Jackson Faces Allen in High-Stakes Week 8 Showdown
The Ravens and Bills meet Sunday after Baltimore lost two straight games without its quarterback, while other NFL favorites face tough road tests.
By Aaron Foster ·
Lamar Jackson returns to the starting lineup for the Baltimore Ravens Sunday against the Buffalo Bills in a game that determines whether the team remains a serious playoff contender. The Ravens lost their previous two games while Jackson was absent, dropping leads of more than 10 points in each defeat. The Bills enter the matchup fresh from a bye week after road victories over the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders.
SportsLine analyst Eric Cohen predicts a high-scoring affair, projecting a 31-25 win for Buffalo. Cohen notes that the Bills have won four of the last five meetings with Baltimore, including two in the playoffs. He cites the rest advantage and home-field edge, pointing to a 12-3 against-the-spread record for teams with those advantages this season. The opening line lists the Bills as 3-point favorites with a 53.5-point over/under.
Other major matchups feature the Kansas City Chiefs visiting the Denver Broncos on Sunday. CBS Sports writer John Breech projects a 20-16 Chiefs victory, highlighting that Denver allows the fifth-most rushing yards per game in the NFL. Breech expects Kenneth Walker to gain significant yardage, similar to his 173-yard performance in the season opener. The Chiefs are 2-point favorites with a 41.5-point total.
The Los Angeles Chargers face the Los Angeles Rams in an intra-city contest at 4:05 p.m. ET. CBS Sports senior writer Pete Prisco forecasts a 23-20 Rams win. Prisco notes the Chargers have not yet recorded a win this season and are coming off a bye, while the Rams won last week at Las Vegas. The Rams are 7.5-point favorites with a 45.5-point total.
In other games, the New England Patriots are 7.5-point favorites over the Miami Dolphins. CBS Sports writer Tyler Sullivan predicts a 30-20 Patriots win, citing New England's 8-4-1 against-the-spread record on the road under head coach Mike Vrabel. The Patriots have the rest advantage after playing Thursday. The Dolphins allow 5.7 yards per play and 7.8 yards per pass attempt this season.
The Seattle Seahawks host the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. Both teams won in primetime last week. SportsLine expert Emory Hunt favors the under on the 46.5-point total, noting the potential return of running back Zach Charbonnet and the addition of guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle's roster. The Seahawks are 3-point favorites.
The Cincinnati Bengals are 10.5-point favorites over the Tennessee Titans. CBS Sports writer Sullivan points out that Jaguars quarterback Daniel Jones has thrown an interception in all but one game this season and ranks 31st among eligible quarterbacks in passer rating. The Jaguars are 7.5-point favorites over the Indianapolis Colts, with the source noting the Colts recently traded Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner.
