Understanding H NMR Coupling Constants: Matching J-Values vs. Peak Alignment

[HappMatt]

background:

I have a HNMR spectra and I am trying to figure out what is coupled to what. There is a set of 4 doublets where it is know that there 2 sets of coupled doublets. the doublets have j-values of 8.8 @ 8.04ppm, 8.8@ 7.58ppm, 8.4@7.39ppm and 8.4@7.00ppm. While I may have assumed that the 8.04/7.58 and the 7.39/7.00 are the coupled sets due to j-values, the peaks do not lean towards each other. on the other hand, the 8.04/7.0 and the 7.58/7.39 set do lean towards each other. In addition appears as though the chemical shift of the 7.00ppm H's is near what i would expect for the H's next to the 8.04ppm H's

Question:

If trying to predict what's coupled to what, is it more important that the j-values match or that the peaks lean towards each other? In addition since the chemical shifts of the 7.0 h's seem's to be near the 8.04 H's on the molecule and the fact that they lean towards each other enough to assume they are coupled, or since their j-values are a little different would that negate them being coupled?

 

[chemisttree]

The j-couplings are the more important ones here.