As we approach the halfway point of the 2017 regular season, just about everyone in the NFC is still in decent shape to make a playoff run. That includes the two teams tied for second place in the NFC East: Dallas (3-3 SU and ATS) and Washington (3-3 SU, 2-4 ATS). One of these teams will take a big step forward when they meet this Sunday in Landover, kicking off at 4:25 PM ET on FOX. The Cowboys are 2-point road favorites at press time after opening at –2.5. The total is 49.5 – down from 50.5 points, making it the largest total on the Week 8 NFL betting slate.

Washington has played the better football of the two, especially on defense, but they don’t look like Super Bowl contenders after getting swept by the Philadelphia Eagles in their season series. Dallas, meanwhile, has played one of the softest schedules in the league thus far. Sunday’s game will say a lot about the true strength of both clubs heading into the second half of the season.

Here are some of the other key games to look forward to on the Week 8 NFL odds board, all times Eastern:

 

Thursday: Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens (8:25 PM, CBS)

Matt Moore will take over as starting quarterback for the Dolphins (4-2 SU, 3-2-1 ATS) while Jay Cutler recovers from multiple cracked ribs. Moore should be an upgrade over the inefficient Cutler; he’ll need to be against the defensively-stout Ravens (3-4 SU and ATS). Miami is a 3-point road dog with a tiny total of 37.5.

 

Sunday: San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles (1 PM, FOX)

It’s a battle between first and worst, as the aforementioned Eagles (6-1 SU, 5-2 ATS) host the winless 49ers (0-7 SU, 4-3 ATS) in the biggest mismatch on the Week 8 NFL lines. Philadelphia is a 13-point favorite, but quarterback Carson Wentz won’t have Pro Bowl tackle Jason Peters (torn knee ligaments) protecting his blind side anymore.

 

Sunday: Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions (8:30 PM, NBC)

The Lions (3-3 SU and ATS) have suffered multiple injuries on the offensive line, and pretty much everywhere else on the field. They’re 3-point home dogs against the Steelers (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS), who just suspended wide receiver Martavis Bryant for voicing his displeasure with the team on social media.

 

Monday: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (8:30 PM, ESPN)

Injuries on the OL have cost the Chiefs (5-2 SU and ATS), but after back-to-back losses, they expect to have center Mitch Morse and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif in uniform against the visiting Broncos (3-3 SU, 2-3-1 ATS). The Chiefs have moved up from –7 to –7.5 on the NFL game lines in response.

 

*Odds as of October 26, 2017