NFL Week 8 Capsules

WEEK 8

Denver (2-5) vs. San Francisco (1-6), London

Time: 10 a.m. Line: Pick Total: 41½

■ Weather: Low 50s, 20 percent chance of rain

■ Facts: The Broncos gave up an Oakland franchise-high 59 points in their 45-point loss last week. In previous years, Denver has also given up franchise bests to Kansas City and San Diego. FYI: Teams are 13-7-1 ATS after 30-plus-point losses the past two seasons. ... The only other time the 49ers faced a 3-4 defense this year, versus K.C., they had a season-low 251 yards and gave up a season-high five sacks. ... The poor folks in London will be getting two more stinker teams. In 2007, the 0-7 Dolphins showed up. Last year it was the 0-6 Buccaneers.

■ Analysis: The 49ers have fooled a lot of people into thinking they are a team on the rise, but how good can they possibly be after losing to a winless Carolina team last week that was guided by a quarterback who entered with the league's worst passer rating? Plus, San Francisco had a plus-2 turnover edge. Sheesh!

■ Forecast: Broncos 30, 49ers 17

Jacksonville (3-4) at Dallas (1-5)

Time: 10 a.m. Line: Cowboys -6½ Total: 42½

TV: CBS (8)

■ Weather: Mid-80s, clear

■ Facts: Jacksonville gives up 8.9 yards a pass, the worst rate by anyone since the Jets yielded 9.1 a throw in 1975. ... Dallas' new QB, Jon Kitna, generated 26 yards of forward progress on his first six full series Monday night replacing Tony Romo (out, clavicle). ... The Jaguars caught San Diego coming off a short work week in Week 2 but were squashed, 38-13. ... Jacksonville QB Todd Bouman somehow wound up on the injury report (questionable, finger) after playing for the first time in almost forever. QB David Garrard (probable, head) is ready to return.

■ Analysis: This could be a big game for Dallas RB Marion Barber, especially near the goal line. In three games this season a team has been 4-for-4 scoring TDs on first-and-goal possessions, and each time it came against Jacksonville.

■ Forecast: Cowboys 28, Jaguars 14

Washington (4-3) at Detroit (1-5)

Time: 10 a.m. Line: Lions -2½ Total: 44

■ Weather: Indoors

■ Facts: Good thing for the Lions this game is at home, where they are 6-6 all time versus the Redskins, including a 19-14 victory last year as 6½-point underdogs. In Washington, Detroit is 0-21. ... Washington CB DeAngelo Hall (questionable, back) had 92 return yards on four interceptions last week in Chicago, catching more balls than any receiver in the game. ... Detroit QB Matthew Stafford is scheduled to return from his Week 1 shoulder injury. Backup Shaun Hill (out, forearm) was 4-1 ATS in relief.

■ Analysis: The rest surely did the Lions good, including RB Jahvid Best, who struggled with a toe injury after scoring four TDs in the team's first two games. And that trouble-making Detroit defensive line should be in Washington's backfield all day.

■ Forecast: Lions 35, Redskins 21

Green Bay (4-3) at New York Jets (5-1)

Time: 10 a.m. Line: Jets -6 Total: 42½

TV/RADIO: Fox (5); KWWN (1100 AM, 98.9 FM)

■ Weather: Mid-50s, 10 percent chance of rain

■ Facts: Jets QB Mark Sanchez was 29th in completion percentage last year among qualifying passers. He's 29th this year, too, and still has led his team to five straight victories. ... The last time Green Bay caught a team coming off a bye, it lost at home to Miami 23-20 two weeks ago. Rested teams are 6-2 ATS the past two weeks, 7-5 this season. ... After last year's week off, the Jets were 24-22 losers to Jacksonville as 6.5½-point favorites. ... Packers LB Clay Mathews (probable, hamstring) still leads the league with 8½ sacks but has had only 2½ since Week 2.

■ Analysis: Although Green Bay kept the Vikings off QB Aaron Rodgers last week, it was the same offensive line that allowed Miami pass rushers to get to the QB five times a week earlier. It shouldn't take much for Jets coach Rex Ryan to befuddle this group, especially without a running game.

■ Forecast: Jets 27, Packers 13

Carolina (1-5) at St. Louis (3-4)

Time: 10 a.m. Line: Rams -3 Total: 37

■ Weather:

■ Facts: For the first time in 44 games the Rams are favorites. As Dhani Jones might say, I'm pretty sure that's a record. ... Rams rookie QB Sam Bradford is tied for 31st at 5.7 yards a throw. The guy he's tied with, Derek Anderson, lost his job in Arizona this month. ... Carolina's RB tandem of DeAngelo Williams (questionable, foot) and Jonathan Stewart had 1,100-plus yards apiece last year. This year they've teamed for 509. ... Carolina WR David Gettis had eight catches for 125 yards from the league's worst starting QB last week, Matt Moore. Gettis totaled 10 catches for 119 before that.

■ Analysis: Bradford has done well to direct the Rams to three victories one year after the team went 1-15, but only once has he faced a top-15 defense. The Panthers have the league's seventh-best overall unit and are tops in defensive passer rating. A mild upset is brewing.

■ Forecast: Panthers 21, Rams 14

Miami (3-3) at Cincinnati (2-4)

Time: 10 a.m. Line: Bengals -2 Total: 43½

RADIO: KXNT (100.5 FM)

■ Weather: Mid-50s, clear

■ Facts: The beleaguered Bengals have the league's 11th-rated offense, averaging 351.4 yards a game. Last year, in winning the AFC North, Cincinnati was 24th at 309.1. ... Miami is 0-3 at home, 3-0 on the road. The greatest home disadvantage in history occurred in 1961, when the Lions' were 2-5 at Tiger Stadium but 6-0-1 away. ... Cincinnati's Carson Palmer (questionable, hip) had a league-high 412 passing yards in a 39-32 loss in Atlanta last week. Then again, the Eagles' Kevin Kolb had a league-best 326 a week earlier against the Falcons, and he's only Philly's second-best QB.

■ Analysis: Too many Bengals DBs were hobbling around this week, and they certainly didn't look to formidable in trying to stop Atlanta's Roddy White last week when he caught 11 passes for 201 yards. Brandon Marshall could get the same results for Miami, complementing a good-enough running game.

■ Forecast: Dolphins 27, Bengals 23

Buffalo (0-6) at Kansas City (4-2)

Time: 10 a.m. Line: Chiefs -7½ Total: 45

■ Weather: Mid-60s, clear

■ Facts: The last time a team with a mark of 0-6 or worse broke through with a victory on the road against a winning team was in 1997, when an 0-7 Bears team won at Miami, 36-33. ... K.C.'s top-ranked rushing game faces the worst-ranked Buffalo rush defense. A similar No. 1-vs.-No. 32 scenario played out last year, with the ground-oriented Jets thrashing the Buccaneers, 26-3. ... Since Buffalo's Ryan Fitzpatrick, the league's No. 2 passer, took charge, the Bills have averaged 352 yards a game, which would rank 11th on the offensive charts. ... The 144.0 passer rating of Chiefs QB Matt Cassel last week against Jacksonville was the third best by anyone this season.

■ Analysis: Buffalo coach Chan Gailey returns to face the team -- and coach Todd Haley -- that rudely jettisoned him as offensive coordinator during last year's exhibition season. The Bills have improved week by week and have played the Patriots and Ravens tough. They just haven't improved enough to win.

■ Forecast: Chiefs 30, Bills 27

Tennessee (5-2) at San Diego (2-5)

Time: 1:05 p.m. Line: Chargers -3½ Total: 44

RADIO: KWWN (1100 AM, 98.9 FM)

■ Weather: Mid-60s, clear

■ Facts: Titans coach Jeff Fisher is 0-6 against the Chargers (0-6 ATS), including a 42-17 loss last year as a 2½-point favorite. ... Looks like Vince Young (questionable, ankle/knee) will return as QB for Tennessee. Backup Kerry Collins (finger) is also questionable. ... The Chargers' top-rated defense has held foes under 200 yards in three games this season. All other league teams have done so 12 times combined. ... San Diego punter Mike Scifres leads the league with a 49.7 gross average but is last in net at 29.5 a boot because of three blocked kicks.

■ Analysis: Over the past five games, the Titans have played goal-line-a-dope in going 4-1. Their defense has been gouged for 376 yards a game over that span and would stand 28th in the current rankings. Best of luck going against a frustrated Philip Rivers and his No. 1-ranked unit.

■ Forecast: Chargers 34, Titans 14

Tampa Bay (4-2) at Arizona (3-3)

Time: 1:15 p.m. Line: Cardinals -3 Total: 39½

■ Weather: Mid-80s, clear

■ Facts: Tampa Bay's past four foes have set their season rushing highs against the Buccaneers, including St. Louis' 161 yards last week. ... The Cardinals have the league's worst total offense average at 237.8 yards a game. The last team at the bottom in this category to finish above .500 was the 1994 Giants (9-7). ... Bucs rookie RB LeGarrette Blount (11 carries, 72 yards last week) is getting ready to supplant Cadillac Williams. ... Cardinals rookie QB Max Hall has thrown an interception on the first possession of his two starts for Arizona.

■ Analysis: Tampa Bay QB Josh Freeman is getting all sorts of back-slaps for leading his team to comeback victories, which is commendable. But how good is that offense, which has only two TDs the past two games against soft defenses, with both coming in the final minute?

■ Forecast: Cardinals 24, Buccaneers 14

Seattle (4-2) at Oakland (3-4)

Time: 1:15 p.m. Line: Raiders -2 Total: 42½

■ Weather: Mid-50s, 10 percent chance of rain

■ Facts: The Raiders beat favored Denver last week 59-14, their sixth victory since 2009 as an underdog. In each ensuing game, they were walloped, being outscored by a cumulative 142-32. ... Seattle is the only team to get at least five sacks in its past two games. ... The Seahawks scored 22 points last week, but three of their scoring drives opened from the Arizona 16 or closer. ... Oakland has suffered a league-high 14 forced fumbles this year. They've bothered to recover two.

■ Analysis: The Raiders have mastered the art of collapsing after big victories, and last week's rout of Denver doesn't mask the fact that QB Jason Campbell is still Jason Campbell and that RB Darren McFadden will probably need X-rays sometime during the first half. Seattle's defense is growing teeth.

■ Forecast: Seahawks 23, Raiders 12

Minnesota (2-4) at New England (5-1)

Time: 1:15 p.m. Line: Patriots -5½ Total: 42½

TV/RADIO: Fox (5); KXNT (100.5 FM)

■ Weather: Mid-50s, 10 percent chance of rain

■ Facts: Reports out of Minnesota hint that QB Brett Favre (questionable, ankle) might not start after all. Backup Tarvaris Jackson is limber and ready. ... Each year from 2007 to 2009 the Patriots led the league in running more plays than their opponent, at an average of plus-145 per season. This year foes have a 33-snap edge. ... Minnesota has gone two straight games without getting a sack, which the team says hasn't happened since 1991. In a meeting between the Vikes and Pats in 1994, New England's Drew Bledsoe threw a league-record 70 passes and wasn't sacked then, either.

■ Analysis: The Patriots' offense had great fortune last week, including an average starting field position at its 44, the best for any team this year. Meanwhile, Vikings coach Brad Childress just knows the football gods (and officials) owe him one after that 28-24 loss in Green Bay.

■ Forecast: Vikings 24, Patriots 21

Pittsburgh (5-1) at New Orleans (4-3)

Time: 5:20 p.m. Line: Pick Total: 44

TV/RADIO: NBC (3); KBAD (920 AM)

■ Weather: Indoors

■ Facts: Sean Payton's Saints are 2-4-1 ATS (4-3 straight up) in home prime-time games since 2007. ... New Orleans faces two-time Super Bowl champion QB Ben Roethlisberger for the first time. ... Don't look for the return of Saints RB Reggie Bush (questionable, leg) just yet. New Orleans has averaged 405 yards a game in the five games he's been out. Its average was 298 with him.

■ Analysis: Big Ben & Co. are going to be in trouble playing a night game in New Orleans on Halloween, especially since they won't be able to bring along the same officiating crew that should have gotten the game ball after the Steelers' controversial victory in Miami last week.

■ Forecast: Saints 28, Steelers 16

MONDAY

Houston (4-2) at Indianapolis (4-2)

Time: 5:30 p.m. Line: Colts -5½ Total: 49½

TV/RADIO: ESPN (30); KWWN (1100 AM, 98.9 FM)

■ Weather: Mid-50s, clear

■ Facts: For the second straight game, the Colts will face the league's worst-rated defense. They beat Washington 27-24 before their bye. ... Houston RB Arian Foster had 231 rushing yards on 33 carries in the season-opening 34-24 victory against the Colts but has averaged 78.8 yards a game since. ... Indianapolis TE Dallas Clark (out, wrist) and WR Collie (out, wrist) teamed for 22 catches, 243 yards and two TDs in that Week 1 meeting. ... Indy is 15-2 in the series but 7-10 ATS. ... The Colts haven't been swept in a division season series since 2002 against Tennessee.

■ Analysis: Neither team could get the other off the field in the second half of their Week 1 showdown, and both teams have since seen their defenses hit by injury (Colts' Bob Sanders, Texans' DeMeco Ryans). But it's hard to go against a Houston team that finished with four straight TD drives to beat Kansas City before its bye.

■ Forecast: Texans 34, Colts 28

Last week: 8-6 vs. spread; 8-6 straight up

Season total: 55-44-4 (.556) vs. spread; 62-42 (.596) straight up