It’s Week 8! The playoff picture is starting to come together as the contenders and pretenders begin truly separating from each other. Matt Verderame says the Chiefs are fully back, while Conor Orr described the Giants’ loss to the Broncos as a modern-day tragedy. Let’s see what’s in store this week.
There are only 13 games this week, with six teams on their bye week. All eyes will be on Sunday Night Football, when the Steelers host the Packers in one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. Aaron Rodgers already beat his most recent former employer, the Jets, in Week 1. This week will be the first time in his career that he faces the Packers, whom he starred for across 18 seasons, winning four MVPs and a Super Bowl. Our staff is split, with four pickers backing Green Bay and three on Pittsburgh.
In general, our writers and editors played it pretty safe without many upset picks this week. We have clean sweeps picking the Bills to end the Panthers’ three-game winning streak and the Chiefs to stay hot in an AFC vs. NFC showdown against the Commanders on Monday night.
Here’s who we have making picks this season:
Albert Breer, senior NFL reporter
Conor Orr, senior writer
Gilberto Manzano, staff writer
Matt Verderame, staff writer
John Pluym, managing editor
Mitch Goldich, senior editor
Clare Brennan, associate editor
All picks are straight up. Visit SI Betting for picks against the spread and much more gambling content.
Green squares denote upsets.
Vikings at Chargers
- Albert Breer: Chargers
- Clare Brennan: Chargers
- Mitch Goldich: Chargers
- Gilberto Manzano: Vikings
- Conor Orr: Chargers
- John Pluym: Chargers
- Matt Verderame: Chargers
Dolphins at Falcons
- Albert Breer: Falcons
- Clare Brennan: Falcons
- Mitch Goldich: Falcons
- Gilberto Manzano: Falcons
- Conor Orr: Falcons
- John Pluym: Falcons
- Matt Verderame: Falcons
Jets at Bengals
- Albert Breer: Bengals
- Clare Brennan: Bengals
- Mitch Goldich: Bengals
- Gilberto Manzano: Bengals
- Conor Orr: Jets
- John Pluym: Bengals
- Matt Verderame: Bengals
Browns at Patriots
- Albert Breer: Patriots
- Clare Brennan: Patriots
- Mitch Goldich: Patriots
- Gilberto Manzano: Patriots
- Conor Orr: Patriots
- John Pluym: Patriots
- Matt Verderame: Patriots
Giants at Eagles
- Albert Breer: Eagles
- Clare Brennan: Eagles
- Mitch Goldich: Eagles
- Gilberto Manzano: Eagles
- Conor Orr: Eagles
- John Pluym: Eagles
- Matt Verderame: Eagles
Bills at Panthers
- Albert Breer: Bills
- Clare Brennan: Bills
- Mitch Goldich: Bills
- Gilberto Manzano: Bills
- Conor Orr: Bills
- John Pluym: Bills
- Matt Verderame: Bills
Bears at Ravens
- Albert Breer: Ravens
- Clare Brennan: Bears
- Mitch Goldich: Ravens
- Gilberto Manzano: Bears
- Conor Orr: Bears
- John Pluym: Ravens
- Matt Verderame: Bears
49ers at Texans
- Albert Breer: Texans
- Clare Brennan: 49ers
- Mitch Goldich: 49ers
- Gilberto Manzano: 49ers
- Conor Orr: 49ers
- John Pluym: 49ers
- Matt Verderame: 49ers
Buccaneers at Saints
- Albert Breer: Buccaneers
- Clare Brennan: Buccaneers
- Mitch Goldich: Buccaneers
- Gilberto Manzano: Buccaneers
- Conor Orr: Buccaneers
- John Pluym: Buccaneers
- Matt Verderame: Buccaneers
Cowboys at Broncos
- Albert Breer: Broncos
- Clare Brennan: Broncos
- Mitch Goldich: Broncos
- Gilberto Manzano: Cowboys
- Conor Orr: Broncos
- John Pluym: Cowboys
- Matt Verderame: Cowboys
Titans at Colts
- Albert Breer: Colts
- Clare Brennan: Colts
- Mitch Goldich: Colts
- Gilberto Manzano: Colts
- Conor Orr: Colts
- John Pluym: Colts
- Matt Verderame: Colts
Packers at Steelers
- Albert Breer: Packers
- Clare Brennan: Packers
- Mitch Goldich: Steelers
- Gilberto Manzano: Steelers
- Conor Orr: Steelers
- John Pluym: Packers
- Matt Verderame: Packers
Commanders at Chiefs
- Albert Breer: Chiefs
- Clare Brennan: Chiefs
- Mitch Goldich: Chiefs
- Gilberto Manzano: Chiefs
- Conor Orr: Chiefs
- John Pluym: Chiefs
- Matt Verderame: Chiefs
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Week 8 Picks From the MMQB Staff: Aaron Rodgers’s Steelers Face the Packers.