None of the three Super Bowl favorites — the San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, and Kansas City Chiefs — added wins last week, highlighting how open the championship race remains entering Week 8. Teams further down the standings still have time to gain ground or surpass frontrunners in divisional and wild-card races before the postseason heats up in the second half of the season.
Super Bowl Odds Entering Week 8
DraftKings lists the 49ers at +580, Bills at +700, Chiefs at +900, followed by the Seahawks (+1000), Rams (+1100), Jaguars (+1200), Ravens (+1300), Bears (+1400), Bengals (+1600), Vikings (+1700), Patriots (+1900), and Broncos (+1900) among teams with odds of +2000 or better.
Stock Up: Joe Burrow Ignites Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals earned their first divisional win in Week 7 and became AFC North favorites for the first time this season. Trailing the Baltimore Ravens 13-0 at halftime, quarterback Joe Burrow posted a perfect passer rating in the second half, completing 16 of 18 passes for 249 yards and four touchdowns — perhaps the best half of his career. The offense has scored at least 31 points in back-to-back games, while the defense showed improvement with a shutout second half against Tyler Huntley and held the Houston Texans to six points in Week 2. If the defense continues to progress, the Bengals could become a complete team with a top-flight quarterback.
Stock Down: Texans' Resurgence Halts
The Houston Texans' hopes of becoming only the second NFL team to reach the playoffs after an 0-4 start took a major hit. Their defense, which led the league in yards allowed and ranked second in scoring last season, now ranks in the bottom half in both metrics. They allowed quarterback J.J. McCarthy to post the third-best start of his career by passer rating, and surrendered long overtime runs to Cam Skattebo and Devin Singletary in a loss to the New York Giants. Quarterback C.J. Stroud is playing well but lacks defensive support, a reversal from 2025 when the defense carried the team.
Long Shot of the Week: Dallas Cowboys (+3200)
The Cowboys remain a fringe contender until they prove they can consistently slow opponents; they have yet to hold a team under 20 points. However, their offense clicked on Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles. Running back Javonte Williams leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns after a 155-yard performance, and receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens combined for three touchdowns. If that offensive surge continues, Dallas could contend in the wide-open NFC East.
Week 8 Games to Watch
Key matchups include the Ravens at Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS), where Lamar Jackson's ankle injury clouds Baltimore's playoff chances; the Bears at Seahawks (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN), pitting Chicago's top-ranked rushing offense against Seattle's stout run defense; the Chiefs at Broncos (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), with the AFC West lead on the line; and the Vikings at Lions (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Fox), a clash between Minnesota's elite defense and Detroit's high-powered offense.
