2024 NFL Season, Week 8: What We Learned from Sunday's games

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• RE-WATCH: Ravens-Browns on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Stefanski: QB Winston 'played well' in first Browns start

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Winston breathes life into Browns offense. As the 39th Browns starting quarterback since 1999, Jameis Winston faced the unenviable task of attempting to lift Cleveland's offense out of the darkness that consumed it over the first seven weeks of the season. Fortunately, he had all but one of the Browns' starting five offensive linemen to protect him and he benefitted, facing pressure on just 11 of his 43 dropbacks and completing 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns. The numbers didn't come without some typical Winston risks, but he escaped the worst possible outcomes. Most importantly, Winston invigorated a largely dormant Browns passing attack, delivering passes on time with confidence that Deshaun Watson lacked in his seven starts. That meant getting Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore and even Cedric Tillman (seven catches, 99 yards, two touchdowns) involved and finally challenging an opposing defense. The end result for Cleveland: a season-high 29 points, a go-ahead touchdown pass in the game's final minute and a massive upset win over one of the AFC's top teams. If any team needed a day like today, it was the Browns. They can thank Winston for it -- and could view this as hard evidence that they don't have a future with Watson.
2. Details doom Ravens. Statistically, Baltimore played well enough to win in most categories. Lamar Jackson threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns and amassed 335 total yards, and despite finishing under 100 yards, Derrick Henry still averaged 6.6 per carry. But the Ravens lost this game because they didn't do the little things right. Rashod Bateman lost a wide-open pass in the sun and had it bounce off his facemask on third down in the fourth quarter. Kyle Hamilton dropped an interception that almost certainly would've ended Cleveland's comeback chances. Eddie Jackson spent most of the afternoon getting dusted by Tillman in coverage. And finally, the Ravens converted just two of 10 third-down attempts. This was a winnable game and, in spots, Baltimore moved the ball with ease. But the Ravens will regret how they performed Sunday, especially when it comes to sorting out the AFC standings as the postseason approaches this winter.
3. Cleveland's defense finally gets the win it deserved. Save for a blowout loss in Week 1 and a road defeat that snowballed in Washington in Week 5, the Browns defense has spent most of 2024 playing quality football. It's been a playoff caliber unit that has been bogged down by a putrid offense. In the Browns' toughest matchup to date, they delivered, limiting Lamar Jackson to a 23-of-38 passing line and repeatedly slamming the door on third down. They also did so while enduring a couple of key injuries, losing Denzel Ward and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, yet they still found a way to get the job done. As Cleveland has drifted into irrelevance due to its 1-6 start, few have been able to appreciate its defense. Consider Sunday -- a game in which they prevented Henry from hurting them -- the Browns' new high-water mark for 2024.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Ravens-Browns (via NFL Pro): Jameis Winston completed 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 9.6 air yards per completion. Winston’s 9.6 air yards per completion are the most by a Browns quarterback since Joe Flacco in Week 16 of last season (9.6).

NFL Research: Jameis Winston became the first Browns quarterback to finish with 300-plus passing yards, three passing touchdowns and zero interceptions since Week 11 of 2022 (Jacoby Brissett).

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• RE-WATCH: Titans-Lions on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Lions pour it on with big plays in trouncing Titans. Big returns. Big runs. Big turnovers forced. Dan Campbell's club blasted off, putting up a 50-burger before the third quarter even ended. Detroit's first four touchdowns came on drives of two plays, one play, three plays and four plays, respectively. Jahmyr Gibbs rocketed for an untouched 70-yard TD. The Lions generated three significant returns (more on that later). And the defense forced four turnovers. The domination was so overwhelming that the Lions didn't need much from MVP candidate Jared Goff, who completed 12 of 15 passes for a measly 85 yards and three touchdowns while taking four sacks before sitting out the final 12 minutes of the contest. Detroit ended the blowout with 61 net passing yards, a crazy anomaly in the Year of Our Lord, 2024. In a potential trap game sandwiched between NFC North battles in Minnesota and Green Bay, Campbell's club moonwalked over the trap door. The sign of a great team is clicking on all three phases and trouncing a lesser opponent. 
2. Titans continue to make backbreaking mistakes. Mason Rudolph and the offense moved the ball early, but turnovers, awful special teams and a trove of miscues on defense sunk Brian Callahan's club. Early in the second quarter, Rudolph hit Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a touchdown to make it 14-14. Detroit then blitzed Tennessee for 38 consecutive points. Whenever the Titans seem to figure out one issue, another hole springs a gushing leak. The offense moved the ball, outgaining Detroit, 417-225, but the defense made mental mistakes, leaving several Lions wide open in the red zone, the special teams was atrocious and the turnovers piled up. Calvin Ridley finally showed up, earning 143 yards on 10 catches, but it was all for naught. Given Sunday's performance, Tennessee will likely continue to be sellers heading toward the trade deadline. 
3. Lions' return game shines. Detroit put the "dynamic" in the return phase. Khalil Dorsey blasted off for a 72-yard kickoff return. Kalif Raymond then took a punt return 64 yards. Those sprints set up short-field TDs. Early in the third quarter, Raymond finished the deal, weaving for a 90-yard punt return touchdown. The Lions generated 262 return yards on six total returns, with Raymond earning 190 of those. The unit’s +196 return yards over expected is the most in a game since at least 2018 (previous high, +160), per Next Gen Stats. Toss in kicker Jake Bates netting a career-long 51-yard field goal, and it was a banner day for the Lions special teams unit. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Titans-Lions (via NFL Pro): Jahmyr Gibbs reached a top speed of 22.03 mph on his 70-yard TD run, the second-fastest speed by a ball-carrier this season (behind only Brian Thomas Jr. in Week 5, 22.15).

NFL Research: Amon-Ra St. Brown is the first Lions player with a receiving TD in five consecutive games in a season since Calvin Johnson in 2011.

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• RE-WATCH: Colts-Texans on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Richardson's woes continue in Colts' loss: 'Could have played better'

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Stroud, Texans survive, strengthen grip on AFC South. Survive is the keyword for Houston on Sunday. DeMeco Ryan's team survived a late turnover that could have flipped the result. The Texans survived up-and-down play from the offense. They survived a Stefon Diggs injury. And C.J. Stroud once again survived subpar blocking from the offensive line. Joe Mixon blasted his way for 102 yards on 25 carries with a bulldozing touchdown. However, it wasn't a pretty day for Stroud, who was just a tad off on a host of throws. However, he made the ones that counted, including a pretty touchdown to Tank Dell to close out the first half, giving Houston a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Stroud was pressured on 57.5% of his dropbacks, a career-high, getting battered time and time again. It was a surprise he took only two sacks. The victory gave Houston a season sweep of Indy and a two-game lead in the division. 
2. Richardson struggles in loss. Jonathan Taylor's return gave the Colts offense a spark. The veteran back galloped for 105 yards and a TD on 20 carries. It was a good thing Indy had Taylor, otherwise the offense might not have done much of anything. Anthony Richardson misfired repeatedly, missing passes behind, low, and every which way but on target. The QB finished 10-of-32 passing for 175 yards with a TD, an interception and took five sacks. One of those completions went for 69 yards to a wide-open Josh Downs for a touchdown. Richardson earned 106 yards on his other 31 attempts. The second-year signal-caller earned a -16.0 completion percentage over expected. It was somewhat surprising that coach Shane Steichen continued to put the ball in Richardson's right hand, given the quarterback's scattershot play. Indy has stuck by the young signal-caller through his accuracy issues, but Colts fans have to wonder if the outcome might have been different if Joe Flacco had been under center on Sunday. 
3. Texans' D-line dominates. It was apropos that Will Anderson Jr. ended the game with the ball in his hands after a Danielle Hunter sack. The Texans generated a whopping 60.0% pressure rate, tied for the highest pressure rate by a defense in a game this season. The group pressured Richardson 24 times and sacked him five times. The QB completed five of his 17 attempts for 124 yards and a touchdown under pressure. Hunter was a STUD, earning 12 QB pressures and two sacks. Anderson earned seven QBPs, a sack, a game-ending fumble recovery and led the team with seven tackles. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Colts-Texans (via NFL Pro): Joe Mixon generated +16 rush yards over expected, giving him +107 RYOE this season, ninth-most in the NFL. 

NFL Research: Anthony Richardson's 31.3 completion percentage was the second-lowest by any player in a single game with 30-plus pass attempts over the last 10 seasons. The only player worse was Josh Allen, also this season and also on the road against the Texans (30.0%). Richardson has the NFL's worst completion percentage in 2024 (44.4) and over the last two seasons (50.2, minimum 150 attempts).

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• RE-WATCH: Packers-Jaguars on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Packers' Love leaves win early with groin injury

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Jacobs earns his check. It didn't take long in 2024 for Josh Jacobs to prove he was an upgrade in the backfield for the Packers, yet through seven weeks, Jacobs had only broken 100 rushing yards once (Week 2 against Indianapolis). That changed at the perfect time Sunday, as Jacobs became a workhorse after Jordan Love exited with an groin injury, carrying the ball on four straight snaps before popping off a 38-yard touchdown run up the middle a few plays later, putting the Packers back in front. Jacobs was a much-needed ground machine Sunday, finishing with 127 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, and the Love-less Packers needed all of it to outlast a scrappy Jaguars team.
2. Jaguars fight back ... only to crumble in the end. Trevor Lawrence accounted for two turnovers -- including an interception thrown immediately after the Jaguars had picked off Jordan Love -- and struggled with the rest of Jacksonville's offense through most of a quiet first half, but brought the whole unit to life with some sharp passing and a touchdown run before the break. He continued it in the second half, settling into a groove that was only interrupted by a fumble lost deep in his own territory that appeared set to doom the Jaguars. That's where Lawrence proved his mettle, though, bouncing back to lead two scoring drives, including an electric final drive that ended with a fantastic throw to Evan Engram, who leapt above a crowd of defenders to catch the game-tying touchdown. They'd fought all the way back in the game's final two minutes but didn't finish the job on the defensive end, allowing Malik Willis to complete a huge pass to set up Green Bay's walk-off field goal. That's the story of the Jaguars this season: Close, but no cigar. This one will likely sting more than most.
3. Willis comes through again. Jordan Love suffered a groin injury fairly early Sunday that was clearly limiting his ability to extend plays and to throw with a firm base, and it was holding back Green Bay's offense. Eventually, he accepted the fact he was too injured to continue, clearing the way for backup Malik Willis to step in for him as he had earlier in the season. This time, the Packers didn't prepare a game plan around Willis' strengths, but the backup found a way to make it work, running four times for 23 yards and completing four of five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. The scoring toss capitalized on a takeaway recorded deep in Jaguars territory, but it was Willis' one big throw -- a 51-yarder down the left sideline to Jayden Reed -- that lifted the Packers to a win that almost certainly seemed to be on the verge of slipping away. He didn't play more than a quarter and a half, but thanks in part to Jacobs' production, Willis was afforded a chance to push the Packers to a win and got the job done.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Packers-Jaguars (via NFL Pro): Josh Jacobs was most productive rushing between the tackles, rushing 16 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Jacobs generated +36 rushing yards over expected on inside runs, his most in a game this season and third-most of his career.

NFL Research: Xavier McKinney recorded his career-high sixth interception Sunday, joining Trevon Diggs as the only players in the last 20 seasons to have six games with an interception in a team's first eight contests of a season. He's also the first player in Packers history to achieve the feat.

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• RE-WATCH: Cardinals-Dolphins on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Battista: Tua's more mindful approach on display in loss

Coral Smith's takeaways:

1. Harrison, McBride key second-half comeback. The Cardinals are back up to .500 after Sunday’s come-from-behind win over the Dolphins, a victory that was in large part due to the return of the potent connection between Kyler Murray and his rookie wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., a pairing which had been relatively quiet since a 130-yard outing in Week 2 but became crucial in the second half Sunday. Harrison had two catches for 33 yards at halftime, with most of that coming on a 25-yard reception, but Murray turned to his star receiver often after the break as they worked toward the comeback win, with Harrison hauling in acrobatic catches in key moments. First it was a 22-yard touchdown, with Harrison reaching toward the corner of the end zone while just keeping his toes inbounds. That was followed by a diving catch that looked incomplete initially before being overturned on review and a leaping grab across the middle while being tackled by two defenders. Harrison finished with 111 receiving yards, averaging 18.5 yards per catch. But he wasn’t even the team’s leading receiver, a title that went to tight end Trey McBride, who exploded for 124 yards on nine catches, his second-highest career total. With the combined output of these two young pass catchers, the Cardinals put together their first game with 300-plus passing yards in 2024.
2. Tua return a small victory for Fins. Though the defense struggled late in the game and gave up the win, Miami nevertheless should be pleased with what it saw on the other side of the ball, as the return of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa brought with it the team’s best offensive outing of the season and its highest points total thus far. Tagovailoa looked healthy and the whole offense benefitted, coming alive under his leadership. A week after recording just two catches for 19 yards as a duo, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle finished with 72 and 45 yards, respectively. De'Von Achane had a big game, rushing for a season-high 97 yards while tacking on six catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. The pass game understandably struggled behind backup QBs the last few weeks, but things looked better with Tagovailoa back. Maybe most importantly considering the concussion he’s returning from, Tagovailoa passed two major tests, taking an early sack with no ill effects and then later choosing to slide at the end of a scramble run in the third quarter, avoiding the kind of contact that took him out in Week 2. 
3. Cards’ new kicker come up clutch again. Of Arizona’s four wins this season, three have come via last-minute game-winning drive, with all three of those close victories coming via the leg of kicker Chad Ryland. Trailing by two with five minutes left in the game, Murray orchestrated a 13-play, 83-yard drive in which almost every major player had a key contribution, taking it down to one second left on the clock before calling up Ryland to put a 34-yard boot through the uprights. It was his second field goal of the day, converting on a 57-yarder in the third quarter. Ryland was signed by Arizona earlier this month after an injury to Matt Prater, and has earned his keep so far, turning things around after the significant consistency issues he faced as a rookie with the Patriots last season. Having not led for the first 59 minutes and 59 seconds of the game, the Cardinals again turned to Ryland to kick for the win for a third time, and he came through. 

Next Gen Stats Insight from Cardinals-Dolphins (via NFL Pro): Trey McBride set season highs in targets (11), receptions (nine), receiving yards (124) and yards after catch (46) in Sunday’s win. McBride gained a majority of his receiving yards against linebacker David Long in coverage (five receptions for 68 yards on five targets).

NFL Research: Chad Ryland’s game-winning field goal was his third with under 2:00 remaining in a game in 2024, the most by any Cardinals kicker in a season since at least 2000.

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• RE-WATCH: Jets-Patriots on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Patriots rookie QB Maye suffers concussion in win

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Brissett leads game-winning drive to end Pats' losing streak. There seemed to be a dark cloud hanging over Foxborough after Drake Maye's first-half exit, but a quality team effort allowed Jacoby Brissett to lead the Patriots on a 70-yard touchdown march late in the fourth quarter to topple their division foe. The game-winning drive was all Brissett, who converted two crucial third-and-longs with a 14-yard scramble and a 34-yard strike to Kayshon Boutte which set up Rhamondre Stevenson's TD run from the 1-yard line. Brissett did it all with little help from a receiving corps that was dropping passes all game, but there was help elsewhere. Marcus Jones' 62-yard punt return provided a short field for Brissett and Co. They'd find the end zone five plays later, which was a necessary confidence boost for a team that was reluctant to take chances during Maye's absence. The Patriots' bend-but-don't-break defense also kept the game within reach as Brissett tried to find a stride in relief. He'd finish 15-of-24 passing for 132 yards and no turnovers in a day-saving effort that included his first TD pass and ended New England's six-game losing streak.
2. Jets can't survive sloppy play. Calling Sunday's effort an unorganized mess wouldn't be unfair to a Jets offense that began the game struggling to even line up on time, earning a number of delay of game penalties that rendered the Jets rhythm-less, and it could've been even worse (interim coach Jeff Ulbrich took all three first-half timeouts by the end of the first quarter). Aaron Rodgers, with the help of a few defensive penalties by the Patriots, was able to persevere through it with consecutive touchdown drives in the first half, but they were unable to step on the gas pedal even as New England was reeling from the loss of its starting QB. The miscues persisted in the second half, one being a Greg Zuerlein missed field goal from 44 yards out, which the Patriots turned into three points to take the lead on their ensuing drive. Rodgers led a 70-yard TD drive to take back the lead in the fourth quarter, but the Jets' disorganization would be officially bookended on Sunday after a delay of game pushed back their failed 2-point conversion, which would've made it a six-point lead. Cuts to a frustrated Rodgers on the sideline as the Jets gave up a methodical game-winning drive were a good way to paint the picture of the head-scratching defeat.
3. We're still waiting on Rodgers-Adams connection to make an impact. Rodgers was determined to get Davante Adams the ball in the early going, but the early penalties thwarted any real effort of establishing a rhythm. Adams, who ended the day with four catches for 54 yards (six targets), went missing throughout a large portion of the game, but Garrett Wilson rose to the occasion, hauling in a game-high five receptions for 113 yards. Even with a healthy rushing attack led by Breece Hall (80 yards off 16 attempts), the Jets were still unable to unleash the player brought in two weeks ago to quick-fix their offensive struggles. Instead, the losses -- five straight now -- are stacking, and Adams remains on a losing team that is digging itself in an even bigger hole.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Jets-Patriots (via NFL Pro): Drake Maye's top speed of 20.33 mph on his 17-yard TD run ties Jacoby Brissett (Week 3, 2016) for the fastest speed by a Patriots quarterback in the NGS era (since 2016). They are the only two plays by Patriots quarterbacks over 20 mph over the last nine seasons.

NFL Research: Jacoby Brissett is the first Patriots QB to lead a game-winning drive in relief since 1993, when Scott Secules led New England to victory on the road against the Cardinals. 

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• RE-WATCH: Falcons-Buccaneers on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Falcons hang on late in a game that shouldn’t have been so close. The Falcons took a 31-17 lead into the fourth quarter but stumbled late, allowing a safety, giving up a long touchdown drive, missing a late field goal and having the game come down to a Hail Mary attempt that nearly was caught. It wasn’t, and Atlanta survived another shootout thriller against the Bucs, but it wasn’t easy. The Falcons defense struggled early before settling down, forcing three straight turnovers in the second half, but it had to hold on for dear life late. This was a unit that was missing Justin Simmons, but the Bucs threw for 330 yards without their two top receivers playing. Baker Mayfield also wasn’t sacked in 50 dropbacks. But the Falcons got enough big plays defensively and on special teams to earn the win, with Jessie Bates and A.J. Terrell each grabbing terrific interceptions and KhaDarel Hodge, the overtime hero last time against the Bucs, alertly making a big tackle for loss on a fake punt. 
2. Bucs moved ball without top receivers, but defense came up empty. It was always going to be an uphill battle for the Buccaneers in a tough divisional game without wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin playing, but the Bucs’ offense moved the ball readily, even outgaining Atlanta, 432-394. The problem was three turnovers, with Mayfield giving up two on interceptions -- both inside the Atlanta 10-yard line. On the first, he underthrew Ryan Miller on a flea flicker, with Mayfield perhaps slightly bobbling the ball before his pass. On the second INT, Terrell stepped in front of Mayfield’s pass for a huge turnover with the Bucs threatening to score. The Bucs’ first turnover helped the Falcons seize early control of the game, with Rachaad White coughing it up less than a minute into the game, with Atlanta scoring four plays later. Mayfield did his best to rally the Bucs, but the defense struggled to make early stops and generate much pass rush, and had some bad luck when Kyle Pitts' TD stood up even when it looked like Antoine Winfield Jr. might have knocked the ball loose prior to the end zone.
3. The Falcons move to the head of the division. At 5-3, the Falcons are in decent shape now, improving to 3-0 on the road and 4-0 in the division, having beaten the Bucs for a second time this season. Considering these two teams look like the primary contenders in the NFC South, that’s no small achievement, even if the Falcons insisted on keeping the door open. Kirk Cousins was ripping the Bucs, and he completed all nine second-half pass attempts, but the offense bogged down after halftime. Three big penalties negated important gains, including holds by wide receivers that wiped out a 15-yard gain and a 36-yard Bijan Robinson TD. A late facemask call made Younghoe Koo’s missed field-goal try a lot longer than it should have been. Cousins picked up 13 yards on a late scramble and converted his first first down of the season as a runner on fourth down late, but the Falcons need to tighten up the entire operation to be considered a top-tier contender. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Falcons-Buccaneers (via NFL Pro): Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton caught nine of his 10 targets for 81 yards and two touchdowns in Week 8 against the Falcons, recording a season-high 23.8% target rate. Otton amassed the majority of his production from the slot, hauling in all five of his targets for 48 yards and a touchdown from such an alignment. Otton caught eight of his nine receptions and gained 78 of his 81 receiving yards and both of his touchdowns on short targets (0-9 air yards).

NFL Research: Week 8 was the Falcons' sixth game this season that has been decided by one possession. Kirk Cousins is 18-6 in one-possession games since 2022, including going 4-2 with Atlanta.

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• RE-WATCH: Eagles-Bengals on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Eagles hot again after third straight victory. The Eagles have looked like a different team since the bye, with their defensive improvement leading the way. The Bengals gained 175 yards on their first three drives, but they missed a field goal on the third drive to keep it a one-score game. After the Eagles offense warmed up, the defense took over in the third quarter, in spite of cornerback Darius Slay (groin) leaving the game. After the Eagles took a 24-17 lead, they stopped the Bengals on fourth down, with rookie Cooper DeJean tackling Ja'Marr Chase for a loss. That was followed by a terrific interception from Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, with a big assist from Isaiah Rodgers, who tipped the pass straight to his teammates. Believe it or not, that was the Eagles’ first takeaway since Week 3 and only their third of the season. Turnover No. 4 came on the next series when Zack Baun knocked the ball loose from Mike Gesicki, which led to an insurance field goal from the Eagles. Things looked dicey early as the Bengals nickeled and dimed their way down the field, but the Eagles rallied well and had their best defensive showing against a top offense this season.
2. Bengals' start fast but fade quickly, with the season slipping away. The Bengals fell to 0-4 in Cincinnati this season and 3-5 overall, leading 10-3 early and controlling the clock but unable to keep the momentum alive. A missed field goal and three turnovers (one on downs) on offense stung hard, and Cincinnati’s defense allowed the Eagles to score on six straight possessions starting in the second quarter and running through the end of the game. Losing Orlando Brown mid-game to injury hurt the Bengals’ blocking; Brown’s replacement, Cody Ford, held his own, but Joe Burrow faced more pressure and had only 65 second-half pass yards, plus the interception. On the flip side, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had all day to throw, with hardly any pressure from the Bengals. Hurts was a perfect 9 of 9 for 150 yards and a TD pass after halftime and finished with three rushing TDs. 
3. Eagles offense deserves praise, too. This game wasn’t all about the Eagles defense. After finding themselves in an early hole -- and their eighth straight scoreless first quarter on offense to start the season -- Hurts and the Eagles' big dogs came through. Hurts threw for a score and ran in three more TDs, with only four incompletions on the day, which all came in the first quarter. DeVonta Smith caught Hurts’ lone TD pass, a gorgeous over-the-shoulder throw and catch. A.J. Brown and Grant Calcaterra also came up big in the pass game. Saquon Barkley grew stronger as the game wore on, too, with 73 second-half yards. For a team missing three offensive starters (Jordan Mailata, Mekhi Becton, Dallas Goedert), the Eagles found their rhythm offensively after another slow start to score 27 points after halftime, which is more than they’ve scored in four entire games this season. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Eagles-Bengals (via NFL Pro): Eagles left tackle Fred Johnson allowed only one pressure on 22 pass-blocking snaps (4.5%), his lowest pressure rate allowed this season. Johnson allowed one pressure to the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson on 13 matchups (7.7%), the second-lowest pressure rate allowed to Hendrickson by any offensive lineman this season (minimum five matchups).

NFL Research: Hurts had his first career game with three or more rushing TDs and one or more passing TDs. He’s the 13th player to achieve that in a regular-season game and the first since Taysom Hill (Week 5, 2022).

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• RE-WATCH: Saints-Chargers on NFL+ Premium

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Justin Herbert is heating up. Herbert put together his best game of 2024 in a losing effort last week, offering a sign he might be turning the corner after a slow start. That sign proved to be accurate, as Herbert let it fly all afternoon in Inglewood, Calif., finishing with a 20-for-32, 279-yard, two-touchdown line worthy of a 111.3 passer rating. Herbert was good for some truly spectacular completions, including a perfectly placed pass down the sideline to rookie receiver Ladd McConkey, who shed Alontae Taylor to make the grab and cover the remaining 35 yards to the end zone. Herbert made some money on the ground, too, picking up 49 yards on four attempts. Herbert found McConkey for another great connection in the fourth quarter on a touchdown pass that put away the game and invigorated the quarterback, who nodded his head with a level of swagger we haven't seen from him in over a year. Unlike last week, the Chargers capitalized on their quarterback's success in a two-score win, and for perhaps the first time this season, Los Angeles' offense got into a rhythm without relying on the running game to carry them. 
2. The Saints are in a tough place without Derek Carr. Backup quarterback Spencer Rattler's early success didn't last a full game and appears as if it is dwindling at this point, so much that he was pulled for Jake Haener in the second half on Sunday. His replacement fared about as well as Rattler, as New Orleans' offense was largely stuck in mud all afternoon while allowing its quarterbacks to be sacked five times. Their longest play was on a screen to Alvin Kamara for 34 yards on a drive that ended in a punt. They finished with 366 total yards, but were just 2-of-16 on third down, punting on nine of their 13 possessions. The Saints didn't reach the end zone all day and only reached eight points via two field goals and a safety. By the time the game was out of reach, TV viewers were treated to copious shots of a dismayed Carr in street clothes on the sideline. Neither Rattler nor Haener is capable of keeping this ship afloat, it seems, and until Carr returns, the Saints will likely be stuck in this situation -- especially against physical defenses like the Chargers.
3. Ladd McConkey is hitting his stride. McConkey was one of my favorite players at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, and after fighting through injuries through the first third of the season, it appears as if McConkey is starting to figure it out. He's quickly emerging as Herbert's best target and powered their passing game against the Saints, finishing with six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. He's shifty, has excellent hands, run sharp routes and is becoming a YAC beast, as demonstrated by his 60-yard touchdown reception Sunday. Herbert needs a trusted target in this offense, especially after the departures of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, and he's found one in McConkey.

Next Gen Stats Insight from Saints-Chargers (via NFL Pro): Ladd McConkey set career-high marks in receptions (six), yards (111), touchdowns (two), and receiving yards over expected (+55) Sunday. McConkey caught all three of his targets out of the slot for 84 yards and two touchdowns, generating the most receiving yards over expected (+51) on such targets by any rookie in a game this season.

NFL Research: Justin Herbert finished Sunday's win without an interception, extending his streak of interception-free football to five straight starts, the longest active streak in the NFL.

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• RE-WATCH: Bills-Seahawks on NFL+ Premium

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Bills overcome early self-inflicted mistakes to stomp Seahawks. Let’s start with the positive. To start the game, the Bills forced an early three-and-out on defense and marched 14 plays and 90 yards in a statement touchdown drive that set the tone for the game. That statement was that the Bills can recover from mistakes better than the Seahawks can. The Bills overcame three penalties and a Josh Allen fumble (wiped out by Seattle penalty) to drive 90 yards for a touchdown, and it was actually 110 yards in raw yards gained. Allen’s interception-less streak also ended at exactly 300 passes, giving the Seahawks a big chance deep in Buffalo territory in a 7-3 game. The Bills defense bailed them out with a goal-line stop, and Allen nearly gave it right back with a fumble at his own 9-yard line. But Ty Johnson somehow recovered it for a massive first down. No sweat. Allen coolly led them down on an 85-yard drive in the final minute of the first half. The Bills had an ugly first half but a noticeable talent surplus. Both the offense and defense flexed their muscles in the second half, leading to a surprisingly easy win considering the way it started.
2. Seahawks’ early red-zone mistakes cost them dearly. Fresh off a cleanly operated road blowout over the Falcons, the Seahawks took a major step back in their loss to the high-powered Bills, with some ugly early mistakes essentially costing Seattle the game. With no DK Metcalf, their margin for error was already shrunk, and wet conditions were also a factor. After two three-and-outs, the Seahawks drove to the Buffalo 2-yard line, but a bad Connor Williams snap and a penalty turned a TD into a field goal. On the next drive, the Seahawks had third-and-goal at the Buffalo 1, but they were stuffed on the next two plays, with Williams stepping on Geno Smith on the fourth-down sack. On defense, when the Bills were backed up against their end zone, the Seahawks couldn’t recover an Allen fumble. Later that drive, Derick Hall’s massive roughing penalty not only wiped out an illegal shift by the Bills, but it turned a likely long field-goal try (with a shaky kicker) into Allen hitting Dalton Kincaid for a back-breaking touchdown before halftime. The game wasn’t officially in hand until the Bills dominated the third quarter, and the Seahawks made plenty more errors in the second half, but the first-half hole was too big to climb out of.
3. The Bills might have something special in Keon Coleman. It was a quiet day for Amari Cooper in his second game with the Bills -- one catch, three yards -- but it was hardly noticeable as the Bills rolled to 445 yards and 31 points; and both could have been higher. Khalil Shakir led the Bills in receptions (nine) and yards (107), but the rookie Coleman had a major imprint with five catches for 70 yards and a score. He caught Allen’s opening TD pass on a quick fade, showing impressive strength and body control, and reeled in an impressive 25-yard catch while being held. On the downside, Coleman couldn’t catch what would have been a 25-yard grab on second-and-15, and he was flagged for offensive pass interference, wiping out his 22-yard catch. Coleman also got flagged for unnecessary roughness while blocking on a Shakir run, but that kind of effort might have earned the rookie respect in the Bills’ locker room. And on the next play, Allen fired a 21-yard pass to Coleman on third-and-5, leading to Allen pumping his fist. Allen’s trust in Coleman only has grown with each game, and Cooper’s arrival shouldn’t slow that down at all. The Bills’ weaponry suddenly is very impressive, and Coleman looks like Allen’s eventual WR1 in training.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Bills-Seahawks (via NFL Pro): Bills RB James Cook finished with season-highs in rushing yards (111) and rushing yards over expected (+43) across 17 carries in Week 8 against the Seahawks, including two touchdowns. Cook gained more yards than expected on 70.6% of his carries (12 of 17), the highest rate by a rusher in a game this season (minimum 15 carries). Cook also gained +5 first downs over expected, the most by a rusher in a game this season. 

NFL Research: The Bills have won four games by 21 or more points this season, the most in the NFL.

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• RE-WATCH: Bears-Commanders on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Daniels stuns Bears with 'once-in-a-lifetime' Hail Mary TD
• READ: Stevenson apologizes for taunting during Hail Mary play

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Hail Jayden! Commanders win on last-play heave. A dominant first half turned into what looked like a disappointing loss for Dan Quinn's team. With two seconds remaining, Washington had one last prayer. Quarterback Jayden Daniels avoided pressure for 12.7 seconds before chucking the pigskin 54.5 air yards into the end zone. The ball was deflected backward where Washington wideout Noah Brown gobbled it up for the game-winning score. The Commanders controlled the first half, generating 267 yards to 90 for Chicago. However, red zone failures kept the Bears in the contest. Washington settled for four field goals on the day and didn't reach paydirt until the final play. Daniels looked fine playing through a rib injury that had the quarterback questionable entering the game. He threw for 326 yards and a TD while rushing for 52 yards on eight totes. The offense couldn't get going in the second half, punting four times and missing a field goal. But with the game on the line, Daniels spun one last spell to pull out the victory.
2. Bears come up short after taking three quarters to get into gear. The Bears offense was a struggle early. Behind a rickety offensive line, Caleb Williams rarely had time and missed several throws through three quarters, in which he had just 36 passing yards. Running back D'Andre Swift jumpstarted a dead offense with a 56-yard touchdown scamper in the waning moments of the third quarter. Then Williams awoke, making pinpoint throws despite being crushed. The No. 1 overall pick showed an impressive ability to stand in and deliver and slip out of would-be sacks. Williams completed six of eight passes for 95 yards on his final two drives (+22.9% CPOE), after completing just four of 16 passes for 36 yards on the Bears first nine drives (-24.6% CPOE). A bungled goal-line chance, in which coordinator Shane Waldron called a handoff to backup center Doug Kramer that was fumbled, nearly cost Chicago dearly. However, after the D got another stop, Williams led a TD drive capped off by a Roschon Johnson TD plunge. It looked like Williams would add another comeback win to his ledger. However, Daniels got the last laugh on his draft-mate. 
3. Commanders D continues to evolve. For much of the game, Dan Quinn's defense discombobulated the rookie quarterback, stymied D'Andre Swift and kept the Bears offense in check. Despite not having a dominant edge presence, the Commanders were able to collapse the pocket. Bobby Wagner has been a stud in the middle and Frankie Luvu is a menacing demon. The secondary, which was picked on early in the season, did a solid job on the Bears' weapons. As the season has gone, Quinn has been able to coach up solid performances from his defense. Sunday, they might have stubbed their toe in the fourth quarter with a few misses, but it was enough to give Daniels just enough time to finally find the end zone. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Bears-Commanders (via NFL Pro): Jayden Daniels held onto the ball for 12.79 seconds on his game-winning 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown to Noah Brown, the first TD pass with a time to throw over 10 seconds in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016).

NFL Research: The 52-yard Hail Mary was the second-longest game-winning TD pass by a rookie as time expired in the fourth quarter in NFL history, behind a 56-yard TD pass by Tim Couch to Kevin Johnson on Halloween 1999.

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• RE-WATCH: Panthers-Broncos on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Payton on beating Panthers: DEN will 'see a lot better teams'

Coral Smith's takeaways:

1. Nix has arrived. Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix put together by far the best game of his young career in leading his squad to their fifth win in the last six games. Nix’s second quarter did most of the damage, as the Broncos scored touchdowns on three consecutive drives of 55, 92 and 44 yards. Two came through the air, with the third courtesy of Nix’s legs. He now has four rushing touchdowns on the season, leading his team. The onslaught slowed a bit after halftime with a large lead established, but one more passing touchdown sealed the deal as Nix finished with highs in pass yards (284), touchdowns (3) and passer rating (124.2). His targets were spread well among his pass catchers, completing at least one pass to eight different players, with three having a catch of at least 16 yards. Nix even got his tight ends involved, a position from which the Broncos have seen few contributions in the pass game so far this season. Two of his touchdown passes went to Nate Adkins and Adam Trautman, the latter of whom made an impressive one-handed grab for his score. It took a couple of games for the rookie QB to get settled in the NFL, but the last few weeks have shown steady improvement that should make any Denver fan excited.
2. Young’s second chance squandered. Sunday marked another opportunity for Bryce Young to start at quarterback after Andy Dalton was sidelined due to a sprained thumb, but given a chance to prove why Carolina should turn to him going forward, Young came up empty. The game got off to a promising start for the Panthers offense even with key contributors Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen unavailable. After the defense forced a fumble to give Young the ball in Denver territory, he drove down the field 49 yards in 10 plays, completing throws to four different players and finishing with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Legette to give Carolina the initial lead. But it just went downhill from there, with Young making bad throws and exhibiting mental mistakes, more of what had led to his benching in the first place. The Panthers had just one first down the next six drives, which featured four punts and two turnovers on downs, the second of which came on a failed fake punt. The Panthers got some movement going in the second half, but two promising drives ended in interceptions, the latter at the goal line, making Young’s TD pass to Jalen Coker with under a minute to go only worth a moral victory. Young finished 24-of-37 passing for 224 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, though that doesn’t nearly convey the struggles through most of the game. It was not nearly what he or the Panthers wanted to see from the man who was supposed to be their quarterback of the future.
3. Denver D rides high. Young got in his own way in a couple of moments on Sunday, but it would be remiss not to credit the Broncos defense for their big part in the win. Denver’s multi-faceted pass rush did its job, with nine different players getting at least one QB pressure, per Next Gen Stats. Denver ranked second in the league in sacks coming into Week 8 and added a couple more on Sunday, with Nik Bonitto recording his sixth straight game with at least one sack, the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest such streak by a Broncos player since Von Miller did it in 2018. And even when Young could get the ball out, the coverage was there, with Patrick Surtain II and Ja'Quan McMillian each getting an interception to stifle promising drives for the Panthers. It was the fifth game this year the Broncos defense allowed fewer than 14 points. While the offense was finding its footing with Nix at the helm, the defense held down the fort. And now that both sides of the ball seem to have hit their stride, the Broncos find themselves in a good position almost halfway through the season, sitting in second in the AFC West at 5-3 despite starting 0-2.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Panthers-Broncos (via NFL Pro): Bryce Young saw most of his success against man coverage, completing eight of 12 passes for 82 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. His +18.5% completion percentage over expected against man is his highest rate in a game with multiple such attempts in his career (16/25, 142, INT, +0.9% CPOE against zone coverage).

NFL Research: Bo Nix became the first quarterback in Broncos history with at least three passing touchdowns, at least one rushing touchdown and zero interceptions in a single game. The only Denver QBs with three-plus pass TDs and one-plus rushing TDs were John Elway (twice), Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler, but each had an interception in their game.

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• RE-WATCH: Chiefs-Raiders on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Kelce becomes fifth TE with 75 career TD catches

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Chiefs defense thrives under pressure. It wasn't easy for Kansas City to maintain its undefeated record on Sunday thanks to a pesky Raiders team, but there was one crucial point of the game that could've prompted a potential upset. That's until the Chiefs defense rose to the occasion. Following Patrick Mahomes' first and only pick midway through the third quarter, Las Vegas was in prime position to square away a seven-point deficit with a first-and-goal from the 3-yard line. Steve Spagnuolo's unit never wavered from the challenge, stuffing Alexander Mattison three consecutive times at the goal line before Tershawn Wharton sacked Gardner Minshew on the Raiders' fourth and final attempt to quickly swing momentum back into K.C.'s favor. From there, Mahomes led the Chiefs on a back-breaking, 19-play (90 yards) drive that ended in a field goal but took nearly 10 minutes of the clock. Two plays into the Raiders' ensuing possession, the Chiefs defense made another big play by forcing Minshew to fumble under their pressure. Mahomes and Co. took advantage of the short field eight plays later with their only TD of the second half, and that was all she wrote.
2. Raiders offense continues to be stuck in the mud. Las Vegas seemed game for a potential shootout to start, answering the Chiefs' opening-drive TD score with a 12-play, 75-yard march that ended with a Jakobi Meyers celebration in the end zone. The Raiders would go on to take a three-point lead on their ensuing possession after another solid drive, but their most glaring problem on offense eventually caught up with them. The Raiders' rushing attack was an absolute travesty, gaining just 33 yards off 21 carries on the day. As mentioned, it's what prevented Las Vegas from punching in a TD after its only takeaway and the lack of any rushing threat rendered the offense predictable. Mattison was perhaps most frustrated by the lack of penetration generated by the Raiders' offensive line, nearly outnumbering his yards (15) with attempts (14). The crazy part about it all is that Sunday's rushing display was better than their Week 2 total (27), which oddly enough was one of their two victories on the season. Minshew was solid despite it all, completing 24 of 30 passes for 209 yards and zero interceptions; however, like the deceiving score, a good majority of it came against the Chiefs' prevent defense late in the fourth quarter. The Raiders defense certainly played well enough to topple the league's last undefeated team, but their sputtering offense resulted in a fourth straight loss in the end. 
3. Mahomes leans on veteran tight end. In one of his more efficient outings of the season, Patrick Mahomes relied on his all-time leading target. Travis Kelce saw season highs (10) in receptions and yards (90) on Sunday while also scoring his first TD of the season, and the 75th of his illustrious career. It was just like old times for Mahomes and Kelce, whose synergy amounted to a handful of drive-saving plays on a day in which the Chiefs' wide receivers were mostly off the mark. DeAndre Hopkins was limited to two catches for 29 yards in his first game with the Chiefs, Xavier Worthy's late-game TD catch saved an otherwise muted stat line (four receptions, 37 yards), and Mecole Hardman's lone reception for 8 yards summed up the production from Chiefs wideouts. Mahomes, who finished 27-of-38 passing for 262 yards and two TDs (one INT), made it work anyway thanks to Kelce. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Chiefs-Raiders (via NFL Pro): Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor did not allow a single pressure across 28 pass blocking matchups against Maxx Crosby (25 of 28 were one-on-one matchups). Crosby failed to generate a pressure on any of his 41 pass rushes, the most pass rushes without recording a pressure in a game this season. The last time Crosby was held without a pressure was Week 9, 2022.

NFL Research: Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce connected on their 52nd career touchdown, breaking a tie with Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham for the third-most by a QB-TE duo all-time. Kelce-Mahomes only trail Tom Brady-Rob Gronkowski (90) and Philip Rivers-Antonio Gates (89).

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• RE-WATCH: Cowboys-49ers on NFL+ Premium

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Kittle has big night to cap National Tight Ends Day. Fittingly, the gregarious Pro Bowl talent most associated with National Tight Ends Day put an exclamation point on the holiday, as George Kittle’s second-half surge keyed the 49ers’ offensive rally after San Francisco trailed, 10-6, at halftime. Though his three receptions for 56 yards in the first half were hardly pedestrian stats, Kittle ignited the 49ers coming out of the locker room and finished with six catches for 128 yards and a touchdown. On the fourth play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Kittle got loose over the middle and rumbled 43 yards to set up an Isaac Guerendo TD run on the ensuing play. It kindled a 21-point scoring run for the 49ers in the second half. Kittle had a 2-yard TD catch on the 49ers’ next drive, which coincidentally stood as the 175th catch by a tight end on National Tight Ends Day -- a new all-time record for catches by TEs in a single day. That number grew, as did Kittle’s contributions. He had a 27-yard gain on the 49ers’ following drive, which also ended in six. With the offense having been held to six points in the opening half, San Francisco scored touchdowns on its first three second-half salvos. Just as emblematic of Kittle’s worth was that the Niners were held to three points in the fourth stanza as he was held without a catch. He did enough in the third, though. The 49ers’ long-locked tight end had big plays on each TD drive to turn the big day for TEs into a big night, as well.
2. Desperate times for Dallas. The Cowboys are 3-4 after their second consecutive loss, so there’s still ample time for an about-face on a troubling run of play. However, this was a rather lifeless showing that offers little optimism for a positive turn in the road. Though the Cowboys’ beleaguered defense held the 49ers to six points through the first half, they’d still allowed 214 yards at that point. Brock Purdy, Kittle and Co. came out swinging in the second half to score touchdowns on three straight drives and end the night with 469 yards in total. Meanwhile, Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense lingered along without an answer until a wide-open CeeDee Lamb caught a score with just under eight minutes to go. Lamb had another score and all of a sudden the Cowboys were within six points. However, with a go-ahead opportunity, Dallas went four-and-out, failing to gain a yard on a quartet of Prescott incompletions. Prescott also had a pair of interceptions, giving him multiple picks in a league-high four games this season. Heavy is the helmet for the face of the franchise, but he’s not solely to blame. If this was 2019, the Cowboys would’ve had a pair of Pro Bowlers at running back. Unfortunately for Dallas and its offense, Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook are each far removed from their all-star form and it showed Sunday -- as it has for the running game all year. The two combined for 46 yards on 16 carries, as the team had just 56 net yards rushing -- well less than its NFL-worst 77.2 yards per game entering the day. Two weeks after a horrendous loss to the Detroit Lions, the Cowboys returned to the field and are left to answer many of the same questions after another disenchanting loss. This one was closer than the last, but no less worrisome.
3. Niners have hope ahead in running game. Having lost twice this season when holding a double-digit lead when the rest of the NFL has combined for two such losses, the 49ers saw a seemingly healthy 27-10 lead almost get coughed up. However, the defense stood strong and rookie running back Isaac Guerendo salted away the win with a 14-yard run that allowed Brock Purdy to kneel away the victory. While San Francisco’s ability to hold a lead remains a concern, the running game really never should be. Jordan Mason has filled in admirably and then some for an injured Christian McCaffrey. Mason left Sunday with a shoulder injury, but Guerendo finished with 85 yards on 14 carries with his first NFL TD included. Purdy had his running shoes on, as well, going for 56 yards and a score. There’s optimism McCaffrey will return after the Niners' Week 9 bye, but even through the tumultuous times this season, the running game has largely been a constant. It was again on Sunday, even with RB3 called into action. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Cowboys-49ers (via NFL Pro): Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb had 16.3 yards of separation on his 7-yard touchdown pass with 7:58 to go in the fourth quarter. It’s the fourth-most separation on a pass thrown into the end zone during the Next Gen era (since 2016).

NFL Research: George Kittle had a season-high 128 receiving yards on six receptions, and also had a touchdown. Kittle’s performance came in the final game on National Tight Ends Day, in which tight ends combined for 177 receptions -- the most in NFL history on a single day by the position, 1,965 receiving yards (second-most) and 16 TDs (tied-eight-most all time). Kittle also became just the fifth 49ers player with 500 receptions.