Expert NFL bettors already got their Week 8 appetizers in the form of opening lines, but as always, many lines and spreads have adjusted heading into the middle of the week.

Often times, lots of action on a spread early in the week can alter it to where it’s not as attractive of a bet as previously thought. But by taking a closer look into a couple of key matchups, it’s obvious that there are some picks worth taking to the bank in Week 8.

Anything can happen between the lines in 60 minutes in this parity-filled league, but the right research can morph an educated guess into a sound prediction.

Here are picks against the spread for every Week 8 line.

Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. ET

Bets Worth Taking

Indianapolis Colts (-1.5) over Pittsburgh Steelers

AJ Mast/Associated Press

As if facing a short week after Monday Night Football isn’t enough, the Pittsburgh Steelers will play host to an Indianapolis Colts squad on Sunday that seems to be getting better by the week.

After two losses to start the year, Indianapolis is now 5-2 coming off a 27-0 shutout of the Bengals. Andrew Luck is throwing the cover off the ball, with the Colts’ passing offense racking up nearly 330 yards per game (atop the NFL), and the defense is shutting opponents down.

The Steelers are at home and have their heads high after beating the Texans on Monday. But save for a short spurt of 24 points just before halftime against Houston, Pittsburgh was held to just two field goals on offense and boasts an average defense.

Meanwhile, the Colts—for the first time—have a championship-caliber squad around Luck, per NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal:

Luck carried the Colts for 2 years. Now he is getting a ton of help. D, O-line, receivers. No one complaining about Pep now.

— gregg rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) October 21, 2014

Trey Wingo of ESPN also noticed how dominant the Colts defense has been on third down, a key to keeping opponents off the board:

The @Colts last 4 opponents have converted just 4 of 41 3rd downs.. 9.8%. Next closest “D” to that? Denver at a 25.6% clip

— trey wingo (@wingoz) October 20, 2014

Pittsburgh’s offense can move the ball, but its horizontal game plan can’t afford to get behind the chains and face ball-hawking defensive backs. The Colts have just that in Vontae Davis, Greg Toler and Mike Adams, who will force a few Ben Roethlisberger turnovers and get the win on the road.

Prediction: Colts 30, Steelers 17

Houston Texans (-2) over Tennessee Titans

Bob Levey/Getty Images

Only one game separates the Titans and Texans in the hapless AFC South that Indianapolis is keeping afloat on its own. But after Sunday’s game, we’ll find out about a huge gap in terms of formidability between these two teams.

Bill O’Brien has Houston at 3-4 in his debut season, a distasteful record for any Texans fan who has seen how close they’ve been. After nearly battling back to win in consecutive weeks but coming up short against Dallas and Indianapolis, Houston raced out to a 13-0 lead before it all fell apart Monday in Pittsburgh.

While the Texans have looked strong despite defeats, the Titans have looked incompetent even in victory. They let a 28-3 lead slip through their grasp against the Browns, needed a field-goal block to beat the Jaguars and allowed Colt McCoy to lead the Redskins on a game-winning drive in Week 7.

That three-game stretch is about as bad as it gets.

The Titans remain hopeful Jake Locker can return for Week 8, per The Tennessean‘s Jim Wyatt, but he probably shouldn’t. J.J. Watt will be coming for either him or Charlie Whitehurst, and No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney even has a “decent chance” to make his return against the Titans, per the team. 

Protecting the quarterback will be enough of an issue, but the Titans likely won’t be able to run the ball either. With Shonn Greene out the last two games, the Titans didn’t surpass 76 rushing yards in either contest. 

Tennessee is a mess, and Arian Foster finally looks back to full health for the Texans. Even if it’s closer than it should be, the Texans should have no problem covering a small spread.