Colin Cowherd is in midseason form for his Blazin’ 5 come Week 8 of the 2022 NFL season. He is riding a two-week winning streak, going 7-3 in Week 6 and 7 to bring his season-long record up to 20-15.
Each Friday, Cowherd releases his Blazin’ 5 picks at 1 p.m. ET on his show, The Herd, and we outline them below, along with his analysis of each game.
If you don’t like Cowherd’s picks, we also have input from Pennsylvania’s Erin Dolan, Eli Hershkovich of TheLines.com and the Barstool Advisors.
Once you’ve done your homework, head to PA sportsbooks and see who has the best lines.
Colin Cowherd’s Blazin’ 5 record
Colin Cowherd’s lifetime record is 139-140-7. A third straight winning week can pull him up to .500. Here’s a yearly breakdown of his record:
- 2022: 20-15-0
- 2021: 37-43-2
- 2020: 40-41-2
- 2019: 42-41-3
Week 7 wins:
- Washington Commanders (+4.5) vs. Green Bay Packers (final score: Commanders 23, Packers 21)
- New York Jets (+1) at Denver Broncos (final score: Jets 16, Broncos 9)
- Seattle Seahawks (+5) at Los Angeles Chargers (final score: Seahawks 37, Chargers 23)
Week 7 losses:
- Baltimore Ravens (-6.5) vs. Cleveland Browns (final score: Ravens 23, Browns 20)
- San Francisco 49ers (+2.5) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (final score: Chiefs 44, 49ers 23)
Colin Cowherd Blazin’ 5 Week 8 NFL picks
Two of Cowherd’s three losses over the last two weeks came from backing the Baltimore Ravens. This week, they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-22 on Thursday Night Football, leaving a fresh slate of teams to pick.
In true ‘Herd fashion, Week 8 features four underdogs:
Arizona Cardinals (+3.5) at Minnesota Vikings
Cowherd pick: Cardinals
Final score prediction: Cardinals 28, Vikings 27
Cowherd said:
“I like the Vikings. Not this week, though. I’ll take Arizona +3.5. Listen, they (Arizona) have issues offensively, but they don’t give the ball away. Only the Eagles have fewer giveaways. Kyler Murray is now running more, and DeAndre Hopkins is back. And the Cardinals have been a bizarrely-good road team since 2021.”
“The Vikings are good, but they’ve been outgained by 270 yards, all their games are close, and they give up six yards a play. This is an explosive Arizona team. They go to Minnesota; they upset the Vikings 28-27.”
Final Score: Vikings 34, Cardinals 26
Did Colin Cowherd Win? No
Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints (+1.5)
Cowherd pick: Saints
Final score prediction: Saints 24, Raiders 23
Cowherd said:
“I like the Saints here +1.5. They’re coming off extra rest. I always love that. And the Raiders, let’s be honest. Their wins have been against the Broncos, that are awful, and the Texans. And they needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Texans.”
“The Raiders’ defense is atrocious. They have the worst passer-rating defense in the league. And those games they won last year? All those close ones? They’re 0-4 in close games and 0-3 on the road. The Raiders, I like their offensive talent. There’s some smoke and mirrors here. Very close game. I’ll take the points and the Saints to win 24-23.”
Final Score: Sains 24, Raiders 0
Did Colin Cowherd Win? Yes
Miami Dolphins at Detroit Lions (+3.5)
Cowherd pick: Lions
Final score prediction: Lions 30, Dolphins 27
Cowherd said:
“Love the Lions +3.5. Love, love, love Detroit. Listen, at home, they’re a different team. Jared Goff, in his 11 home starts, has a 102 passer rating. At home, they get 38 points, seven yards a play, and they’re getting healthy. They’re getting weapons (D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockensen) back.”
“And the Dolphins, they’re one of four teams in the league with a winning record and a negative point differential. There is a ceiling once they get off scripted plays, what they can do, and they’re beat up in some of their units defensively. I like Detroit to win this game in an upset 30-27.”
Final Score: Dolphins 31, Lions 27
Did Colin Cowherd Win? No
New England Patriots (-2.5) at New York Jets
Cowherd pick: Patriots
Final score prediction: Patriots 27, Jets 20
Cowherd said:
“I’m gonna take the favored Patriots -2.5. They’re coming off a humiliating loss. My rule, when great players or coaches are humiliated, they come back the next week.”
“Listen, Belichick has feasted off average quarterbacks, especially average young quarterbacks, and that’s what Zach Wilson is. Zach has less than 200 passing yards in back-to-back games. They’re missing Breece Hall, Corey Davis, Alijah Vera-Tucker.”
“This is a bad spot for a quarterback that needs protection and a running game: he loses his best protector and running back. New England wins this game 27-20 and covers the spread.”
Final Score: Patriots 22, Jets 17
Did Colin Cowherd Win? Yes
Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns (+3.5)
Cowherd pick: Browns
Final score prediction: Bengals 28, Browns 27
Cowherd said:
“I’m gonna take the underdog Brownies at home on Monday night. Browns +3.5. Listen, for some reason, Cleveland’s given Cincinnati issues. Kevin Stefanski’s 4-0 against the Bengals, all right?”
“And the Browns have had five games decided by three-or-fewer points this year, so they get into some close games. Their offense this season, you think it’s terrible, but they’re running the heck out of the football in Cleveland. That’s not a surprise. Nick Chubb leads the NFL in rushing yards and rushing TDs, with eight.”
“And the Bengals, listen. Ja’Marr Chase is out. That’s a big deal. Monday night in Cleveland – the Browns don’t get a lot of Monday night games at home – this is gonna be like Mardi Gras. And Joe Burrow is still getting sacked a lot. I think it goes down to the last minute. I’ll give Cincinnati a win. It goes either way, 28-27. But I absolutely, strongly believe in Cleveland and the points.”
Final Score: Browns 32, Bengals 13
Did Colin Cowherd Win? Yes
Week 8 Blazin’ 5 Record: 3-2
C0lin Cowherd 2022 Blazin’ 5 Overall Record: 23-17
NFL Week 8 expert picks roundup
Eli Hershkovich
Despite a losing record in Week 7, Eli Hershkovich has a 29-17 record through seven weeks of the NFL season. He mentions three picks in his weekly column, all of which he has personally put money on:
- Arizona Cardinals (+3.5) at Minnesota Vikings – Loss
- Indianapolis Colts (-2) vs. Washington Commanders – Loss
- Cleveland Browns (+3.5) vs. Cincinnati Bengals – Win
Barstool Advisors
The Barstool Advisors panel makes its weekly mortal locks on Twitter every Sunday morning.
Week 7’s three panelists, Stu Feiner, Dan ”Big Cat” Katz and Jerry “The Kid” Thornton, went 1-2. This is a great reminder that the term “mortal lock” is simply each insider’s most confident pick of the week. It does not guarantee a win.
For further proof (not that Thursday Night Football’s game was a mortal lock), Big Cat and Jerry The Kid took opposing sides of the Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+1.5) matchup. Of course, Jerry the Kid prevailed after the Ravens won by five points.
Week 8 “Mortal Locks”:
- Feiner: Dallas Cowboys -9.5 vs. Chicago Bears – Win
- Big Cat: Washington Redskins at Indianapolis Colts Over 40 – Loss
- Jerry The Kid: Houston Texans +2.5 vs. Tennessee Titans – Loss
Erin Dolan
ESPN analyst and Philadelphia sports expert Erin Dolan was a little less active on Twitter this week, taking a three-day hiatus between Monday and Thursday. Right now, her feed mainly focuses on the Philadelphia Phillies earning a World Series berth, but she did publish two futures lines on her YouTube channel:
- Bills, Eagles and Chiefs to win the Super Bowl vs. the rest of the NFL (available on Caesars Sportsbook at -125)
- Most passing touchdowns: Patrick Mahomes (+200)
Erin’s Sunday Morning Picks:
- D’Onta Foreman: Over 66.5 rushing yards on FanDuel Sportsbook – Win
- Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys: Second Half Under 20.5 on Caesars Sportsbook – Loss
NFL Week 8 lines at PA sportsbooks
Photo by: The Herd on FS1