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Dan Leach's NFL Locks: Week '8 And Feeling Great' Edition

By Dan Leach
@dtmleach

With the NFL season heating up, so do my NFL picks, which will be here for you each and every week to help you win your pick-em-pool, embarrass your friends, and just become a more whole football fan and human being. I will take a look at five games each week with the best value and rate them on a sliding lock of the week 1-10 scale. I have been on fire for you all season long and come off yet another 4-1 week after 5-0 two weeks back. Week 8 will leave us all feeling great with some pre Lions bye week perfection. And....Here....We....Go!

DTM Song Of The Week: Calvin Harris "Blame-Feels So Close" The biggest DJ in the world made a stop in the Motor City last week for AMP Radio 98.7's Boo Bash and let me tell you, aside from the thousands of scantily clad beautiful women in devil, angel and cop costumes, the music and energy was absolutely phenomenal and just was further proof why EDM music is the future.

Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints 8:30 p.m. Sunday TV NBC (Saints -1.5)

NOLA comes off a last second disaster against the Lions and now truly is in must-win mode. Green Bay made Carolina look like a children's Play-Doh set in an absolute romp last week and seem to be gaining more and more steam each week. The pack's D is still and issue and there is where the Saints will attack with a much healthier Jimmy Graham. This will be the epitome of a shootout, but in the end New Orleans will have just enough to save their season for at least one more week.

5.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Saints -1.5

Chicago Bears at New England Patriots 1 p.m. EST Sunday TV FOX (Pats -6)

Da Bears are Da Bad and now they face Terrific Tom Brady and a Pats team on the road that seems to be putting it all together. The Bears are having issues in all three phases of the game and many are calling for Jay Cutler to be sent to Jacksonville for Blake Bortles and a couple Miller High Life cases. Chicago will hang in for the first two quarters, but N.E is playing with a ton of confidence and I would not be surprised if this became blowout city by midway through the third quarter.

6.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Pats -6

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals 4:05 PM EST Sunday TV FOX (Cards -2.5)

This is one of those games that makes you have a high falutent inner monologue with yourself. "What is the meaning of life, and why do I still enjoy Justin Bieber?" among other things. Both of these teams have the capability of beating anyone in the league and also losing to most teams as well when they are not at their best. That is why this game is so important for both teams that have playoff aspirations and more this year. The Eagles come of a bye after sand blasting the G men and seem primed for a huge second half. AZ has only lost once this year, to Denver and is playing tremendously balanced football. Something has to give in this one and it will be the Cards D not being able to contain Nick Foles and company. This will be a heck of a game to watch and both teams will leave it feeling like they just played in an NFC playoff game.

7.1 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Eagles +2.5

Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers 4:25 p.m. EST Sunday TV CBS 62 (Colts -3)

The Steelers saved themselves from what would have been a gut-punching loss to the Texans by scoring 24 straight points and then holding on for the win on MNF. Indy continues to show why its one of the NFL's top there teams this year and Andrew "Pot Luck Dinner" is the main reason for it. The Colts can beat you in so many different ways and that is what makes them so scary. They will show the Steelers that while they have a better team this year then last, they are still extremely far away from where the Colts are.

7.4 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Colts -3 (buy down to 2.5)

Detroit Lions VS Atlanta Falcons (In Jolly Ole England) 9:30 AM EST Sunday TV FOX Radio 97.1 The Ticket (Lions -4)

While we don't know for sure of the Lions are truly legit as they come off their epic comeback win against the Saints last Sunday, we do know this.....Atlanta is an absolute fraud! This is the type of game that the Lions would have lost so many times in past years, but this season things seem to be truly different in Motown. Now while Detroit has to make sure it doesn't kick or punt on the wrong side of the road, as long as they don't turn the ball over this could be a rout by the second half.

The Falcons best asset is their offense, but against the Lions top ranked defensive unit, it will be much more of a nightmare then a ride on a double decker bus to Buckingham Palace. Atlanta will have some nice moments early, but that will be about it in a game that will show the Lions are the legit NFC North and NFC contender that so many still don't believe they are.

LIONS 34 FALCONS 14

8 on DTM Lock of the Week English Fish and Chips With A Bitter Meter – Lions -4

ODDS TIDBIT -- Lions now go from 12-1 to win the NFC before last weeks win over the Saints to 14-1. They are also now 28-1 to win Super Bowl XLIX while division mate Green Bay is now the second favorite at 9-1. They have also moved from the favorite to win the NFC North four weeks ago to a +$200 second choice behind the favorite Packers who are now -$225 despite the Lions having the tiebreaker over them.

Last week 4-1
DTM'S 2014 Record ATS:26-9
DTM's 2013 Record ATS:43-26

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