What we learned from Sunday's Week 8 games

Happy returns! After five weeks away, Drew Brees was back in New Orleans' starting lineup as the Saints claimed their sixth straight win. Detroit returned to the winners' circle with a victory over Big Blue. Elsewhere in the NFC North, Chicago's kicking woes came back with a vengeance as Eddy Pineiro missed two field goals, including a last-second potential game-winner.

Here's what we learned from Sunday's Week 8 games:

Green Bay Packers 31, Kansas City Chiefs 24

1. Without Davante Adams for the fourth straight week, Aaron Rodgers entered Sunday night with a receiving corps full of question marks; so hamstrung is Green Bay's WR room that the Packers wideout with the most snaps against Kansas City was Allen Lazard. In these trying times, instead of forcing passes to unreliable young WRs, Rodgers fed his namesake. Aaron Jones, a running back, was Rodgers' most dependable and dangerous target in Arrowhead, making plays out of the backfield and deep downfield, mostly on unassuming linebackers. The recipient of two receiving touchdowns, Jones became the first Packers player to have over 150 receiving yards and two receiving scores in a game since Jordy Nelson, Rodgers' favorite receiver of yesteryear. Jones had two touchdowns (and a brilliant worm celebration) called back upon replay, too. The Packers' trust in Jones was no more apparent than on Green Bay's final drive. Up one score and with Kansas City out of timeouts, the Packers needed just five yards on a third down in their own territory to close out the victory. Jones flexed out wide, motioned left and off the snap sped right toward the sideline against Chiefs linebacker Ben Niemann. Easy money for Rodgers, who hit Jones with room to spare. There's no doubt that Green Bay (7-1) is Aaron's team. The only question is which one?

2. Matt Moore more than held his own in his first (and maybe only) start in place of the kneecapped Patrick Mahomes. Showcasing surprising pocket mobility, Moore bought time and space for his speedy playmakers, completing 24 of 36 pass attempts for 267 yards and two scores. Though unable to make the same outlandish throws the Gumby-armed Mahomes can, Moore hit Travis Kelce and Sammy Watkins on big gains downfield and dutifully shot the ball into his YAC-masters Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman when asked. Look at the box score, and you'll see two nearly identical offenses going blow for blow on every drive. The lone seven-point difference in this game came as a result of a turnover. LeSean McCoy's third-quarter fumble at the KC 27 set up a short Packers scoring drive. The Chiefs responded with another score of their own, taking just under five minutes to pull back even. But after Green Bay shot right back, Kansas City's ensuing drive stalled at its own 40-yard line with 5:13 to go. Instead of attempt a conversion on fourth-and-3, Andy Reid opted to punt the ball, and surrender the game, to Green Bay. Moore would not see the ball again.

3. One of the more surprising developments out of Arrowhead came from the Kansas City front seven, where four players logged sacks on Rodgers. Without Chris Jones and Frank Clark, the Chiefs (5-3) enjoyed outstanding evenings from Emmanuel Ogbah (one sack), Khalen Saunders (one) and Tanoh Kpassagnon (two). Kansas City made life uncomfortable for Rodgers, hitting the QB 12 times behind a line that was missing either David Bakhtiari or Bryan Bulaga for snaps at a time. Of course, the Chiefs didn't always get home, and Rodgers didn't always lose on QB hits. On the play of the night, Rodgers got hit on a third down in the red zone by Ogbah and Derrick Nnadi, but flicked a fadeaway toss to Jamaal Williams in the back of the end zone for six. The improbable pass (19.3 percent probable, per Next Gen Stats) was the exception to K.C.'s ruling the line of scrimmage on the evening.

-- Jeremy Bergman

Houston Texans 27, Oakland Raiders 24

1. Other than a show-stealing play or two from QB Deshaun Watson, Texans games are almost guaranteed to feature some drama. According to NFL Research, the Texans were tied for the most one-possession games (6) in the NFL entering the day, meaning viewers were likely in store for a heartstopper. And that's exactly what they got. Down 24-20 with 6:34 left in the game, Watson provided yet another highlight to his reel with a sensational TD pass to set up the eventual 27-24 home win over Oakland (3-4). As the Raiders' pass rush bore down on him, Watson spun to avoid a sack -- taking an inadvertent kick to the face from DE Arden Key as he flew by in the process -- and connected with TE Darren Fells (six rec., 58 yards, two TDs) from nine yards out to give the Texans their first and only lead. For his troubles, Watson sported a shiner over his left eye that had the franchise cornerstone resembling a boxer more than a QB. In the end, Houston (5-3) left victorious and Watson finished with 279 passing yards (27-of-39), three TDs and zero interceptions, his fifth game this year with no picks. Wideout DeAndre Hopkins also contributed his third 100-plus yard outing of the season with a game-high 11 catches for 109 yards while RB Carlos Hyde rushed for 83 yards on 19 touches.

2. A year after Pro Football Focus named him the NFL's most accurate deep ball passer, Derek Carr hasn't shown the willingness to go for the big play as much this season. Coming into the game, Carr completed 15 throws of 20-plus yards but the deep shots weren't there against Houston. Rookie receiver Hunter Renfrow (4-of-4, 88 yards) was credited with a 65-yard TD reception --Carr's longest of the year -- against Houston but 57 of those came after the catch. Carr also notched a 46-yard TD pass to Tyrell Williams (three rec., 91 yards, TD) in his first game back from a three-week absence but the pass traveled 18 yards while Williams did the rest. Breakout TE Darren Waller has been the recipient of some of Carr's deep passes but he was held to 2-of-8 for 11 yards. Carr's 18-of-30, 285-yard, three-TD box score will show that he was at least efficient but his 1-of-6 showing on passes of 20 or more yards is evidence that he's still trying to regain his deep ball prowess. It's also worth noting that Carr led the league in completion percentage (74.1) entering Week 8 but ranked 21st in yards per game (235).

3. After exiting in the second quarter and being ruled out shortly thereafter, the latest reports are not positive for Texans DE J.J. Watt. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Houston fears their star pass rusher tore his pectoral muscle, which would end his season. Watt confirmed the bad news on Twitter post-game. Prior to leaving, Watt tallied three tackles, a pass deflection and one tackle for a loss. Linebackers Whitney Mercilus, Zach Cunningham and Brennan Scarlett, and newly acquired corner Gareon Conley all played sharp in the loss but losing Watt is a huge blow to a defense already without starting S Tashaun Gipson and CBs Johnathan Joseph and Bradley Roby. Houston's run defense held up in the second half, holding Raiders rookie Josh Jacobs to 21 yards on six carries but, with Leonard Fournette coming to town before the bye, Watt's absence will be very noticeable.

-- Jelani Scott

New Orleans Saints 31, Arizona Cardinals 9

1. Drew Brees dialed up a clean performance in his return from thumb surgery. Hitting nine separate targets for 373 yards and three scores at 8.7 yards per attempt, the veteran looked at home running an attack that ate up 20-plus minutes of the first half and 37:59 on the day. I still see a Saints offense (7-1) that remains more methodical than explosive with coach Sean Payton calling a slew of screen passes and leaning liberally on Latavius Murray (157 total yards and two touchdowns off 30 touches) in place of the banged-up Alvin Kamara. A missed field goal by Wil Lutz didn't help; neither did a second-quarter touchdown strike to tight end Dan Arnold that was erased by a holding penalty as time expired. Brees also threw a wayward deep strike pulled down by Cardinals cover man Patrick Peterson. If his physical limitations occasionally peak through, Brees also looked good unfurling a 36-yard rope to Taysom Hill and finding Michael Thomas for 11/112/1 on the day.

2. Coach Kliff Kingsbury will field plenty of questions after calling a doomed Chase Edmonds run on fourth-and-1 from his own 29-yard line midway through the third with the Cardinals (3-4-1) trailing 10-6. The daring-do is appreciated, but questionable on a day when Arizona's ground game was erased by a New Orleans front that travels week to week as merciless bullies. Edmonds left one drive later with a tweaked hamstring, forcing rookie Kyler Murray into a flurry of empty-set lasers. The rookie made a handful of stellar throws, flinging the ball 47 yards downfield to a wide-open Charles Clay and later sticking veteran Larry Fitzgerald on a critical third-down snap. Murray also directed an attack that finished just 2-of-12 on third down and continues to struggle in the red zone.

3. Quarterbacks get all the attention, but pour one out for a Saints defense that has morphed into one of the league's finest. Cameron Jordan and friends made life tough on the Cardinals with pocket-pushing nastiness and a successful group effort that kept Murray to just 13 yards on the ground.

-- Marc Sessler

Philadelphia Eagles 31, Buffalo Bills 13

1. Brandon Graham changed the tenor of the tilt with a strip of Bills QB Josh Allen on a designed run and recovered the loose ball with under two minutes remaining in the first half. The Eagles turned Graham's massive play into a touchdown to take an 11-7 lead late in the second quarter that they wouldn't relinquish. Graham was a wrecking ball all game, destroying the Bills offensive line. In most states, Graham would be required to pay rent for how much he lived in Buffalo's backfield. The defensive lineman tallied six tackles, a sack, a QB hit and two tackles for loss. His game-changing forced fumble woke an Eagles squad who, to that point, looked limp. For a defense that had been burned all season, Philly (4-4) needed the gargantuan game Graham provided.

2. On a blustery day in Western New York, the Eagles came in intent on pounding the ball on the ground. In the first half, that plan struggled to get off the ground with Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders combining to average 2.8 YPC on 11 attempts. The plan blasted off in the final two quarters. Sanders rocketed for a 65-yard TD run on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter. A beautiful play design with Howard leading the way through the hole, Sanders didn't hesitate and dashed through the second level. When the rookie doesn't stutter to the hole, he shows his bright upside. Sanders, unfortunately, left with a shoulder injury and didn't return. Howard took over and smashed the Bills' interior in the final two quarters. The back blasted for 96 yards on 23 totes and a TD. With Howard gashing, the Eagles were able to churn the clock down the stretch to ice the tilt. Philly finished the game with 218 rushing yards on a whopping 41 attempts.

3. Outside of converting on several third-and-longs, Bills quarterback Josh Allen couldn't take advantage of an Eagles secondary that has been destroyed throughout the season. Once again, Allen couldn't connect deep at all against a banged-up Philly defensive backfield that came on allowing the second-most yards (214) and tied for most TDs (2) on deep attempts over the last two weeks, per Next Gen Stats. Allen threw a bevy of balls way off the mark once the Bills (5-2) got down big, rarely giving his receivers a chance to make a play. He completed just two of seven attempts of more than 15 air-yards. The wind didn't help, but few of Allen's throws were close late, as he finished 16-of-34 passing (47.1 percent) for 169 yards (5 YPA) with two TDs and an 81.6 rating. Allen moved the ball with his feet and looked comfortable on throws outside the pocket, but it was a disappointing day throwing the ball for the young QB who couldn't take advantage of a poor Eagles secondary.

-- Kevin Patra

Tennessee Titans 27, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23

1. The result of this matchup perfectly encapsulated the personalities of each team, with the opportunistic Titans overcoming a distinct deficit in net yards (389-246) and first downs (23-16) by taking advantage of a mistake-prone opponent. No quarterback puts his defense in more compromising positions than Jameis Winston, who plays with a distinctive brazen, slapdash style that keeps both teams in the game. A frantic Winston made a habit of escaping pressure, attacking downfield and allowing Mike Evans to beat outclassed cornerbacks at the catch point for field-shifting chunk plays. The flip side of that up-for-grabs approach was four turnovers, a bevy of precarious passes that were nearly intercepted, short fields for his counterpart and a series of red-zone mistakes that came back to haunt Tampa Bay (2-5) in a nail-biter that ultimately fell in the Titans' favor when stalwart defensive lineman Jurrell Casey stuffed Peyton Barber on fourth down late in the fourth quarter.

2. En route to breaking James Wilder's franchise record for career receptions, Evans tied his personal best with 11 receptions for 198 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a dominant performance. Although Evans spent the early portion of the contest proving that fill-in starter LeShaun Sims was severely overmatched, this wasn't simply a case of exploiting an obvious mismatch. Evans also beat Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard on a 43-yard jumpball and veteran cornerback Logan Ryan for a fade-pass touchdown. It's the second time this season that Evans has reached 190 yards, lending credence to Winston's claim that his top target is a Randy Moss-like talent who takes a back seat to no other receiver in today's NFL. Coach Bruce Arians also testified to Evans' brilliance, telling the FOX broadcast team that the stretch-forward-in-cleats might just be the most talented receiver he's ever coached.

3. Thanks in large part to the generosity of Winston and a couple of mistakes by Tampa Bay's offensive line, Titans QB Ryan Tannehill became the first player to finish a first half with multiple passing touchdowns and fewer than 50 passing yards since Shaun King and Jon Kitna each accomplished the "feat" in November of 2000. Tennessee's offense entered hibernation for two full frames until Tannehill overcame a holding penalty on a 42-yard Derrick Henry scamper to lead an impressive 12-play, 90-yard touchdown drive that reclaimed the lead in the middle of the fourth quarter. Casey's fourth-down stand not only protected the lead, but also saved his head coach from tough questions about a fake field goal that was doomed by punter Brett Kern's insufficient athleticism in the open field. Still in the thick of a tight AFC South race, the Titans (4-4) face the Panthers and Chiefs leading into their Week 11 bye.

*-- Chris Wesseling *

Jacksonville Jaguars 29, New York Jets 15

1. Minshew Mania is running wild. Whether it's going anywhere will make for an interesting week as Nick Foles works his way back to playing status. For Sunday, though, the fist-pumping, headband-wearing, mustache-rocking rookie phenomenon propelled the Jaguars (4-4) past the struggling Jets (1-6), 29-15, with a trio of touchdown passes, 279 yards, no interceptions and a 119.6 rating. After Leonard Fournette busted loose for a 66-yard rumble, Minshew found Keelan Cole for a six-yard score to begin the big day, which was later highlighted by Minshew scrambling and finding Chris Conley running free into space for a 70-yard TD catch-and-run. The Foles conundrum will present itself, but Minshew has been all kinds of fun in Duval even in the face of the previous Jalen Ramsey drama. On this Sunday, he was impressive once more and did his best to make the Jaguars' decision on their quarterback of the future a difficult one.

2. While a rookie QB and a can't-miss kicker (Josh Lambo booted three field goals a league-best 23 straight) certainly did their part, the Jaguars at their best have been defined by defense. And the Jacksonville D wreaked havoc with three interceptions (two from Tre Herndon) and a whopping eight sacks against a consistently Swiss-cheese Jets offensive line. Rookie dynamo Josh Allen now has seven sacks after two on Sunday as he's fit in phenomenally with Jacksonville's QB-terrorizing ways that also saw familiar sack masters Calais Campbell (1.5 sacks) and Yannick Ngakoue (2.0) do their usual damage. At least against the Jets, the Jags were once again their fearsome best.

3. In many ways, Sam Darnold's Sunday was about how he would respond from a disaster of a Monday night against the mighty Patriots. On the Jets' opening drive, Darnold was 7-for-7 for 88 yards -- two more yards than he had in full against the Pats -- and threw the first of two scores to tight end Ryan Griffin. Those were the highlights on another dim afternoon, though, as Darnold was hounded and threw the aforementioned three picks. Right or wrong, Darnold's abilities are likely to be scrutinized until the Jets as a whole become winners. There should be no doubting his resilience, however. In a season of struggles and ridiculous hurdles, he's shown his fortitude and toughness over and over. Darnold's dealt with the kissing sickness, a lost toenail, supernatural criticism and a bum left thumb in a nightmarish first eight weeks. He keeps getting up and facing the adversity head on, though, and at the very least, that should count for something.

-- Grant Gordon

Detroit Lions 31, New York Giants 26

1. Perhaps no one outside of Detroit was aware of how good Matthew Stafford has been this season, but his Week 8 performance deserves a glaring spotlight. The Lions' three-game losing streak marred just how impressive Stafford (7-1 TD-to-INT ratio, 629 passing yards, 62.3-completion rate) had been during that rough stretch; at home against the Giants (2-6), the veteran QB had a chance to show out in a win. His final numbers? 25-of-32 (78-percent completion rate) for 342 yards, three TDs and a pick (his fourth of the season). With Tra Carson starting in place of injured RB1 Kerryon Johnson (first DNP of 2019), Detroit didn't get much from the backfield, who combined for 62 yards on 23 attempts with four different guys getting touches. The lackluster run game paved the way for a stellar outing for the Lions' slew of receivers; Kenny Golladay recorded 123 yards and two TDs on six catches, Danny Amendola went 8-of-8 for 95 yards and Marvin Hall turned in his lone catch for a TD on a 49-yard Stafford bomb. After scoring 27-plus points in only four games last year, Detroit (3-3-1) now has five such games in the first eight weeks, and Stafford has absolutely been leading the way.

2. After a Cinderella-esque debut in Week 3, Daniel Jones' carriage has been looking a lot like a pumpkin in the weeks since. Having his offense reduced to second- and third-stringers due to injuries certainly didn't help Jones, who averaged 197.8 YPG and threw more interceptions (7) than TDs (4) in Weeks 4-7, but the rookie looked good in Detroit. With RB Saquon Barkley (19/64 on the ground, 8/79/1 through the air), TE Evan Engram (4/40/1) and WR Golden Tate (8/85) all back in the lineup for just the second time, Jones looked more comfortable in a near-Giants win. After going 2-of-4 for 16 yards in his first three drives, including a fumble that led to a Lions score, Jones finished the game 28-of-41 for 322 yards, four TDs and no interceptions. The marquee names all did well but the highlight plays were made by rookie WR Darius Slayton, who hauled in two fantastic TD catches for a combined 50 yards on back-to-back drives.

3. It was a highly competitive game but the Lions defense stepped up early to build momentum and late to seal the deal. On the third play of the Giants' second drive, LB Jarrad Davis strip-sacked Jones, allowing fellow LB Devon Kennard to score the defense's first TD of the season on a 16-yard run. The group also tallied three sacks (five QB hits), four tackles for a loss and seven pass deflections, the biggest coming from CB Mike Ford on a Slayton target on third-and-11 from the DET 14 with 3:39 remaining. That drive would end in a turnover on downs.

-- Jelani Scott

Los Angeles Chargers 17, Chicago Bears 16

1. The Chargers and Bears entered Sunday's matchup both desperate for a win and eager to prove they're not dead yet. But for two teams with longstanding kicking woes, it was only fitting for the game to end with a kicker miscue. Trailing by one with four seconds remaining in the game, Bears coach Matt Nagy opted to have Eddy Pineiro, who missed a 33-yard field goal in the first quarter, attempt the game-winning 41-yard field goal. Pineiro, who was a hero for his squad in Week 2, wasn't so lucky against the Bolts. Pineiro's kick sailed wide left in the Windy City. For the first time in what seems like an eternity, the Chargers (3-5) were on the right side of a kicker snafu. As for Nagy, it is puzzling that the Bears didn't attempt to get closer, especially since Pineiro already had one miss on the day. Two plays prior to the attempt, the Chargers gave up an 11-yard run by Mitchell Trubisky giving Chicago the first down. Then, the Bears (3-4) called for the QB to take a knee with 43 seconds remaining before taking one more timeout. Odd move by Nagy and surely one that will haunt the Bears coach.

2. The Bears offense hasn't delivered this season and Nagy has been under fire for its lack of efficiency. The head coach vowed to run the ball more and he did ... kind of. David Montgomery led all rushers, toting the ball 27 times for 135 yards with one touchdown. Montgomery's 55-yard run is the Bears' longest run of the season (previous was Cordarrelle Patterson with 46 yards). Montgomery's performance only points to the disappearing act of Tarik Cohen in the ground game. Cohen had four carries for nine yards against the Chargers, another footnote in his disappointing season. Trubisky continued to underwhelm throwing for 23-of-35 for 253 yards, one interception and a very costly fumble which set the Bolts up for a TD to reclaim the lead.

3. Like the Bears, the Chargers offense has not been firing on all cylinders since Melvin Gordon returned from his holdout. In fact, L.A. has been more efficient sans Gordon and using Austin Ekeler than with the star RB. Gordon got his first rushing TD of the season but had just eight carries for 31 yards against the Bears defense. Ekeler had the Chargers' second TD in the game via an 11-yard reception. The Chargers escaped incurring their fourth straight loss, but Bolts fans should in no way celebrate this win. The offense was saved by Bears gaffes and big stops by Joey Bosa.

-- Andie Hagemann

Los Angeles Rams 24, Cincinnati Bengals 10

1. Cooper Kupp had a career game in the Rams' 24-10 win over the Bengals in London. Instead of trying to run against the worst rushing defense in the NFL, the Rams (5-3) just kept throwing up to the middle to Kupp and the Bengals just couldn't figure out how to cover the wideout. Amazing play of the game: Kupp scored a 65-yard touchdown on a double-reverse flea flicker after Bengals cornerback B.W. Webb slipped in front of him before he even caught the ball. At the half, Kupp had caught five receptions on as many targets for 165 yards and a TD. All five of his catches went for at least 20 yards. The last player with at least five 20-yard receptions in a single half was Calvin Johnson in Week 17, 2011 vs. the Packers, per ESPN. Kupp finished with seven receptions for 220 yards and one TD.

2. Whatever the Bengals did to establish the run game, they need to continue. Going into the game the Bengals (0-8) were the league's worst rushing team. Watching the first half you would've thought it was the Rams with the worst record. Running back Joe Mixon had more yards in his first two carries (14) than he had in the last two weeks (12), per ESPN. At the half the Bengals had 84 yards averaging 6.5 a carry compared to the Rams' 35 yards averaging 3.5. Entering Sunday, neither Todd Gurley (10/44/1) nor Mixon (17/65/0) had 100-plus rushing yards in a game this season. That trend continues after this game.

3. Zac Taylor vs. his mentor Sean McVay. Taylor was a member of the Rams coaching staff from 2017-2018. At 0-8, Cincinnati matches its worst start to a season since 2008, per ESPN. McVay said after today's game that Taylor is the right man for the job and that he's rooting for him to turn the Bengals around. Despite the final score, the Bengals showed signs of promise on offense and defense. Plus they get their No. 1 receiver back soon. During the game, wideout A.J. Green told reporters that his ankle feels good and he hopes to return Week 10 after their bye.

-- Lakisha Wesseling

Indianapolis Colts 15, Denver Broncos 13

1. Who saw this one coming? The Broncos flirted with an upset. The Colts flirted with disaster. In the end, the Hall of Fame foot of Adam Vinatieri booted Indianapolis to a 15-13 come-from-behind win over the Broncos. With a first-place Colts team (5-2) hosting a Broncos squad (2-6) that had just traded Emmanuel Sanders to the 49ers, this had the makeup of a layup, but it was far from that. It was a relatively ugly outing with big plays few and far between. The Broncos defense showed it is better than it's been playing and Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett is better than he played on Sunday. As Brissett emerges as the next franchise QB in Indy, not every performance will be scintillating. Brissett threw no touchdowns on Sunday, but he led a game-winning drive and kept the Colts in first. When you win on the bad days, it's a very good sign.

2. When Adam Vinatieri missed three extra points in the first two games of the season, retirement talk was bandied about by some. But on this day, with the sun shining through an open roof in Indy, Vinatieri showed the knack for dramatics that has carried on through his storied career as he was good on field goals of 55 (his longest since 2002), 45 and 51 yards. The latter was the game-winner with 22 ticks to go in the game. It can't go without mention that the Colts were trailing, 13-12, at the time because Vinatieri missed on a game-tying PAT. Perhaps he was just laying the groundwork for a dramatic end. Obviously not. But the 46-years-young kicker showed he's still got a legendary leg that's equally strong and clutch.

3. This game was won for all intents and purposes by the leg of Vinatieri. Just as much of the final outcome came as a result of Brandon McManus booting a pair of field goals inside 30 yards to start the scoring, though. Denver had a chance, but its offense came away with one TD (a Royce Freeman four-yard run) and totaled 279 yards. The Broncos defense (318 yards allowed, four sacks, the game's only takeaway) did well enough to win, but its offense continued to sputter. The game's final play saw an unsure Joe Flacco blindsided for a sack. He fumbled the ball away and time ran out. It was very much a microcosm of the Broncos' season so far.

-- Grant Gordon

Seattle Seahawks 27, Atlanta Falcons 20

1. There aren't many quarterbacks who know how to bounce back from an off week as efficiently as Russell Wilson. Entering Week 8, Wilson was 29-7 after a defeat and 10-5 in games following a sub-70 passer rating in his career, per NFL Research. In the Week 7 loss to the Ravens, the Seahawks QB recorded his lowest passer rating (65.2) and completion percentage (48.8) of the season. As you may expect, that was not the case for Wilson on the road against Atlanta's struggling defense. Wilson (14-of-20, 182 yards, two TDs) looked sharp for most of the day, notching a 131.7 rating and 70-percent rate. Earlier in the week, Wilson popped up on the injury report with a knee ailment and, while there was never any real concern he'd be out, there was a chance it could alter the offense's flow. Whether it was part of the game plan or an improvisation, RB Chris Carson had his way with 90 rushing yards and a TD on 20 carries. The ever-reliable Tyler Lockett (6-of-6 for 100 yards) made his presence known while rookie WR D.K. Metcalf proved again to be Wilson's favorite situational option. Metcalf, who led the league in end-zone targets entering Sunday, finished with three catches for 13 yards and two TDs. According to NFL Research, Wilson joins Drew Brees (2018) as the only players since the 1970 merger to throw 17+ TD and one or fewer INT over their first 8 games of a season.

2. In 118 career games, Julio Jones had never caught a pass from a QB not named Matt Ryan. And yet that didn't seem to matter one iota for the star wideout. Although he was held out of the endzone for the fourth straight week, Jones logged his best stats of the season (10 catches, 152 yards) in QB Matt Schaub's first start since 2015. Playing well has been a foreign concept for Atlanta all year and, for the first half, it appeared to be more of the same with Seattle outgaining them in total yards (240-166) and leading 24-0. Yes, the game ended with Atlanta's sixth straight loss but the team that came out the tunnel looked head and shoulders above every version of the team this year. A 23-yard TD run from RB Brian Hill punctuated Atlanta's first drive of the second half and sparked a 20-3 run that almost ended their slump. Had kicker Matt Bryant converted his two 50-plus yard misses, the outcome could've ended way differently in the wake of Schaub (39-of-52, 460 yards, TD) playing well above expectations.

3. When a game goes from sure-fire blowout to narrow victory, you can't help but wonder what went wrong. Needless to say, it was a tale of two defenses in this one with the Seahawks dominating the first 30 and the Falcons flying high the last 30. Atlanta surrendered scores -- three of which were TDs -- on four of Seattle's first five drives but limited them to one score (54-yard FG in the 4Q) for the remainder. On the flip side, Seattle held Atlanta to two lengthy FG attempts and ended two drives with turnovers before almost choking the game away. Atlanta's trajectory will continue its downward spiral but, in Seattle's case, the poor second-half effort doesn't bode well for a group that, while still very talented on paper, allowed Schaub to throw for the most passing yards by an opposing QB in franchise history.

-- Jelani Scott

San Francisco 49ers 51, Carolina Panthers 13

1. Kyle Shanahan put on a masterclass in misdirection as the 49ers offense blasted the Panthers defense repeatedly. Deploying a bevy of motions, fakes and screens, the Niners gashed Carolina from the outset, scoring four first-half TDs and outgaining the Panthers 254 yards to 76 in the first two quarters. Tevin Coleman scampered through the Panthers second-level behind gaping holes and sped past defenders, galloping for 105 yards on just 11 carries and hitting pay dirt four times (three rushing). Perhaps Shanahan's best call came on a beautifully set-up inside handoff to receiver Deebo Samuel that went for a 20-yard TD and shut down any potential Panthers comeback. The undefeated Niners partied on the ground for 232 total yards and 6.1 yards on 38 attempts en route to putting a 50-burger on the scoreboard. When Shanny's ground-game is clicking as it was Sunday, it's a beauty to behold and a nightmare for defenses to stop.

2. Nick Bosa is a blazing behemoth blasting all who dare get in his way, destroying game-plans with the rage of 1,000 suns. The rookie destroyed Kyle Allen for three first-half sacks, crippling the Panthers offense. Bosa added the cherry on top of his Sunday with a magnificent interception in which he fought off a cut block, leaped and snatched an Allen pass, dashing the other way to set up another TD. The favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year should begin garnering Defensive Player of the Year consideration. Bosa's performance epitomized the dominant day for the entire 49ers D. San Francisco compiled seven sacks, three interceptions, allowed just 230 yards and 3.7 yards per play and gave up only 12 first downs. If Christian McCaffrey hadn't generated 77 yards on two runs, the box score would reflect an even more dominant performance from Robert Saleh's unit.

3. Kyle Allen finally turned into a pumpkin. The Panthers quarterback came in with zero career interceptions. The 49ers picked the 23-year-old three times. Allen's head looked like it was spinning against the Niners' destructive front, getting taken down for seven sacks -- six in the first half. The signal-caller wasn't on page with his targets and threw behind his receivers several times. With Christian McCaffrey stymied outside of a couple of big runs, Allen couldn't carry the offense through the dry spells. Of the Panthers six first-half possessions, none gained more than 26 yards, leading to a big deficit they couldn't overcome. On the road against an unbeaten team with a scary defensive line, Allen's foibles coming to the forefront was predictable. After Allen came crashing down to earth following four straight wins, questions about Cam Newton returning to the starting lineup are sure to come heavy at coach Ron Rivera this week.

-- Kevin Patra

New England Patriots 27, Cleveland Browns 13

1. New England is halfway to perfection, but the Patriots were far from perfect against Cleveland. Thanks to myriad Browns errors in the first quarter, including two Nick Chubb fumbles on back-to-back runs and an inexplicable Baker Mayfield interception via forward toss, the Patriots stormed out to a 17-0 lead amid a Foxborough downpour. Sloppy conditions made for sloppy offensive play on both sides, but the Patriots, without their starting left tackle and right guard -- Shaq Mason was inactive -- made fewer mistakes and stayed within themselves on offense. Sony Michel carried the load on the ground but averaged 3.5 yards per carry. Without the injured and soon-to-be-released Josh Gordon, Tom Brady relied on Julian Edelman (8 rec, 78 yards, 2 TDs) on crucial downs and in the red zone. Mohamed Sanu, for whom New England traded a second-round pick earlier this week, played 35 of 64 offensive snaps and caught two passes in the win, getting his feet wet in the Patriots' offense, figuratively and literally. Josh McDaniels and company won't like New England's 5-for-16 third-down conversion rate or their 4.8 yards-per-play mark. But they'll be happy with one number: eight. As in eight up, eight down and eight more to go.

2. To beat arguably the best defense of this decade in their building and in a driving rainstorm, the one thing you can't do is make unforced errors. Cleveland committed three in the first quarter, which led to 14 Patriots points, and failed to log a single first down in the opening frame. Add onto that 13 penalties for 85 yards, and the Browns set themselves back in a major way against a superior opponent. Part of the blame falls on Browns coach Freddie Kitchens, whose already underperforming side looked overwhelmed out of the bye and who set the team back himself with two questionable challenges on either side of the half. Part of it falls on Nick Chubb, who, despite pacing the team with 131 rushing yards on 20 carries, was responsible for both first-quarter fumbles. Part of it falls on Baker Mayfield, who averaged 6.3 yards per attempt and continued to miss his receivers on intermediate to deep throws. At 2-5, Cleveland is well behind the division-leading Ravens in the standings and have more in common with the lowly Steelers and Bengals at this point. With an easier schedule ahead, the Browns have an opportunity to bounce back and make a late run in the conference but not if they continue to shoot themselves in the foot as they did again on Sunday afternoon.

3. The Jamie Collins revenge game was a stirring success. Against his former team, Collins racked a game-high 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks of Mayfield, helping lead New England's defense to another smothering showing. The Patriots added three turnovers to their already league-high total (25) and allowed just their second touchdown of the season when Demetrius Harris beat Dont'a Hightower downfield in the second quarter. It was only fair, after Hightower hit pay dirt on a first-quarter scoop-and-score. New England has taken care of young opposing quarterbacks in five of its last six games and will be faced with another, and perhaps the most dangerous one, next week: Lamar Jackson in Baltimore.

-- Jeremy Bergman