We've been on the wrong side of a couple of bad beats throughout the first half of the regular season, and Week 8 was no exception. One of my five locks last week was the Patriots covering a 7.5-point spread over the Dolphins in Miami. For a large chunk of the second half, we were well on our way to cashing.
Then, in the blink of an eye, we were suddenly sweating it out. After a 14-point third-quarter lead ballooned New England's lead to 11 and just four minutes remained in regulation, the Dolphins put together an eight-play, 84-yard touchdown drive to cut it within five. The gut punch was Malik Willis uncorking a 35-yard touchdown to Kevin Coleman Jr. to put them within the number.
Kevin Coleman Jr. scores and we have a one-score game in Miami NEvsMIA on CBS/Paramount+Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4NjWuELca1 Even when all was thought to be lost, there was another opportunity for New England to extend the lead late after a botched onside kick by Miami. The Patriots reached the Dolphins' 38-yard line and faced a third-and-5. If they failed to convert, a meaningless field-goal attempt would've brought the lead to eight.
Alas, Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for the necessary yardage to move the chains, Drake Maye knelt three times, and we came out losers. While that bat beat put in through a torture chamber, it was a good slate for us overall. I was 3-2 ATS with my locks of the week, 8-6 ATS overall, and 10-4 on the moneyline.
I'll look to keep that momentum rolling and try to avoid any more bad beats as our attention now pivots to Week 9. As always, we begin with my five locks of the week. Note: Tennessee and Pittsburgh are on the bye in Week 9.
The Bears look like bona fide Super Bowl contenders right now after rolling into Seattle and taking it to the defending champion Seahawks, with new defensive stud Jeffery Simmons showing out in his debut. They head back home for another primetime matchup against a Bucs team that didn't complete a pass in a 16-0 win over the Falcons. Over the past two games, Tampa Bay's passing attack has completed 7 of 14 attempts for 64 yards and one touchdown.
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