Bodog Week 8 NFL Picks

There are no warm greetings or friendly introductions for teams visiting Denver - just the cold realization that a trip to the Rockies is going to be anything but pleasant.

Denver's 13-game regular-season home winning streak is the NFL's longest. They were 8-0 at home last season, 3-0 this season. Since 2001, Denver's home record is 34-9 (.791), tying New England for the best mark over that time. And now, the lore of the Mile High advantage has reached another high. The Indianapolis Colts - favorites in each of their last eight games - are likely to enter Sunday's contest as 2.5-point underdogs.

While the initial response to Indy's dog-day ranged from shock to amazement, history tells us that oddsmakers might not be, as some bettors suggested, "smoking the peyote." The two teams have met three times since 2004, and the home team has not only won every game - they've also covered.

Another reason to favor Denver? The lousy weather that's expected to plague the game. It's almost become cliche to talk about the fair-climate Colts, but let's do it anyway. The Colts like their surfaces warm, dry and turfed; Mile High is cold, wet and grassy (while Thursday's snow flurries will pass, temperatures could drop to freezing by the time Sunday's kickoff rolls around).

Will home-field advantage and awful atmospheric conditions be enough to knock Indy from the ranks of the undefeated? We'll find out Sunday...

PICKS AGAINST THE POINT SPREAD

QUICK HITS

Compiled by Bodog Nation Contributing Writers

Yeah, you shouldn’t forget Meltdown Monday. After nearly making their fans choke on their bratwurst, Chicago squeaked past the Cardinals two weeks ago then had a bye week to regroup. The lesson for bettors from the Bears’ close call is simple: Rex Grossman isn’t an elite quarterback and he can be rattled with enough movement and diverse packages on defense. Remember that for later in the year. This Sunday, the monsters should have their way. - AB

After a 41-38 epic win over the Steelers, the Falcons travel to play another quality AFC North team. Don’t plan on seeing 79 points, though. The under is 21-8-1 in Atlanta’s last 30 road games. Also, the Bengals are struggling to score points. They’ve average 14.3 in their past three games, including the last two against NFC South teams (Carolina and Tampa Bay). Cincy may be favored, but the Falcons have won the last six meetings, dating to 1988. - AB

Matt Leinart’s a daddy. His ex-girlfriend, a guard on the USC women’s basketball team, gave birth to a boy, Cole, on Wednesday. More proof that Leinart’s no longer a Trojan man, but a bonafied grown up responsible for being a caretaker to the undeveloped and helpless, like the Cardinals. The Desert Dogs visit Lambeau Field, where the low is expected to be 28 degrees. The only thing colder could be Dennis Green’s job prospects if the Cardinals fall to 1-7. -AB

The Texans didn’t turn the ball over last week. That fact is a key reason they stunned Jacksonville, 27-7. Houston goes for two wins in a row – and three in four games – when it visits the Titans, who had a bye to savor their first win of the season (a 25-22 shocker at Washington). Expect points: the over is 7-1 in Tennessee’s last eight home games. - AB

No Matt Hasselbeck or Shaun Alexander equals the Super Bowl runner-up Seahawks as a big underdog in Kansas City. Seneca Wallace gets the start for Seattle at QB, and he’ll get to face one of two Chief teams: the side that got blown out 45-7 by Pittsburgh in Week 6 or the one that beat San Diego 30-27 in Week 8. At this point, anything is possible for Herm Edwards’ squad. - JB

It must’ve looked good for Brian Billick and Co. when the schedule came out: A bye week and then a trip to New Orleans. Easy, right? Not so fast. The Saints continue to prove their doubters wrong, but have their hands full over the next five weeks. Might they be caught looking ahead to a season-defining stretch against Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Atlanta? - JB

The Bucs have quietly covered four straight games, their last two being outright wins as home underdogs. They’ll look for their first road win of the season against a Giants team that sacked Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo six times on Monday night. Tampa Bay QB Bruce Gradkowski can scramble effectively but has struggled in recent weeks to find his receivers. - JB

The Jags were dealt a big blow last week against Houston. But if you think they’re pissed off, you obviously don’t live in Philadelphia. The Eagles have lost two straight games on field goals as time expired, including being beaten on Matt Bryant's 62-yard bomb last week. That outcome made room for the Giants to sneak past Philly and to the top of the NFC East. - JB

Amidst a steroid controversy surrounding Pro Bowl LB Shawne Merriman, the Chargers' defense will have to show a better effort than the 30 points allowed against Kansas City in Week 7. Especially since their opponent – the St. Louis Rams - has given every opponent a tough afternoon, averaging 247 yards through the air and over 23.2 points per game. - CR

The Oakland Raiders shocked the world, they won a game, but that doesn’t get them off the hook as being the worst team in the league (when has beating the Arizona Cardinals meant anything?). The Steelers will likely bring non-stop blitzes to make Andrew Walter and the Raiders offense do what they do best, turn the ball over. - CR

Can the Jets have an easier schedule? They’ve played two teams with records over .500 this season and now they get the shaky Browns served up before a bye. The Browns will have plenty of opportunity to score, however. The Jets' leaky defense has given up 24.7 points per game. - CR

With a bad O-line and a sack-heavy Panthers attack next on their schedule, the Dallas Cowboys have elected to sit the immobile QB Drew Bledsoe. But is Tony Romo really the answer? His second-half relief performance on Monday Night Football proved to be shaky at best (14-for-25 with two touchdowns and three interceptions) and he’s been riding the pine in Dallas for four years. If Romo can’t produce steady, turnover-free offense against the Panthers, the Cowboys may have to go back to their cardboard-cutout QB. - CR

These two square off for the first time since 2002. New England's sixth-ranked rush offense will face a daunting task, trying to penetrate the Vikings' top-rated run defense (allowing just 70.8 rushing yards per game). Minnesota showed they'll be a force in the NFC with a resounding victory over Seattle in Week 7, while the Patriots...well, they just keep winning. Should be a great Monday nighter. - MH

PHOTO: Peyton Manning leads the underdog Colts - that's right, they're getting 2.5 points - into battle this Sunday at Invesco Field. (AP Photo)

Note: All NFL lines subject to change.

More Bodog.com Press...