NFL Week 8 Picks 2024 (Thursday 24th October-Monday 28th October)

As we reach the end of October, the NFL regular season has very much begun to take shape with teams almost halfway through the schedule.

Barring significant injuries, the likes of Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore and Detroit look to be managing the expectations that would have been around those teams in the build to the 2024 season. All four look capable Super Bowl Champions and it would take significant injuries to Quarter Backs to prevent those teams making the Playoffs at the very least.

Strong trades have been made by a couple of those teams to further their ambitions for the season, and more moves are expected ahead of the deadline which will have the fans of those four teams planning a trip to New Orleans in February.

Others like the Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles may be comfortable with their current positions, while surprises develop every year in the NFL.

Despite their loss to the Lions, the Minnesota Vikings remain on a good path and you can only be excited by what Russell Wilson brought to the Pittsburgh Steelers in their blowout win over the New York Jets. If they are able to bring in Cooper Kuup in a trade from the Los Angeles Rams, the Steelers will be all in for the season and the League is shaping up nicely.

Some teams have reached the level expected, but there are some, like my Miami Dolphins, that have a lot of work to do- Tua Tagovailoa looks set to return this weekend, but there will be concerns about the Quarter Back who cannot afford too many more big blows to the head. Mike McDaniels tenure as Head Coach looks to be linked with how well Tagovailoa can recover from his latest concussion, although the team have shown excitement about having their Quarter Back return and there is still time for Miami to turn things around.

That will also be the hope for teams like San Francisco, New York Jets and Cincinnati who have underachieved early on, but who have time to just turn things around. The Bengals at least have some momentum, and that is what the Dolphins, Jets and 49ers will be hoping as we move into Week 8 of the regular season.

Week 7 continued the really strong start to the 2024 season, although some meat was left on the bone.

The Cleveland Browns should have really turned things over to Jameis Winston instead of Dorian Thompson-Robinson when Deshaun Watson went down with an injury that will rule him out for the remainder of 2024. If they had done that, they would have covered, while the injury to Tyler Huntley meant the Miami Dolphins were unable to cover.

In reality, there is no way I would have picked the Dolphins if I had known that Tim Boyle was going to be needed at Quarter Back.

Denver, Jacksonville and Philadelphia covered easily and a late Field Goal helped Arizona beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football to keep the positive momentum going.

Seven weeks are in the books and six of those have returned with a plus number, which really cannot be seen as anything but a good start to the year.

The first selections from Week 8 will be from the Sunday games- with trade rumours around the Los Angeles Rams, I did consider backing the Minnesota Vikings. However, teams that have a long winning run snapped can struggle to pick themselves up and the short week will make it more difficult for the Vikings, who have been rumoured to make a move for Matthew Stafford if the Rams are in selling mode.

Ultimately there are too many uncertainties about Thursday Night Football and better picks can be made later in this week.

This thread will have those selections added to it and hopefully it will be another week of more winners than losers to keep the strong opening to 2024 going.

Arizona Cardinals @ Miami Dolphins Pick: After watching some of the Quarter Back play produced over the four games, you can understand why there is so much excitement within the Miami Dolphins (2-4) locker room that Tua Tagovailoa has been cleared from concussion protocol. Keeping Tagovailoa healthy was something that Miami managed to do in 2023, but questions remain about the long-term health of a player that has had far too many concussions already.

The Quarter Back will need to spark things for the Miami Dolphins who have lost four of their last five games and been a mess Offensively.

You cannot be that surprised about that when Tim Boyle is taking snaps for your team, but Miami want to be careful about asking too much of a player that is only just returning after a concussion. For most players that is challenging, but there is extra caution around Tua Tagovailoa because of his history and you can only hope that he can stay healthy, even if it eventually means retirement is better for his long-term well-being.

This may be a decent opponent to face on his return when the Arizona Cardinals (3-4) make the long trip east after playing on Monday Night Football and also in the early Eastern Time slot. A late win over the Los Angeles Chargers has just given the Cardinals momentum within the NFC West with just a game between the Cardinals and Divisional leaders Seattle Seahawks, but this is a tough scheduling spot.

Defensively there have been issues for the Arizona Cardinals and facing this Miami Dolphins team is going to be a lot different with Tua Tagovailoa at Quarter Back rather than those that have been starting of late.

It is important for the Offensive Line to continue opening up the running lanes to ease some of the pressure on Tua Tagovailoa, who will be playing with serious expectations after the way the season has been developing for Miami without him. The Dolphins should be able to hand the ball off to De'Von Achane to pick up some big yards on the ground and playing from third and manageable would make Miami very dangerous.

And it is not as if the Cardinals Secondary have played so well that they can sell out to try and stop the run and see if that can slow down the Offensive units being played. Instead the pass rush has been struggling to get going and the last few weeks has seen Quarter Backs pile up the numbers against the Arizona Cardinals, which can only be good news for Tyreek Hill and Jayden Waddle with a competent Quarter Back returning to take the snaps.

Miami's Defensive unit have kept the team competitive without their Quarter Back, although they have not been facing too many top Offensive teams. Much like Arizona, Miami have struggled to stop the run and James Connor is expected to have a big outing for the Cardinals and give the team an opportunity.

It also feels like a game in which Kyler Murray can have an impact as a runner out of the Quarter Back position, although Arizona will want his arm to do some of the heavy lifting too. Like Arizona, Miami have struggled to generate much of a pass rush of late and this Cardinals Offensive Line have offered protection when Murray has stepped back to throw, although the Miami Secondary have been able to deal with the limited passing threat offered by the likes of Will Levis, Mason Rudolph and Jacoby Brissett.

Kyler Murray will offer more and he does have some solid Receiving options as Arizona look to get Marvin Harrison Jr going. Everything depends on the run game though and Arizona should have their successes in this one too, which should make it a fun watch.

However, the schedule spot looks tough for Arizona and the Dolphins may have the balance Offensively that has been missing of late.

Backing a Quarter Back on his return from concussion is never idea, but the Miami Dolphins just need someone competent to play the position and Tua Tagovailoa might just make enough plays to see them to a win by around a Touchdown mark.

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: At the beginning of October, the Atlanta Falcons (4-3) were able to get the better of a shootout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3).

They meet again in another NFC South Divisional game before the end of the month and this is a big opportunity for the Falcons to secure a tie-breaker, which could be crucial in what is expected to be a tight Divisional race. The injuries that the Buccaneers have suffered on Monday Night Football are going to have a big impact on the next few weeks and it may be tough for Tampa Bay to keep up if this develops into another high-scoring battle.

Both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans have picked up serious injuries- Evans may return around Week 11/12, but Godwin is expected to miss the rest of the season and so the Buccaneers passing game is going to need new faces to step up. There is some talent here, but those players can show up in spots when Defensive Backs are focusing on the big name Receivers.

Without them it will be tougher for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers, although they may be able to lean on Rachaad White and Bucky Irving to move the ball on the ground. That may be the game plan to keep the Atlanta Falcons Offensive unit on the sidelines, while the weakness of the Falcons Defensive unit has been stopping the run rather than the pass.

It has been possible to have success throwing the ball against the Falcons, but finding consistency through the air against them has not been so easy. This would have been a challenge even with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in the lineup, especially when adding the fact that Tampa Bay had less than 175 passing yards in the first game against the Falcons with those two Receivers available.

Baker Mayfield will have time to attack the Falcons and the running game will help, but this could be another tough match up against Atlanta unless the Defensive unit can pick up their level.

The Falcons put up 550 Offensive yards in the win over the Buccaneers and Tampa Bay just allowed the Baltimore Ravens to score 41 points.

The majority of the yards in the first game came courtesy of Kirk Cousins, but this should be a game in which Bijan Robinson can have a bigger impact than in the first meeting. Atlanta's Offensive Line have played well and we just saw the Baltimore Ravens run all over the Buccaneers, which should be music to the ears of Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, while also making sure Cousins is able to have a bit of pressure eased from his shoulders.

Atlanta were battered by the Seattle Seahawks last week and so this is a big bounce back spot for them.

Kirk Cousins threw two Interceptions in that defeat, but had four Touchdown passes and a single Interception in the win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Running the ball should mean the Falcons are playing in front of the chains, which will open up the passing game for the Quarter Back, and Kirk Cousins should have a performance that is similar to the one he did earlier this month.

You do have to expect the Buccaneers to try and step up and cover for the absence of their two top Receivers, but this may not be a good match up for them.

Both teams should be able to run the ball, but Kirk Cousins might outplay Baker Mayfield and another win for the Falcons over the Buccaneers would mean taking command of the NFC South, even at this early stage of the season.

Atlanta have found a bit of form, even accounting for the loss to Seattle, and the short week for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may see them come up a little short at home against their main rival within this Division.

Green Bay Packers @ Jacksonville Jaguars Pick: There was a fear that the return from playing two games in London would have been at a time when a new Head Coach would be needed, but the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) were able to get the better of the New England Patriots in Week 7. That was important for Head Coach Doug Pederson just seven days after a pretty poor showing against the Chicago Bears, but the Jaguars have plenty of work to do if they are going to get back into contention in the AFC South.

It really does not help that the Jaguars are about to embark on a really tough portion of their regular season schedule.

Losing to one NFC North team in London will just underline the challenges that the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to be facing over the coming weeks with the other three teams from that Division coming up. They also play the Philadelphia Eagles and it will take something special for the Jaguars to go 2-2 across their next four games, never mind putting a winning record on the board in their bid to close on the Houston Texans.

First up is the Green Bay Packers (5-2) who are a part of the NFC North and join the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings with five wins secured. They have won three in a row and Jordan Love is playing like one of the better Quarter Backs in the NFL, although he will be the first to admit that he needs to clean up some of the turnovers that have been down to Love's mistakes.

This looks a very good chance for Jordan Love to have another strong game at Quarter Back and the Green Bay Packers have a team that should be balanced on this side of the ball.

Josh Jacobs has come in to replace and Aaron Jones and the Running Back has shown his qualities, but with an added crease of catching the ball out of the backfield. Behind this Green Bay Offensive Line, Josh Jacobs has been able to rip off some solid gains on the ground and he should be able to keep the Packers in third and manageable spots.

It should lead to spaces to open up in the passing game and Jordan Love will be able to expose this Jaguars team as long as he can avoid the Interceptions that have been too much of a feature of the recent performances. The Jaguars have struggled to stop passer that are a level below the standard that Jordan Love has been able to set and so there is a strong chance the Green Bay Packers can keep this scoreboard ticking over efficiently.

Doug Pederson and the Jacksonville Jaguars will know they will have to call and execute a really strong game plan if they are going to win this one. Trevor Lawrence has flashed his talent at times, but the consistency has been lacking and this Green Bay Defensive unit is still under-rated.

You can run the ball against the Packers and that has to be the Offensive approach- if the Jaguars can do this effectively, they can shorten the game and make sure they are keeping the Packers on the sideline to warm up in the Florida sun. As long as this game is competitive, the Jaguars can lean on the run, but the problem will be if they are having to chase points.

Trevor Lawrence has not lived up to the contract extension numbers, but this is a Quarter Back with plenty of talent. However, challenging this Packers Secondary through the air has been tough for Quarter Backs all season and Lawrence will have to be aware of the ball-hawking nature of the Defensive Backs.

Pressure up front has really helped the Packers and they have helped Jordan Love overcome the turnovers by largely containing the threats against them through the air.

This is likely going to be the case in Week 8 of the regular season and the Green Bay Packers can make it four wins in succession.

Backing a road favourite is not always ideal, but the Green Bay Packers look the stronger team on both sides of the ball and they should be motivated to retain momentum before a big game with the Detroit Lions to be played next week. Returning to the United States after two weeks in London is not an ideal situation for the Jaguars and the NFC North team can underline their talent edge with a win and cover here.

MY PICKS: Miami Dolphins - 4.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Atlanta Falcons - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Green Bay Packers - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles + 2.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Washington Commanders + 2.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Denver Broncos - 10.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Week 7: 4-3, + 0.73 Units (7 Units Staked, + 10.43% Yield)

Week 6: 4-2, + 1.67 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.83% Yield)

Week 5: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 4: 6-2, + 3.45 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.13% Yield)

Week 3: 3-3, - 0.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.83% Yield)

Week 2: 4-2, + 1.62 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27% Yield)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.67 Units (7 Units Staked, + 38.14% Yield)

NFL Week 8 Picks 2019 (October 24-28)

The London games are back in Week 8 of the 2019 NFL season with the two teams heading over the pond being the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. This game is played at Wembley Stadium, but I have absolutely no interest in it with the Rams likely a dominant winner on the day against an awful Bengals team which will end with either the Number 1 or Number 2 Pick in the Draft.

I have to admit that Week 8 is not exactly leaping off the page for me with a weak looking schedule and a number of teams expected to win easily. The three Prime Time games being picked all have their issues, but hopefully there are going to be some angles to find which can produce a winning record after a poor showing in Week 7.

More on that later, but first a few thoughts on the NFL this week with the Power Rankings and then the Week 8 selections.


Missing out on Aaron Rodgers vs Patrick Mahomes: Quarter Backs who play in different Conferences are only scheduled to meet once every four seasons unless they manage to reach the Super Bowl.

With that in mind there are some Quarter Back duels that we simply won't have too many chances of seeing and one of those was the Sunday Night Football selected game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers. I don't blame the network executives for picking to broadcast Patrick Mahomes hosting Aaron Rodgers in what could have been the best shoot out of the season, but an injury in Week 7 means Mahomes is all but certain to miss out this week.

And that means we all miss out because at 35 years old it is easy to suggest we will not get the chance to see Rodgers and Mahomes playing in the same game against one another.

Of course Rodgers could follow the Tom Brady path and still be playing at a high level in four years time or the Packers and Chiefs could meet in the Super Bowl, maybe even this season, but the odds are short and it is a real shame that this is a match up we won't be able to enjoy. Without Mahomes the Chiefs are a fairly big home underdog instead in Week 8 and the game has lost a massive amount of the appeal that what have been pushed, but everyone loses out in this case.


Is this the best New England Patriots team of all time?: Since Bill Belichick and Tom Brady started racking up the Super Bowl titles the New England Patriots have always been there or thereabouts when it comes to winning the biggest prize in the NFL.

They've always had good teams, but I honestly think this one has a chance of surpassing even the team that went 16-0 in the regular season and only missed out on an unbeaten season by losing in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants.

Offensively they are not as strong as that team, but the Defensive unit might be as good as any I've seen for a long time and the continued feasting on opposition Offenses was plain to see on Monday Night Football.

The Patriots still have something to prove when you think three of their seven wins have been against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, while two more have come against the combined 3-11 New York Giants and Washington Redskins. In the coming weeks they can show what they are made of when they visit the Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and host the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs, but continue to play this kind of Defense in those games and I would suggest this is the best Patriots team we have seen in the last twenty years which automatically makes them the best in franchise history.

Right now it is hard to look past the Patriots as a clear favourite in the AFC to reach yet another Super Bowl.


New Orleans Saints the main rivals to the Patriots: A friend and I were texting each other during the Patriots blow out of the New York Jets and we both agreed that the main rival to New England winning another Super Bowl may be the New Orleans Saints.

This team has the Defensive unit to really cause problems for the Patriots Offense, but a bigger factor may be the impending return of Drew Brees which should give the Saints Offense a huge boost.

New Orleans haven't been bad under Teddy Bridgewater who has shown he is still capable of starting in the NFL, but Brees has a little bit more about him and could really open things up. I would love to see the Saints make a trade for another Receiver to pair up with Michael Thomas, but all in all they look capable of being the biggest threat to the Patriots on both sides of the ball as long as Brees comes back anywhere near full health.


Sam Darnold was 'seeing ghosts': I was really surprised that comment was aired by ESPN on Monday Night Football even though Sam Darnold was 'mic'd up' for them.

At the time I had to remind the viewing to make sure I had heard what I had, and it was no surprise that the clip went viral on social media with fans looking to load up on the Quarter Back who had a very poor showing.

It felt harsh on him at the time and I am not surprised the Jets organisation and Darnold's team mates have been so upset with the decision by ESPN to actually air this portion of what they had recorded. The idea is that they won't do anything that is detrimental to a player, but this was a bad decision all around and I would not be surprised if others decide they will boycott being selected to have their thoughts aired on Prime Time television during stressful moments of playing a game.

I would expect ESPN to either put out a full apology or blame someone else for this, but either way it was not a good look and I actually felt bad for Darnold.


Veteran Quarter Backs need to be shut down: The likes of the Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos are having miserable seasons and any lingering hopes of turning things around are fast disappearing after the latest losses suffered by these teams.

At this stage I think we all know what the likes of Andy Dalton and Joe Flacco bring to the table and I would not be surprised if both the Bengals and Broncos move on from these Quarter Backs at the end of this season.

With that in mind I don't understand the reluctance to see what you have with the young back up Quarter Backs on the rosters. At this time the Bengals really have no excuses to not have a look at Ryan Finley with the chance they are going to finish with a top two Draft Pick very, very high already.

Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa look the leading contenders to be picked in both the Number 1 and Number 2 spot in the 2020 Draft so the Bengals surely have to do their due care by making sure Finley is not going to be the guy they want to get behind.

Denver have a few more reasons to not want to do that with Flacco as their main back up Quarter Back, Drew Lock is just back from an injury, but even they have to begin to think about making that change.

We may already have seen one in Carolina too with suggestions Kyle Allen is going to remain the starter even when Cam Newton is ready to return. The veteran can be cut at the end of this season with a small financial penalty for Carolina to absorb so I would not be surprised if Newton is available to be dealt sooner rather than later too.

My Top Five

1) New England Patriots- after everything I've already said about the Patriots this should surprise no one.

2) New Orleans Saints- Drew Brees may not be back in Week 8, but Teddy Bridgewater has held the team together and the Defensive unit might be as good as any in the NFL.

3) Green Bay Packers- Aaron Rodgers might finally be getting his head around the Offense being used in Green Bay and that is bad news for the rest of the NFC. 6-1 record looks very strong right now.

4) San Francisco 49ers- we are going to learn a lot about the 49ers in the coming weeks. Despite being unbeaten, they have yet to really face top competition barring the win over the Rams, while they need to show more Offensive power to back up a very good Defensive unit.

5) Minnesota Vikings- the top four teams have been sitting in my top five for some time, but the fifth team is much harder to select. If Kirk Cousins can continue his current form the Vikings will be a very dangerous Wild Card team in the PlayOffs. However that is a big if when you consider the history of Cousins.

My Bottom Five

32) Miami Dolphins- have shown some competitive fire in the last couple of weeks, but I would make them an underdog against every team in the NFL on a neutral field.

31) Cincinnati Bengals- blow it up and start again. The Bengals are showing little so I would look to see if they can bring in some solid returns for the likes of AJ Green, while you may as well consider seeing what you have with Ryan Finley at Quarter Back.

30) Washington Redskins- barely beating the Miami Dolphins in Week 6, Washington have a chance to at least put the spanner in the works for former Quarter Back Kirk Cousins on Thursday Night Football this week.

29) Atlanta Falcons- Mohamed Sanu has been traded away, Matty Ice is banged up and the Head Coach is the lamest of lame ducks. Horrible season for the Falcons.

28) New York Jets- I had Tampa Bay here last week, but that showing from the Jets on Monday Night Football was atrocious. I do expect better from Sam Darnold and the whole team in Week 8, but they deserve their spot here.

Week 8 Picks

My Week 7 selections began with the shocking performance of the Denver Broncos against the Kansas City Chiefs as the home team gifted away a defeat to a team that missed their starting Quarter Back for the majority of the game.

Nothing really got much better in the remainder of the Week 7 schedule, although thankfully a Dallas Cowboys win on Sunday Night Football prevented it being a total disaster. I have to find more consistency and be better and I want that to start in Week 8 which gets underway with the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins meeting on Thursday Night Football.


Washington Redskins @ Minnesota Vikings Pick: There are a few players involved in this game that will feel they want to show their former team that there is still plenty left in the tank with the likes of Case Keenum and Adrian Peterson looking to make that point with the hapless Washington Redskins. However the player who will be looking to make the biggest statement has to be Kirk Cousins who was not paid by the Redskins like he wanted and ended up leaving for the Minnesota Vikings.

The form over the last three weeks suggests Cousins has to be backed to make that statement, although his production in Prime Time games has been poor throughout his professional career. Like Andy Dalton, the brighter the lights on Cousins the more likely he is to throw in a dud and he is perhaps 'due' after lighting up the scoreboard in helping the Vikings beat the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions to stay hot on the heels of the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North.

While that feeling is tough to shake for most fans and Fantasy owners of Cousins like I am, I do think he could not have asked for a much better game to showcase himself on national television. The Washington Redskins are under an interim Head Coach and this season is already looking lost having slipped to 1-6 which is the joint worst record in the NFC along with the Atlanta Falcons.

It shouldn't be too long now before the Redskins begin to look at benching veterans to give the younger players on the roster a chance to show they can be part of any future here. One of those is Case Keenum at Quarter Back, while Adrian Peterson might soon find himself down the depth chart too at Running Back, although the two former Vikings will be looking to show they still have plenty left in the tank in Week 8.

Running the ball against the Minnesota Defensive Line has been a difficult challenge for teams all season so I do wonder how much of an impact Peterson is going to have on the game. He might catch a few balls out of the backfield, but the feeling is he will be running into a brick wall for much of the game and Chris Thompson may have the bigger impact at Running Back. The Vikings have allowed just 4 yards per carry on the season and have remained consistent up front, while the Washington Offensive Line is still very much a work in progress without Trent Williams.

I am not going to be overly impressed by the fact that the Redskins have run the ball a little better in their last three games as they have played the Miami Dolphins in one game and then in horrendous conditions in Week 7 which made throwing the ball next to impossible. In Week 8 I fully expect the Vikings to remain strong up front and look for their former Quarter Back to try and beat them through the air.

Case Keenum should have one or two nice drives as there are a couple of holes in the Minnesota Secondary that were exploited by Matthew Stafford last Sunday. However Keenum does not have nearly the same depth in terms of a Receiving corps, while I also expect him to find himself under pressure with the Vikings pass rush likely to get the better of the Redskins Offensive Line too. Mistakes have been commonplace throughout this season for the Redskins and I would not be surprised to see a turnover or two and those extra possessions can be critical as to the outcome of this game against the spread.

Anything other than a Minnesota win outright would be a big surprise, but they can also cover as long as Cousins performs even at 75% of what he has over the last three weeks. Losing Adam Thielen is a blow, but Cousins has reintroduced Stefon Diggs to the passing game and I do think he can hurt the Redskins when he drops back to throw the ball.

Having Dalvin Cook capable of leaking out of the backfield and produce plenty of yards after the catch is important and that may be the biggest impact the Running Back has on the game. While the Vikings Offensive Line has played well to open holes for the talented Cook, the Redskins strength is on the Defensive Line and we have seen some signs that they are still playing hard up front.

Even then it will be next to impossible to completely shut down Cook and I do think the Vikings will wear down the Redskins in this one. Kirk Cousins should be more focused on showing Washington what they allowed to leave through the exit door at FedExField than he is about worrying about his own levels on Prime Time and I think that is going to be important here.

Minnesota are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven against Washington and these games against teams with losing records is when they really impose themselves. The Vikings are also 4-1 against the spread in their last five Thursday Night Football games and I can see them pulling away for a big win in Week 8 and then having plenty of time to get ready for the game with the Kansas City Chiefs next on deck.


Los Angeles Rams v Cincinnati Bengals Pick: The NFL returns to London for two more games in Week 8 and Week 9 after hosting a couple of games at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Now they are being hosted by Wembley and first up is the regular season meeting between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals.

When the four regular season games for 2019 were announced this looked liked the one with the biggest mismatch on paper. Most expected the Cincinnati Bengals to have a difficult season in the first year under a new Head Coach, but it has been even tougher than expected and they are in a very strong position to end up with the Number 1 Overall Pick in the next NFL Draft.

While that might be good news for the team in general as they move on from the Marvin Lewis era, it won't be good news for some of the veterans on the roster. The one in most danger has to be Quarter Back Andy Dalton who is linked with the previous Coaching staff and his play this season has been disappointing, although I don't blame Dalton alone considering what he has around him.

The Offensive Line has been a mess from the opening week of the season and their struggles has made it next to impossible for Joe Mixon to have any impact on games. The Line has opened up little up front which has seen Mixon and the Bengals producing less than 3 yards per carry throughout the 2019 season and they are not going to be expected to have much change out of Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams Defensive Line.

With Mixon and the run game struggling, Andy Dalton has been forced to make plays from third and long and all without his best Receiver in AJ Green who remains absent. Dalton has made some throws in garbage time which has made it look like he is performing better than he is and I don't think he is going to do much while this game is competitive in Week 8 against a Rams Secondary that has picked up Jalen Ramsey to strengthen them.

Andy Dalton has also not been protected as well as he would have liked and I think the Rams will have every chance of providing short fields for the Offensive unit with turnovers and three and outs produced.

The Rams snapped a three game losing run with a win over the hapless Atlanta Falcons in Week 7 and they can't afford to drop their focus in this one. With the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks both performing well within the NFC West, the Rams don't want to fall too far behind and they are also experienced in making this journey with this being the third time they have played in London in four seasons.

Sean McVay will know there is room for improvement from his Rams team and he will want to see the run established having seen the team average less than 4 yards per carry in their last three games. Todd Gurley is available, but he has not always looked like the player he was before the injury suffered in 2018, although I do think the Rams are facing a Bengals Defensive Line which has been very weak when it comes to stopping the run.

It should mean the Rams can keep the Offensive unit in third and manageable spots and I think that will be music to the ears of Jared Goff who had a bounce back effort in the win over the Falcons. The Quarter Back should be feeling very little pressure from the Bengals pass rush and that should give him the time to dissect a Secondary which has allowed 240 passing yards per game even while giving up chunk plays on the ground.

This is a big spread, but Sean McVay's Rams have covered in all five occasions they have been favoured by double digits. There have been some late drives from the Bengals which have made games look more competitive than they have been, but I think the Rams can dominate in London and they should be able to create the extra possessions that helps them get over this mark.

There are times when you worry about backing a team off a blow out win, but the Rams are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games following a win by at least 14 points too.


Philadelphia Eagles @ Buffalo Bills Pick: There is one aspect of the NFL that I like getting behind and that is backing a team off a big loss which may make them a 'buy low' proposition. The Philadelphia Eagles are definitely within that category after the blow out at the hands of rivals Dallas Cowboys on Prime Time television on Sunday Night in Week 7, but I think this is a very difficult game for them and this is only a factor.

Dropping to 3-4 means the Eagles are only a game behind in the NFC East, although the Dallas Cowboys have the tie-breaker against them. It was the second heavy loss taken in a row too and the Eagles seem to be having a few internal problems which makes it very difficult to believe they are ready to bounce back before a Week 10 Bye.

The Eagles face a Buffalo Bills team that continues to fly under the radar somewhat despite being 5-1 and looking like being well on the way to a Wild Card spot in the PlayOffs at the very least. That is partly down to the Bills not really beating anyone decent yet and losing to the only team with a winning record that they have faced when going down to the New England Patriots, but this is a team that looks very strong Defensively and good enough Offensively to win games.

Josh Allen is still developing at Quarter Back, but Buffalo will be happy to see him relying on his arm rather than his legs more often than not in the 2019 season. Even without Allen tucking the ball in and running, the Bills have been very effective at running behind this Offensive Line and I do think they can have success against a banged up Philadelphia Defensive Line which has just begun to leak some big runs in recent games.

There is a feeling that Philadelphia can sell out to defend the run a little more than when they faced the Minnesota Vikings and Cowboys, especially with a windy day forecast in Buffalo, but the Eagles can't allow their Secondary to be exposed. Injuries in that part of the field has seen some Quarter Backs make massive plays against them through the air and Buffalo have a couple of very quick Receivers that could make them pay.

Buffalo won't want to leave Allen in third and long spots because the Offensive Line has struggled in pass protection a lot more than in run blocking. The Eagles do use some blitzes to get to the Quarter Back and will feel they can stall some drives with that ability whenever Buffalo get into obvious passing situations, but I think the Bills might be able to do enough on the ground to open things up for Josh Allen and the passing game and they can move the chains against an injury hit Eagles team.

Moving the ball will be a lot more difficult for the Philadelphia Eagles unless Carson Wentz can improve his own personal play at Quarter Back. He has not been helped with Receivers being banged up, but there have been one or two whispers coming out of Philadelphia that some of his team-mates are questioning whether Wentz has what it takes to be an elite starter in the NFL.

You have to remember the last couple of years has seen Nick Foles playing at Quarter Back at the crunch time of the PlayOffs and the Eagles have won a Super Bowl with their former backup Quarter Back. That alone does put some pressure on Wentz who had a poor game against the Dallas Cowboys and who will now be throwing into a Secondary which has given most Quarter Backs real problems this season.

Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders are going to be very important for Philadelphia as they try to establish the run, but the Buffalo Defensive Line has been strong up front and that is going to mean Wentz needing to make plays from third and long on occasion.

The Buffalo pass rush has not been overwhelming, but they play coverage very well and there is enough up front to get to Wentz at Quarter Back. I expect that Defensive unit to set the Bills up for an important win at home, although my one concern has to be the fact that they have not been the best in the home favourite spot under Sean McDermott.

It is good to see the majority of the money is with the Eagles though and the Buffalo Bills have at least been a decent team to get behind against the spread in recent games while the Eagles have been opposable.


Oakland Raiders @ Houston Texans Pick: There is clearly a work in progress which is showing some positive signs with the Oakland Raiders who will be moving to Las Vegas next season with all things going as planned. They fell to 3-3 last week, but the Raiders were very competitive in the defeat to the Green Bay Packers before a Derek Carr fumble which saw the home team pull away.

However 3-3 is not a bad position for teams in the AFC which looks a weak Conference in general and one in which 9-7 would likely be enough to make the PlayOffs. A win over the Houston Texans in Week 8 would be massive for the Raiders in terms of tie-breakers down the stretch and the Raiders will feel like they have a real opportunity here.

The Houston Texans fell to 4-3 and lost the lead in the AFC South when making some late mistakes in the defeat to the Indianapolis Colts. They do have another Divisional game on deck following this one, but the Texans will know they can't afford to drop any games against Conference rivals if they want to be in a position to at least reach a Wild Card spot for the PlayOffs.

Much is going to depend on Deshaun Watson and whether he can bounce back from an underachieving Week 7 performance at the Colts. It will be difficult for Watson to have much support from the running game in this one despite the fact that the Quarter Back is capable of making plays with his legs and both Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson have been effective at running the ball.

The challenge for the Offensive Line will be to break open holes against an Oakland Defensive Line which has held teams to 2.9 yards per carry in their last three games. This has happened despite losing Vontaze Burfict for the season and I do have to respect the fact that the Raiders could at least make some big plays to leave the Texans in third and long spots.

Watson should have some time to throw to a strong Receiving unit though and I think he will be able to expose some of the holes that have been evident in the Oakland Secondary. With the Oakland pass rush being erratic, Watson can step forward and find the likes of DeAndre Hopkins and Kenny Stills down the field, although the Quarter Back has to make sure he is looking after the ball a little better than he did when throwing into coverage against the Colts.

Ultimately I do like Watson this week and I can see him having a big impact in the game. That means Derek Carr has to be strong to match that production and the Oakland Quarter Back is going to be important for his team like Deshaun Watson is for the Texans.

Like the home team, Oakland may find it difficult to establish the run with Josh Jacobs banged up at Running Back. The Raiders have been able to establish the run, but Houston have been strong up front and if Jacobs is a bit beaten up then it may make things that much more difficult for Derek Carr.

However Jacobs has become a little more productive in the passing game and I do think he can impact this game with catches out of the backfield. Again, like Watson, Derek Carr has largely been well protected and he has a quick release when he drops back to throw which can see the Raiders move the chains through the air in this one.

Houston's Secondary have struggled massively and Oakland should be able to expose that even if Tyrell Williams is missing again. Darren Waller has been a huge threat at the Tight End position and finally got into the End Zone last week and I do believe the Raiders can enjoy their successes in this one too.

Both teams should be able to make some big plays through the air and I think this has every chance of developing into something of a shoot out. The total points line is a big one, but both teams can get close to the high 20's in terms of points and that means we should be able to get to the 'over' in this game.

My feeling is that Oakland are being given enough points to cover too, but I would not be surprised if Houston won by exactly seven points in a shoot out.

MY PICKS: Minnesota Vikings - 16.5 Points @ 1.95 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Los Angeles Rams - 11.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Buffalo Bills - 2.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Houston Texans-Oakland Raiders Over 52.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)
Carolina Panthers + 5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Kansas City Chiefs + 5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Week 7: 2-4, - 4.10 Units (12 Units Staked, - 34.17% Yield)
Week 6: 6-3, + 4.84 Units (18 Units Staked, + 26.89% Yield)
Week 5: 4-5, - 2.72 Units (18 Units Staked, - 15.11% Yield)
Week 4: 3-6, - 6.54 Units (18 Units Staked, - 36.33% Yield)
Week 3: 5-2, + 3.28 Units (12 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)
Week 2: 3-4, - 2.70 Units (14 Units Staked, - 19.29% Yield)
Week 1: 4-4, + 0.16 Units (15 Units Staked, + 1.07% Yield)


Season 2019: 27-28, - 7.78 Units (107 Units Staked, - 7.27% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2018- Regis Prograis vs Terry Flanagan (October 27th)

With the new streaming services entering the world of Boxing it does feel like there are more cards being televised than ever before and that can only be good news for the fans.

Of course it can be taxing on the wallet if you want to watch all the fights, but at least in the United Kingdom the majority of the main cards that are of interest are shown on already subscribed for channels. Anyone who has a Sky Sports subscription will be getting the majority of cards being shown on DAZN, although I do think this will end up being a partnership that develops and leads to Sky wanting more money from their subscribers in the years ahead, especially if DAZN grows.

Box Nation is once again picking up more cards after a lull over the last few months which led to rumours that the channel was about to close. BT Sport have taken over the majority of the bigger cards though so I do wonder how long Box Nation will be able to survive in an increasingly competitive market.

One disappointment so far for us UK fans is the lack of television coverage of the World Boxing Super Series which has Season Two firmly underway. Those fights are being broadcast for free on social media, but next weekend there is a big card from Glasgow and I would not be surprised if that is picked up by someone.

No matter what, this is a great time to be a Boxing fan and Saturday is no different with a number of interesting fights taking place in four different locations.

Isaac Chamberlain vs Luke Watkins

This has to be considered a crossroads fight for both Isaac Chamberlain and Luke Watkins who are both coming into this one off the back of losses to Lawrence Okolie.

The Chamberlain fight with Okolie was a really boring one as the headline on a card at the O2 Arena and it was a comfortably points win for the latter. There is some pressure on Chamberlain to bounce back and prove that it was just a bad day in the office for him, but he has made a number of changes to his team and Chamberlain has to show he can produce much better than he did in his loss to Okolie.

Luke Watkins was also beaten by Okolie but that came in a Three Round destruction and he really did look out of his depth that day. I don't know how much of that was down to the pressure of the day and whether Watkins just froze in the moment, but another defeat like that would likely mean he is facing a really road to travel to get back to where he is on Saturday.

It does feel like Watkins will have the edge in power, but Chamberlain is the better boxer and I would expect his height and reach to be a difference maker. Chamberlain showed he can smother work of the big hitters as he did against Okolie, but he has to show he has some pop to earn the respect of those fighters if he is going to progress in his career.

I think Chamberlain will want to show he has some power of his own and he did have three straight stoppages before the defeat to Okolie. He should want to impress after helping stink out the O2 Arena, but ultimately the key for Chamberlain is to win the fight and get back to the positive feelings that will bring.

It feels like Watkins will be the bigger puncher in the fight, but I expect Chamberlain to control him much better than he could against the taller and rangier Okolie. In a Ten Rounder I think Chamberlain will win 8-2 in Rounds and he can walk away with a Unanimous Decision.

Ted Cheeseman vs Asinia Byfield

There is a full card at the Copper Box Arena in London on Saturday evening, but the fight that might have the most attention on it comes from the Light Middleweight Division.

Ted Cheeseman is the more well known of the two fighters, but Asinia Byfield seems to have gotten under his skin and that could see the two mix it up.

Both have been promising an early night for the other, but I don't think Byfield is going to want to be drawn into a war with a big puncher like Cheeseman.

Instead I think Byfield will try and box and make things as awkward as possible for Cheeseman while putting some Rounds in the bank. Irritating Cheeseman may be a tactic to get the favourite to push forward and leave himself open to the big counter shots, but I don't think an aggressive Cheeseman will mind getting on the front foot as that is where he can do his best work.

I expect Cheeseman to work the body early and just get Byfield to slow down and I do wonder of the year out of the ring is going to hurt Byfield here. In that time Cheeseman has picked up three wins and Byfield did miss the weight in the first instance which may also suggest he is going to just have a few physical issues in this one.

If he is feeling tight at the weight the body shots will do more than just slow Byfield down and I do think Cheeseman has the time in the Twelve Rounds to break down his opponent and earn the stoppage. Only three of his last five fights have been stoppages (another ended early but was a Disqualification), but I won't hold anything against Cheeseman for failing to stop the tough veteran Carson Jones.

I am not sure Byfield is going to be able to stand up to the likely onslaught he will face over the course of this fight and I think Cheeseman will slow him down early before getting a lot more success as the fight wears on. With a few extra Rounds to find the stoppage, I think Cheeseman gets this done inside the distance.

Ryan Doyle vs Jordan Gill

There has been some real talk about the talented Jordan Gill and what he is going to be able to achieve in the sport, but he is facing a real test of those credentials when he faces Ryan Doyle for the Commonwealth Featherweight Title.

The last time we saw Ryan Doyle he was stopping the previously unbeaten Reece Bellotti back in June and that was a great fight to watch. Doyle was very impressive in the victory and fully deserved the stoppage when it came so Gill will have to be wary of the obvious power that is going to come at it.

Jordan Gill is a boxer and there are big things expected of him and he would expect to guide away from the Doyle power and work his way to a points win with both fighters going the Twelve Rounds for the first time.

You can't deny this is a step up for Gill and there will be some pressure with the expectation that surrounds him, but I think he will thrive in it.

He doesn't look to have the power to become the third fighter to stop Doyle but I think Gill will weather the early storm and then box his way to a 116-112 kind of decision.

Kubrat Pulev vs Hughie Fury

In another dimension Kubrat Pulev would have fought for the World Title against Anthony Joshua in October 2017.

One year later he is trying to get back into a mandatory position when he takes on Hughie Fury in a final eliminator in Bulgaria.

This fight is being criminally ignored by many of the leading sports sites in the United Kingdom with the Tyson Fury fight the only Fury the media seem to be interested at the moment. Hughie won't worry about that and will admit that Tyson's shot at WBC kingpin Deontay Wilder is a bigger fight, but this can set Hughie Fury up for a big night or two in 2019.

Last year he came up short against Joseph Parker in a controversial fight and Fury has admitted he learned a lot from it. If he had won perhaps he would have been having the big paydays against Joshua and Dillian Whyte that Parker had, but I also think Hughie has more belief than the New Zealander that he should be a World Champion.

Win this fight and there is every chance we could see a Joshua vs Fury fight in 2019 even if it is perhaps not the one the majority of fans would want to see.

Going on the road to win a fight is not easy, but the Fury camp have plenty of experience doing that and I do think Hughie may be facing Kubrat Pulev at the right time.

All credit has to be given to the Bulgarian for the career he has had, but he has been out of the ring for almost eighteen months and at 37 years old that can be tough for any boxer. This is also just his sixth fight since his World Title shot against Wladimir Klitschko and Pulev needed a Split Decision to beat Dereck Chisora while also having a Unanimous Decision over Kevin Johnson in April 2017.

Hughie Fury was perhaps not as active as he should have been against Parker in his defeat to the Kiwi, but I expect he will let his hands go a little more in this one. He looked much more aggressive against Sam Sexton when destroying him for the British Title, but I expect a little more caution in this one against a former World Title challenger.

I think Fury can do it though against a veteran who I think has to be on the slide in his career. As long as he isn't looking to just move but actually countering and picking his spots to get on the front foot, I think even the home judges will find it hard to avoid giving Fury the Decision and perhaps set up a big fight with Anthony Joshua in the next twelve months.

Regis Prograis vs Terry Flanagan

The World Boxing Super Series Season Two continues on Saturday and the latest stop is in New Orleans where home fighter Regis Prograis is the favourite to win the Light Welterweight tournament that has been put together.

Personally I am leaning towards Josh Taylor to become a star over the next twelve months, but Prograis has to be the favourite to reach the Final from the top half of the draw.

He faces Manchester's Terry Flanagan who lost his first professional fight in June to Maurice Hooker as he moved up from Lightweight to chase bigger fights. Flanagan has a decent reputation but there is a question of whether his level of competition has really been up to the standard you would have expected of someone who had won 33 fights in a row before the upset defeat to Hooker in a Split Decision.

Maurice Hooker was the right winner that day and it may be a surprise to see Flanagan go straight into this tournament off a loss. This is also a considerable step up for him even if Regis Prograis has yet to show he really is someone as good as he has looked.

Ultimately that will only be shown up if Prograis can win this tournament and beat some of the big names in the Division. There is clearly some pop that Prograis hits with and that has to be a worry for Flanagan who has to be considered as someone who will try and box his way through the Rounds.

Fighting out of the southpaw stance will mean Flanagan can give Prograis something to think about, but the home town hero should eventually start producing the pressure and power to break down the Englishman.

Prograis did destroy Julius Indongo in Two Rounds which is a concern for Flanagan, but I think the latter is a little younger and should be able to battle through some early awkward moments. However I don't think Flanagan is going to be able to hold off Prograis who has never heard the bell for the Ninth Round.

It might be disrespectful to Flanagan but I think backing Prograis to get this done somewhere between the Fourth and Sixth Round is where I would go with this fight. Much will depend on how durable Flanagan is, but he is up in weight compared with the majority of his career and Prograis looks like he punches very hard for the Light Welterweights and will likely come out firing from the First Round.

The Number 1 Seed in this tournament looks very highly motivated to perform on Saturday and I think he gets this fight done relatively early.

MY PICKS: Isaac Chamberlain by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.25 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Ted Cheeseman By KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 3.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Jordan Gill by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Hughie Fury by Decision/Technical Decision @ 3.10 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Regis Prograis to Win Between 4-6 @ 4.50 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Boxing 2018 Update: 31-54, + 16.44 Units (133 Units Staked, + 12.36% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks 2018 (October 27-29)

Another round of Premier League games are set to be played this weekend beginning on Saturday and going through until Monday evening.

The ten games are split up with six matches being played on Saturday, three on Sunday and the final League game of the weekend moved to Monday because Wembley Stadium is being used by the NFL on Sunday.

It's actually irritating as it meant Manchester United's home game with Everton had to be moved into the Sunday slot that should have been Tottenham Hotspur versus Manchester City before it was announced that new White Hart Lane is far from ready to host Premier League Football.


Brighton v Wolves Pick: I think both managers will be very pleased with the way their Brighton and Wolves players have been playing and that despite Wolves going down to an upset loss in their last Premier League game.

Regardless of that result, Nuno Espirito Santo will likely keep faith with the starting eleven who have been much better than they were last weekend. He will be demanding a response though, even though Wolves are not going to have things all their own way at the Amex Stadium.

Chris Hughton didn't show he was feeling any pressure as manager of Brighton, but he had to be a little concerned with a run that had seen his team win just 2 of their last 18 games in all competitions. The wins over West Ham United and Newcastle United have eased the concerns Hughton may have had, but the manager will be the first to admit there is still more his team can offer.

It may be difficult against a resolute Wolves team who have been tough to breach all season. That task becomes all the tougher without Glenn Murray who shouldn't be risked after being knocked out cold in the 0-1 win at St James' Park last weekend.

Pascal Gross could be back to provide a creative spark for the home team, but Brighton have not been blessed with a lot of goals and it will be very hard for them to win this game as far as I am concerned.

Wolves have created more chances than Brighton in their recent games, but they are still lacking that little bit of composure you would want from the forward players. I also think Brighton will test the rearguard in front of their own fans, but the slight edge has to be given to Wolves who have produced big results after their previous defeats this season.

The away team have scored in their last 4 games on their travels and I do think one goal could be enough to win this one. With the chances Brighton have allowed teams to create against them there is every opportunity for Wolves to score two or more goals for the first time away from home in the Premier League too.

Murray's absence could be the key and I will back Wolves on the Asian Handicap which is essentially a 'Draw No Bet' selection.

Fantasy Star: Matt Doherty- last week was a tough one for Wolves, but you can't sleep on the tactics which makes clean sheets and assists a real possibility from a wing back.

Alternative: Jonny- I am sticking with Wolves this week and I would say either wing back is potentially worth selecting.


Fulham v Bournemouth Pick: Fulham fans and the owners of the club will always be grateful for what Slavisa Jokanovic has done for the club in bringing them back to the Premier League, but that doesn't mean they are going to wait too long to make a change in the managerial office if they feel that is what they need to do.

There is pressure on Jokanovic to turn things around for Fulham who have slipped into the bottom three after losing 3 straight Premier League games. It isn't just the losses that will have people questioning the manager, but the naive tactics have left Fulham exposed defensively and it is no surprise they have conceded as many as 12 goals in their last 3 Premier League games.

Even the defeats to Everton and Arsenal could be forgiven, but Fulham blowing a 0-1 lead to lose 4-2 at goal-shy Cardiff City is a really concerning result.

Returning home should make Fulham feel better, but they were beaten 1-5 by Arsenal in their last game at Craven Cottage. Now they have to face a Bournemouth team who will look to get on the front foot and cause more problems for Fulham and it will be very difficult for the home team to contain their visitors.

Bournemouth may not have scored last weekend, but they did hammer Watford 0-4 in their last away game and they made a very fast start that day. The squad looks fit and healthy and they have had a week to recharge ahead of this fixture which makes Bournemouth even more dangerous.

However Eddie Howe's men are far from convincing at the back themselves and Fulham do play an attacking style that they do feel will reap rewards in the weeks ahead. Fulham have definitely looked more threatening going forward when they are playing at Craven Cottage and that should make this an entertaining game.

The layers recognise the chance of that happening so they have shortened the price on seeing three or more goals in this one. However I still think it could be worth picking seeing at least four goals scored in this fixture.

3 of the last 4 Fulham games have featured that number of goals and 4 of the last 6 Bournemouth games have done the same. With the teams likely wanting to get forward in this one, an early goal could really spark the fixture and I will back seeing four or more goals shared out.

Fantasy Star: Aleksandar Mitrovic- it sounds like Slavisa Jokanovic has two games to save his job, but he could do that if his striker can take the inevitable chances that should come his way.

Alternative: Joshua King- there are a number of attackers who could be worth a play but you can't discount how poor Fulham have been at the back so picking a Bournemouth forward isn't a bad shout.


Liverpool v Cardiff City Pick: There has been some criticism of the Liverpool performances over the last few weeks but I do think this is still a team capable of putting the weaker teams to the sword as they showed in their comfortable Champions League win during the week.

The failure to beat Chelsea (twice), Napoli or Manchester City would have just tempered some of the increasing expectations around Liverpool, but if they continue beating those teams they should then they will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

One of those clubs visit Anfield on Saturday and it will be very difficult for Cardiff City to contain this team whose front three all scored on Wednesday.

Neil Warnock is going to demand hard work and defensive organisation from his team to try and stifle Liverpool and they did leave Tottenham Hotspur with a 1-0 defeat earlier in the month. Cardiff City created some decent chances at Wembley Stadium and they scored when visiting Chelsea, but the 4-1 loss at Stamford Bridge is closer to what I would expect here.

Liverpool have scored at least three goals in over half of their 7 games at Anfield this season and it is a daunting test for Cardiff City who have conceded four or more goals against Chelsea and Manchester City. Arsenal managed three in Wales and I think Warnock may end up writing this off at the end of ninety minutes.

Cardiff City's chances of survival in the Premier League don't rest on getting results at grounds like this and I think it will be a containing effort for as long as possible for them. However Liverpool could go on a real goal-scoring run with the fixtures they have coming up and I think they win this one by a comfortable margin on the day.

Fantasy Star: Mohamed Salah- three goals in the last seven days suggests the forward is back to his best.

Alternative: Sadio Mane- also scored during the week against Crvena Zvezda and should have chances against a Cardiff City team who have conceded four at Chelsea and five at home against Manchester City.


Southampton v Newcastle United Pick: I don't think anyone can be surprised that the layers are expecting a low-scoring Southampton win when these teams meet in the Premier League on Saturday, but I am going to go against the statistics here.

I am not blind to the fact that both Southampton and Newcastle United have struggled for goals all season as they have both scored just 6 goals in 9 Premier League games. However the chances have been coming in recent games for Newcastle United and Southampton have also looked close to beginning to find a consistent goal-scoring threat.

The home team certainly have the kind of players you would expect to make an impact on the scoreboard with Charlie Austin and Danny Ings decent enough at this level. That is more than can be said for Newcastle United, but they just needed to be a little more clinical and they would have gotten something out of the game against Brighton last week.

There will be some tension around the players in what is considered a big game for both clubs and I do worry that could stifle the play, but these clubs have tended to match up well with one another. Goals have flowed when Southampton and Newcastle United have met and I do think both Mark Hughes and Rafa Benitez will want their teams to get forward and pick up points in what they will perceive to be a winnable game.

Southampton home games have seen the side get forward and create chances, but they have also looked vulnerable defensively. It is difficult to believe in two teams who have struggled to score goals as much as these two have, but the chances have been there and that makes seeing three goals or more a very big price here.

Fantasy Star: Danny Ings- Southampton are desperate for goals but this is the player who looks most likely to provide that.

Alternative: Kenedy- Newcastle United have been a little unfortunate in their last couple of games, but Kenedy has scored in one of those and hit the bar in the other. If they are going to score, Kenedy could be in the midst of anything good that happens for The Magpies.


Watford v Huddersfield Town Pick: At the start of the season you have to think both Javi Gracia and David Wagner would have targeted matches like this one as being all-important to ensure Watford and Huddersfield Town do not get relegated from the Premier League.

The expectation may have increased at Watford thanks to a very strong start to the Premier Leagues season, but Gracia is looking to instil some consistency into his team. They've had a run of 5 games with lots of wins and then 5 games without a victory already this season, but the win over Wolves last weekend may spark another good run.

Watford are a team who have looked very dangerous going forward in the first three months of the season and they will believe they can expose what has been a vulnerable Huddersfield Town team.

However you can't take anything for granted in this fixture because Huddersfield Town have found a little more success away from home than they have at the John Smith's Stadium. The Terriers have scored in all 4 away games in the Premier League this season which includes visits to Manchester City, Everton and Leicester City so Watford will have to be fully concentrated.

Huddersfield Town have also scored first in their last couple of away games, while Watford have lost back to back games at Vicarage Road to Manchester United and Bournemouth.

It certainly suggests the visitors can play their part here, but I do like the way Watford have been playing even through their run without a victory. They have created plenty of chances and I think Watford will be focused by the way they were embarrassed by Huddersfield Town here last season.

Backing the home team to win in a game featuring two or more goals looks an attractive enough way to approach this fixture.

Fantasy Star: Roberto Pereyra- he had not scored since August, but Roberto Pereyra was back on the scoresheet last week and is a big threat for Watford from set pieces too.

Alternative: Troy Deeney- the striker should be back to lead the line for Watford and he may not have a better opponent to end his Premier League goal drought.


Leicester City v West Ham United Pick: The live game on Saturday afternoon from the Premier League comes from the King Power Stadium and both Leicester City and West Ham United have to feel they are capable of producing the football to win.

It might be surprising to hear that considering both have lost back to back Premier League games either side of the international break but both Leicester City and West Ham United have offered enough encouragement in those losses to believe they can get back to winning ways sooner rather than later.

The injury to Andriy Yarmolenko is a blow for West Ham United and I think that is going to just take away some of the attacking creativity in the side. With the other injuries in the squad it could mean West Ham United are slightly short of attacking players this weekend and the defence is not that reliable.

Leicester City have to be a little more clinical when the chances come their way but they are creating enough to think they can get the better of their visitors on Saturday afternoon.

It was West Ham United who won the corresponding fixture last season, but I think Leicester City have a little more about them all around when they meet here on Saturday. I imagine it will be a tight game with chances for both teams, but I will look for Leicester City to be the slightly more clinical when those chances are presented and they can win this game.

Backing them on the Asian Handicap will at least return half the stake in the event of a draw.

Fantasy Star: James Maddison- the playmaker has been hugely influential for Leicester City and will likely be on penalty duty if Jamie Vardy's rumoured absence is confirmed.

Alternative: Kelechi Iheanacho- he might only have scored one goal this season in the Premier League, but Kelechi Iheanacho may be leading the line for The Foxes without Vardy.


Burnley v Chelsea Pick: This is not a live game on Sunday but the game has been scheduled for this day as Chelsea have been involved in Europa League action on Thursday.

With Eden Hazard potentially absent the trip to Turf Moor looks a little more difficult for Chelsea considering how influential the Belgian attacker has been for the club all season.

However I do think Maurizio Sarri's tactics will continue to put Chelsea on the front foot and they do have enough talent to break down a Burnley team who have not been as effective defensively as they were twelve months ago. Teams are not just creating chances against Burnley, but they are creating big chances and this Chelsea team have been scoring plenty of goals throughout the course of the season.

Burnley are well rested which makes them dangerous, but Chelsea were not overly taxed when they beat BATE Borisov at home on Thursday evening. The home team have not been a deep attacking threat and will have to rely on free kicks and corners to try and break down this Chelsea defence which has looked decent enough this season.

It worked for BATE Borisov, but I think this is a tough ask for Burnley who have already been beaten comfortably by Watford and Manchester United at Turf Moor. The home side may be unbeaten in 2 in front of their own fans, but are still not convincing and I will back Chelsea to win by a couple of goals on the day with or without Eden Hazard.

Fantasy Star: Willian- doubts surround Eden Hazard and his availability for this fixture which means most things could go through Willian.

Alternative: Marcos Alonso- he was rested on Thursday and the left back has continued to be a threat going forward in the new formation set up by Maurizio Sarri. A clean sheet bonus could also be available against a goal-shy Burnley team.


Crystal Palace v Arsenal Pick: The first of two live televised games on Sunday comes from South London as Arsenal look to continue producing the clinical football that has been a major factor in their 11 game winning run.

Defensively there remain some big questions that have yet to be answered and I think we are going to know a lot more about Arsenal in the coming six weeks when they face some of the other big six clubs.

At the end of the day they still need to be respected for the wins they have been producing and some of the football has been very pleasing on the eye. The Gunners managed to rest some key names in the Europa League on Thursday and they should be ready to go when they visit a goal-shy Crystal Palace team are beginning to look desperate for a win.

The 2-0 defeat at Everton was a bitter pill for Roy Hodgson to swallow last Sunday especially as Crystal Palace missed a penalty at 0-0 and were level going into the final five minutes. A lack of goals is beginning to be a real worry for Crystal Palace and they are not in the kind of form they would want to take into the upcoming fixtures which look very difficult on paper.

Crystal Palace facing four Premier League games in a row against the top six from last season and having scored the second fewest goals in the Premier League is a tough place to begin to produce results in those games. With Arsenal scoring at least twice in every away Premier League game, I am struggling to see how Crystal Palace win this fixture.

Arsenal have won on 4 of their last 5 visits to Selhurst Park and they have scored plenty of goals in those trips. I expect that to continue this weekend and will back The Gunners to have too many goals for Crystal Palace and they can win a game featuring two or more goals.

Fantasy Star: Alexandre Lacazette- he looks to be the lead striker for Arsenal who have been scoring plenty of goals.

Alternative: Mesut Ozil- another who was rested in the Europa League and is fresh off a hugely influential performance in the 3-1 win over Leicester City.


Manchester United v Everton Pick: There was lot of huff and puff from Manchester United in the second half of their 0-1 defeat to Juventus during the week, but it was an eye-opening experience for everyone watching. If there was any doubt about how far away Manchester United are from the elite of European Football then there isn't any more.

Juventus dominated the first half and could have won by a wide margin if they saw fit.

Jose Mourinho continues to place the blame anywhere but at his own door and there is a pressure to get a response from his players when they host Everton on Sunday. Anything less than the three points and even the top four looks like it could be a long shot for the club which is a sharp decline from where they finished in the 2017/18 season.

At least Manchester United have played better in their last couple of Premier League games, but the worry is that the first half has been allowed to drift before the players produce a much stronger first half. Manchester United have now been trailing at half time in 4 of their last 5 games in all competitions and the only exception was the goalless draw with Valencia.

Both Newcastle United and Juventus have led at half time in the last couple of games at Old Trafford which is something that shouldn't be lost on Marco Silva and his Everton team.

Everton's results have been much stronger at home, but they gave Arsenal plenty to think about in a 2-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium when finishing let them down. They will offer a threat in this one going forward and the Manchester United defence has been far from watertight, while Everton have scored at least twice in 3 of their 4 away Premier League games this season.

Both teams scoring is a really high possibility here when you consider it would have been a winner in 3 of the 4 home Manchester United games and 3 of the 4 Everton away games. However it may be a better play to back at least three goals to be shared out as neither team is likely to sit back on a 1-1 until very late in the game when the visitors may believe that is a positive result.

I think Manchester United will find a way to win this fixture, but they are hard to trust at the moment and any victory will need to come in a game that features goals considering the defensive mishaps. Everton have not exactly looked strong at the back considering they have conceded at least twice in 3 of their last 4 away Premier League games too and backing goals looks the best way to go about this.

Fantasy Star: Anthony Martial- in goal scoring form and likely to begin out on the left again this weekend.

Alternative: Gylfi Sigurdsson- Manchester United are far from defensively sound and the Icelandic midfielder has four goals from his last five League appearances. Has scored at Old Trafford before and a threat from set pieces.


Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City Pick: The postponed move into new White Hart Lane meant there was a knock on effect for fans not just of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, but also on Everton and Manchester United. A fixture that had been picked for Saturday television coverage had to move into the vacant spot left by Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City who had to move their original Sunday game to Monday evening.

That is because Wembley Stadium is being used on Sunday for the last NFL game to be played in London in the 2018 season.

It might make the conditions tougher for the players on Monday because the pitch can be cut up in NFL games and twenty-four hours doesn't seem enough time to restore it to pristine condition. At least it won't be raining though so I don't anticipate either manager having too many complaints about the playing surface even if the situation is not ideal.

Tottenham Hotspur certainly feel the delay to the move to the new Stadium is having an effect on their performances and both Liverpool and Barcelona have won here handily already this season. With the injuries in the Tottenham Hotspur squad, Manchester City are right to be favoured to match those wins, although they look significantly shorter than I would have imagined.

It does say a lot about where these two teams stand at the moment even in light of Tottenham Hotspur winning 4 straight Premier League games. Those have come against Brighton, Cardiff City, Huddersfield Town and West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur have been far from convincing in any of those and now take a big step up in level of competition.

When that has happened this season Tottenham Hotspur have lost to Liverpool and Barcelona. Both of those teams scored at least two goals, but Liverpool had enough chances to get closer to the four that Barcelona managed against Spurs.

Manchester City may have dropped four points away from home, but they could easily have won both games at Wolves and Liverpool. The performances have been good and Manchester City have matched up very well with Tottenham Hotspur having beaten them twice last season and scoring seven goals combined in those wins.

On current form I can't see anything but a Manchester City win but they are short enough.

With the goals in the side and the amount of chances Tottenham Hotspur are giving up without leader Jan Vertonghen at centre half I think Manchester City win a game that features at least two goals. I would expect Manchester City to match the total Liverpool and Barcelona have both reached and I just don't think Tottenham Hotspur have the same level of belief when they have faced the top clubs so far this season.

Manchester City look too quick, too creative and in stronger form of the two teams and I will back the defending Champions to record another victory over Spurs.

Fantasy Star: Raheem Sterling- scored three times against Tottenham Hotspur last season and Manchester City will likely look to his pace to break down the Spurs backline here.

Alternative: Benjamin Mendy- his ability to get forward and earn assists can't be ignored. Manchester City have also earned clean sheets at Arsenal and Liverpool this season.

MY PICKS: Wolves 0 Asian Handicap @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Fulham-Bournemouth Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.40 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Liverpool - 2.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)
Southampton-Newcastle United Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.40 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Watford & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.30 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Leicester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Chelsea - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Arsenal & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.05 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Manchester United-Everton Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.85 Bet365 (2 Units)
Manchester City & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

October Update: 25-27-1, - 1.93 Units (104 Units Staked, - 1.86% Yield)