Cohen's NFL Week 8 Picks

Halloween is now a week away, and so is the half way point of the NFL season. Hard to believe; isn't it. Week eight is here and this is a huge swing week. Win this week, and teams can begin to think about postseason opportunities. Lose and the time will come when a team needs to panic that its season is slipping away.

BUCCANEERS (5-2) @ COWBOYS (4-3): The Cowboys are a mess. Tony Romo announced to the world that he will sit out for the next month because of his broken pinkie, meaning that Brad Johnson will get at least three more starts to stink it up for Dallas. Wade Phillips is now on the hook. He has to turn this ship around or he could be fired. Owner Jerry Jones is very unhappy with the play of this ballclub and he wants to see big returns on his risky multi-million dollar investment.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers are rolling into this game. A win here and the Buccaneers can really take off the rest of the way. This is a big week for both teams, a huge swing game that will determine the fortunes of both for the rest of the season. BUCCANEERS 34, COWBOYS 24.

BILLS (5-1) @ DOLPHINS (2-4): This should be fun! The Bills have yet to play a divisional game this year, so it should be intriguing to see how they matchup against some real hard-hitting rivals, especially a rival that likes to run a wildcat offense, with Ronnie Brown playing running back and quarterback. The key will be how the Bills handle Brown. If they can shut him down and force Chad Pennington to beat them, then Buffalo should win the game ... if not, it will be a long day.

Offensively, the Bills have to keep Joey Porter off quarterback Trent Edwards. Given time, Edwards can pick apart even the best defenses. PICK: BILLS 20, DOLPHINS 17.

CHARGERS (3-4) vs. SAINTS (3-4): Okay, another editon of the NFL's stupid attempt to brainwash Europe with pro football. Last year, the NFL got rid of its NFL Europe league in order to send its major teams overseas in the middle of the season to play a game that should be played in the continental United States.

This year, the NFL sends the San Diego Chargers all the way across the Big Pond to play this game. If they don't suffer major jet lag, I'm a monkey's uncle. The Saints also winged it to the Motherland to play what would have been a Saints home game. Not exactly good PR to remove a home game from a city that was once ravaged by the worst natural disaster in the history of the U.S.

Anyway, politics and no-clue-isms aside, the Chargers and Saints both need this game. A loss for either, and that team can kiss its season bye-bye. The intrigue of the game will be built around Saints QB Drew Brees matched up against his former team, the Chargers, that basically kicked him out of town in favor of Phillip Rivers after the 2005 season. PICK: SAINTS 31, CHARGERS 28.

CHIEFS (1-5) @ JETS (3-3): Hey Jet fans, Brett Favre will be late to this week's game against Kansas City; he has to call the Tennessee Titans so he can help them game plan for the Packers on November 2. The Jets have returned to the dictionary reference for joke. First, they choked against the Raiders, as they did everything in their power to either not lose or tie the game. I thought in football, you are supposed to play to win the game.

Speaking of playing to win the game, Herman Edwards leads his pee-wee league football team into the Meadowlands. This should be a layup for the Jets. The Chiefs have literally no talent on their team. In fact, Rutgers could beat the Chiefs, that's how bad Kansas City is. If the Jets play it conservatively and close to the vest this week, Eric Mangini and Brian Shottenheimer may not make it out of Giants Stadium alive. PICK JETS 27, CHIEFS 7.

GIANTS (5-1) @ STEELERS (5-1): Ahhh. Now, football fans, some real football. You know, it's football season when it's crisp outside, and the leaves are turning hues of red, orange and yellow. You really know it's football when two smash mouth teams get together for a Sunday evening clash. The Giants travel to Pittsburgh a little blue (no pun intended). Plaxico Burress and Tom Coughlin have been going at it on the sidelines, and it has created the kind of distraction the media can feast upon. Top that off with the fact that New York hasn't played well lately. Eli Manning looked awful against Cleveland and looked mediocre against the 49ers. He is going have a tough time standing upright against that Pittsburgh defense.

The Steelers are the BEST team in the league. They have fought off the toughest schedule and Ben Rothlisberger's lingering injuries to get to this point. A win here, and the Steelers can really establish themselves as the number one seed in the AFC. Sorry, Giant fans, no helmet catches tonight. PICK: STEELERS 20, GIANTS 17.

COLTS (3-3) @ TITANS (6-0): The Colts are in desperate straits right now. They have played their worst football in ten years, and somehow find themselves at 3-3. Peyton Manning has looked inconsistent all season; the Colt running game is not as lethal as it has been in years past and receiver Marvin Harrison has basically disappeared this year. Yet, a win in Tennessee, and the Colts are right back in the playoff race.

The Titans have taken advantage of an easy schedule to boast the league's best defense. However, the Titans offense leaves a lot to be desired. The Titans will have to run the ball if they are to remain unbeaten. Anything else could put a number in the loss column. PICK: There is still some magic in Manning's arm. COLTS 27, TITANS 20.