As the midway point of the NFL season is closer than ever, there is still no telling how this year will conclude. Some teams have faced unexpected win streaks, while others have developed shocking losing streaks. Regardless, teams will have to start getting their act together if they want to keep a playoff spot in sight.
Here’s everything important that went down during week eight of the NFL:
Thursday Night Football
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 18 – Buffalo Bills 24
The Buccaneers have lost three straight games since their bye all the way back in week five, and have their first losing record of the season. They faced a Bills team out for revenge, as Buffalo was shocked by New England last weekend. Bill’s quarterback Josh Allen had a second quarter interception, but tossed two touchdowns and 324 yards. The end zone was found twice by Buccaneer’s quarterback Baker Mayfield, who did not throw an interception despite the loss.
Tampa Bay earned eight less first downs than Buffalo and only 78 rushing yards. It was never able to claim the lead and obtained less ball possession than its opponents. An incomplete hail mary attempt from Mayfield on the final play ascertained victory for Buffalo. The Buccaneers will try to avoid a fourth straight loss next week on their journey to Houston.
Sunday
Houston Texans 13 – Carolina Panthers 15
The top two draft picks of 2023 faced off for the first time, as the Carolina Panthers earned their first win of the season. The number one pick and Panther’s quarterback Bryce Young tossed a touchdown along with 235 yards. His team’s kicker Eddy Pinero completed a bulk of its scoring, completing all three field goal attempts taken. The Texans lost 70 yards across 10 penalty flags. They scored two rushing touchdowns, the last of which they failed to complete a two-point conversion.
Their quarterback CJ Stroud did not toss a touchdown, but played like a second overall pick in completing 16 of 24 attempts. The final quarter lacked a touchdown, but saw Pinero knock back his third field goal in the dying seconds, sealing the deal for his teams first victory. Each team had the week off last week, however, one seemed to use it to their advantage more than the other. The Panthers will look for another win in week nine against the Colts.
Los Angeles Rams 20 – Dallas Cowboys 43
After scoring 31 points in the first half, the Cowboys let it be known who was going to walk out of AT&T Stadium with a victory. A second quarter interception was frivolous for Cowboy’s quarterback Dak Prescott, who threw four touchdowns and completed 25 of 31 attempts. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was impenetrable for Dallas, earning two touchdowns and 158 receiving yards. Cowboy’s cornerback DaRon Bland also completed an interception which he returned for a touchdown in the final seconds of the first quarter.
This was Ram’s quarterback Matthew Stafford’s only interception of the game, but he threw just one touchdown and 162 yards. His team was limited to 15 first downs, while the Cowboys accomplished 24 throughout. The Rams also failed on nine third down conversions in their largest margin of defeat this season. They have lost two games in a row, but may have a fighting chance in week nine in Green Bay.
Minnesota Vikings 24 – Green Bay Packers 10
The Vikings continued their red hot streak by defeating the Packers in convincing style, however, that streak may be in question. After tossing two touchdowns and 274 yards, Viking’s quarterback Kirk Cousins exited the game in the fourth quarter. Cousins, who leads the league in passes completed and passing touchdowns, picked up a torn achilles, and will miss the remainder of the season. Packer’s quarterback Jordan Love tossed a touchdown and interception, and failed to complete 17 passes. His team lost 99 yards across 11 penalties and did not lead once.
Minnesota also held possession of the ball nearly two thirds of the game, not giving Green Bay many offensive opportunities. The Packers did block a field goal from Viking’s kicker Greg Joseph early in the final quarter, but failed to pick up any momentum. Neither team scored after Cousins’ exit, but the job was already finished. Minnesota has won three straight, and will hope to defeat the Falcons in week nine without Cousins. It acquired quarterback Joshua Dobbs from the Falcons, who will likely be his replacement. Green Bay has now lost four straight, and plummet closer to last place in its division.
New Orleans Saints 38 – Indianapolis Colts 27
It had been 21 days since their last victory, but the Saints climbed back to an even record after defeating the Colts this weekend. Quarterback Derek Carr struggled to find his groove the past two weeks, but tossed two touchdowns for New Orleans. Along with 310 yards he did not throw an interception for the first time since his team’s last win. Two rushing touchdowns were scored by Saint’s quarterback Taysom Hill, who entered the game for that exact reason. Meanwhile, wide receiver Rashid Shaheed only caught the ball three times, but earned 153 yards and a touchdown across his triad of snags.
The Colts only scored one touchdown in the second half compared to their 20 points in the first. Their quarterback Gardner Minshew tossed two touchdowns, but an interception late in the third just two yards away from the end zone. Saint’s kicker Blake Grupe scored his only field goal attempt on his team’s final drive, creating an impossible margin for their opponents. New Orleans has now been victorious over the Colts in its last five matchups, as Indianapolis has yet to win since 2007.
New England Patriots 17 – Miami Dolphins 31
The Dolphins continued their dominance against the Patriots on Sunday, completing their sixth win in seven games over the side. As two former Alabama quarterbacks faced off, each tossed an interception in the first half, but one had more yards than the other. Dolphin’s quarterback Tua Tagovailoa tossed three touchdowns and 324 yards to Patriot’s quarterback Mac Jones’ two touchdowns and 219 yards. Tagovailoa fumbled the ball on his team’s first drive of the second half, but it proved frivolous as it led the entire half.
Miami earned almost half as many first downs as the Patriots with their 24 to New England’s 13. The Patriots were also only able to convert one third down, hurting their chance to progress. Dolphin’s wide receiver Jaylen Waddle dominated offensively for his team, earning a touchdown and averaging 17 yards across seven receptions. With only achieving 141 total passing yards, problems continue for the Patriots this season. They were also only able to pick up 77 rush yards, although to be fair, Miami earned just one more than them.
New York Jets 13 – New York Giants 10 (OT)
The battle of New York may have lacked the scoring caliber fans wanted, but not the excitement it needed. Historic numbers were reached at the conclusion of the game, the likes of which the league rarely sees. A total of 24 punts occurred between the two sides, the most in a game since 1998, combining for 1,078 yards. Despite scoring a rushing touchdown in the third quarter, Giant’s quarterback Tommy DeVito earned negative one yards while only completing two of seven attempts. DeVito replaced Tyrod Taylor who left the game early with a rib injury. His team earned a total of negative nine passing yards throughout.
Despite very little passing yards, the Giants dominated with 203 rushing yards. After beginning the game with a fumble on his teams first drive, Jets quarterback Zach Wilson fumbled the ball twice, but earned 240 yards and a touchdown. The game was sent to overtime during the final ticks of regulation as Jet’s kicker Greg Zurlein hit home his first of two field goals. Zurlein’s second came on his team’s first drive of overtime, handing it a victory. The rain throughout may have affected the Giant’s game, but they have more serious problems to face looking into the future.
Jacksonville Jaguars 20 – Pittsburgh Steelers 10
As they continue their reign over the AFC South, the Jaguars won their fifth straight game of the season during their journey to Pittsburgh. Struggles were present early amongst Jacksonville, as it fumbled the ball in the first quarter, while quarterback Trevor Lawrence tossed an interception on the next drive. Neither team scored a touchdown in the first half, as three field goals allowed a 9-3 lead for Jacksonville.
Both quarterbacks completed their only touchdown pass of the game in the third quarter, while Jaguar’s running back Travis Etienne completed a two-point conversion for his team. Steeler’s quarterback Kenny Pickett tossed two interceptions in the final frame, while Jaguar’s kicker Brandon McManus added one more field goal. The Jaguars held the ball nearly 10 more minutes than the Steelers as they picked up their first win over the side since 2018.
Atlanta Falcons 23 – Tennessee Titans 28
A touchdown in every quarter handed the Tennessee Titans their first victory since week four. In his first NFL start, Titan’s quarterback Will Levis launched four touchdowns and 238 passing yards. His team’s running back Derrick Henry also achieved 100 rushing yards for the first time since its last win. Taylor Heinicke received his first minutes as an Atlanta Falcon when Desmond Ridder exited the game with an injury. He tossed a touchdown and 175 yards, giving his team life late in the game.
The Titans survived a late splurge by the Falcons, as Atlanta scored 14 points in the final frame, but was hurt by earlier mistakes. Ridder fumbled the ball in the second quarter, which led to a Titan’s touchdown drive, and possibly the difference. Each team achieved 17 first downs and fumbled the ball once. The Falcon’s quarterbacks faced six sacks between them, adding to the discrepancy. Tennessee will look to reclaim an even record in week nine during their journey to Pittsburgh Thursday night.
Philadelphia Eagles 38 – Washington Commanders 31
A matchup nearly as exciting as the first ensued between these two teams this past weekend. With the crowd behind them, hopes looked high early on for Washington, as they commanded a lead at halftime. They led throughout the majority of the game, but three Eagles’ touchdowns in the final quarter were just enough to stretch out of reach from Washington. Each side scored a touchdown in the final two minutes as the game remained back and forth down to the wire. The Commanders made it a one score game with a minute remaining, but were unable to retrieve their onside kick, allowing Philadelphia to run out the clock.
Quarterback Sam Howell played excellent for Washington, but a fourth quarter interception may have been his team’s downfall, as the Eagles eventually scored off this turnover. Each quarterback had four touchdown passes, and cleared 300 passing yards. The Eagles fumbled the ball twice, but both times Washington could not take advantage. Meanwhile, the Commanders faced seven penalties sending them back 79 yards. As the Eagles narrowly escaped the threat of the Commanders again, Washington has now lost three games in a row. It will have another shot at redemption against a struggling Patriots side in week nine.
Cleveland Browns 20 – Seattle Seahawks 24
Despite earning seven more first downs than their opponents, the Cleveland Browns faced defeat against the Seahawks for the third time straight. Seattle came out strong, earning 17 points in the first quarter and creating a Browns fumble. That was only the first of three turnovers for Cleveland, as its quarterback PJ Walker tossed two interceptions throughout. Walker’s second interception led to the game winning drive for Seattle, as its quarterback Geno Smith completed his second touchdown pass of the game.
Smith also had two interceptions, but the most Cleveland could get from them was one field goal. The Browns failed to score on their final drive, resulting in defeat. On top of first downs, the Browns held the ball 13 more minutes than their opponents, and had almost 20 less penalty yards. Three sacks by the Seahawk’s defense played a significant role in their win, as they remain unbeaten against Cleveland since 2011
Kansas City Chiefs 9 – Denver Broncos 24
The last time the Denver Broncos defeated the Chiefs, Peyton Manning was still their quarterback. Perhaps the Chiefs were missing their good luck charm this week in a certain pop singer, or they were just not on their game. Chief’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes failed to find the endzone, while his team was limited to just 62 rushing yards. Kicker Harrison Butker completed all the scoring for Kansas City, who led the game in total yards. Bronco’s quarterback Russell Wilson only tossed 114 yards, but three touchdown passes along with it.
The Chiefs earned more first downs and yards, but fumbled the ball three times. A total of five turnovers adding Mahomes’ two interceptions, does not help your team’s chances of winning. A scoreless second half for the Chiefs allowed the Broncos to extend their lead further and claim a needed victory. Denver faced 16 straight losses to the Chiefs, the longest active streak of its kind in the league. It has also now won two games straight for the first time since September of last year.
Cincinnati Bengals 31 – San Francisco 49ers 17
Fans of the San Francisco 49ers were left scratching their heads Sunday, after the team faced its third loss in a row. They began the season winning their first five games, but have hit a slump ever since. Meanwhile, the Bengals earned their first winning record of the season after a dominating performance from quarterback Joe Burrow. He tossed three touchdowns, and completed 28 of 32 attempts in his best game of the season. San Francisco kept the game close through three quarters, but the team’s momentum died with a Brock Purdy interception on the final drive of the third quarter.
Purdy threw another interception on his team’s next drive, while fumbling the ball later in the quarter. This allowed the Bengals to keep their lead with a minimal amount of time remaining, ultimately handing them a win. Despite his team’s loss, 49er’s running back Christian McCaffrey managed to score a touchdown. His streak continues regardless of his team’s poor form as of recent. He has tied the NFL record with 17 consecutive games scoring a touchdown. San Francisco will have next weekend off, while the Bengals prepare to play the Bills.
Baltimore Ravens 31 – Arizona Cardinals 24
The Baltimore Ravens led their opponents by 17 midway through the final quarter, but the Cardinals nearly etched out a victory. Arizona’s quarterback Joshua Dobbs threw two interceptions before the final quarter, but tossed two touchdowns in the last 15 minutes. His side’s attempt to rally back was cut short when they failed to recover their own onside kick in the final seconds. With three rushing touchdowns, running back Gus Edwards played crucial to the Raven’s victory.
Raven’s quarterback Lamar Jackson tossed a touchdown and 157 yards. Six penalties appeared to hurt the Cardinals as they lost a total of 70 yards, while they also failed both fourth down conversions attempted. With a defeat, they officially drop to the bottom of the overall league standings. The Ravens have now snagged six of the last seven matchups against the Cardinals. They host the Seahawks in week nine.
Chicago Bears 16 – Los Angeles Chargers 30
Unfortunately for the Bears, quarterback Tyson Bagent was not able to repeat the success he achieved in his NFL debut last week. Bagent tossed two interceptions and failed to throw a touchdown, while his team lost 53 yards to penalties. Charger’s quarterback Justin Herbert dominated, tossing three touchdowns and completing 31 of 40 attempts. His side completed a majority of their scoring in the first half, with their only second half points coming from kicker Cameron Dicker. He finished the day completing all three field goal attempts taken.
Although he fumbled the ball in the final quarter, wide receiver Austin Eckler led the Chargers in receiving yards with 93, and scored a touchdown. The Bears earned more rushing yards than their opponents, but were unable to find the right deliveries which resulted in less passing yards. With a victory, the Chargers now even up the all time series between the two sides at seven wins a piece.
Monday Night Football
Las Vegas Raiders 14 – Detroit Lions 26
When your quarterback is sacked six times in one game, it never makes it easy to win. The Raiders lost 49 yards after their quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was sacked half a dozen times by the Lion’s defense. His team was also limited to only 12 first downs as he failed to throw a touchdown and instead an interception in his return. The Raiders did capitalize on the Lion’s first drive of the second half, as a pick-six was thrown by their quarterback Jared Goff. This was Goff’s only interception of the game as he ended with a touchdown and 272 passing yards.
Despite also fumbling the ball twice, the Lions achieved 29 first downs, putting them in fantastic field goal positions. They settled for kicker Riley Patterson five times, who made four of those attempts, helping his team significantly. The only other touchdown by the Raiders came from running back Josh Jacobs, who led the league in yards last season. The Lions enter their bye week with a win, while the Raiders will face the Giants in week nine.