2023 NFL season, Week 8: What We Learned from Sunday's games

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Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Justin Herbert pitches perfect first quarter, rides momentum. The Chargers couldn’t afford to fall to the Bears, a fellow two-win team, if they were to maintain any hopes of continuing as a playoff contender in 2023. Herbert made sure L.A. didn’t have to concern itself with the worst-case scenario for too long, shaking off a string of three subpar performances in which he’d thrown for a combined four touchdowns, four interceptions and a 57.1 completion percentage. Herbert improved on those outings and then some against a Bears defense that had been surging recently. By the end of the first quarter, he was 11 for 11 for 120 yards, two touchdowns and a 151.7 passer rating. He didn’t miss on a throw until his 16th attempt, and rarely missed from there while slicing and dicing Chicago’s secondary using eight different pass catchers to finish 31 of 40 for 298 yards and three scores. Despite just 54 team rushing yards, Herbert and Co. found points on six drives in a methodical, get-right drubbing over the Bears.
2. Chargers unleash Ekeler through the air. Austin Ekeler finished each of the last two seasons with at least a share of the NFL lead for touchdowns from scrimmage, but he entered this contest with just one score and 272 total yards after a high ankle sprain robbed him of three games and seemed to sap his effectiveness in his return the last two weeks. That wasn’t the case tonight. The 28-year-old dashed Chicago’s defense through the passing game with seven catches for 94 yards and his second TD of 2023. Those 94 receiving yards eclipsed his combined total on the season, 83, and paced the Chargers’ passing attack. He still struggled to get going in the running game, averaging 1.9 yards per carry with 29 yards on 15 attempts, which marks his second time in three weeks with an average below 2.0, but his explosiveness in the open field -- best on display during his 39-yard TD catch-and-run -- hopefully promises more from the Ekeler of old in the near future.
3. Bears befuddled in prime time. Chicago came into Los Angeles riding high after dismantling Las Vegas last week, but it failed to muster much resistance against the Raiders’ AFC West counterpart. Rookie QB Tyson Bagent found success hard to come by in his second career start. Even with a relatively clean pocket for most the night, he put up a 62.0 passer rating with 232 yards on 25-of-37 passing. A good chunk of that yardage came in garbage time, too. He did flash resilience, however, to lead a 75-yard scoring drive capped off by a Darrynton Evans run after an ugly interception cut short the prior possession. Plus, he didn’t have much help, whether it was the run game stalling for 73 net yards, or the defense that waited until more than halfway through the third quarter to make its first stop. The Bears didn’t put anything necessarily galling on tape. They were simply outmatched and clearly the lesser team on Sunday.

Next Gen stat of the game: Justin Herbert opened the game with 11 straight completions. The odds of him completing all of those attempts, based on their completion probabilities, was 5.8%.

NFL Research: Austin Ekeler became the fourth player in the Super Bowl era to compile 30 rushing TDs and 30 receiving TDs. Of the seven players all time in the 30/30 club, Ekeler is the only one to go undrafted.

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Seahawks wake up at just the right time. After Seattle's offense slept through most of the second half, an interception gave the Seahawks the ball with just enough time left to mount one final comeback drive. Evidently, Julian Love's interception of P.J. Walker served as a team-sized shot of espresso, because Geno Smith and Co. covered 52 yards in just 1:19, needing only five plays to wipe out Cleveland's three-point lead via a Jaxon Smith-Njigba touchdown. The score ended a mostly lifeless stretch for Seattle’s offense after putting 17 points on the board in the opening period. Smith averaged just 3.1 yards per attempt on the seven drives prior to the game-winning touchdown drive, when his average jumped to 10.4 yards per attempt. What should probably make Seahawks fans the happiest, though, is that their team was able to find its offensive mojo in a crucial moment and score quickly. If Seattle ever sustains it -- beyond the usual ebbs and flows of an NFL game -- well, the sky just might prove to be the limit.
2. Browns fail to close out game. It was another wasted defensive performance for Cleveland, a team that is playing with a hand tied behind its back because of the situation under center. P.J. Walker deserves credit for being a gamer and finding targets open on occasion, but he'll have a tough time washing off the stink of being responsible for three turnovers. Head coach Kevin Stefanski should also smell as if he rolled around in that same pungent pigsty for his play-calling decisions in key moments, including a couple red-zone opportunities (in which Cleveland settled for field goals after failing to convert) and the game-changing third-and-3 just before the two-minute warning, in which he inexplicably put the ball in the hands of his turnover-prone backup and asked him to convert. The result wasn't surprising – an interception, on a pass deflected by the crown of Jamal Adams' helmet -- but it was frustratingly familiar for anyone paying attention to Stefanski’s tendencies. Their loss can be pinned on turnovers, but after dominating time of possession in the second half (19:47 to 10:13) -- thanks to the defense's bounce-back performance -- and coming within one or two more first downs from securing a hard-fought road win, the coach should not be immune from the criticism that will come from this result.
3. Seattle still needs to clean up the minor details. The Browns were in this game because their defense played very well for three of Sunday's four quarters, but it's fair to wonder how many points they would have scored without the help of Seattle's untimely penalties. Two illegal use of hands penalties gave Cleveland a fresh set of downs, as did a pass interference on fourth-and-2 on a drive that ended up producing a Browns touchdown. It’s a worrisome indicator for a defense that is talented but can be a little sloppy when attempting to be physical. The latter should never be a concern, but something they can use as a strength with better technique (and more experience, considering there are young players playing leading roles). Of course, the Seahawks produced the turnover that swung the game in their favor, but frankly, they probably never should have surrendered the early lead. In games against teams featuring better quarterbacks, that could be a problem that comes back to bite them.

Next Gen stat of the game: Myles Garrett recorded just three pressures on 34 pass rushes in Week 8 (8.8 percent pressure rate), his second-lowest pressure rate in a game this season.

NFL Research: Sunday was the second consecutive game in which Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo each scored a touchdown. The last two games are the only two in team history in which multiple rookie receivers scored a touchdown.

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Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Whenever Kyler Murray is healthy enough to play, the Cardinals shouldn't hold him back. I consider myself a Joshua Dobbs fan. What he did over the first month of the season was pretty remarkable, all things considered. But Dobbs again struggled with accuracy and decision-making in the loss to the Ravens. Some of his struggles might be related to Arizona’s shortcomings on offense, but Dobbs’ play has moved in the wrong direction. He fumbled for the fifth straight game and has thrown five picks in his past four outings, undercutting his late fireworks. Dobbs’ two INTs were killers, leading to 14 Ravens points. The first came in Arizona territory before the half, leading to the Ravens’ go-ahead TD, and the second helped put Baltimore up two scores late in the third quarter. Dobbs led two late TD drives -- Arizona’s first fourth-quarter TDs since Week 3 -- but didn’t complete a pass longer than 10 yards until midway through the fourth quarter. The news that Murray is progressing from his knee injury couldn’t come at a better time. The Cardinals face some tough defenses down the stretch, and they’ll want to see Murray run Drew Petzing’s offense as they plan for 2024 and beyond.
2. Michael Pierce has a monster game for the Ravens. Nose tackles sometimes are overlooked in modern football, despite their size. That is, when they’re not dominating games the way Pierce did on Sunday. Pierce batted down a fourth-down pass, stuffed Cardinals RB Emari Demercado on a fourth-and-1 run and strip-sacked Joshua Dobbs for a 15-yard loss, with Arizona recovering the fumble but punting on the next play. On the fourth-down stop, Pierce completely dispatched Hjalte Froholdt and stopped Demercado in his tracks. Demercado had some success running the ball early, although most of his yards came through gaps not occupied by Pierce. Time and time again, Pierce dominated his blocker -- often Froholdt or Will Hernandez -- and set the tone for the Ravens. Long live the 350-pound nose tackle. Pierce served a reminder Sunday that they still have a big place in today’s NFL.
3. Cardinals’ defense hangs tough, but first-half failures spell doom. The Cardinals have been a first-half team this season, outscoring opponents by 12 points in the first 30 minutes of games. But on Sunday, a promising start by Arizona was stunted. After driving 75 yards for a TD on their first possession, the Cardinals gave the ball up twice on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter. Neither led to Baltimore points, but a bad Joshua Dobbs INT did, giving Baltimore a 14-7 halftime lead. From the 8:05 mark in the first quarter to the early fourth quarter, the Cardinals netted 81 yards on eight possessions (not counting the kneel-down before halftime). Give Jonathan Gannon’s defense credit for hanging tough for most of the game, holding the Ravens to fewer than 30 rush yards in the first half and keeping Lamar Jackson relatively contained. Baltimore would flex its muscles and run for three scores, but it wasn’t easy. The Cardinals’ two late touchdowns gave them a chance, but the offensive mistakes earlier in the game kept them short of pulling off the comeback.

Next Gen stat of the game: Joshua Dobbs completed only 4 of his 7 passes for 28 yards and two interceptions (-10.7% CPOE) when the Ravens blitzed on Sunday. Dobbs entered Week 8 with a 52.3% success rate against the blitz, the second-highest rate in the NFL.

NFL Research: Lamar Jackson improved to 17-1 (.944 win percentage) in his career against NFC teams. That is the highest win percentage vs. NFC teams of any QB since 1970 (min. 5 starts vs. NFC).

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Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Led by defense, Broncos finally end streak. Denver had lost its last 16 games against Kansas City. Thanks to a stellar performance by the Broncos’ opportunistic defense, that streak is no longer. Ranked 31st in points allowed and 32nd in yards allowed entering Week 8, Denver thwarted expectations by holding the Chiefs’ sixth-ranked scoring offense to just three field goals. The unit never gave Patrick Mahomes a chance to get comfortable, allowing only one drive over 50 yards and holding the QB to a 59.2 passer rating. He committed three turnovers -- two interceptions and a fumble -- and went just 8-of-18 passing for 74 yards in the second half. Nik Bonitto led the way, pressuring Mahomes eight times, while Baron Browning delivered two of Denver’s three sacks, including a strip-sack. The dominant performance resulted in the Broncos’ first win against the Chiefs since Week 2 of the 2015 season. It also kicked off their first winning streak of the season. They’ve now won two straight heading into the bye.
2. Denver offense fulfills its role. Russell Wilson and Co. didn’t need to be flashy. They needed to take advantage of short fields whenever provided and to eat clock with a second-half lead. They did both to come away with the win. Although Wilson threw for just 114 yards, he tossed three touchdown passes on drives that started on the Kansas City 39-yard line, the 50, and the Kansas City 10. Those scores went to Javonte Williams, Jerry Jeudy (his first of the year) and Courtland Sutton, whose only other catch on the day was a beautiful contested snag over Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed’s helmet. The offense also played keep-away as the game progressed, using its first two drives on the other side of halftime to milk 14:56 off the clock. It wasn’t necessarily an offensive day to write home about, but nobody said wins need to be perfect works of art. 
3. Mistakes doom Chiefs in ugly day. The Chiefs seem to be good for a few head-scratchers every season. It turns out Mahomes’ Sunday placement on the injury report with an illness was a harbinger of Kansas City’s latest such slog. The offense found tough sledding against a surprisingly stout Denver D and failed to find the end zone even once. Worse than the inability to score, though, was all the turnovers the Chiefs committed. Kansas City lost that battle, 5-1. Marquez Valdes-Scantling started things trending the wrong way with a fumble on the third play of the team’s third drive. Mahomes threw a pick well behind Travis Kelce on the fourth play of the next drive and tossed another INT on a desperate fourth-down heave in the fourth quarter. Mahomes also fell victim to a strip-sack. The most damning of them all was Mecole Hardman's muffed punt on the 5-yard line with 11:24 remaining and the teams still separated by one score. Denver’s recovery led to the Broncos' third TD of the game, and the subsequent 21-9 margin proved too much for a Kansas City operation tripping over its own feet.

Next Gen stat of the game: Patrick Mahomes totaled a career-low -20.6 EPA across 44 dropbacks in his first career loss against the Broncos.

NFL Research: Travis Kelce led the Chiefs with 58 receiving yards the last time the Broncos beat the Chiefs (Week 2, 2015). Kelce led the Chiefs again with 58 receiving yards in Sunday’s loss to Denver.

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• READ: Niners RB Christian McCaffrey scores in record-tying 17th straight game
• READ: Shanahan: Niners have answers to problems 'in our building'

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Joey Franchise, Bengals turn in best showing of 2023. Joe Burrow played through a calf strain to start the season and was clearly limited. He was in prime form on Sunday, though, and brought the Bengals along with him. Burrow was on, completing 28 of 32 passes (87%) for 283 yards, three touchdowns (all to different receivers) and no interceptions. Is Burrow all the way back? Maybe not, but that makes the Bengals’ potential even scarier. Seemingly everyone was involved Sunday. Ja'Marr Chase had a score and 100 yards on 10 catches, while Joe Mixon had a season-best 87 rushing yards. But Burrow is the unquestioned straw that stirs the Bengals’ drink. After he and Cincy literally and figuratively limped to a 1-3 start, they won their third in a row on Sunday. Heading into a prime-time Week 9 showdown with the Bills, Burrow and the Bengals are playing their best football of the season.  
2. Niners’ troubles follow them home in blowout loss. The 49ers were 3-0 at home coming into Sunday and had won 11 in a row (including the playoffs) dating back to last November, right? Streak snapped. Brock Purdy threw two more crippling interceptions, the defense allowed a season-worst 31 points and San Francisco lost its third in a row. The bye week is ahead, and the Niners have plenty of ills to remedy. They struggled in all three phases of the game on Sunday and have fallen into second place in the NFC West. The 49ers began the season 5-0, looking like NFC bullies entrenched atop the conference hierarchy. Now, Purdy has thrown multiple interceptions in back-to-back games, the defense was outmuscled and Kyle Shanahan has a much-needed break to figure out how to get his squad back on track. 
3. Hendrickson continues havoc-wreaking campaign. On the opposing sideline from reigning Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, Bengals stalwart pass rusher Trey Hendrickson continued to make his claim as one of the preeminent pass rushers in the game. He added his eighth sack of the season and was an overall nightmare for Purdy, generating pressure on 36.4% of his snaps, per Next Gen Stats. Hendrickson might well have been more disruptive had he not been sidelined with an ankle injury in the second quarter. Questionable to return at one point, Hendrickson came back later in the quarter and continued to make an impact. Though he’s not always mentioned among the elite edge defenders in the game, Hendrickson is certainly making an argument he should be included in the conversation. 

Next Gen stat of the game: Nick Bosa generated nine QB pressures in the first half, the most pressures by a pass rusher in the first half of a game this season. He finished with 12 for the game. 

NFL Research: Christian McCaffrey scored a touchdown in his 17th straight game, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for the longest TD streak in NFL history. 

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Brenna White's takeaways:

1. Top two draft picks face off in low-scoring game. The Panthers’ Bryce Young and Texans’ C.J. Stroud -- the first and second overall picks of this year’s draft, respectively -- went head-to-head on Sunday. Stroud wasn’t able to get anything going until the second quarter, when he led a 17-play, 92-yard TD drive that culminated in Andrew Becks 1-yard scoring run. Stroud didn’t turn the ball over on Sunday, but he led only one other drive that ended with points, a series that wrapped with a 1-yard TD run of his own in the third quarter. For Young, the day was just about trying to stay on his feet. While facing immense pressure from the Texans' D-line, Young (sacked six times) threw a touchdown pass to Tommy Tremble in the first half and moved the team on a 15-play, 86-yard drive that ended with Eddy Pineiro’s game-winning 23-yard field goal as time expired.
2. Signs of hope in Carolina. The Panthers came off the bye week still searching for their first win of the season, and with help from Young, they got it. The rookie had his first career game with a passer rating of 100 or better. He did so despite getting little help from the running game (24 carries for 44 yards) and facing a pressure rate of 40%. Adam Thielen was once again his go-to guy, posting eight receptions for 72 yards on 11 targets. Young went 22-for-31 passing for 235 yards and one TD in his first career win. 
3. Texans' defense comes up short. Houston’s D was highly disruptive on Sunday, racking up nine tackles for loss and 10 QB hits. Jonathan Greenard and Maliek Collins played leading roles, with Greenard recording 2.5 sacks and four QB hits, while Collins had two sacks and three QB hits. The Texans just couldn’t get the stop they needed on the final drive of the game, with penalties hurting them as Carolina ate up clock and moved into position for the game-winning kick. Houston has now dropped two of its last three games, with both of the losses coming on the road and by two points.

Next Gen stat of the game: Jonathan Greenard generated a team-high seven pressures, all coming against Panthers left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (on 19 matchups).

NFL Research: Adam Thielen had eight receptions and 72 receiving yards in Week 8. That is his sixth consecutive game with seven or more receptions (longest streak by WR in Panthers history). 

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• READ: Rams QB Matthew Stafford leaves loss to Cowboys with thumb injury

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Cowboys’ first-half flourish in all three phases buries Rams early. The Cowboys took a 10-3 lead late in the first quarter, the first of several punches they landed in the first 30 minutes to deliver an early knockout against the Rams. In a span of less than 3 minutes of game clock, the Cowboys upped their lead to 26-3, scoring points on offense, defense and special teams. DaRon Bland got the party started with his third pick-six of the season, followed by a safety after Sam Williams blocked a punt out of the end zone. CeeDee Lamb would then catch two TD passes before the end of the half, the first coming following the safety and KaVontae Turpin's 63-yard free-kick return. It was a sign of how dominant this team can be in stretches, even against quality opponents.
2. All eyes on Matthew Stafford’s thumb following injury. Stafford appeared to have the thumb on his right (throwing) hand hit twice in the first half, first on a Micah Parsons sack and later on a two-point try right before halftime. On the Rams’ first possession of the second half, Stafford led a touchdown drive and caught the two-point conversion to make it a two-score game, but he banged the thumb on that play, which kept him out for the rest of the game, per head coach Sean McVay. Backup Brett Rypien replaced Stafford for the first offensive snaps Stafford has missed this season.
3. Cowboys' offense quiets concerns, breaking out with a huge showing. Dallas displayed crisp offensive execution, which was a big development for a team that scored a combined 30 points in the two games leading into their Week 7 bye. If Sunday’s win over the Rams is any indication, the pass game can continue to grow and be dangerous down the stretch. Dak Prescott and Lamb were excellent, connecting on 12 of 14 passes, for 158 yards and two scores. Those two were dialed in all game, as Prescott carved up the Rams’ zone coverage. Prescott’s chemistry with Brandin Cooks also seems to be improving. He still hasn’t caught more than four passes in a game this season, but Cooks hauled in a pretty TD pass and is settling in as a perfect complement to Lamb. This was the first time Dallas’ offense scored more than two TDs since Week 1. Prescott’s off-target red-zone pick was one of the few plays the Cowboys wished they had back on Sunday.

Next Gen stat of the game: Micah Parsons finished the game with a team-high eight pressures, with seven of them coming in under 2.5 seconds, which is tied for the most quick pressures in a game this season. Parsons has led or finished tied for the team lead in pressures in six of seven games this season. 

NFL Research: DaRon Bland has three pick-sixes, the most in the NFL this season and the most by a Cowboys player ever in a season. The NFL record for single-season pick-sixes is four, held by three players -- Eric Allen (1993), Jim Kearney (1972) and Ken Houston (1971). 

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• READ: Vikings QB Kirk Cousins feared to have suffered torn Achilles in win over Packers

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Vikings win again, but potentially at a massive cost. After a 1-4 start, the Vikings extended their winning streak to three on Sunday, earning their first double-digit victory of the season. However, Kirk Cousins was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with what is feared to be a season-ending Achilles injury. Cousins had another stellar day (23 of 31 for 274 yards, two touchdowns), but without him, the Vikings could be turning to rookie Jaren Hall, a fifth-round pick who entered the game after Cousins exited and lost a fumble on his first drive Sunday. Cousins has been sterling this season. He was again on Sunday, upping his league-high TD-pass total to 18 prior to the injury. Minnesota stayed hot in Week 8, but Cousins’ diagnosis is the most important takeaway. 
2. Another slow start, loss for Packers. It was rather brisk in Green Bay on Sunday, but Jordan Love and the offense remained ice cold. The Packers lost their fourth in a row to go 0 for October. It was a familiar script, as Love and the offense have now gone 10 consecutive first-half quarters without a touchdown. Love finished the day 24 of 41 for 229 yards, a second-half TD and an interception. Green Bay was held to just 270 yards of offense as the growing pains for Love and a young offense are becoming more excruciating by the week. 
3. Vikings rookie receiver continues to dazzle. Amazingly, the Vikings are 3-0 now without Justin Jefferson. A major reason for that is the outstanding play of Jordan Addison, who hauled in seven catches for 82 yards and a touchdown. With his 20-yard TD catch in the third quarter, Addison became just the sixth player in the Super Bowl era to record seven-plus receiving touchdowns in his first eight games, per NFL Research. He’s off to a sensational start, but he’s also emblematic of how the Vikings’ receiving corps has responded with Jefferson sidelined by a hamstring injury. K.J. Osborn and T.J. Hockenson also had impressive showings. Given the concerns about Cousins’ injury, though, it’ll be an even more substantial surprise if the production continues. 

Next Gen stat of the game: Danielle Hunter, the NFL sack leader entering the game, tallied his 10th sack of the season and had a team-high six QB pressures with a QB pressure rate of 13.6%. 

NFL Research: Vikings running back Cam Akers scored on a 6-yard run in the first quarter to give Minnesota its first rushing score of the season. Coming into Sunday, the Vikings were the only NFL team without a rushing TD. 

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Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Alvin Kamara, Taysom Hill power Saints to end skid. There was no stopping the Kamara-Hill one-two punch that pulverized Colts defenders. It was the deciding factor of a surprisingly high-scoring game. Kamara accrued 110 scrimmage yards (59 rushing, 51 receiving) and two touchdowns, but his tenacious runs seemed to break the will of the Colts’ D as drives were extended and points were scored thanks to the Saints RB’s desire. But the backbreaker was Hill, who made the most of his 12 total touches in the game by taking his nine carries for 63 yards and two TDs, completing one of his two pass attempts for a 44-yard gain and catching his one target for 14 yards. New Orleans set season-highs with 511 yards and 38 points to end a two-game losing streak. An offensive onslaught was just what the doctor ordered for a Saints team that has struggled to score so far this season.
2. Colts can only get so far with backup QB amid defensive failure. Gardner Minshew had a rough go in his fourth start, completing just 56.1% of his passes (23 of 41) for 213 yards, two TDs and one interception. The Colts’ offense struggled to find any consistency down the stretch. Jonathan Taylor had a season-high 95 rush yards on 12 carries, but he had only one run in the second half. Indianapolis averaged 6.8 yards per carry as a team (164 rushing yards) but its leaky defense forced the issue in the second half. Minshew’s pick, which led to a Saints TD in the third quarter, was the turning point where the game got away from Indianapolis. Despite scoring a TD in the fourth quarter to make it a one-score game (the Colts’ only score of second half), the Indy defense couldn’t get the stops it needed down the stretch. 
3. Derek Carr enjoys finest hour as a Saint. The ring leader of New Orleans’ offensive parade was Carr, who completed 19-of-27 passes for 310 yards and two TDs with no INTs and a 133.3 passer rating. The veteran QB was accurate and poised in the pocket, delivering passes with zealous intent downfield and leading his unit in critical situations to preserve the lead. Carr’s perfect 51-yard strike to Rashid Shaheed (three receptions, 153 yards, TD) essentially iced the game in the fourth quarter and led to a late field goal to make it a two-score game. Carr had to overcome his strip-sack fumble in the second quarter, which allowed Indianapolis to take an early 10-point lead. It looked like it could be another rough day for the Saints’ offense, but Carr and Co. seemed to find something that clicked.

Next Gen stat of the game: Derek Carr completed each of his 3 deep pass attempts targeting Rashid Shaheed on Sunday, resulting in 153 yards and a touchdown against the Colts.

NFL Research: Taysom Hill joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford as the only players in NFL history with 25-plus rushing TDs, 10-plus passing TDs and 10-plus receiving TDs in a career (including playoffs).

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• READ: Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill surpasses 1,000-yard mark in 8 games

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill carve up Patriots’ defense. The Patriots hadn’t allowed a wide receiver to top 100 yards receiving this season until Sunday, when two Dolphins eclipsed the mark. Hill did most of his work in the first half, with five of his eight catches and 74 of his 112 yards. He also scored a 42-yard TD, blowing by the Patriots’ bracket coverage to tie the game up early. Considering that Hill was a question mark to play because of a hip injury, it was a tremendous showing -- even by Hill’s standards. Waddle was effective all game, hauling in his 31-yard TD to put the game away late. The Patriots’ defense isn’t quite as strong as it has been in recent seasons, but it’s rare that a Bill Belichick-coached unit will allow two receivers to get as loose as Hill and Waddle did on Sunday. In Week 2 against New England, they totaled nine catches for 126 yards and a TD. On Sunday, they combined for 15 catches, 233 yards and two scores.
2. Patriots’ offense takes a step back following last week’s breakout performance. A week after the Patriots turned in perhaps their best all-around offensive performance of the season in a huge win over the Bills, the offense hit the skids in Miami. Their first-half touchdown came following an interception, but it at least featured a pretty scoring connection with Kendrick Bourne. Their one long TD drive came midway through the fourth quarter, but the Patriots’ defense couldn’t hang on late. Mac Jones’ critical mistake came late in the first half, failing to spot Jalen Ramsey on an ill-fated throw to Demario Douglas, which was picked in the red zone and returned for 49 yards. That set up a Miami field goal and was the swing New England absolutely could not afford. The Patriots gained only 218 total yards and had three three-and-outs. On top of that, Bourne left the game with a knee injury.
3. Jalen Ramsey makes a successful Dolphins debut. Ramsey missed the first seven games of the season while recovering from meniscus surgery, but on Sunday, the Dolphins got a glimpse of just how impactful their offseason acquisition might be. Ramsey intercepted Mac Jones and returned it 49 yards in the second quarter, completely flipping a 14-7 game the Patriots were threatening to tie up before halftime. Ramsey looked spry and didn’t seem to have any trouble with his left knee after having surgery in July. He played 47 of 51 defensive snaps (exclusively at right corner), making one tackle and the pick. Ramsey appeared to be in coverage on TE Pharaoh Brown’s 24-yard catch, but Next Gen Stats did not credit Ramsey with another catch allowed in the game. Considering how the Eagles picked on the Dolphins’ corners in Week 7, seeing Ramsey have a successful debut was a huge development for Miami.

Next Gen stat of the game: Tua Tagovailoa used play-action on a season-high 38.8% of dropbacks in Week 8 against the Patriots, completing 14-of-18 passes and throwing for a season-high 189 yards on such passes.

NFL Research: Tyreek Hill crossed the 1,000-yard receiving mark on Sunday, bringing his season total to 1,014 -- the most receiving yards by a single player through a team’s first eight games in the Super Bowl era.

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• READ: Giants QB Taylor taken to local hospital after suffering ribs injury
• READ: Giants QB Jones (neck) cleared for contact, in line for Week 9 return

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Jets notch another improbable victory. The Jets were once again celebrating another wild win after a chaotic sequence in regulation. Down three points with 24 seconds left, the Jets got the ball back at their own 25-yard line following Graham Gano’s missed field goal. With no timeouts, Zach Wilson completed a 29-yarder to Garrett Wilson down the middle of the field and Kayvon Thibodeaux’s offside penalty -- which was declined -- stopped the clock as the Jets were rushing to spike the ball. Wilson then hit Allen Lazard for 29 yards and the race was on for that clock-stopping spike. The Jets managed to spike the ball with one second left and Greg Zuerlein proceeded to wipe the slate clean with a 35-yard field goal. The Giants won the OT coin toss, but an offense led by a third-string quarterback offered little hope, leading to a three-and-out. A defensive pass interference penalty on Adoree’ Jackson put the Jets in the red zone on the ensuring drive. Zuerlein booted a 33-yarder to conclude another unforgettable win in MetLife Stadium -- this time as the road team. 
2. Giants’ defense fails to close. The late-game miscues marred another great showing by Wink Martindale’s unit. It delivered for most of the game after quarterback Tyrod Taylor (ribs) exited in the second quarter. Undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito entered the game and did the best he could to not make a crucial mistake. In fact, he scored a go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter off a scramble. The Giants harassed Wilson (four sacks, nine QB hits, fumble) and bottled up the Jets’ rushing attack (58 yards on 22 carries). Thibodeaux had a career-best stat line of three sacks, nine tackles and a forced fumble, but the defensive penalties led to a backbreaking end for a Giants defense that let this one slip away. 
3. Punt party breaks out at MetLife Stadium. No one was expecting offensive fireworks from two struggling offenses on a rainy day in New Jersey, but here are some facts that really put it all into perspective:

• The combined 15 punts between the two teams in the first half are the most since the NFL collected that data in 1991 and the 24 total punts in the game were more than the total points scored (23).
• There were zero third-down conversions in the first half (0 for 18) and the Jets didn’t convert one until the 2:19 mark of the fourth quarter.
• The Giants had seven total passing yards off six completions.

The best offensive performance came from none other than Saquon Barkley, who battled to get 128 rushing yards on 36 carries. Jets RB Breece Hall’s 50-yard TD reception offered the biggest highlight of the day and Garrett Wilson (seven receptions, 100 yards) willed his first 100-yard game of the season into existence.

Next Gen stat of the game: The Jets’ defense had a 95.8% defensive success rate against the Giants on pass plays, the highest success rate in a game in the NGS era (since 2016).

NFL Research: The Giants’ seven gross passing yards in Week 8 are the fifth fewest by any team in a game since 1970.

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• READ: Steelers QB Kenny Pickett ruled out after suffering rib injury in first half of loss vs. Jaguars

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Have a day, Travis Etienne. The weather made things a little messy for both teams on Sunday. Trevor Lawrence had a better day than his numbers might suggest, but it's fair to wonder how the game would have played out if not for the contributions of his running back. Etienne led the Jaguars in rushing (79 yards on 24 carries) on a slippery surface, but he was even more important in the passing game, especially on a 56-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. He began split out wide, raced past Joey Porter Jr. and won the sprint to the end zone for a score that finally helped the Jaguars break through after settling for field goals on previous possessions. Jacksonville outgained Pittsburgh by 116 yards, but prior to Etienne's score, it was fair to wonder if the Jags might let a winnable game slip through their fingers. Instead, they finished the job, with plenty of credit due to Etienne, Lawrence and tight end Evan Engram (10 catches, 88 yards).
2. Sloppy day becomes a costly one for Steelers. A soggy afternoon created a slick field in Pittsburgh, one that saw Minkah Fitzpatrick go down with a hamstring injury in the first quarter. Kenny Pickett exited late in the second quarter with an injury to his ribs. The Steelers were forced to turn to Mitch Trubisky and watched him throw two fourth-quarter interceptions. It felt like the Steelers would find a way to win for much of the game, primarily because they were keeping it close and seemed to be mere inches from breaking through. But the loss of Pickett and Fitzpatrick directly contributed to their downfall. With Fitzpatrick absent, safety Damontae Kazee allowed Etienne a free alley to the end zone after he hauled in a pass over Joey Porter Jr. Trubisky managed to lead one touchdown drive, but his mistakes were crushing. Now, the Steelers are left hoping Pickett can return from his injury quickly.
3. Opportunistic Jaguars continue to thrive defensively. A low-scoring, ugly weather game can get wacky if the participants allow it. Jacksonville made certain to keep that from happening by doing what it does better than any other team in the NFL: Rack up takeaways. The Jaguars intercepted Trubisky twice, helping make up for their three giveaways and putting a stop to the Steelers' fourth-quarter comeback efforts. That's been a defining feature of the Jags in the last month, and on a day that could have proven to be precarious, they emerged victorious by capitalizing on errors.

Next Gen stat of the game: George Pickens' 22-yard touchdown reception saw him hurdle over a defender -- breaking free from two Jaguars in the process. The play included a touchdown probability of just 4.9 percent.

NFL Research: Travis Etienne became the first Jaguars player with 70-plus rushing yards and 70-plus receiving yards in a game since Maurice Jones-Drew did so in Week 13 of the 2011 season (vs. Chargers).

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• READ: Falcons QB Taylor Heinicke replaces Desmond Ridder in second half of loss
• READ: Falcons DT Grady Jarrett suffered torn ACL, out for rest of season
• READ: Titans rookie QB Levis on his four-TD debut: 'This is a dream come true'

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Introducing Mr. Levis. Will Levis had a star-making introduction on Sunday. The rookie threw a quartet of touchdown passes against the NFL’s No. 3 defense to lead the Titans to a victory and a season-high 28 points in his first career start. His arm was true, his decision-marking showed maturity and he kindled a chemistry with veteran DeAndre Hopkins that equated to three TDs. On a beauty of a 47-yard hookup in the first quarter, Levis threw his first NFL TD and Hopkins hauled in his first score as a Titan. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine caught a 33-yarder from Levis, which quelled the Falcons’ second-half surge. Per NFL Research, Levis is the second player since at least 1970 with four touchdown passes in his first game. The other was Marcus Mariota in 2015 for the Titans. Mariota was eventually replaced by Ryan Tannehill, who was on the sideline Sunday with a high ankle sprain. There will no doubt be clamoring aplenty for Levis to keep hold of the starting reins going forward. Tennessee’s future at quarterback might still lack clarity, but it certainly looked promising on Sunday.
2. Smith makes QB switch (for now). With his offense stifled, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith turned to quarterback Taylor Heinicke in place of starter Desmond Ridder to begin the second half. After the game, Smith told reporters he had confidence in Ridder and that the switch wasn’t performance-based. Ridder was evaluated for a concussion but was cleared on Sunday. Heinicke led the Falcons to 20 points in in the final two quarters after Atlanta managed just three points in the first half. Ridder lost a fumble in the second quarter, good for his NFL-leading 12th giveaway. He was also sacked five times and threw for just 71 yards. Despite the loss, the Falcons are still atop the NFC South standings.
3. Tip of the helmet to Mike Vrabel. There were some big questions marks facing the Titans heading into Sunday. Their franchise running back’s name has been swirling in trade talk ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, their starting quarterback was out with an ankle injury. Are they sellers at the trade deadline, set for a rebuild after trading All-Pro safety Kevin Byard last week? Despite all the potential distractions, Mike Vrabel improved to 6-0 following a bye week with the Titans, Levis has Nashville excited and the head coach earned a victory over his former offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith. This was a week in which everything came up Vrabel.

Next Gen stat of the game: Will Levis wasn’t just feeling the pressure of starting his first NFL game, but he was under constant duress from the Falcons. Atlanta had 14 QB pressures with a pressure percentage of 43.8%. 

NFL Research: DeAndre Hopkins has caught the first career passing touchdown from four different quarterbacks, including Will Levis on Sunday. It’s tied for the most in NFL history with Marvin Harrison and Joey Galloway. 

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. A.J. Brown is not of this world. If you've turned on an Eagles game in the last six weeks, you've likely seen Brown make a spectacular play or two. On Sunday, Brown picked up right where he left off in the Eagles' Week 7 victory over the Dolphins, winning jump balls with such grace and dexterity, it almost looked too easy. Both of his touchdown catches were worthy of excited yelps, and his production once again powered a receiving corps that helped Jalen Hurts finish with 319 passing yards and four touchdowns. The addition of Julio Jones gave the Eagles another big body to target and might have rounded out a pass-catching group that suddenly looks to be among the very best in the league. And none of those players are better than Brown, who made history with his performance on Sunday and undoubtedly deserved a game ball for dominating once again.
2. A great day ends in disaster for Sam Howell. This game was eerily similar to the first meeting between the Commanders and Eagles back in Week 4, so much so that they reached the same score (24-24) at almost the exact same point of the game as they did a month ago. Howell was sharp in both contests, slinging the ball all over the field to great success. But Washington's downfall also came as a result of Howell's decisions. He threw a pass into traffic that was intercepted by Reed Blankenship, leading to Philadelphia's go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter -- one of three fourth-quarter trips to the end zone for the Eagles. Howell also failed to connect with Terry McLaurin on consecutive attempts on the ensuing drive, turning it over on downs and giving the Eagles a chance to put away the game for good. Before then, Howell was incredibly effective, and his numbers -- 39 of 52, 397 yards, four touchdowns -- back that up. But the late stretch of struggles underscored just how difficult it is to win in this league, especially against an elite opponent.
3. Eagles’ defense rebounds in the clutch. On paper, the Eagles should have been licking their chops when reviewing this matchup. Washington had just subjected Howell to relentless pressure created by the Giants last weekend (including a total of six sacks), and Philadelphia entered Week 8 ranked second in QB pressures. Its defense featured five players with 2.5-plus sacks through seven weeks. The pressures arrived, but Howell was remarkably proficient at getting the ball out before he was truly under duress, so much so that Eagles fans had to feel frustrated by a lack of takedowns through the first three quarters. As described above, Philadelphia's defense eventually rose to the task, and Haason Reddick finished the job with a fourth-down sack of Howell late in the fourth quarter, the Eagles' only sack of the day. Sometimes, these games don't unfold as we expect, but Philly did enough to get the job done.

Next Gen stat of the game: Jalen Hurts completed 11-of-14 passes of 10-plus air yards for 207 yards and four touchdowns, including a completion percentage over expected of +31.3 percent.

NFL Research: With eight catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday, A.J. Brown became the first player in NFL history with 125-plus receiving yards in six straight games.

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