NFL 2024 Week 8 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was Week 8 brought us some great storylines on National Tight End's Day! The day coined by George Kittle brings awareness to those that do pass block, run block and all the while catch passes for touchdowns. The true unsung hero's in an offense. Such storylines like, losing streaks ending in Cleveland and New England, a game winner in Jacksonville, a game ending sack in Houston and a miracle in Landover. All those storylines and more in this week's recap post.

NFL Week 8 Freaky Stat

Of the seven early games in Week 8, five of them came down to the wire as the margin of victory of within five points. 

NFL Week 8 Recap

Minnesota 20, LA Rams 30

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings stymied in Inglewood. Sam Darnold hit 18 of 25 passes for 240 yards with two touchdowns to Josh Oliver and Trent Sherfield. Aaron Jones got 19 carries for 58 yards in the loss. Justin Jefferson had eight catches for 115 yards and had the longest play for the Vikings on a 27-yard pass play to Jefferson. The Vikings had 276 total yards in the game. It feels more of a game that would be more on the Vikings defense than probably anything. There was controversy as Byron Young sacked Sam Darnold in the endzone for a safety. From the replay footage, Young had grabbed Darnold's facemask while in the process of the sack. Sadly it wasn't flagged when it should've as it was a scoring play. For the Vikings, it's back-to-back losses as they drop to 5-2

Sam Darnold hit 25 of 34 passes for 279 yards with four touchdowns and an interception picked up by Byron Murphy. DeMarcus Robinson caught two of those passes for scores while Cooper Kupp and Kyren Williams had one each. Kyren Williams had 23 carries for 97 yards. Puka Nacua made his return from a lengthy injury and had seven catches for 106 yards in the game. He hadn't played since at least week 1 or 2. Cooper Kupp also made his return with five catches for 51 yards and had the longest play for the Rams on a 27-yard play that resulted in that much of a gain. Despite the non-call on the facemask, I think the Rams were probably going to win this game as Stafford was feeling pass happy and I can't blame him with his two favorite targets back in the fold. For the Rams, they get to 3-4 on the season with some hope of getting back into the playoff hunt. 

Next week:

Minnesota: vs Indianapolis (Sunday night)
LA Rams: @ Seattle

TW: 0-1

Atlanta 31, Tampa Bay 26

Pick: Falcons

Four touchdowns enough for the Falcons to hold off the Bucs. Kirk Cousins hit 23 of 29 passes for 276 yards with four touchdown passes. Kyle Pitts had two of those passes while Darnell Mooney and Bijan Robinson had each one. Bijan Robinson had 13 carries for 63 yards in the game. Kyle Pitts would make his contribution to National Tight End's Day known with the two touchdowns but also had the longest play for the Falcons for a score from 49 yards. The Falcons finished with 394 total yards in the game. The win was a bit too close as the Buccaneers were attempting to comeback in the game. It wasn't the case as they would win. For the Falcons, they improve to 5-3 on the season. 

Baker Mayfield hit 37 of 50 passes for 330 yards with three touchdowns and had two interceptions. The two happened in the 3rd quarter. Cade Otton had two of those three touchdown catches for his contribution to National Tight End's Day. Rachaad White had the other touchdown. Bucky Irving had nine carries for 44 yards in the loss for the Buccaneers. Cade Otton was also the leading receiver for the Buccaneers with nine catches for 81 yards and had the longest play for the Bucs with a 29-yard gain. The turnovers by Baker seemed to be big thing to take into account for the game. They made an attempt for a comeback but the Bucs drop a game. For the Buccaneers, they drop to 4-4 on the season as their season starts to slip a bit. At least the "Creamsicle" uniforms were kind of cool to see.

Next week:

Atlanta: vs Dallas
Tampa Bay: @ Kansas City (Monday night)

TW: 1-1

Arizona 28, Miami 27

Pick: Dolphins

The Cards rally to win in South Florida. Kyler Murray hit 26 of 36 passes for 307 yards with two touchdowns. Marvin Harrison Jr and Michael Wilson were the Cardinals players that received the ball from Murray for scores. James Conner had 20 carries for 53 yards with a touchdown. Trey McBride had a big day as he contributed nine catches for 124 yards with a 37-yard gain being the longest play for the Cardinals on this National Tight End's Day. Arizona had 389 total yards in the win. Chad Ryland would hit a game-winner from 34 yards out to give the Cardinals a one-point win. The drive that resulted it was a 13-play, 71 yard drive. Arizona had 389 total yards in the game. For the Cardinals, they get to 4-4 on the season. 

Tua Tagovailoa would make his return for the Dolphins after a six-week absence. The star quarterback hit 28 of 38 passes for 234 yards with a touchdown pass to De'Von Achane. Achane had the leading rusher honor with 10 carries for 97 yards with a 47-yard gain being the longest in the game. Raheem Mostert had two touchdowns in the game as he had nine carries for 19 yards. Tyreek Hill had six catches for 72 yards in the game. He has to be certainly glad that his quarterback is in the fold. Miami had 377 total yards in the game. The game really came down to the Dolphins nod doing enough to hold off the Cardinals in the game. Maybe it had to be with Tua's still being away from the field from over a month of injury. For the Dolphins, they drop to 2-5 on the season. 

Next week:

Arizona: vs Chicago
Miami : @ Buffalo

TW: 1-2

Baltimore 24, Cleveland 29

Pick: Ravens

The Browns upset the Ravens at home. Lamar Jackson hit 23 of 38 passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns to Mike Andrews and Nelson Agholor. Derrick Henry hit 11 carries for 73 yards with a touchdown. A quieter day for him but did have a 39-yard gain for the longest play for the Ravens in the game. Zay Flowers had seven catches for 115 yards in the game. Baltimore had 387 total yards in the game. I feel it was a game where the offense of the Ravens wouldn't get a lot of yardage from their running game which had been their better part of the game. For the Ravens, their five-game winning streak ends as they drop to 5-3. 

A change for Cleveland for this game was head coach Kevin Stefanski delegating offensive playcalling to Ken Dorsey. Jameis Winston orchestrated the offense well enough as he hit 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards with three touchdowns. Cedric Tillman had two of those touchdowns and David Njoku had the other touchdown catch. The 2nd Tillman touchdown would be the go-ahead score that gave the Browns the lead with 59 seconds left in the game. Nick Chubb hit the ground running with 16 carries for 52 yards. Cedric Tillman had seven catches for 99 yards in the game. David Njoku had five catches for 61 yards for his contribution to National Tight End's Day. Cleveland had a good day from their quarterback Jameis Winston who made his return to a starting role for at least a year. The Browns had 401 total yards. For the Browns, they end their five-game losing streak and improve to 2-6

Next week:

Baltimore: vs Denver
Cleveland: vs LA Chargers

TW: 1-3

Green Bay 30, Jacksonville 27

Pick: Packers

A Brandon McManus field goal enough for the Packers to get a win in Jacksonville. Jordan Love hit 14 of 22 passes for 196 yards with an interception. The quarterback would leave the game with a groin injury. Making a return to the game, Malik Willis hit 4 of 5 passes for 56 yards with a touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft for his contribution to National Tight End's Day. Josh Jacobs did the work as he had 25 carries for 127 yards with two touchdowns. One of them had Jacobs doing deke moves and fakes all the way to the endzone. Tucker Kraft with the touchdown also had three catches for 78 yards with a 67-yard gain being the scoring play. Green Bay had 422 total yards in the game. Brandon McManus's field goal was from 24 yards that would give the Packers the win. For the Packers, they improve to 6-2 with a big game against the Lions at home. 

Trevor Lawrence hit 21 of 32 passes for 308 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Evan Engram had one and Brian Thomas Jr. had the other touchdown for the Lawrence passes. Trevor Lawrence would get into the endzone for a score has he was trying to get into the endzone while his teammates were pushing him into it. It was a dogpile for sure. Tank Bigsby had 18 carries for 78 yards in the game. Brian Thomas Jr. had three catches for 60 yards in the game. The longest gain for the Jags was a 33-yard one on a pass play to Christian Kirk. It was kind of a back and forth affair for the duration of the game as the Jaguars made it a comeback but the Packers made a few more plays to win it. Total yards for the Jaguars was 390 with 299 of them coming from pass plays. For the Jaguars, they drop to 2-6 on the season. 

Next week:

Green Bay: vs Detroit
Jacksonville: @ Philadelphia

TW: 2-3

Indianapolis 20, Houston 23

Pick: Texans

An Anthony Richardson sack prevents the Colts from winning in Houston. Richardson hit 10 of 32 passes for 1 touchdown and one interception for 175 yards. Josh Downs was the player that caught the pass from Richardson for a 69-yard (heheh nice) play for the score. Jonathan Taylor had 20 carries for 105 yards with a touchdown. Josh Downs had four catches for 109 yards in the game. The Colts had 303 total yards in the game. the game was a tight one as the offense really wouldn't get a lot of it going as the passing game had just 10 completions of 175 yards with 17.5 yards/completion. The Richardson sack was also a fumble that was recovered by Houston. For the Colts, they drop to 4-4 on the season. 

CJ Stroud hit 25 of 37 passes for 285 yards with a touchdown pass to Tank Dell in the game. Joe Mixon had 25 carries for 102 yards with a touchdown as well. Stefon Diggs had five catches for 81 yards in the game with a 49-yard gain as the longest in the game. Dalton Schultz had four catches for 52 yards for his contribution to National Tight End's Day. Houston had 363 total yards in the game. This game was a reminder of their Week 1 game as both teams kept it close all game but would be a same result of a Texans win. For the Texans, it is a big win as they improve to 6-2 but also have a short week as they this Thursday. 

Next week:

Indianapolis: @ Minnesota (Sunday night)

Houston: @ NY Jets (Thursday night)

TW: 3-3

NY Jets 22, New England 25

Pick: Jets

The Patriots upset the Jets despite losing Drake Maye. Aaron Rodgers hit 17 of 28 passes for 233 yards with two touchdowns in the first half. The first went to Tyler Conklin for his contribution to National Tight End's Day. The 2nd went to Xavier Gipson on a 1-yard toss play to the right. Breece Hall had 16 carries for 80 yards in the game. Braelon Allen had 12 carries for 32 yards with a touchdown that would also lead to a missed point after. Greg Zuerlein would miss one other one in the game. Garrett Wilson had five catches for 113 yards in the game and had the longest play for the Jets for a 35-yard gain. New York had 336 total yards of offense in the game. The Jets story in this game was a mistakes on offense and special teams. The offense seemed so sloppy during the first part of the first half to the point where they had to burn three timeouts before halftime. For the Jets, they drop to 2-6 on the season with their playoff hopes slipping away. 

Drake Maye started for the Patriots in this game. He hit 3 of his 6 passes for 23 yards and rushed for a 17-yard touchdown to get the scoring going for the Patriots. He had three rushes for 46 yards with a 18-yard run that would ultimately land him in the blue tent for a concussion. Jacoby Brissett hit 15 of 24 passes for 132 yards in the game. Rhamondre Stevenson had 20 carries for 48 yards in the game with two touchdowns that were the scores that would help get the Patriots over the hump. The 1-yard touchdown from Stevenson gave the Patriots the lead for good and even caught the 2-point conversion pass that gave the Patriots a 3-point lead with 22 seconds left. Kayshon Boutte had three catches for 46 yards with the 34-yard gain being the longest in the game for the Pats. The Patriots held on and never lost their swagger despite losing Maye to a concussion. The thing that got them going was a big punt return to start the 2nd half by Marcus Jones that would lead to the 2nd touchdown for Stevenson. For the Patriots, their six-game losing streak ends as they improve to 2-6 on the season. 

Next week:

NY Jets: vs Houston (Thursday night)
New England: @ Tennessee

TW: 3-4

Philadelphia 37, Cincinnati 17

Pick: Bengals

The Eagles go on a huge 2nd half run to topple the Eagles. Jalen Hurts would do all the offensive touchdowns in this game ash he hit 16 of 20 passes for 236 yards with a touchdown pass to Devonta Smith. Hurts as a runner had a big day as he had 10 carries for 37 yards with three touchdowns. Saquon Barkley would have a limited scoring role but he did get 22 carries for 108 yards but would have a lot of yardage in the game. Devonta Smith had six catches for 85 yards in the game with the longest play for Philadelphia for a 45-yard gain for a score. Philadelphia had 397 total yards in the game. It was a quiet day for the offense for the first half as their defense was on the field for 10 of the 15 minutes of the 1st quarter. They would reel off 27 points in the 2nd half. It was a game that was reminiscence of their run a couple of years ago with the Tush Push plays. For the Eagles, they get to 5-2 on the season.

Joe Burrow hit 26 of 37 passes for 234 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown went to Ja'Marr Chase on a play where Burrow directed his favorite target to go back inside and he made the catch. Chase Brown had 12 carries for 32 yards with a touchdown run of his own. His touchdown would be the last for the Bengals in the game. Mike Gesicki had seven catches for 73 yards in the game to be the leading receiver for the Bengals. The longest play for the Bengals was a pass play to Jermaine Burton for a 41-yard gain. Cincinnati had 280 yards of offense in the game. The lack of a defensive presence in the 2nd half and not putting up yards afterwards in the 2nd half doomed the Bengals in this game. For the Bengals, their three-game winning streak ends as they drop to 3-5.

Next week:

Philadelphia: vs Jacksonville
Cincinnati: vs Las Vegas

TW: 3-5

Tennessee 14, Detroit 52

Pick: Lions

A blowout for the Lions in Ford Field. Mason Rudolph started the game for the Titans. Mason Rudolph did what he could in the game as he hit 22 of 38 passes for 266 yards with a touchdown pass to Nick Westbrookikhine. Rudolph also threw two interceptions in the loss but did score a rushing touchdown in the game with 4 carries for 29 yards. Tony Pollard had 20 carries for 94 yards in the game. Calvin Ridley was the leading receiver for Tennessee with 10 catches for 143 yards and had the longest play for the Titans with 47-yard gain. Tennessee had 416 total yards in the game. The obvious reasons for the loss was that their defense couldn't stop Detroit and they couldn't really score touchdowns. Detroit's offense took advantage of turnovers as the Titans also had two fumbles as well as the interceptions. For the Titans, they drop to 1-6 on the season.

Jared Goff hit 12 of 15 passes for 85 yards with three touchdown passes. The Goff passes went to Brock Wright for his contribution to National Tight End's Day, Sam LaPorta and Kalif Raymond. David Montgomery played quarterback for a play and hit Amon Ra St. Brown for a score. Hendon Hooker saw some playtime in the blowout win as he hit 2 of 3 passes for six yards. Jahmyr Gibbs had 11 carries for 127 yards with a touchdown and had a 70-yard gain for the score that was the longest play for the Lions. David Montgomery had nine carries for 33 yards in the game. Sam LaPorta had six catches for 48 yards to be the leading receiver for the Lions. Detroit had 225 total yards in the game. Despite the small total yardage stat, the Lions took advantage of many Titans mistakes and kept it out of reach for most of the game. For the Lions, they improve to 6-1 on the season.

Next week:

Tennessee: vs New England
Detroit: @ Green Bay

TW: 4-5

New Orleans 8, LA Chargers 26

Pick: Chargers

No scorigami for this game. Spencer Rattler hit 12 of 24 passes for 156 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Jake Haener had 9 of 17 passes for 122 yards with the same result. Taysom Hill had a pass attempt that yielded in a 3-yard completion. Alvin Kamara had 10 carries for 67 yards. Chris Olave had eight catches for 107 yards to be the leading receiver for the Saints. Alvin Kamara did have a pass catch that yielded in the longest gain for the game on a 37-yard play. The Saints would have a safety on a JK Scott play that was regained in the endzone. Bailey Grupe hit 2 of 3 field goals in the game to get to the eight points. New Orleans had 366 total yards in the game. The lack of offense was the key to this game as the Chargers just made their team look like a 2nd division team. For the Saints, they drop to 2-6 as they have lost six straight games. 

Justin Herbert hit 20 of 32 passes for 279 yards with two touchdowns to Ladd McConkey. JK Dobbins had 17 carries for 57 yards with a touchdown. Ladd McConkey finally got his breakout game as he caught six passes for 111 yards and had the longest play for the Chargers with a 60-yard gain. Herbert had the longest run play for the Chargers with a 38-yard gain. Los Angeles had 378 yards of offense in the game. The Chargers won the game by really putting on a balanced gameplan with a big dose of passing. Obviously Ladd McConkey was going to be the key part as the wide out hadn't quite made it in the NFL at that point. For the Chargers, they get to 4-3 on the season. 

Next week:

New Orleans: @ Carolina

LA Chargers: @ Cleveland

TW: 5-5

Buffalo 31, Seattle 10

Pick: Bills

Josh Allen, James Cook eat Seahawk in Seattle. Josh Allen hit 24 of 34 passes for 283 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Keon Coleman had the one touchdown and Dalton Kincaid had the other touchdown for a contribution to National Tight End's Day. James Cook had 17 carries for 111 yards with two touchdowns. Khalil Shakir had nine catches for 107 yards receiving. Shakir had the longest play for the Bills from a 35-yard gain as a pass. Buffalo had 445 total yards in the game. The big factor of the game was the offense being on the field for a lot of time as they held the ball for 38:03 of ball possession. Them converting on 3rd down was also a factor as they had 8 of 15 conversions. For the Bills, they improve to 6-2 with a good lead in the AFC East.

Geno Smith hit 21 of 29 passes for 212 yards with an interception. Seattle's running game wouldn't find much traction as Geno Smith was the leading rusher with five carries for 16 yards. Kenneth Walker managed to get just 12 yards on nine carries. Jaxon-Smith Njigba had six catches for 69 yards in the game. The longest play for the Seahawks was a pass connection from Smith to AJ Barner for a 20-yard gain. Seattle managed to get 233 total yards in the game. A lack of a running game and not being able to sustain drives was really the big thing for the Seahawks in this one. A lack of defense has been a big thing for Seattle this season. For the Seahawks, they drop to 4-4 on the season.

Next week:

Buffalo: vs Miami
Seattle: vs LA Rams

TW: 6-5

Carolina 14, Denver 28

Pick: Broncos

Bryce Young made it back to the game as they lost again to the Broncos. Young hit 24 of 37 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns but also had two interceptions in the game. Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette were the players that caught the passes by Young for scores. Chuba Hubbard had 15 carries for 56 yards in the game. The longest play for the Panthers was a 29-yard pass play that went to Jalen Coker. The Panthers in this game was a mess on offense as they converted 5 of 14 3rd down conversions and had converted one of four in 4th down. For the Panthers, they drop to 1-7 on the season.

Bo Nix did all of the offense in the game. The passer hit 28 of 37 passes for 284 yards with three touchdowns and rushed into the endzone for a score. Nate Adkins, Jaleel McLaughlin and Adam Trautman had the catches for scores from Nix. Jaleel McLaughlin was the leading rusher for the Broncos with eight carries for 47 yards. Cortland Sutton had eight catches for 100 yards. He and Adam Trautman had the longest plays for the Broncos with 37-yard gains. Denver had 400 total yards in the game. Their scoring came in the 2nd quarter where they reeled off 21 points and 7 points in the 3rd quarter. The Denver defense would put the clamp on the Panthers as they only scored in the 1st and 4th quarters. For the Broncos, they get to 5-3 on the season as they head to Baltimore.

Next week:

Carolina: vs New Orleans
Denver: @ Baltimore

TW: 7-5

Chicago 15, Washington 18

Pick: Bears

It was the Landover Miracle. Caleb Williams hit 10 of 24 passes for 131 yards in the game. Dandre Swift had 18 carries for 129 yards with a touchdown. The touchdown was the longest play in the game for the Bears on a 56-yard rush. Roschon Johnson had the other touchdown for a rushing score. Rome Odunze had three catches for 41 yards in the game. It was a close game but the game might've came down to a Bears play that originally was supposed to go to Teven Jenkins for a score but was a fumble. It was a play that maybe was meant as a tribute to William "Refrigerator" Perry who scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XX against the Patriots. Sadly Perry didn't fumble in the big game. Chicago had 307 total yards in the game. For the Bears, they drop to 4-3 on the season.

Jayden Daniels had 21 of 38 passes completed for 326 yards for a touchdown pass to Noah Brown. More on that touchdown play in a moment. Brian Robinson Jr had 16 carries for 65 yards in the game. Austin Ekeler had seven carries for 52 yards with 29-yard gain being the longest running play for the Commanders. Terry McLaurin had five catches for 125 yards with a 61-yard gain being the longest play in the game. The play was in the first quarter. The hail mary play seemed like it lasted forever. Daniels scrambled to his right and left and tossed up a prayer. A Bears player knocked the ball up in the air and Noah Brown was in the right place at the right time and the Commanders get the win. The Commanders had 481 total yards in the game. For the Commanders, they improve to 6-2 on the season.

Next week:

Chicago: @ Arizona
Washington: @ NY Giants

TW: 7-6

Kansas City 27, Las Vegas 20

Pick: Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes and company got the win in Las Vegas. Mahomes hit 2 of 38 passes for 262 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The first went to his favorite target, Travis Kelce. The 2nd went to Xavier Worthy. Kareem Hunt had 21 carries for 59 yards for a touchdown. Travis Kelce had 10 catches for 90 yards in the game which also had the longest play for the Chiefs with a 25-yard gain. Praise his contribution to National Tight End's Day. Kansas City had 334 total yards in the game. For the Chiefs, they keep their undefeated streak going as they improve to 7-0.

Gardner Minshew had 24 of 30 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns. Jakobi Meyers had one touchdown and DJ Turner had the other touchdown. Alexander Mattison had 14 carries for 15 yards in the game. Yikes. Brock Bowers had five catches for 58 yards for this game as his tribute to National Tight End's Day. Las Vegas had 228 total yards in the game. The lack of a running game was the big thing for the Raiders. They had a better game from Gardner Minshew who had zero interceptions in the game. It also means that Patrick Mahomes has never lost in Allegiant Stadium, including Super Bowl LVIII last February. For the Raiders, they drop to 2-6 on the season.

Next week:

Kansas City: vs Tampa Bay (Monday night)
Las Vegas: @ Cincinnati

TW: 8-6

Dallas 24, San Francisco 30

Pick: Cowboys

Two NFC rivals match up in the Bay. Dak Prescott hit 25 of 38 passes for 243 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Both of them went to Cee Dee Lamb. Cee Dee Lamb had a game as he caught 13 passes for 146 yards. It was his first 100+ yard game receiving this season. Ezekiel Elliott had 10 carries for 34 yards with a touchdown of his own. Rico Dowdle would not play in this game due to an illness. Cee Dee Lamb had the longest play for the Cowboys on a 29-yard gain. Dallas had 292 total yards in the game. Despite the turnovers, the Cowboys had a chance to win the game. They had a lead at halftime so at least they can find solace in that. For the Cowboys, it is another loss as they drop to 3-4.

Brock Purdy hit 18 of 26 passes for 260 yards in the game. The quarterback passed for a touchdown and also ran into the endzone for a touchdown. George Kittle caught the pass as the founder of National Tight End's Day made his presence known in the game for a score. Isaac Guerendo had 14 carries for 85 yards with a touchdown. The longest run for the Niners was a one carry play by Ricky Pearsall for a 39-yard gain. George Kittle had six catches for 128 yards. Deebo Samuel, who was out last week due to a severe case of pneumonia, played in this game with four catches for 71 yards, 47 yards on one catch. San Francisco had 469 total yards in the game. The 49ers looked dead on offense for a while but a 3rd quarter performance yielded 21 points for the Red and Gold that would be the difference maker in this game. The 49ers would hold off a Cowboys march late in the 4th quarter and they win. For the 49ers, they get a needed bye with a 4-4 record.

Next week:

Dallas: @ Atlanta
San Francisco: Bye

TW: 8-7

NY Giants 18, Pittsburgh 26

Pick: Steelers

The Giants had a solid game for the most part. he hit 24 of 38 passes for 264 yards with an interception. Tyrone Tracy Jr. had 145 yards rushing on 20 carries with a touchdown. Darius Slayton had four catches for 108 yards in the game. It was a game for the Giants kicker to get a bit of a workout as Greg Joseph had four of four field goals in the game. The Giants had 394 total yards in the game. It feels lke the reason why they lost was because of TJ Watt but I think the offense just couldn't get anything going. For the Giants, they drop to 2-6 on the season and play against Washington.

Russell Wilson had 20 of 28 passes completed for 278 yards with a touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III. Austin III would get a punt return for a score as well in the game. Najee Harris had 19 carries for 114 yards in the game. George Pickens had four catches for 74 yards in the game. He had the longest play for the Steelers which was a 43-yard gain on a play. Pittsburgh had 426 total yards in the game. The big thing for the Steelers was their offense keeping themselves in this one. For the Steelers, they improve to 6-2 on the season with a bye next week.

Next week:

NY Giants: vs Washington
Pittsburgh: Bye

TW: 9-7

Records

2024:
Week 1: 14-2
Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 10-6

Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 3-11

Week 6: 13-1

Week 7: 13-2

Week 8: 9-7

Total: 82-41

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2
2023: 161-111

See you all on Wednesday/Thursday for the Week 8 Picks post! Enjoy your week!

-Tom

NFL 2024 Week 8 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again. It was a rebound week in picks as I got to 13-2 in them. Hopefully another good week is incoming. Matchups this week I'm keeping an eye on are the Vikings-Rams, Packers-Jaguars, Colts-Texans, Eagles-Bengals, Bills-Seahawks, Bears-Commanders and Cowboys-49ers matchups. In this post, I'll do a preview of the week's action while looking at the picks and the Early and Late TV broadcast pairings that FOX and CBS will put out. Let's get to work!

Week 8 Preview

The eighth week of the National Football League will start in Inglewood, California and finish up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Week 8 will have a 16-game slate where all 32 teams will play. No teams are on a bye week this week. There will be eight interconference games, three NFC games, and five divisional games. Week 8 will feature a Thursday night game, eight early games, five late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. The doubleheader will go to CBS and FOX will have a single, regional game this week. Let's get to the picks! 

Week 8 Picks

Note: All game times are in US Eastern. TW is me.

Minnesota (5-1) @ LA Rams (2-5) (Amazon; 8:15 pm)

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings lost to the Lions and the Rams beat the Raiders last week. The Vikings fell back down to earth against the Lions. The Lions game was a back-and-forth affair so it wasn't quite a big loss. The only thing that really changes for them is that they don't have to feel the pressure of staying undefeated. At some point the undefeated bid had to end. The matchup against the Rams could be a matchup where they get back to a win.

The Rams have had a bit of injury and bad luck on their side. The losses to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua to injury have been the reason why the Rams haven't had a lot of success this season. The running game of Kyren Williams has been a stable part of the Rams offense. Of course Matthew Stafford being healthy helps as well. The defense took advantage of Raiders turnovers last week. I don't know if they can possibly get turnovers this week but they will need to play their best game of the season against a Vikings team that is looking to get revenge.

All-time series: Vikings lead 27-18-2

Atlanta (4-3) @ Tampa Bay (4-3) (FOX; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Falcons

The Falcons lost to the Seahawks and the Buccaneers lost to the Ravens last week. The Falcons had a let down last week against the Seahawks. Their defense kind of let them down but there was also a let down on offense. Kirk Cousins reverting back to his turnover ways. Turns out if you turn the ball over, you'll less than likely get a win. I think the offense in this game will need to get back to a fundamentals approach.

Tampa Bay played fairly well against Baltimore. They faced off against one of the better teams in the league in terms of rushing in Baltimore. The defense could've been better but it wasn't a big blowout. There was a slim chance that the Bucs would come back and win in that game. The Falcons is the least of the Buccaneers issues for this game. The losses of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in the game against Baltimore. They are a big part of the passing game and this might be a factor in the game. I don't know if I can trust Baker Mayfield with a depleted wide receiving corp.

All-time series: Series tied at 31-31

Arizona (3-4) @ Miami (2-4) (FOX; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Dolphins

The Cardinals beat the Chargers and the Dolphins lost to the Colts last week. Arizona got a big win against a good Chargers team. They really found a way to keep them from scoring touchdowns. Holding them to just five field goals. Who would've thought the defense would be able to handle them like that. The Cardinals offense has been on fire lately. They have a dual threat quarterback in Kyler Murray who can get 20+ rushing yards in a carry while throwing it deep. I think its a fun to watch offense and a defense is underrated.

Miami might be getting Tua Tagovailoa back in this game. The Dolphins are hopeful as their season is starting to slip away and their playoff chances drifting away as well. They would like to get their season back on track but also to make sure that Tua is alright and healthy to play. You do have to think about the future. The Dolphins offense is a bit hurting as well. De'Von Achane is hurt so there's one less weapon for the Dolphins to go to. Jaylen Wright has been a decent option but it's the passing game that sets the Dolphins apart. Tyreek Hill hasn't quite had the season that he had last season with just 294 receiving yards with a touchdown. I don't quite feel like the Cardinals are a great team yet but I'll take the Dolphins in this one. Prove me wrong Cards.

All-time series: Dolphins lead 10-3

Baltimore (5-2) @ Cleveland (1-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Ravens

The Ravens beat the Buccaneers and the Browns lost to the Bengals last week. The Cleveland Ravens vs the Cleveland Browns (if you catch my meaning) rivalry renews. Baltimore has been one of the hottest teams in the league starting off at 0-2 with a rough loss against Las Vegas in Week 2. They have now won five straight games. The team is really hitting on all cylinders on offense with Lamar Jackson hurting opposing defenses with his legs and arm. At this point, he might be the MVP right now over Patrick Mahomes.

Cleveland has had a rough season. Their lone win was from a Jacksonville team that was struggling. That was in Week 2 as well. That seems like for most Browns fans a long time ago. DeShaun Watson is also out for this game and likely a good portion of this season. Starting for the Brownies is likely Jameis Winston as he's the veteran of the group. He has certainly a lot of experience under his belt in the league. Not to take away from Dorian Thompson-Robinson but Winston is the better player. The book on Winston is a bit mixed. Quite a few seasons in Tampa didn't do a whole lot and he did a little better with New Orleans. We shall see how well he can handle the Ravens defense. I don't trust Cleveland, I'll take Baltimore.

All-time series: Ravens lead 36-14

Green Bay (5-2) @ Jacksonville (2-5) (FOX; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Packers

The Packers beat the Texans and the Jaguars beat the Patriots last week. The Packers head on the road to Jacksonville. Their offense has been good but not great and not certainly terrible either. Jordan Love is a solid passer in the NFL. He is a bit of a risky passer as he has thrown quite a few interceptions this season. He threw two last week against Houston. I would like to see him start to play better and not toss interceptions. The Jaguars will take advantage of those mistakes.

The Jaguars are back at Jacksonville for the first time since Week 5 against Indianapolis. They've spent two weeks in London or in other words, their 2nd home. They come into this game with a big win against New England. Their running game had a huge game against them as Tank Bigsby ran over the Patriots front seven by going with inside runs and getting chunks of yards. The defense has gotten better of late. The game could be a toss-up but I think the Packers will take this game.

All-time series: Packers lead 5-2

Indianapolis (-) @ Houston (-) (CBS; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Texans

The Colts beat the Dolphins and the Texans lost to the Packers last week. Much to my surprise, the Colts got Anthony Richardson back from the injury front. The game last week against Miami was a bit closer than it should've but the Colts got a win and that's what matters in the end. I don't know what to think about with Anthony Richardson. His numbers this season hasn't been that great but he has been injured for a decent amount this season. I do like the receiving corp and I wish that the quarterback would utilize it a bit more often. I think the Colts defense will have its hands full for this game.

Houston had a bit of a letdown of a game last week. The game against the Packers saw a limitation of scoring from them. Joe Mixon was a factor in the game and perhaps he will be used a bit more in this game. The offense should do fine in this game. The defense will need to keep an eye on Anthony Richardson in this game. The quarterback is one that you need to keep an eye on as he can both run and pass. Week 1 was the last time these two teams met and the game was a close one. Will this game be just the same as before. I think the game could be a bit closer but both teams are different now than that first week. I'll take the Texans.

All-time series: Colts lead series 33-12-1

NY Jets (2-5) @ New England (1-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Jets

The Jets lost to the Steelers and the Patriots lost to the Jaguars last week. The dysfunction of the Jets is quite something to see. The last time they won a game was against these Patriots. The 2-1 Jets seem like an eternity ago. The offense just has been sputtering and even with Davante Adams in the lineup they still only scored 15 points against the Steelers. I do kind of think that they should rebound against New England.

The Patriots have some hope now that they have Drake Maye as quarterback. The offense seems to have a new life. Their offensive line has done a better job in pass protection. The problem that I see is that they don't run the ball a lot and the receivers haven't been that great either. Ja'Lynn Polk has been a bit of a disappointment as well. The big issue I see is their defense. The defense was supposed to be the thing that would keep this team in check but they just haven't been there at all. I think the Jets will take this one and keep their season in check.

All-time series: Patriots lead 74-56-1

Philadelphia (4-2) @ Cincinnati (3-4) (CBS; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Bengals

The Eagles beat the Giants and the Bengals beat the Browns last week. Philly had probably their best game of the season last week against the Giants. Yes the Giants are not that great of a team. I get that. It looked like the offense was back to being where we expected them to be at the time of the start of the season. Saquon Barkley looked like an important cog in the offense. Jalen Hurts looked comfortable like he didn't have to be the lone weapon in the offense.

The Bengals didn't quite have the blowout win against Cleveland. They got a win and that's what matters to them. They were 1-4 and now they are at 3-4. Joe Burrow is still upright and not feeling injured. The loss of Joe Mixon hasn't really been felt as they may have found a good back in Chase Brown. Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase are possibly the league's best wide receiver duo. You can't double team them and expect to slow them down when there's Mike Gesicki out there in the middle of the field uncovered. I think the Eagles might possibly win this game but I'll take the Bengals in a risky bet.

All-time series: Bengals lead 9-3-2

Tennessee (1-5) @ Detroit (5-1) (FOX; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Lions

The Titans lost to the Bills and the Lions beat the Vikings last week. The Titans might have found somewhat of a spark on offense with Mason Rudolph. The quarterback had a decent start last week given the circumstances. The offense will need to play their best as they are facing off against a Lions team that defeated an undefeated squad. They have to expect big things from Tony Pollard. I really don't trust the Titans defense as usually their offense is lackluster and explosive at most periods.

Detroit had a huge win against the Vikings. It was certainly their biggest game of the season and possibly the series of the Lions-Vikings rivalry. The offense was as usual firing on all cylinders. Their balance on offense is quite something to watch. Their passing game with Jared Goff is very accurate and efficient. Their running game has so many players that can run the ball, you don't know who's going to have a big game. The defense against the Vikings was kind of as expected to have not a lot of pressures and hits. I think they won't be as tested as they were against Minnesota but I wouldn't take the Titans lightly. I'll take the Lions.

All-time series: Titans lead 10-3

New Orleans (2-5) @ LA Chargers (3-3) (FOX; 4:05 pm)

Pick: Chargers

The Saints lost to the Broncos and the Chargers lost to the Cardinals last week. New Orleans hasn't had a good go of it as of late. They went 2-0 and had the highest scoring offense in the league through two weeks. Remember when they blew out the Cowboys at Jerry World. The Spencer Rattler version of the Saints hasn't been quite the results that would be expecting. Turnovers has been their issue and not scoring enough points as been the thing that has brought the Saints down since week 2. They will really need to cut down on the turnovers. If there is any bright spot for Spencer Rattler it is his confidence. He will need it.

The Chargers lost last week with a low scoring effort that yielded 15 points off of five field goals. They did not venture once into the endzone during the game against the Cardinals. It was an uncharacteristic effort from them. They didn't go with their running game which has been their bread and butter with Jim Harbaugh. I think they should try to go back to the run. The defense should try to take advantage of the aggressiveness of Spencer Rattler and try to grab some turnovers. If they can get a turnover I like their chances of winning.

All-time series: Saints lead 7-6

Buffalo (5-2) @ Seattle (4-3) (FOX; 4:05 pm)

Pick: Bills

The Bills beat the Titans and the Seahawks beat the Falcons last week. Buffalo is looking like they're the top dogs in the AFC East once again. They got some help in wide receiver with Amari Cooper via trade from Cleveland. The wide out took a bit to get going but he did catch a touchdown pass from Josh Allen. Buffalo had their struggles earlier this season with a two-game losing streak with a defense that wasn't having an easy time stopping opponents. Losses to Baltimore and Houston might prove that they're still not there yet to compete with the Big Boys in the AFC. I think their offense can exploit the Seahawks defense.

Seattle got back on track against the Falcons last week. Their defense actually shut down the Falcons passing game and limited their running game as their offense did its part to create a margin that the Falcons had to rely on the pass to move the ball. The defense not being able to stop opponents was their biggest crux to their season. In the three losses they gave up 36 points/game (rounded up as they were giving up 35.67). Not good results for a defensive minded head coach in Mike MacDonald. The game could be a wild one for scoring as the defenses might be giving up a lot of points. I think the Bills will take it.

All-time series: Seahawks lead 8-6

Carolina (1-6) @ Denver (4-3) (CBS; 4:25 pm)

Pick: Broncos

The Panthers lost to the Commanders and the Broncos beat the Saints last week. Carolina was a bad team last season. Their offense was atrocious and their defense was just as bad. The current iteration of the Panthers is a team that remains the same. The offense has had somewhat of a jolt of energy with Andy Dalton, the Red Rifle, at quarterback. The veteran sadly can't do everything for Carolina. Last week against Washington they really got ran over by the Commanders running game. It might be a good day for the Broncos running game.

Denver has had quite a bit of rest since the Thursday night game. At least with the short rest week there's a longer rest period for the Broncos. Denver isn't a great passing team but they rely on their running game to set up the pass. A philosophy that most fans aren't used to. The Broncos defense is reminiscence of the 1970's Orange Crush defense as they are a good unit when it comes to defending the pass as they hold opposing passing offenses to just 193.4 yards/game on average. Pretty good stuff. I think the Broncos will be a bit too much for the Panthers to handle.

All-time series: Broncos lead 6-2

Chicago (4-2) @ Washington (5-2) (CBS; 4:25 pm)

Pick: Bears

The Bears had a bye and the Commanders beat the Panthers last week. This game was a 1:00 game but got moved to 4:25. Sadly I think the reason why was because of Jayden Daniels. Outside of that, the Bears have been a solid group. Caleb Williams has been a good to average contributor to the Bears offense. An offense that has been lacking a franchise quarterback since for so many decades. You'd have to go back to the 1940's to find their franchise quarterback records. the last time we saw the Bears was a beat down against the Jaguars in their 2nd home in merry ole' England. It could be an interesting sight to see how well the break can hinder or help the Bears in this game.

Washington was kind of on a tear lately. They have the top spot in the NFC East. Then the loss of Jayden Daniels to a rib injury happened. It was possibly a thing that shouldn't have happened as he was running a long way across the field and didn't slide. In this stead will be Marcus Mariota. The former Titan saw his first action this season. In a relief appearance he threw two touchdowns against a below average defense in Carolina. He'll likely face a better test in the Bears defense that allowed just 16 points to the Jaguars in Week 6. I'm not sure how to feel about Washington in this matchup. It doesn't seem like the Commanders will start Daniels in the game. I'll take the Bears. I guess we'll have to wait and see if they meet up again later this year via playoffs or next year for the first Williams-Daniels matchups.

All-time series: Commanders lead 27-25-1

Kansas City (6-0) @ Las Vegas (2-5) (CBS; 4:25 pm)

Pick: Chiefs

The Chiefs beat the 49ers and the Raiders lost to the Rams last week. The Chiefs in 2024 has been not quite a great team. Their offense has been kind of a mixed bag. Their passing offense has been kind of a rough spot. At least their rushing game has been a good thing to have happened. The defense has been the thing that has kept the Chiefs in a undefeated spot. I think the offense will need to get back to its regular old selves.

Las Vegas has been a very rough team this season. The Gardner Minshew experiment has been kind of a failure. The turnovers against the Rams that Minshew threw was a bit too much for the Raiders to overcome. The case for the Raiders in this game will be a bit diminished as Davante Adams is no longer a Raider. The dysfunction of the Raiders seems a bit evident. Maxx Crosby getting into a conversation with a Raiders coach that got a bit much more verbal than needed. I think the Chiefs will take it and we might see a return to their old selves.

All-time series: Chiefs lead 73-55-2

Dallas (3-3) @ San Francisco (3-4) (NBC; 8:20 pm)

Pick: Cowboys

The Cowboys had a bye week and the 49ers lost to the Chiefs last week. The last time we saw the Cowboys was a bad loss to the Lions on Jerry Jones's birthday. Hopefully he had some cake that was tasty and good. The Cowboys were outmatched in the game and Dak Prescott kind of let his team down a bit. They expect him to be star quarterback and he hasn't delivered at least not yet. This game against the 49ers is a big one as it is not just a make or break moment for them but Mike McCarthy's job will be on the line I think. The 49ers are kind of rough around the edges as well. If they lose this game to them, I don't know, you might have to forfeit the rest of your season.

San Francisco's NFC title defense has been kind of a roller coaster. They can go on a rampage against the Seahawks one week and then look like the Niners of the 2000's the next week. Turning the ball over and injuries has been the biggest issues for the Niners this season. The same reasons for them falling part after their NFC title defense in 2020. The hangover is real. The 49ers still have George Kittle catching passes and that's really what matters to them as well as Brock Purdy still playing well enough. The quarterback had a tough game against Kansas City but so did Patrick Mahomes. The 49ers have had the Cowboys number for quite a while but I think the buck stops there on the 49ers.

All-time series: 49ers lead 20-19-1

NY Giants (2-5) @ Pittsburgh (5-2) (ABC; 8:15 pm)

Pick: Steelers

The Giants lost to the Eagles and the Steelers beat the Jets last week. Week 8 wraps up with the G-men going to the Steel City. The Giants had a rough game last week. The Eagles really manhandled them with Saquon Barkley. The Giants had some hope in getting Malik Nabers back. The defense last week did the work as they were on the field a lot. The rush defense was not existent. They might find some trouble in battling Pittsburgh.

The Steelers made a good use of the talents of Russell Wilson. The debut of Russell Wilson was a slow start. The offense didn't get a lot of points in the first half but he eventually heated up. Keep in mind that Wilson last played last Christmas Eve in a game against the Patriots. For a debut, he did pretty well. Imagine if he did another start in this game. I have to think that this game might be a bit of a challenge for the Steelers but if they go with a run-heavy gameplan I think they should be able to handle the offense.

All-time series: Giants lead 44-31-3

Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings

Note: Games in bold are being shown in my area, check local listings

CBS Early

Philadelphia @ Cincinnati

Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

NY Jets @ New England 

Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

Baltimore @ Cleveland 

Tom McCarthy, Ross Tucker, Jay Feely

Indianapolis @ Houston 

Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber

CBS Late

Chicago @ Washington

Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

Kansas City @ Las Vegas 

Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Carolina @ Denver 

Chris Lewis, Jason McCourty

FOX Single

Tennessee @ Detroit 

Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston

Green Bay @ Jacksonville

Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

Arizona @ Miami 
Jason Benetti, Mark Schlereth

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay

Adam Amin, Greg Olson

Buffalo @ Seattle (Late)

Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady

New Orleans @ LA Chargers (Late)
Chris Myers, Mark Sanchez

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2024 Week 8 Maps

Records

2024:
Week 1: 14-2
Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 10-6

Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 3-11

Week 6: 13-1

Week 7: 13-2

Total: 73-34

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2
2023: 161-111

See you all after the Monday night game for the Week 8 Recap! Enjoy the games!

-Tom