45pm

The Ravens are flying high right now while the Bengals season is in danger of collapsing!

With five wins from their last six games, Baltimore are perched above everyone else in the AFC North and the emphatic nature of their wins in Tampa and then over Atlanta in their last two outings suggest they are the class of this division. 

Meanwhile a Cincinnati team which was once 3-0 haven't won in their last three games and were shut out in a humbling 27-0 defeat in Indianapolis last weekend. This is a team in desperate need of their star WR AJ Green, who's missed the last two games with a toe problem. Their opening day win in Baltimore seems a long time ago now. 

Pick: Baltimore Ravens

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Philadelphia Eagles @ Arizona Cardinals Live on Sky Sports 2 HD, 8.15pm

Two teams with 5-1 records clash in the desert at the University of Phoenix stadium. The Arizona Cardinals continue to fly beneath the radar despite holding the outright lead ahead of the 49ers and the Seahawks in the NFC West. QB Carson Palmer was once again quietly efficient, throwing for 253 yards and 2 TDs in the win over Oakland. While RB Andre Ellington wracked up 160 total yards. Defensively, the Cardinals allowed just 220 total yards and 13 points. 

Coming off a bye, the Eagles have had a fortnight to prepare for this game and remember their last match was a highly satisfying 27-0 shut out of the Giants. That being said, I'm still not sold on Chip Kelly's high flying Eagles. Their defense ranks just 24th in the NFL, giving up 22 points per game and offensively, QB Nick Foles' play has been shakey at best, completing less than 60 percent of his passes while throwing 10 TDs and 7 interceptions through six games - he's also lost three fumbles. 

Pick: Arizona Cardinals

St. Louis Rams @ Kansas City Chiefs

Did ANYONE predict a Rams win over the Seahawks last weekend?! No.......me neither! A mixture of good running, fake punts and a misdirection play on Special Teams was just enough to pull off a stunning upset and give St. Louis just their 2nd win of the year. However, that papers over the cracks. The Rams defense still allowed Russell Wilson to throw for over 300 yards and rush for more than 100 yards and those sort of figures are going to result in more losses than wins. 

The Chiefs bounced back from the bye week with a good win over Divisonal rivals, San Diego Chargers and the AFC West is now a three-way battle. RB Jamaal Charles scored a TD and rushed for 95 yards, making him Kansas City Chiefs' all time leading rusher with 6,113 yards and he figures to have another big game against a Rams unit which ranks 25th in the NFL against the run. 

Pick: Kansas City Chiefs

Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans

At one point this season, people spoke of Houston's defensive line as one of the best in football - not on Monday nights showing they're not. JJ Watt might very well be the best defensive lineman in the game, but he can't do it all himself and if first overall pick, Jadeveon Clowney returns this week, that will be a big help. The Texans gave up 21 points in just over a minute late in the first half of their defeat to the Steelers and when you've got Ryan Fitzpatrick as your QB, that's just too big a mountain to climb!

The Titans continue to struggle and even though the Washington Redskins put Colt McCoy in at QB on Sunday, they still couldn't find a way to beat them. If Clowney does return for Houston this week, whether it remains Charlie Whitehurst or Jake Locker returns at QB for the Titans, it could be a long day! This unit has done little since week one to spark any confidence on either side of the ball and this game may well be decided by which team makes fewer mistakes. 

Pick: Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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The Minnesota Vikings had the Buffalo Bills beaten but allowed a final 15 play, 80 yard drive - including a 4th & 20 conversion - resulting in a TD with just one second remaining. They lost by a point and with a 2-5 record they are now rock bottom of the NFC North and three games adrift of the top two. 

The Bucs had a bye last week and by the time this game gets underway they'll have had two weeks to dwell on that mauling they suffered at the hands of the Ravens. 

QB Josh McCown has returned to practice this week after four weeks out with a thumb injury, but Mike Glennon was taking snaps with the first team at the start of the week and he looks set to continue under centre. 

Despite Minnesota's heartbreaking loss, there was a lot to like about the Vikings performance in Buffalo. The defense forced four turnovers and had six sacks, while RB Jerrick McKinnon rushed for 103 yards. Enough to give them the edge in this match-up. 

Pick: Minnesota Vikings

Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers

If the Seahawks pride was hurt by the defeat to Dallas, then last weekend's loss in St. Louis is likely to have blown a few gaskets. True, they were missing CB Byron Maxwell and key LB Bobby Wagner but their first half performance was uncharacteristically lethargic. I've heard a lot of talk this week about teams working out how to play Seattle but you write this team off at your peril. 

Carolina must go into this game with some intrepidation. They've shipped 75 points in their last 2 games! They were never in the contest against Green Bay and that performance does not bode well heading into a clash with the defending Super Bowl champions

The last time the Seahawks were at 0.500, was after Week 8 in 2012 (4-4), they won 7 of their last 8 games!

Pick: Seattle Seahawks

Miami Dolphins @ Jacksonville Jaguars

A week after giving up a game winning touchdown drive at home to the Green Bay Packers the Miami Dolphins went up to Chicago and did a number on the Bears - beating them 27-14. It was a badly needed win as well which keeps them just a game and a half behind the New England Patriots in the AFC East. The Dolphins defense came up big, limiting Chicago to just 224 total yards on offense and forcing three turnovers. 

The Jaguars have their first win but it came at a cost. Leading tackler for the last two years, linebacker, Paul Posluszny tore his pectoral muscle against the Browns and will miss the rest of the season. Defensive end Andre Branch will miss the next six weeks with a groin injury. Neither is good news for a team leaning on its defense to keep them in games - Jacksonville's offense ranks 31st in the NFL and is dead last in points scored, averaging just 15 points a game!

Last weekend's win may serve as a brief rest bite for the Jaguars. This is a game the Dolphins are expected to win. 

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Pick: Miami Dolphins

Chicago Bears @ New England Patriots

Head Coach, Marc Trestman called their performance "unacceptable" WR Brandon Marshall was heard shouting a few choice words in the locker room following another home defeat for the Chicago Bears and QB Jay Cutler... he turned the ball over twice - again! Cutler's carelessness with the ball is an issue which has plagued Chicago all season and while it's not the only factor in their four losses - it's certainly a big one. The good news is that all three of the Bears wins have come on the road. 

New England await the Bears in Foxborough and they're riding a three game winning streak, albeit after blocking a last second field goal which would have seen the Jets beat them on their last outing. With a 5-2 record the AFC East is taking on a familiar look as the Patriots occupy first place, but they have shown they're fallable this season and despite Jay Cutler's sloppy play the Bears on their day have an offense capable of dominating anyone. Even so, New England don't lose many home games and Brady should be able to expose a Chicago secondary depleted by injuries - rookie CB Kyle Fuller the latest victim with a broken hand.

Pick: New England Patriots

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets

Buffalo will be on a high this week after QB Kyle Orton engineered an 80 yard game winning TD drive with one second left to play against the Minnesota Vikings and rookie WR Sammy Watkins was outstanding, finishing with nine catches for 122 yards and two TDs including the game winner! What will concern the Bills is the protection (or lack of it) from their offensive line - Orton got sacked six times on Sunday and a Jets defense which still ranks in the top 10 in the NFL - despite six straight defeats - will sense an opportunity. 

At 1-6 things look bleak for the New York Jets but the organisation clearly hasn't thrown in the towel on the season just yet - surprising everyone with last week's trade to acquire WR Percy Harvin from the Seahawks. His arrival certainly gives the Jets another attacking dimension and judging by their performance in Thursday's narrow loss to the Patriots this team is still playing hard for HC Rex Ryan. They may just get their reward this week at home to an erratic Buffalo Bills outfit.

Pick: New York Jets

Oakland Raiders @ Cleveland Browns

What is there left to say about the Oakland Raiders? Defeat to Arizona last weekend was their 12th straight loss in a run going back to last season. They are now the only winless team in the NFL and this is their worst start to a season since they lost their first 13 games back in 1962! 

Before any Cleveland fans start smiling though......what happened in Jacksonville?! Final minute of the first half, 6-0 up and with a chance to kick 40+ yard FG to make it 9-0, the Browns decided to go for it on fourth down and failed. From there the Jags took a half time lead with a TD and never looked back! For a team who had swept aside the Steelers the week before, this brought them back to earth with a bump. The second half in Jacksonville was the worst half of football in HC Mike Pettine's tenure - the Browns didn't score a point and QB Brian Hoyer was terrible, throwing 3 picks and finishing with a QB passer rating of 46.3. Despite that, it's hard to believe they can be as bad two weeks running.

Pick: Cleveland Browns

Indianpolis Colts @ Pittsburgh Steelers

The Colts Offense is firing on all cylinders right now and on Sunday they're defense showed up as well - shutting out the Bengals 5th ranked offense and sacking QB Andy Dalton three times. 

Combine that with Andrew Luck's stats - 27 completions for 344 yards and two TDs....and you've got the recipe for success. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be feeling pretty good about them selves this week as well, getting a much needed win on Monday night. A win which - despite their spluttering start - leaves them just a game outside of first place in the AFC North with a 4-3 record. RB Le'Veon Bell had a big game against Houston with 145 total yards while WR Antonio Brown had 90 receiving yards and threw a TD! That being said, this is not the old Pittsburgh side with the "steel curtain" defense and Luck may well expose their flaws. 

Pick: Indianapolis Colts

Green Bay Packers @ New Orleans Saints

The Packers go to the SuperDome riding a four game winning streak and Aaron Rodgers now takes on a Saints defensive unit which has been hugely disappointing this season. They rank 21st overall and are giving up 27 points per game. When you consider only Indianapolis have scored more points than Green Bay's 199 this year, the omens for New Orleans aren't good. 

The Saints are 2-4 after surrendering a 13 point lead in Detroit with under four minutes to play last weekend but they are a different animal at home - they've won their last 10 in a row there! The Saints offense ranks 2nd in the NFL and there's every reason to believe this could develop into an old fashioned shoutout between two very good quarterbacks. Rodgers has the hot hand right now but it's impossible to overlook that Saints home record. 

Pick: New Orleans Saints

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys

There's never anything straight forward about an NFC East clash but this Dallas Cowboys offense might just be the most complete unit in football right now. 

DeMarco Murray broke Jim Brown's 56-year-old record last weekend as he opened the season with his seventh straight 100 rushing yard game. When he wasn't running the ball WR Dez Bryant was dominating the Giants secondary as he finished the game with nine catches for 151 yards and Tony Romo has now thrown 13 TDs with just three interceptions in a six game winning streak that leaves Dallas at 6-1 - the best record in the NFL. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, Sunday's game saw the Cowboys wrack up over 400 total yards on offense for the fourth consecutive game - the first time they've done that since 1976!

In contrast the Redskins have problems. Kirk Cousins - the QB many believed might suit their system better when Robert Griffin III got injured - was benched during Sunday's win over Tennessee and HC Jay Gruden has said that if RGIII isn't fit enough to return on Monday night then former University of Texas QB Colt McCoy will get the start in Dallas. Defensively there's been bad news as well this week after it was confirmed that pass rusher Brian Orakpo has torn a pectoral muscle and will miss the remainder of the season. 

Washington would love to be the road block which halts the Cowboys, but they're propping up the division and it would take something special for that that happen. 

Pick: Dallas Cowboys

Watch the San Diego Chargers take on the Denver Broncos on SS1 from 1.25am on Friday, followed by the Detroit Lions @ Atlanta Facons, Baltimore Ravens @​ Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles​ @ Arizona Cardinals live on Sky Sports 2 from 12.30pm on Sunday.