NFL Betting: Growing Rivalries Highlight AFC Week Eight Matchups

There have been many surprises throughout the first seven weeks of the NFL regular season, with several taking place in the AFC, where the Indianapolis Colts have disappeared from the radar of legitimate contenders following the loss of franchise quarterback Peyton Manning. Two teams that remain staples in the race to the postseason are the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, which clash this week at Heinz Field. While the Patriots and Steelers will fight for AFC supremacy, the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs have a sports betting battle of their own as they vie for first in the AFC West.

New England Patriots (-3) @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

The Steelers have bounced back strong after splitting their first four games, winning three in a row to shed the label of Super Bowl hangover and move out front in the AFC North division.

Pittsburgh has won three straight games with two of those victories clinched with a margin of at least 12 points, but the problem is that none of those teams they have beaten during their current run made the playoffs a year ago. The same cannot be said for a New England team that led the NFL with 14 wins last season, including a victory over the Steelers at home. The Patriots have bounced back from an upset of their own with three straight wins since a loss to the Buffalo Bills, and will have the extra pay head week of preparation on their side following a bye.

NFL Betting Pick: New England Patriots - 3

San Diego Chargers (-3.5) @ Kansas City Chiefs
Monday, 8:35 PM ET

There are intertops games that you win and there are games that you lose, and then there are games that you give away, which also count as losses at the end of the day. The Chargers did the latter in a 27-21 loss to the New York Jets last week, taking a 10-point lead in to the half before blowing it with a couple of costly turnovers in the final two quarters. The road doesn’t get much easier for San Diego this week as they travel for the second time in as many weeks to face the Kansas City Chiefs in hostile territory. The Chiefs have overcome a rash of injuries that slowed them out of the gate at the opening of the season to win three straight, and are now right in the thick of the AFC West division race. The running back tandem of Dexter McCluster and Jackie Battle are picking up the Kansas City offense and putting it on their shoulders, while the defense came alive with three interceptions in a 28-0 win over the Oakland Raiders last Sunday. With the Chiefs firing on all cylinders, there won’t be much room for error for a San Diego team that has made a ton of them already this season.

NFL Betting Pick: Kansas City Chiefs + 3.5