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NFL Nation, ESPNOct 27, 2024, 05:30 PM ET
Week 8 of the NFL season kicked off on Thursday with the Los Angeles Rams handing the Minnesota Vikings their second loss of the season.
On Sunday, the Detroit Lions blew out the Tennessee Titans and QB Jameis Winston lifted Cleveland Browns past the Baltimore Ravens.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.
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MIN-LAR | PHI-CIN | TEN-DET
BAL-CLE | ARI-MIA | NYJ-NE
ATL-TB | GB-JAX | IND-HOU
Houston 23, Indianapolis 20
Texans
Can the Texans survive wideout Stefon Diggs‘ knee injury? The Texans are already without wideout Nico Collins (hamstring), so being down Diggs would drastically hinder the offense. The new No. 1 would be Tank Dell, who had four catches for 35 yards and a touchdown Sunday. For an offense that’s struggling to protect QB C.J. Stroud, losing Diggs and Collins for another week makes life for Stroud much harder. The Jets, Houston’s Week 9 opponent, ranks in the top 10 in fewest passing yards allowed.
Eye-popping stat: When the Texans made Colts QB Anthony Richardson drop back and pass without play-action, they locked him down. Richardson went 5-of-20 for 71 yards with an interception and a passer rating of 21.
Biggest hole in the game plan: The Texans know G Kenyon Green is the weak link in allowing the passing attack to thrive — Green allowed seven pressures and a sack Sunday. They benched him midgame for C/G Jarrett Patterson but that lasted one drive as Patterson suffered a concussion. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: at Jets (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Colts
What’s next for QB Anthony Richardson? Not all of Richardson’s issues are self-inflicted — i.e. the questionable playcalling, the drops from his passing targets and the pass protection. But there is no question Richardson’s lack of consistency is making it difficult for the Colts to sustain drives. He has still made just 10 starts and remains a developmental quarterback. He was better than his numbers suggested — 10-of-32 passing for 132 yards — but he’ll need to show improvement for the Colts to resist pressure to consider playing veteran backup Joe Flacco.
Most surprising performance: WR Michael Pittman (back) is still playing hurt, but the Colts’ inability to get him going is becoming problematic. He caught one pass for 16 yards on Sunday on six targets. That’s not enough production for a player who has been a volume receiver for Indianapolis and got paid accordingly this offseason. Indy badly needs to find a solution.
Early prediction for next week: Richardson and the Colts offense will have their hands full with the Vikings’ Brian Flores-led defense. With Richardson and an offensive line that struggled with the noise on Sunday traveling to face a loud environment and crafty defense that is top 10 in scoring defense, Minnesota’s defensive expected points added and rushing defense is concerning. — Stephen Holder
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Green Bay 30, Jacksonville 27
How are the Packers going to beat the Lions next week? Sunday’s game against the Jaguars was a struggle even before QB Jordan Love left the game with a groin injury. The Packers trailed late in the third quarter before a Malik Willis-led drive — capped by a 38-yard RB Josh Jacobs touchdown run — put them back in the lead only to see the Jaguars tie it again late. For the second week in a row, the Packers needed a last-second field goal by Brandon McManus to win it. Meanwhile, the Lions — who come to Lambeau Field next Sunday — looked nearly unstoppable in their rout of the Titans, putting up 52 points.
Most surprising performance: Willis. Maybe it should no longer be a surprise, given that Willis already won two starts in place of Love. But this time, he didn’t have a week to prepare for it. He had a halftime talk to do so. He looked as poised as could be as he stood in the pocket and lofted a deep ball to WR Jayden Reed for a 51-yard completion on the game-winning drive. Willis was 4-of-5 for 56 yards and a touchdown, plus a key 2-yard scramble.
Describe the game in two words: Team takeaways. That’s what the Packers’ defense should be known for in the first half of this season. With CB Xavier McKinney‘s first-half interception (his league-leading sixth of the season), plus LB Edgerrin Cooper‘s forced fumble that DT Devonte Wyatt recovered in the second half, the Packers now have 19 takeaways through eight games — one more than they had all of last season. It’s the Packers’ most takeaways in the first eight games of a season since 2011 (when they also had 19). — Rob Demovsky
Next game: vs. Lions (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
0:35
Packers’ Brandon McManus kicks game-winning FG for 2nd week in a row
Jayden Reed’s 51-yard gain leads to Brandon McManus walking it off for the Packers again with a game-winning field goal.
Jaguars
Is the Jaguars’ season essentially over? They did rally from a 2-6 start to make the playoffs in 2022, but this is a much different situation. They had six starters leave the game with injuries — including the top three receivers — and face Philadelphia, Minnesota, Detroit and Houston in their next four games. Now the question turns to what happens to coach Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke. Owner Shad Khan said he expected the playoffs this season and their jobs may be in jeopardy, especially if they can’t overcome the injuries
Describe the game in two words: M.A.S.H. unit. The Jaguars had six starters leave the game with injuries, and only RG Brandon Scherff (knee) returned. The top three receivers went down: Christian Kirk (shoulder), Gabe Davis (shoulder) and Brian Thomas Jr. (chest). Kirk’s injury appeared the most serious (he went straight to locker room). LG Ezra Cleveland (ankle) and CB Ronald Darby (hip) also got hurt.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Weak start on offense. The Jaguars had no points and 15 yards of offense in the first quarter — the fifth time they’ve put up 15 yards or less in a quarter this season. Slow starts have been a problem: They’ve scored just 20 first-quarter points in eight games this season. It’s easier to play from ahead than from behind. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Atlanta 31, Tampa Bay 26
Falcons
Does this win all but seal the NFC South for the Falcons? Not quite. But the Falcons have had a stranglehold on the division thus far. Atlanta is 4-0 against its division rivals and now has two wins over the Bucs, the team most likely to be there at the end of the season with the Falcons for division supremacy. Atlanta has the struggling Saints on the road in two weeks and then the woeful Panthers in Week 18. There’s much more football to play, but the Falcons are certainly in pole position.
Eye-popping stat: Cousins has more touchdowns against the Buccaneers this season (eight) in two games than he does against the rest of the league (six) in six games. Cousins threw for a franchise-record 509 yards against Tampa Bay in Week 5. On Sunday, Cousins was the first Falcons QB with three touchdowns in a first half since Matt Ryan in 2020.
Most surprising performance: Falcons fans — and fantasy football aficionados — have been waiting for a breakout game from TE Kyle Pitts for a long time. It came Sunday. Pitts tied his career-longest touchdown pass with a 36-yard grab and then followed with a 49-yard TD catch to set his personal record. — Marc Raimondi
Next game: vs. Cowboys (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
Can the Bucs survive without WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin? QB Baker Mayfield leaned heavily on his running backs and TE Cade Otton, who scored two touchdowns. The downfield passing game wasn’t there — Mayfield was intercepted twice on passes intended for WRs Ryan Miller and Jalen McMillan — although Rakim Jarrett emerged in the second half. They could get by dinking-and-dunking until Evans returns, if the defense stops giving up so many explosive plays. But their chance at winning the division may have slipped away.
Biggest hole in the game plan: The Bucs’ pass defense struggled mightily defending WRs Darnell Mooney and Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts. Even worse was the pass rush’s inability to get home against QB Kirk Cousins. DT C.J. Brewer had the Bucs’ only two sacks of the game. Pitts beat S Kaevon Merriweather on a 36-yard touchdown, and then three defenders missed tackles on a 49-yard score on a slant route. CB Tyrek Funderburk got beaten by Mooney on a 30-yard score (he was replaced in the second half by S Josh Hayes) and RB Bijan Robinson went untouched into the end zone going into the flat.
Early prediction for next week: We could see another big week from Otton. The Chiefs were surrendering an average of 83.5 yards per game to opposing tight ends going into Week 8 — that’s the most given up by any team in the league. But they’ve also boasted one of the league’s best run defenses this season, giving up just 3.8 yards per carry and 90.5 yards per game through the first seven weeks. — Jenna Laine
Next game: at Chiefs (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
New England 25, N.Y. Jets 22
Patriots
Did coach Jerod Mayo’s criticism of the team last week work? The Patriots answered the call. They didn’t play soft and, in fact, showed the mental toughness to pull out a dramatic win late in the fourth quarter. QB Jacoby Brissett took over for rookie Drake Maye (concussion) in the second quarter and led the team to a 12-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to put the Patriots ahead with less than 30 seconds to go. This was a big response by the team after Mayo ran the risk of possibly losing the locker room by publicly calling out his players for “playing soft” last week. They looked like a different team this week.
Eye-popping stat: Before his injury, Maye reached a top speed of 20.33 miles per hour on a 17-yard TD run, the second-fastest top speed by a QB on a touchdown this season (Arizona’s Kyler Murray hit 21.27). Maye tied for the fourth-fastest time on a TD run by a quarterback over the past five seasons.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Catching the ball. Patriots WRs let the team down for most of the afternoon. Kayshon Boutte, who talked about his sure-handed approach this week, had two drops. Veteran Kendrick Bourne had two drops, while Tyquan Thornton also had a costly drop on a beautiful ball from Maye. Safety Jaylinn Hawkins also dropped a would-be pick in the fourth quarter. — Mike Reiss
Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:31
Drake Maye exits game after hit to the helmet
Drake Maye exits the game in the second quarter after a hit in the back of the head from Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood.
Jets
Can the Jets be declared the league’s biggest bust of 2024? Absolutely. They began the season with Super Bowl aspirations, and now their playoff dreams are cooked at 2-6 with a five-game losing streak. Heavily favored, the Jets came unraveled in every way possible, falling to 0-3 under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich. Owner Woody Johnson’s gambit in firing Robert Saleh after only five games has backfired. The Jets were so unprepared that they had to burn three timeouts in the first quarter because the play clock was about to expire. Three weeks ago, they had a chance to move into first place. Now they’re tied for last place with the Patriots. Brutal.
Most surprising performance: The Jets’ defense fell apart in crunch time, allowing the Patriots to march for a 70-yard touchdown drive in the final seconds with a backup quarterback at the helm. New arrival DE Haason Reddick made no impact whatsoever, managing only two pressures on 26 snaps. Star CB Sauce Gardner allowed a big play late in the game, leading to their demise. Once upon a time, the defense was a vaunted unit. Not anymore.
Describe the game in two words: Wide left. Struggling K Greg Zuerlein may have secured a pink slip by missing a field goal and a PAT — both pulled to the left. He now leads the league with six field goal misses. Zuerlein’s shocking decline has played a key role in three losses. The Jets auditioned kickers two weeks ago. It might be time to replace Zuerlein. — Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Texans (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Arizona 28, Miami 27
Cardinals
Is this the start of a run for Arizona? It very well should be. The way the Cardinals played in the fourth quarter to give them their first back-to-back wins of the season is the type of football needed to win another game or two — which, with games against the Bears and Jets coming up, is possible. Arizona finally got Marvin Harrison Jr. involved throughout the game and heavily in the fourth quarter, something it had hardly done all season. When Arizona needed a stop the most, its defense held on third-and-long late in the fourth quarter, leading to a punt, which led to Arizona’s game-winning drive.
Describe the game in two words: Hello, Marvin! Harrison had his best game since Week 2, with 111 yards and a diving touchdown on five catches, including 38 yards in the fourth quarter. He helped the Cardinals march down the field in the fourth quarter to pull within two, showcasing his ability to do a little of everything.
Most surprising performance: A week after rushing for 101 yards and averaging 5.3 yards per carry, RB James Conner couldn’t get going Sunday in Miami. He finished with 53 yards on 20 carries for a 2.7 yards-per-carry average. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Dolphins
Is this a positive sign of things to come for the Dolphins’ offense? The NFL’s worst-scoring offense put up a season-high 27 points and a season-high 377 yards in QB Tua Tagovailoa‘s return — but it was against a Cardinals defense allowing the sixth-most yards per game. Miami looked worlds better than it did in its four games without Tagovailoa but faces a bigger test next week against a Bills team that has won 12 of its past 15 games against the Dolphins.
Describe the game in two words: Tua Time. The Dolphins quarterback returned from a four-game absence (concussion) and led his team to a season-high in points and touchdowns in his first game back. He wasn’t flawless (28-of-38 for 234 yards and 1 TD), but his command of Miami’s offense was at a level we simply did not see from any of the three quarterbacks who replaced him over the past month.
Most surprising performance: Dolphins LB Chop Robinson recorded a game-high four quarterback pressures against the Cardinals and consistently harassed QB Kyler Murray. In three games without Jaelan Phillips (knee), Robinson has recorded a team-leading 12 QB pressures. He’s still looking for his first sack, but the lightbulb is coming on for the 2024 first-rounder. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Cleveland 29, Baltimore 24
Browns
Can QB Jameis Winston provide a spark for the rest of the season? With Winston starting for the injured QB Deshaun Watson, the Browns’ offense looked like a completely different unit. Cleveland reached 20 points for the first time all season and had a rhythm and flow to it that hadn’t been present. Winston was on the verge of giving the ball away a few times but provided way more good than bad as he led a game-winning drive in his first start since the 2022 season.
Describe the game in two words: Flacco-esque magic. Winston’s first game as starter was reminiscent of when Joe Flacco stepped in last year and settled the quarterback position for the Browns. It seemingly injected life into every phase of the team as the Browns pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season.
Early prediction for next week: RB Nick Chubb will record his first 100-yard game of the season. It was also a solid second game for Chubb, who provided some tough runs against one of the NFL’s best run defenses. With Cleveland’s offensive line getting healthier, Chubb could have a breakout game against the Chargers. — Daniel Oyefusi
Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Ravens
How did the Ravens lose to the one-win Browns? Nothing should come as a surprise. The winning touchdown allowed by the Ravens — a 38-yarder from Jameis Winston with 59 seconds left — was the 21st completion of 25 or more yards given up by Baltimore, which leads the NFL. This was a secondary that was missing two of its top cornerbacks in Marlon Humphrey (knee) and Nate Wiggins (shoulder/illness) and had benched safety Marcus Williams. Plus, the Ravens have a history of playing down to their competitor’s level. Before reeling off five straight wins, Baltimore lost to the last-place Raiders. The Ravens were due for a hiccup like this.
Describe the game in two words: Another collapse. This marked the Ravens’ eighth loss when leading inside the final two minutes of the fourth quarter since the start of the 2022 season. That’s the most such losses in the NFL over that span. Finishing has been a problem for the Baltimore defense, which entered this game with the most points allowed in the fourth quarter (84).
Most surprising performance: Dropped passes. The Ravens’ wide receivers dropped a season-worst three throws from QB Lamar Jackson, all of which came on third down. Baltimore entered this game as the second-most efficient offense on third downs, converting 50% of the time. On Sunday, the Ravens failed on 8-of-10 third downs (20.0%). — Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:45
Lamar Jackson slams helmet after Browns stop Ravens on final play
The Browns’ defense comes up with a big stop on the final play of the game to win over Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
Detroit 52, Tennessee 14
Lions
Can the Lions carry their momentum into the divisional showdown with the Packers? The Lions were impressive in all three phases, notably on special teams, where Kalif Raymond returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown. CB Khalil Dorsey also had a 72-yard kick return as the Lions snapped their six-game losing streak to Tennessee. It’ll be hard to find a team more talented than Detroit right now, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down as they enter Green Bay on a roll. Even without its second-leading receiver, Jameson Williams, who was suspended for two games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy, Detroit put up 35 points in the first half for the first time since 1970.
Eye-popping stat: RB Jahmyr Gibbs reached a max speed of 22.03 mph on his career-long 70-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, which is the fastest top speed any Lion has reached as a ball carrier since 2016, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. It was also the longest rushing touchdown scored at Ford Field since former Lions RB Jahvid Best rushed for an 88-yard touchdown on Oct. 10, 2011.
Most surprising performance: The Lions’ offensive line. Detroit allowed veteran QB Jared Goff to get sacked three times in the opening quarter for the first time in his career, per ESPN Research. Goff was also under pressure on three of his first six dropbacks (50%), and he fumbled after being sacked in the first quarter, but teammate Kevin Zeitler recovered it. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: at Packers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Titans
Are the Titans the worst team in the NFL? The Titans entered the week in an intense competition with the Panthers, Browns and Patriots for the worst team, but the Patriots and Browns were victorious this week. The same can’t be said for the Titans who suffered a lopsided loss to the Lions. The defense might be the one thing that elevates Tennessee. Entering this week, they were tops in the NFL, allowing 272 yards per game. Although Detroit scored 52 points, they only gained 225 yards.
Most surprising performance: WR Calvin Ridley turned in the first 100-yard receiving performance of the season for the Titans. In the first quarter. Two of Ridleys’ first three catches went for over 20 yards. The first seven times QB Mason Rudolph targeted Ridley resulted in completions which was much higher than his 30% catch rate entering this week. Ridley finished the game with 10 receptions for 143 yards.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Colt Anderson’s special teams unit was terrible. Khalil Dorsey started with a 72-yard kickoff return, and Kalif Raymond, a former Titan, exploded for a 64-yard punt return in the second quarter and a 90-yard return for a touchdown later. Raymond is the first player with multiple 60-yard punt returns in a game since Gunner Olszewski for the Patriots in 2020. — Turron Davenport
Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Philadelphia 37, Cincinnati 17
Eagles
Is it time to buy into this Eagles defense? It appears Vic Fangio’s group has arrived. After holding the Browns and Giants to a total of 12 points the past two weeks, questions remained about whether the Eagles’ defense could hold up against a more potent attack. They stabilized after a slow start against Cincinnati and came up with two huge, game-defining plays: A fourth-and-1 stick by CB Cooper DeJean on WR Ja’Marr Chase late in the third quarter that kept the Bengals short of the first-down marker, and a nice tip-drill interception from cornerback Isaiah Rodgers to safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson on a quarterback Joe Burrow deep ball early in the fourth quarter — one of two takeaways on the day. If Philadelphia can continue to play this kind of complementary football, it’s going to be a tough team to beat.
Describe the game in two words: Slow start. Thanks to an opening drive by Cincinnati that ate up more than 10 minutes, the Eagles failed to score in the first quarter for the eighth consecutive game, marking the longest first-quarter drought for the team in the past 25 years. Philadelphia put up just 55 yards of offense. Jalen Hurts helped lead the charge from there, however, posting four total touchdowns, including three rushing scores. It is his third career game with three rushing TDs, which is the most by any QB since the start of 1950.
Eye-popping stat: Hurts’ 45-yard TD pass to WR DeVonta Smith late in the third quarter had a completion probability of 21.6%, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, the least likely TD pass for Hurts this season. It’s the fifth-least likely TD of Hurts’ career, with three of those going to Smith. It’s the second-longest TD pass of Hurts’ career by air yards (45). — Tim McManus
Next game: vs. Jaguars (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
0:30
Saquon Barkley hurdles over a cameraman
Saquon Barkley goes out of bounds and hurdles to avoid running into a cameraman.
Bengals
Were the last two weeks fool’s gold? Yes. Turns out, beating a scuffling Giants squad that benched its quarterback a week later and a Browns team led by QB Deshaun Watson weren’t high-caliber wins. In a game against a potential playoff contender and recent conference champion, Cincinnati struggled. The offense couldn’t produce much outside of a strong drive to open the game, and the defense couldn’t get enough stops. Instead of moving to .500, the Bengals are 3-5 and winless in four home games.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Cincinnati couldn’t get the run game going. At one point, the Bengals had 48 rushing yards on 17 carries. The lack of faith in the ability to get a yard needed was evident when coach Zac Taylor dialed up a swing pass for WR Ja’Marr Chase on fourth-and-1 that was stopped short of the sticks. What had been a bright spot at times this season was ineffective when Cincinnati needed it.
Eye-popping stat: The Bengals couldn’t find a way to disrupt Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Hurts was pressured on just two of his first 20 dropbacks. He completed both of them. That’s not a winning metric when Cincinnati didn’t blitz on 72.7% of those dropbacks. — Ben Baby
Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
L.A. Rams 30, Minnesota 20
Rams
With WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back, could the Rams take the NFC West? Winning the division is absolutely still in play, and Los Angeles showed Thursday night how good their offense can be when healthy. This is the offense the Rams envisioned this offseason, and it gives coach Sean McVay many options as a playcaller. The Rams are still in the mix in a crowded NFC West, and they play in Seattle in Week 9 for a chance to move even closer to the top of the division.
Most surprising performance: The Rams kept Nacua’s return quiet, activating him from injured reserve despite the fact that he couldn’t practice because of the short week. QB Matthew Stafford went to Nacua early and often on Thursday night, and the second-year receiver led the Rams with seven catches for 106 yards on nine targets.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Stopping Justin Jefferson. Jefferson, the receiver Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula called “the best in the world” leading up to the game, had eight catches for 115 yards Thursday night. The Rams’ pass defense entered the game ranked 30th in DVOA, and the group struggled to stop the Vikings’ best player on what was otherwise a strong night for the defense. — Sarah Barshop
Next game: at Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Vikings
Who are these Vikings? Close observers left SoFi Stadium wondering whether these Vikings are the same team that dominated the first five games of the season, with the biggest point differential in the NFL. Or whether they are the one that allowed 61 points in two losses over five days. This was certainly a tougher stretch of the season than some realized, having played arguably the best and most physical team in the NFL (Detroit) and then traveling to the West Coast to play on a short week. The Vikings have put themselves in position for a playoff run, but they’ll need to tighten up to stay on it.
Describe the game in two words: Overblown controversy. There is no doubt that referee Tra Blake and his crew missed a face mask foul late in the fourth quarter that would have reversed a safety and given the Vikings a first down on their final possession. But it’s hard to say that call cost the Vikings the game. They still would have had to move nearly 80 yards in 1:36 with no timeouts for a touchdown, and then get a 2-point conversion just to force overtime. It was a bad miss, but the Vikings can’t (and didn’t) blame it for their loss.
Biggest hole in the game plan: The Vikings couldn’t find a way to get to Rams QB Matthew Stafford. They pressured him on only three of his 34 dropbacks; that 9% pressure rate was their lowest in a game since 2020. And even then, Stafford completed a pass against all three of those pressures, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to WR Cooper Kupp after eluding DT Harrison Phillips and LB Jonathan Greenard. The pass rush had been key to the Vikings’ hot start this season, and before Thursday they had posted at least a 24.6% pressure rate in every game. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Colts (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
