HOTPO Road Show in Blacksburg, Week 8 NFL Picks

VT Outlast UNC in Record-Setting 6 OT Tilt

Aaron McFarling of the Roanoke Times wrote that Blacksburg "could use a good party" in his article previewing the North Carolina at Virginia Tech game, Oct. 18.

Tech finally got that long-awaited party late last Saturday after securing a 43-41 victory after six OTs and the HOTPO staff was there to cover it all.

After losing starting QB Hendon Hooker to injury and benching backup QB Ryan Willis in favor of third-stringer Quincy Patterson, the Hokies failed to put away the Tar Heels in the second half and barely earned a chance at overtime. Tech managed one field goal, one fumble lost and three punts in their first five possessions after half time. Patternson eventually extended the day with a tackle-breaking 53-yard sprint to pay dirt to tie the game at 31 with a mere 4:31 remaining in regulation.

VT has work to do on offense.

Redshirt sophomore CB Caleb Farely shined early with four pass breakups, but left the game with apparent head injury late in the first half. The Virginia Tech defense allowed two long scoring passes of 47 and 68 yards, but never let North Carolina get more than one score ahead in the second half. Junior LB Rayshard Ashby helped keep the Hokies in the game by recording one half sack and 18 total tackles, which also earned him ACC Linebacker of the Week honors.

VT has work to do on defense.

Tech now sits at 5-2 overall and 2-2 in ACC play - right in the middle of the seven-team Coastal Division. The Hokies have this weekend off prior to going to the Hoosier State to face #8 Notre Dame, Nov. 2, followed immediately by a home date with #25 Wake Forest, Nov. 9. They must use the time off to shore up both sides of the ball and get key players healthy or they are in danger of slipping to 5-4 quickly.

HOTPO staff and the Blacksburg logistical support team at Hokie Village, Oct. 19. The Eckrich freebies were incredible, by the way!

Where Virginia Tech needs no work is on overall game-day experience. The team entrance to Enter Sandman (Seriously, click on that link) got the place jumping and the atmosphere remained electric throughout the game. If Lane Stadium wasn't a solid four-and-a-half hours away from HOTPO headquarter, we would have the entire staff there for every home game. Beautiful country, incredible atmosphere, and welcoming folks - awesome place for a football game.

Let's do some picks!

NFL Week 8 Picks

Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts (-6.5): I don't want to fall pretty to recency bias. Yeah, the Broncos rolled out a steamer 10 days ago when they lost 30-6 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to the Chiefs, but coming into that game they had beaten the Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans in successive weeks. But, with the trade of WR Emmanuel Sanders this week, I think, like Sadaraine (?) of the MileHighPost.com, that Denver is "no longer about winning in the 2019 NFL season." Smells like the Broncos are tanking. - COLTS

Los Angeles Chargers at Chicago Bears (-6): I picked the Chargers last week and they let me down, but I am going back to that dry well. Sam Householder of WindyCityGridiron.com thinks it will come down the Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky finding "holes in a Chargers secondary that has played well." I don't think Trubisky can do that. - CHARGERS

Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons (no line): Atlanta QB Matt Ryan sustained an ankle injury last week and didn't practice to begin the week. The Falcons traded WR Mohamed Sanu to the New England Patriots Tuesday. Looks like this tanking thing is catching on. - SEAHAWKS

New York Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars (-4.5): It's not even Halloween and Jets QB Sam Darnold is already seeing ghosts. - JAGUARS

Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints (-7.5): New Orleans have continued to win with QB Drew Brees injured. He is now healthy. Look out NFL. - SAINTS

Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills (-1.5): I keep thinking the Bills will implode at some point, but it kind of feels like the Eagles already have. - BILLS

Cincinnati Bengals vs Los Angeles Rams (-12.5): Bengals may not be purposely tanking, but they are sprinting to the bottom. - RAMS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tennessee Titans (-3): Yard work alert! Yard work alert! If this is the only game on television in your market, do yard work. - TITANS

New York Giants at Detroit Lions (-7): Detroit just traded starting safety Quandre Diggs to the Seattle Seahawks. David Birkett of the Detroit Free Press says it's a business move, but it feels like a tanking trade to me. Even with that, New York is bad enough to allow Detroit to end their losing streak.  - LIONS

Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers (-6): San Francisco hasn't lost a game yet, and they are adding weapons (as mentioned in Broncos/Colts capsule). - 49ERS

Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots (-10): New England has won 20 straight games against first or second year quarterbacks. Cleveland QB Baker Mayfield is a second year quarterback who is playing that well. - PATRIOTS

Los Angeles Raiders at Houston Texans (-7): The Raiders have a couple of impressive victories over the Colts and Bears this year, but I am not quite a believer in them yet. - TEXANS

Green Bay Packers (-3) at Kansas City Chiefs: I picked against the Packers last week and got stung. I will pick against them again because the Chiefs looked great against a miserable Broncos team and have had 10 days to prepare for this game. - CHIEFS

Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers (-16.5): I guess Monday is a "go to bed early" night...there won't be a World Series game and this one is certainly not worth watching. - STEELERS

Enjoy the games!