Sorensen says: Continue to expect the unexpected

Longtime Charlotte Observer sports columnist Tom Sorensen tries to help us wrap our arms around what to expect in the NFL. Here are his Week 8 picks.

Has there ever been an NFL season more unpredictable than this one? There has. Last season, and the season before. I do extensive research, plug the information into my $850,000 computer, and still the wrong teams win.  

This week, I’ll make them on a legal-sized notebook in longhand.  

About this week: When the local team plays one of the biggest games in the country, fans who usually wait until Wednesday to assess the next game begin assessing Tuesday. We know the New England Patriots. We don’t know the other undefeated team, the San Francisco 49ers. 

We know their defense is superb. If there’s a category in which they don’t lead the league, it’s sacks. The Carolina Panthers, San Francisco’s opponent in San Francisco Sunday, leads the league in those despite a bye last week. The Panthers have won four in a row.  

Carolina’s Kyle Allen and San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo will take turns being under pressure all afternoon. If I were a betting man, I’d bet the under (43 points).  

WEEK 8 PICKS:

Thursday

Minnesota 13 over Washington

Sunday

Seattle 7 over Atlanta

Indianapolis 7 over Denver

Tennessee 3 over Tampa Bay

New Orleans 9 over Arizona

Los Angeles Rams 11 over Cincinnati

Buffalo 1 over Philadelphia

Chicago 4 over Los Angeles Chargers

Detroit 7 over New York Giants

Jacksonville 7 over New York Jets

San Francisco 3 over Carolina

Houston 8 over Oakland Raiders

New England 14 over Cleveland

Green Bay 6 over Kansas City

Monday

Pittsburgh 9 over Miami