KSL.com Sports' Pro Football Pick'em Week 8 preview

SALT LAKE CITY — A handful of quarterback storylines headline Week 8 of KSL.com's Pro Football Pick'em, with veterans Tyrod Taylor and Joe Flacco stepping back into the spotlight, Aaron Rodgers preparing for a revenge game against his former team, and several division races tightening as the NFL season nears its midway point.

New York Jets (0-7) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)

Sunday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m. MDT – Paycor Stadium (CBS)

Joe Flacco leads the Bengals as they host the Jets, who are making their own switch at quarterback.

Why New York will win:

The Jets are making a change at quarterback for this game, sending Justin Fields to the bench and replacing him with veteran Tyrod Taylor. First-year head coach Aaron Glenn received a vote of confidence from his owner Woody Johnson, when he said, "it looks like he's turning around parts of it." Johnson went on to say that its hard to win with quarterback play that they have gotten and with the switch to Taylor, it might give New York the jolt they needed.

Taylor has had success in the NFL, leading the Bills to the playoffs in 2017, their first playoff appearance in 18 seasons. Taylor has seen action in three games this season, starting in the Jets' week 3 game against the Buccaneers. If not for a game-winning drive from Baker Mayfield, Taylor would have New York in the win column.

Taylor may not be the quarterback he was nearly 10 years ago but he has been one of the most reliable backup quarterbacks in the league and has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches wherever he's played.

The Jets will need their top defensive players to show up if they want to make Taylor's job easier. Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams, Will McDonald, and Jermaine Johnson have all struggled to have an impact this season for players of their caliber and Glenn will need them to step up and make life hard for Joe Flacco and the Bengals' offense.

Cincinnati's offensive line is one of the weakest in the NFL so the time for New York's front seven to make an impact is now if they want to earn their first victory.

Why Cincinnati will win:

Flacco and Aaron Rodgers turned back the clock in a Thursday night showdown last week as both 40-plus-year-old quarterbacks looked like they were back in their prime. Ja'Mar Chase hauled in 16 receptions on 23 targets for 161 yards and a touchdown.

Flacco was going to Chase nearly every play and the Steelers' defense still couldn't stop it. The acquisition of Flacco may save the Bengals' season if Joe Burrow is able to return from his injury later this season but they will need to take care of business against teams they are favored against.

Chase may be the best receiver Flacco has ever played with and he will be sure to continue to receive a bulk of the targets with his ability to be unguardable at times. Cincinnati has plenty of other weapons for Flacco, including Tee Higgins, who had his best game of the season as he caught six passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Running back Chase Brown also recorded a season-high 108 rushing yards in their win over Pittsburgh. With the offense clicking, it's hard to imagine the Bengals won't still be competing for the division even without Burrow.

Line: CIN -6.5

Over/Under: 44.5

San Francisco 49ers (5-2) vs. Houston Texans (2-4)

Sunday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m. MDT – NRG Stadium (FOX)

The struggling Texans return home to host the 49ers as Demeco Ryans faces the team he previously coached for.

Why San Francisco will win:

Despite quarterback Brock Purdy missing five games with a toe injury, the 49ers have risen to the top of the NFC West standings thanks to the play of Mac Jones, who has filled in well for Purdy.

The same could be said for many other players on this roster with the defense stepping up as San Francisco captured a major victory over the Falcons last week. After losing their two best defensive players in back-to-back games, many players along Robert Saleh's defense stepped up in order to handle an electric Atlanta offense.

With Kyle Shanahan coaching up Jones to be effective at quarterback, while Saleh is getting the most from his defense, the 49ers have had one of the best coaching displays in the NFL this season. The coaching advantage that San Francisco has had will continue to give them the edge in these close-knit games and I would expect that ton continue against Houston.

The Texans have struggled to protect quarterback C.J. Stroud but Stroud has also struggled to perform the way he did in his first two NFL seasons. Even without Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, the 49ers defense should create issues for the Texans while Christian McCaffrey creates matchup nightmares for the Houston defense. Shanahan and Saleh should continue to get the most out of their players in this one.

Why Houston will win:

The Texans are in desperate need of a win as they look to battle their way back into the playoff picture. After reaching the playoffs in head coach Demeco Ryans' first two seasons, Houston has dropped to 2-4 on the season despite still having one of the best defenses in the NFL.

The Texans rank fourth in the league in total defense and rank first in scoring defense, allowing just 14.7 points. Ryans was the defensive coordinator for the 49ers before taking over as the head coach in Houston so he should know the ins and outs of Shanahan's offense.

Shanahan is likely to switch some things up with his scheme and game plan but the Texans should still be able to make life hard for the San Francisco offense. Even if Houston is able to slow down the 49ers offense, they will need a better performance from their offense.

The last time the Texans faced a banged-up defense and backup quarterback, they defeated the Ravens 44-10. Baltimore and San Francisco are very similar teams with better coaching being the difference between the two. If Stroud and the offense can turn things around, the defense should be able to help close it out for Houston.

Line: HOU -1.5

Over/Under: 41.5

New York Giants (2-5) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

Sunday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m. MDT – Lincoln Financial Field (FOX)

The Giants travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles, who are looking to avenge their week 6 loss to New York.

Why New York will win:

The Giants dismantled their division rival in their first meeting of the season as rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo made their mark in the game. Skattebo totaled three touchdowns while Dart threw for one and also protected the football in that win. Things didn't go so well in Denver on Sunday, with New York blowing the game late after making a comeback of their own despite having the lead for much of the game.

It was definitely a learning experience for the young quarterback and it will be hard to bounce back from a loss like that. How Dart and the Giants respond to that adversity could define the outcome of this game. New York must also expect the Eagles to be more prepared the second time around so keeping a similar gameplan that worked last time while also changing things up should help the Giants.

Jalen Hurts has just one turnover this season and it was an interception against New York. Brian Burns and this Giants defense will have to play like they did in the first three quarters against the Broncos if they are going to get to Hurts and force him into mistakes.

Bottling up Saquon Barkley can force Philadelphia to be one dimensional and the Eagles have played much better offensively when they are able to run the football. Dexter Lawrence is one of, if not the best defensive tackles in the league and his impact inside could affect things in this one.

Why Philadelphia will win:

The Eagles didn't have a great showing the last time these two faced off two weeks ago. That quick turnaround between matchups may benefit Philadelphia in this one. The Eagles defeated the Vikings 28-22 after they got a great performance from Hurts, who threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns.

His connection with Devanta Smith proved to be the difference in the game as Smith hauled in nine receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown.

The Giants melted down in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Broncos, surrendering 33 points in the fourth quarter after a monumental collapse. Denver was much more aggressive in the final period, capitalizing on mistakes from Dart and pushing the ball downfield.

Philadelphia showed they could do the same against a good defense in Minnesota and if they replicate that formula, they should be able to get revenge on New York.

Line: PHI -7.5

Over/Under: 44.5

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2) vs. New Orleans Saints (1-6)

Sunday, Oct. 26, 2:05 p.m. MDT– Caesars Superdome (FOX)

The Buccaneers take on the Saints in New Orleans in an NFC South showdown.

Why Tampa Bay will win:

Last week was the first time all season that Tampa Bay's offense really struggled for an entire game, only managing to put up nine points against the Lions. This game against the Saints should provide the Buccaneers a chance to get back on track as they look to pick up a division win to gain more ground in claiming the NFC South title.

Tampa Bay saw the return of wide receivers Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka last week in Detroit but it was a short return for Evans, who broke his collarbone and is in jeopardy of missing a majority of the season.

As we have seen so far this season, Baker Mayfield can throw the ball to just about anyone on the roster and last week it was tight end Cade Otton's turn to lead the team in receiving. Tez Johnson's role will continue to grow and after posting back-to-back games with a touchdown, he has shown he can be a reliable number two next to Egbuka.

Mayfield will be fired up for this one as he came out earlier this week to talk about how New Orleans doesn't always play "clean" football. The Buccaneers will have the advantage in this one but in divisional matchups, anything is possible.

Why New Orleans will win:

The Saints have played in many tightly contested games despite their 1-6 record. Head Coach Kellen Moore has coached some great offenses during his time as an offensive coordinator, including the Super Bowl champion Eagles. Despite having limited talent in New Orleans, Moore has coached up this Saints offense, with many players overperforming including quarterback Spencer Rattler.

Rattler has played well this season but will need to take his game up a notch to pull off the home upset on Sunday. Rattler has two deep threat options in Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed that can take the top off the defense.

An always intriguing offensive option for Moore and Rattler is Taysom Hill, who can do a variety of things and always seems to have a game where he explodes each season. New Orleans doesn't have the firepower on offense that the Buccaneers do but Moore is a creative play caller that may have some exciting things drawn up in this one.

If the offense can limit turnovers after having four in their last game against Chicago, they'll not only boost their chances of putting points on the board but the Saints can also put their defense in a better position to succeed. With all the injuries Tampa Bay has on offense, it will be up to them to take advantage and make things tough for Mayfield and company.

Line: TB -3.5

Over/Under: 46.5

Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

Sunday, Oct. 26, 6:20 p.m. MDT – Acrisure Stadium (NBC)

Aaron Rodgers will face his former team when the Steelers host the Packers on Sunday Night Football.

Why Green Bay will win:

The Packers snuck out a win against the Cardinals last week with a two-touchdown fourth quarter from the offense. Quarterback Jordan Love wasn't spectacular by any means but he continues to get the job done and come through when it matters most. Micah Parsons had his best game as a Packer as he recorded three sacks against Arizona. Green Bay will hope to continue this momentum against the Steelers on Sunday night.

Pittsburgh is coming off a Thursday night football loss to Joe Flacco and the Bengals and their defense was shredded all night by Flacco. Ja'Mar Chase had a huge impact in that game and while the Packers don't have a receiver of that caliber on their roster, rookie wideout Matthew Golden continues to make strides with Romeo Doubs having an impact, as well.

Green Bay may finally be getting Christian Watson back this week after suffering an ACL tear late last season and his deep threat capabilities will add to this offense.

The strength of the Steelers has typically been their defense but they haven't been as dominant like they have in years past. Pittsburgh's offense has been much better than anticipated with Aaron Rodgers showing that maybe he wasn't the issue with the Jets last season; however, the Packers' defense has been great in 2025, ranking sixth in total defense.

Parsons and Rashan Gary have combined for 11 sacks on the season and they will matchup against two young tackles on the Steelers' offensive line, causing potential problems for Rodgers and the offense.

Why Pittsburgh will win:

The long-awaited revenge game for Rodgers against his former team is finally here. The 41-year-old quarterback is fourth in the NFL in touchdown passes and has put together a nice start to his first season with Pittsburgh.

It's hard to say that Green Bay didn't make the right move of moving on from Rodgers and handing the keys to Love but Rodgers still has a chip on his shoulder as he believes he can still play at a high level.

Even if Rodgers can play at a high level in this game, he'll need his defense to step up from their performance last week. Rodgers threw for 249 yards and four touchdowns in a losing effort while the Steelers' run game was also efficient as well with Jaylen Warren totaling 127 yards on the ground.

Head coach Mike Tomlin will hope the extra days off between a Thursday night game and this matchup will give his defense enough time to fix their mistakes and be prepared for the Packers.

Love has been called a gunslinger at quarterback, reflecting his characteristics of always trying to make a play and forcing the ball at times. Love has been much better this season at taking care of the football but Pittsburgh has spent the most money in the NFL on their defense with the hope they can be among the best units in the league.

The defense will have to be better than it was last game in order for the Steelers to win this game. The expectation is that it will be possible with T.J. Watt leading the way for this defense.

Line: GB -3.5

Over/Under: 44.5

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