NFL Week 8 parlay: Seahawks, Cards/Saints under, Jets/Jags over
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The Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars took care of business last week in the early games to tick the first two boxes in our parlay. But then, Mitch Trubisky happened.
A crime scene unfolded at Soldier Field as the New Orleans Saints laid a beating on the Chicago Bears. What a horrible call.
Two out of three doesn't cut it in parlay land, so how about we go perfect in Week 8?
Seahawks' ML -175 (vs. Falcons)
Is there a team worse off than the Atlanta Falcons are right now? They have quit on their coach and teammates, are just good enough to win a few meaningless games down the stretch to spoil a high draft pick while remaining in cap purgatory, and their best players are on the decline. This is a team in desperate need of a fresh start. Until then, you get the sense it's dreading taking the field every week.
Julio Jones interrupted head coach Dan Quinn in the locker room to address his teammates following last week's loss, but it's too late for the Falcons to salvage the season, and the reality of that will be hard to overcome.
Motivation will not be an issue for Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks, who will be eager to bounce back following last week's ugly loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Falcons rank 31st in the NFL in scoring defense and the Seahawks are finding the end zone on 64.29% of their red-zone drives. That's a dangerous combo for Atlanta and a winning recipe for Seattle, which will get back to its winning ways Sunday.
Cardinals/Saints under 48
Scores can be deceiving. The Saints walked out of Chicago as 36-25 winners, but 15 of the Bears' points came in garbage time during the final three minutes, while their first touchdown came by via kickoff return. The week before, the Saints allowed just six points to the Jaguars. This defense is fierce and getting better by the week.
The Arizona Cardinals' fast-paced offense has shown continued signs of improvement, but their O-line has held them back. New Orleans' smothering pass rush will make life difficult on Kyler Murray, who will struggle to put up points with much consistency in the Big Easy.
Teddy Bridgewater has enjoyed success in Drew Brees' absence, but the offense isn't operating with much urgency. Sean Payton knows an up-tempo style will play into the hands of the Cardinals, so expect a more conservative game plan from the Saints as they rely on their defense and running game to grind out a sixth straight win. And if Brees returns from his thumb injury, it'll be the same result in a different fashion.
Jets/Jaguars over 41.5
Is everyone really writing off the New York Jets' offense because of a bad game against the New England Patriots? Bill Belichick's defenses have been making quarterbacks more experienced than Sam Darnold look unprepared for a long time, and this may be the best unit he's had during his 19-year tenure in New England. Darnold and the offense looked lost against the Patriots as they were shut out, but a date with the Jaguars should comparatively be a breeze. Jacksonville ranks 19th in the NFL in total defense, while Darnold's three starts this season all came against top-five units.
The Achilles' heel for the Jaguars is that they have a tendency to give up the big plays, which is a dangerous proposition with the explosive Robby Anderson. The Jets should connect on some deep shots against a secondary that's been exposed without Jalen Ramsey, though Jacksonville's pass rush should also be able to force Darnold into a couple of turnovers. Both of those equate to points on the scoreboard.
Gardner Minshew, meanwhile, has the Jaguars' offense ticking along nicely, with a healthy Leonard Fournette serving as the catalyst. There's no evidence to suggest that will stop against a Jets unit that has struggled to keep points off the board. Darnold and Minshew should each be able to orchestrate a few touchdown drives, and with such a low total, that will be enough to push this over the number.
Parlay: Seahawks' ML, Cardinals/Saints under, Jets/Jaguars over ($50 to win $236.36)
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.