Week seven of the NFL was full of crazy outcomes that most did not see coming. It caused a ripple effect across the league as many clubs were upset and allowed the standings to get closer. Expect some upsets to continue this week after a handful of clubs are coming off their bye weeks. A little time away can help a team with plenty of issues.
The Steelers are coming off an upset of their own last week after flying to LA and beating the Rams. There were plenty of situations that ended up in Pittsburgh's favor, but the black and gold will take a win no matter what form it comes in. There are many challenges ahead for the Steelers, including this week in a tough AFC matchup.
2023 season prediction record after week 8: 54-36
As explained above, there were a ton of upsets last week, and that caused a bad week of predictions around the league. This series has been doing well throughout the year to this point, but last week caused the record to get closer to even. This week should be able to allow for more correct predictions for this week and beyond.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3) vs Buffalo Bills (4-3), Thursday at 8:15 P.M. EST
Prediction: Bills 23, Buccaneers 17
On paper, this game seems obvious, but the Bills have struggled to win games they were favored in thus far. They even blew a last-minute lead to the Patriots last week. They have their inconsistencies and problems in Buffalo right now. With that said, they are going up against a reeling Tampa Bay club that has lost their momentum from early season success.
Baker Mayfield and Tampa Bay's offense has become stale and that will only look worse against a quality defense in Buffalo. Expect a harsh environment for the Bucs as they will try to make something happen on the road. It might be a close score but expect the Bills to get a touchdown late and never lose their grip on the lead.