Takeaways: 49ers take down Cowboys, Commanders win thriller​

NFL Nation reporters react to all the action, answering the biggest questions coming out of each game.

​ NFL Nation reporters react to all the action, answering the biggest questions coming out of each game. NFL Nation reporters react to all the action, answering the biggest questions coming out of each game. 

Week 8 of the NFL season kicked off on Thursday with the Los Angeles Rams handing the Minnesota Vikings their second loss of the season.

On Sunday, the Detroit Lions blew out the Tennessee Titans and QB Jameis Winston lifted Cleveland Browns past the Baltimore Ravens. Later, the Kansas City Chiefs moved to 7-0 on the season and QB Jayden Daniels launched a 52-yard Hail Mary to lift the Washington Commanders past the Chicago Bears.

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.

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Commanders

Do the Commanders now have a good defense? Washington has allowed a combined 22 points the past two games and were the primary reason for the win over Chicago, despite late scores. The Bears took nearly three quarters to generate any offense and moved the ball better in the fourth quarter. But Washington’s defense harassed QB Caleb Williams all game and forced him into hurried throws. Fifteen points will be good to win any game the rest of the season. If the Commanders can continue to play solid defense, they’ll be be hard to beat in the NFC East.

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Describe the game in two words: Hail Mary. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels delivered the play of the year. Playing with an injured rib and against a top-5 defense, never shied from playing his usual style. And he capped it with an unreal Hail Mary touchdown pass to receiver Noah Brown for 52 yards.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Red zone offense. The Commanders’ first three field goals all were within 30 yards. A false start penalty impacted one drive; Zach Ertz failed to control a pass in the end zone. Fortunately for the Commanders, kicker Austin Seibert has been automatic. He made all four field goals and is now 23-for-24 this season. — John Keim

Next game: at Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Bears

What happened to the Bears offense at the bye? It took the Bears three quarters to hit 100 yards of offense. The offense finally started to click late, despite a goal-line fumble by fullback Doug Kramer. D’Andre Swift scored a 56-yard touchdown to cut Washington’s lead to 12-7 with 43 seconds left in the third, and Roschon Johnson barreled in from the one to put the Bears up 15-12 with 23 seconds left in the fourth, but the Bears’ luck ran out as the Commanders won on a Hail Mary at the buzzer.

Describe the game in two words: Redzone defense. The only reason the score reflects a close game is because of how stout the Bears’ D was inside the 20-yard line. Chicago’s third-ranked redzone defense held the Commanders to four field goals on five attempts, the last of which — a 51-yard attempt — appeared to be tipped by defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Early scoring. Chicago’s biggest takeaway from its bye week evaluations centered on getting off to faster starts. The Bears have scored three points all season on their opening drives (T-2nd fewest) and their 10 first quarter points through seven games are the third fewest in the NFL. — Courtney Cronin

Next game: at Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Chiefs

Even after acquiring DeAndre Hopkins, should the Chiefs pursue another wide receiver before the trade deadline? It wouldn’t be a bad idea. Hopkins will have a bigger presence, and most likely more production, as the season progresses than he did in his first game with the Chiefs. But the Chiefs still don’t have a lot of depth, even after JuJu Smith-Schuster returns from his hamstring injury. Xavier Worthy is a rookie and hasn’t been a reliable presence from down to down at this point. The Chiefs’ other receivers are nice complementary players, but at crunch time, having another threat wouldn’t hurt.

Describe the game in two words: Defense rules. Their defense saved the Chiefs on two drives early in the third quarter. The Raiders started their first drive of the period on the Chiefs’ 28 and the second one on the Kansas City 3. The Raiders came away with just a field goal. The Chiefs stopped the Raiders on downs on the other drive, one of several such stops by the Kansas City defense this season. The Chiefs also forced and recovered a QB Gardner Minshew fumble in the fourth quarter.

Most surprising performance: Hopkins caught only two passes for 29 yards, but the real surprise was that he played as much as he did. He had 23 snaps, a good number for someone who didn’t practice with the Chiefs until Thursday. — Adam Teicher

Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Raiders

Why can’t the Raiders run the ball? What in the names of Josh Jacobs, Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson is going on with the Raiders’ (lack of a) running game? With two minutes to play against the Chiefs, Las Vegas averaged just 1.6 yards per carry (33 yards on 21 attempts), and it was the second time this season they averaged under 2.0 yards per rush. You can’t run if there are no lanes, and rookie LG Jackson Powers-Johnson had a rough go of it with Chiefs DT Chris Jones. Design or desire?

Describe the game in two words: Lost opportunities. Twice the Raiders had the ball inside the Chiefs’ 5-yard line, and Las Vegas could muster only three points out of those chances. And with the Raiders at the Chiefs’ 3-yard line late in the third quarter, four plays resulted in five lost yards. In fact, per ESPN Research, the Raiders were contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage on each play.

Early prediction for next week: Desmond Ridder will get a significant run in a Cincinnati homecoming, of sorts, for the new Raiders QB, who played his college ball in the Queen City. With Aidan O’Connell (thumb) on injured reserve and Gardner Minshew having another costly turnover — his mid-fourth quarter fumble resulted in a Chiefs TD and was his league-leading 11th turnover — the Raiders need a spark. Ridder took the field for a designed play that was wiped out by a false start. — Paul Gutierrez

Next game: at Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Broncos

Is QB Bo Nix ready for the tough part of the schedule? Nix had 220 yards passing in the first half of Sunday’s win, more than he’s had in all but one game this season (he had 246 yards passing in the Week 2 loss to the Steelers). Now, Nix moves to the thorny part of the schedule, as the Broncos (5-3) are at Baltimore and at Kansas City the next two weeks, a test that show how ready Nix is.

Most surprising performance: The Broncos’ tight ends had 17 receptions for 136 yards and no touchdowns as a group in the first seven games. Sunday, they had five receptions for 88 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. Adam Trautman, whose previous career high was 58 yards, had four receptions for 85 yards and an eyebrow-raising one-handed touchdown grab before halftime. With Nix’s struggles in the intermediate zones in the middle of the field, the Broncos have needed far more from the tight end position.

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Describe the game in two words: Confidence game. Coach Sean Payton has consistently said any questions about Nix’s confidence and ability to bounce back from mistakes are misplaced. Against a tepid Panthers pass rush, Payton included more things Nix is comfortable with (RPOs, rollouts, no huddle, in-breaking routes), and the rookie had his best day of the season (four total TDs). Coupled with another dominant performance from the Broncos’ defense, they should have their collective head in a good spot. — Jeff Legwold

Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Panthers

Does QB Bryce Young deserve another start next week versus the Saints? Yes, but he likely won’t get it because Andy Dalton will start if his thumb is good to go. Young was basically set up for failure Sunday. He was missing his top two receivers (Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen) due to injuries and facing the league’s fourth-ranked defense. He actually looked decent on his first series, capped by a 6-yard touchdown, but quickly had to play catchup to get away from the ball-control game plan. He had no chance to win.

Describe the game in two words: Coaching meltdown. It was a two-score game midway through the third quarter when coach Dave Canales called a fake punt from his own 24 that didn’t work. The play could have succeeded if P Johnny Hekker‘s pass was decent, but Carolina still would have been about 65 yards from the end zone.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Pass defense. Carolina loaded up to stop the run, leaving receivers wide open. Denver’s rookie QB Bo Nix’s 220 passing yards in the first half were more than he had in all but one game this season. The blitz didn’t work. Nix was 8-of-12 in the first half for 147 yards and two TDs. — David Newton

Next game: vs. Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Chargers

Has Ladd McConkey established himself as the Chargers top receiver? The Chargers traded up in the second round of the 2024 draft for performances like Sunday. McConkey caught all six targets and finished with 111 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first Chargers rookie receiver with 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in a game since 2013, when Keenan Allen scored three. QB Justin Herbert lauded McConkey in the days leading up to the Saints game, saying that the wide receiver makes throwing the ball easy for him; Sunday could be the beginning of a dominant pairing for the Chargers.

Describe the game in two words: Receiver redemption. After last week’s loss to the Cardinals, Chargers receivers gathered in the locker room and discussed being more consistent. Joshua Palmer called their performance “unacceptable” and McConkey said “it sucks,” but vowed to be better. They responded with season highs for McConkey (111) and Palmer (72).

Biggest hole in the game plan: Pass protection. Herbert was sacked three times Sunday, the fifth straight game he’s been sacked multiple times, which is tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the NFL. Herbert escaped many would-be-sacks Sunday and scrambled for 49 yards. As the Chargers look to make a playoff push, protecting Herbert will be paramount. — Kris Rhim

Next game: at Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Saints

Can anything save the Saints season? The Saints touted the return of several injured players all week, hoping it could give them a boost to stop their losing skid. But New Orleans wasn’t any better against the Chargers, committing penalties, giving up big plays and failing to move the ball on offense. With the exception of QB Derek Carr‘s (oblique) potential return next week, there doesn’t seem to be much hope this team can turn things around.

Describe the game in two words: Anemic offense. The Saints tried to turn to QB Jake Haener late in the game after rookie Spencer Rattler failed to get anything going, but it wasn’t a magic fix for New Orleans’ issues. It’s clear the team’s problems go beyond one position, and even the return of Taysom Hill and Chris Olave didn’t seem to inspire much change.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Saints conservative game plan. New Orleans didn’t seem to have much trust in Rattler’s ability to throw downfield, as only six of his 24 pass attempts went 10 or more yards through the air. That didn’t help move the ball in the early going and the Saints eventually made a quarterback change. — Katherine Terrell

Next game: at Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Bills

Are the Bills the best team in the AFC? The Bills are certainly in the conversation and have made a case for being the conference’s top squad. With the rest of the AFC East sitting at two wins, the division is the Bills’ for the taking. After that, there are some things for them to prove against the AFC’s best, but in this lopsided win — the team’s fourth 20-point win of the season — the Bills showed why they can be considered among the AFC’s elite. They put together a well-rounded performance in all three phases, turning QB Josh Allen‘s first interception of the season — on a play WR Amari Cooper appeared to slip — into a minor note on the stat sheet, while decisively beating a team that entered Sunday atop the NFC West.

Most surprising performance: Run defense. The Bills did well in stopping the run last week against the Titans, but this was an even better performance. The Seahawks had minus-1 rushing yard in the first half on 10 attempts and finished with a season-low 32 yards. They were contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage on nine of 17 rush attempts in the game, with seven of those coming on first down.

Describe the game in two words: Supporting Allen. This game was an example of how a strong rushing attack can support the Bills’ QB as RB James Cook rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Cook now has seven rushing touchdowns, the most by a Bills player in the first eight games of a season since Travis Henry had eight in 2003. Cook helped Buffalo extend drives and put the Bills in position to convert eight of 14 third downs. — Alaina Getzenberg

Next game: vs. Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Seahawks

Why are the Seahawks so up and down? A clean performance led to a 20-point road win last week over a Falcons team that had won three straight games, giving the Seahawks a 4-3 record and first place in the NFC West. Seven days later, they got hammered at home amid a sloppy mess of unforced errors and missed opportunities. QB Geno Smith tripped over a teammate near the goal line for a turnover on downs at the 1, while another drive deep into Buffalo territory was thwarted by a bad snap. Seattle committed 11 penalties for 82 yards, including a roughing penalty on LB Derick Hall that led to a brief scuffle between DL Jarran Reed and the second-year outside linebacker. WR DK Metcalf (knee) didn’t play, but that probably wouldn’t have made much of a difference given how badly the Seahawks hurt themselves Sunday.

Most surprising performance: The Seahawks got very little out of their pass rush, which did not record a single hit on Allen despite the QB dropping back 36 times. They technically had a sack, but it came on a play in which Allen fumbled while running untouched. Per ESPN Research, Seattle generated pressure on just 19% of Allen’s dropbacks (seven of 36), the lowest rate Allen has faced since Week 12 last season against the Eagles (18%).

Early prediction for next week: Josh Jobe and Tre Brown will battle it out for snaps as the third cornerback. That will essentially be a starting role given how often the Rams use three-receiver sets, and it’ll be an important one now that WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua are back in the lineup. Jobe was up and down Sunday while playing ahead of Brown. He recorded his first career interception but committed a retaliation penalty and allowed several completions in coverage. — Brady Henderson

Next game: vs. Rams (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Texans

Can the Texans survive wideout Stefon Diggs‘ knee injury? The Texans are already without wideout Nico Collins (hamstring), so being down Diggs would drastically hinder the offense. The new No. 1 would be Tank Dell, who had four catches for 35 yards and a touchdown Sunday. For an offense that’s struggling to protect QB C.J. Stroud, losing Diggs and Collins for another week makes life for Stroud much harder. The Jets, Houston’s Week 9 opponent, ranks in the top 10 in fewest passing yards allowed.

Eye-popping stat: When the Texans made Colts QB Anthony Richardson drop back and pass without play-action, they locked him down. Richardson went 5-of-20 for 71 yards with an interception and a passer rating of 21.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Texans know G Kenyon Green is the weak link in allowing the passing attack to thrive — Green allowed seven pressures and a sack Sunday. They benched him midgame for C/G Jarrett Patterson but that lasted one drive as Patterson suffered a concussion. — DJ Bien-Aime

Next game: at Jets (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Colts

What’s next for QB Anthony Richardson? Not all of Richardson’s issues are self-inflicted — i.e. the questionable playcalling, the drops from his passing targets and the pass protection. But there is no question Richardson’s lack of consistency is making it difficult for the Colts to sustain drives. He has still made just 10 starts and remains a developmental quarterback. He was better than his numbers suggested — 10-of-32 passing for 132 yards — but he’ll need to show improvement for the Colts to resist pressure to consider playing veteran backup Joe Flacco.

Most surprising performance: WR Michael Pittman (back) is still playing hurt, but the Colts’ inability to get him going is becoming problematic. He caught one pass for 16 yards on Sunday on six targets. That’s not enough production for a player who has been a volume receiver for Indianapolis and got paid accordingly this offseason. Indy badly needs to find a solution.

Early prediction for next week: Richardson and the Colts offense will have their hands full with the Vikings’ Brian Flores-led defense. With Richardson and an offensive line that struggled with the noise on Sunday traveling to face a loud environment and crafty defense that is top 10 in scoring defense, Minnesota’s defensive expected points added and rushing defense is concerning. — Stephen Holder

Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

Packers

How are the Packers going to beat the Lions next week? Sunday’s game against the Jaguars was a struggle even before QB Jordan Love left the game with a groin injury. The Packers trailed late in the third quarter before a Malik Willis-led drive — capped by a 38-yard RB Josh Jacobs touchdown run — put them back in the lead only to see the Jaguars tie it again late. For the second week in a row, the Packers needed a last-second field goal by Brandon McManus to win it. Meanwhile, the Lions — who come to Lambeau Field next Sunday — looked nearly unstoppable in their rout of the Titans, putting up 52 points.

Most surprising performance: Willis. Maybe it should no longer be a surprise, given that Willis already won two starts in place of Love. But this time, he didn’t have a week to prepare for it. He had a halftime talk to do so. He looked as poised as could be as he stood in the pocket and lofted a deep ball to WR Jayden Reed for a 51-yard completion on the game-winning drive. Willis was 4-of-5 for 56 yards and a touchdown, plus a key 2-yard scramble.

Describe the game in two words: Team takeaways. That’s what the Packers’ defense should be known for in the first half of this season. With CB Xavier McKinney‘s first-half interception (his league-leading sixth of the season), plus LB Edgerrin Cooper‘s forced fumble that DT Devonte Wyatt recovered in the second half, the Packers now have 19 takeaways through eight games — one more than they had all of last season. It’s the Packers’ most takeaways in the first eight games of a season since 2011 (when they also had 19). — Rob Demovsky

Next game: vs. Lions (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Jaguars

Is the Jaguars’ season essentially over? They did rally from a 2-6 start to make the playoffs in 2022, but this is a much different situation. They had six starters leave the game with injuries — including the top three receivers — and face Philadelphia, Minnesota, Detroit and Houston in their next four games. Now the question turns to what happens to coach Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke. Owner Shad Khan said he expected the playoffs this season and their jobs may be in jeopardy, especially if they can’t overcome the injuries.

Describe the game in two words: M.A.S.H. unit. The Jaguars had six starters leave the game with injuries, and only RG Brandon Scherff (knee) returned. The top three receivers went down: Christian Kirk (shoulder), Gabe Davis (shoulder) and Brian Thomas Jr. (chest). Kirk’s injury appeared the most serious (he went straight to locker room). LG Ezra Cleveland (ankle) and CB Ronald Darby (hip) also got hurt.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Weak start on offense. The Jaguars had no points and 15 yards of offense in the first quarter — the fifth time they’ve put up 15 yards or less in a quarter this season. Slow starts have been a problem: They’ve scored just 20 first-quarter points in eight games this season. It’s easier to play from ahead than from behind. — Mike DiRocco

Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Falcons

Does this win all but seal the NFC South for the Falcons? Not quite. But the Falcons have had a stranglehold on the division thus far. Atlanta is 4-0 against its division rivals and now has two wins over the Bucs, the team most likely to be there at the end of the season with the Falcons for division supremacy. Atlanta has the struggling Saints on the road in two weeks and then the woeful Panthers in Week 18. There’s much more football to play, but the Falcons are certainly in pole position.

Eye-popping stat: Cousins has more touchdowns against the Buccaneers this season (eight) in two games than he does against the rest of the league (six) in six games. Cousins threw for a franchise-record 509 yards against Tampa Bay in Week 5. On Sunday, Cousins was the first Falcons QB with three touchdowns in a first half since Matt Ryan in 2020.

Most surprising performance: Falcons fans — and fantasy football aficionados — have been waiting for a breakout game from TE Kyle Pitts for a long time. It came Sunday. Pitts tied his career-longest touchdown pass with a 36-yard grab and then followed with a 49-yard TD catch to set his personal record. — Marc Raimondi

Next game: vs. Cowboys (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Buccaneers

Can the Bucs survive without WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin? QB Baker Mayfield leaned heavily on his running backs and TE Cade Otton, who scored two touchdowns. The downfield passing game wasn’t there — Mayfield was intercepted twice on passes intended for WRs Ryan Miller and Jalen McMillan — although Rakim Jarrett emerged in the second half. They could get by dinking-and-dunking until Evans returns, if the defense stops giving up so many explosive plays. But their chance at winning the division may have slipped away.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Bucs’ pass defense struggled mightily defending WRs Darnell Mooney and Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts. Even worse was the pass rush’s inability to get home against QB Kirk Cousins. DT C.J. Brewer had the Bucs’ only two sacks of the game. Pitts beat S Kaevon Merriweather on a 36-yard touchdown, and then three defenders missed tackles on a 49-yard score on a slant route. CB Tyrek Funderburk got beaten by Mooney on a 30-yard score (he was replaced in the second half by S Josh Hayes) and RB Bijan Robinson went untouched into the end zone going into the flat.

Early prediction for next week: We could see another big week from Otton. The Chiefs were surrendering an average of 83.5 yards per game to opposing tight ends going into Week 8 — that’s the most given up by any team in the league. But they’ve also boasted one of the league’s best run defenses this season, giving up just 3.8 yards per carry and 90.5 yards per game through the first seven weeks. — Jenna Laine

Next game: at Chiefs (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Patriots

Did coach Jerod Mayo’s criticism of the team last week work? The Patriots answered the call. They didn’t play soft and, in fact, showed the mental toughness to pull out a dramatic win late in the fourth quarter. QB Jacoby Brissett took over for rookie Drake Maye (concussion) in the second quarter and led the team to a 12-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to put the Patriots ahead with less than 30 seconds to go. This was a big response by the team after Mayo ran the risk of possibly losing the locker room by publicly calling out his players for “playing soft” last week. They looked like a different team this week.

Eye-popping stat: Before his injury, Maye reached a top speed of 20.33 miles per hour on a 17-yard TD run, the second-fastest top speed by a QB on a touchdown this season (Arizona’s Kyler Murray hit 21.27). Maye tied for the fourth-fastest time on a TD run by a quarterback over the past five seasons.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Catching the ball. Patriots WRs let the team down for most of the afternoon. Kayshon Boutte, who talked about his sure-handed approach this week, had two drops. Veteran Kendrick Bourne had two drops, while Tyquan Thornton also had a costly drop on a beautiful ball from Maye. Safety Jaylinn Hawkins also dropped a would-be pick in the fourth quarter. — Mike Reiss

Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Jets

Can the Jets be declared the league’s biggest bust of 2024? Absolutely. They began the season with Super Bowl aspirations, and now their playoff dreams are cooked at 2-6 with a five-game losing streak. Heavily favored, the Jets came unraveled in every way possible, falling to 0-3 under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich. Owner Woody Johnson’s gambit in firing Robert Saleh after only five games has backfired. The Jets were so unprepared that they had to burn three timeouts in the first quarter because the play clock was about to expire. Three weeks ago, they had a chance to move into first place. Now they’re tied for last place with the Patriots. Brutal.

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Most surprising performance: The Jets’ defense fell apart in crunch time, allowing the Patriots to march for a 70-yard touchdown drive in the final seconds with a backup quarterback at the helm. New arrival DE Haason Reddick made no impact whatsoever, managing only two pressures on 26 snaps. Star CB Sauce Gardner allowed a big play late in the game, leading to their demise. Once upon a time, the defense was a vaunted unit. Not anymore.

Describe the game in two words: Wide left. Struggling K Greg Zuerlein may have secured a pink slip by missing a field goal and a PAT — both pulled to the left. He now leads the league with six field goal misses. Zuerlein’s shocking decline has played a key role in three losses. The Jets auditioned kickers two weeks ago. It might be time to replace Zuerlein. — Rich Cimini

Next game: vs. Texans (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)

Cardinals

Is this the start of a run for Arizona? It very well should be. The way the Cardinals played in the fourth quarter to give them their first back-to-back wins of the season is the type of football needed to win another game or two — which, with games against the Bears and Jets coming up, is possible. Arizona finally got Marvin Harrison Jr. involved throughout the game and heavily in the fourth quarter, something it had hardly done all season. When Arizona needed a stop the most, its defense held on third-and-long late in the fourth quarter, leading to a punt, which led to Arizona’s game-winning drive.

Describe the game in two words: Hello, Marvin! Harrison had his best game since Week 2, with 111 yards and a diving touchdown on five catches, including 38 yards in the fourth quarter. He helped the Cardinals march down the field in the fourth quarter to pull within two, showcasing his ability to do a little of everything.

Most surprising performance: A week after rushing for 101 yards and averaging 5.3 yards per carry, RB James Conner couldn’t get going Sunday in Miami. He finished with 53 yards on 20 carries for a 2.7 yards-per-carry average. — Josh Weinfuss

Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Dolphins

Is this a positive sign of things to come for the Dolphins’ offense? The NFL’s worst-scoring offense put up a season-high 27 points and a season-high 377 yards in QB Tua Tagovailoa‘s return — but it was against a Cardinals defense allowing the sixth-most yards per game. Miami looked worlds better than it did in its four games without Tagovailoa but faces a bigger test next week against a Bills team that has won 12 of its past 15 games against the Dolphins.

Describe the game in two words: Tua Time. The Dolphins quarterback returned from a four-game absence (concussion) and led his team to a season-high in points and touchdowns in his first game back. He wasn’t flawless (28-of-38 for 234 yards and 1 TD), but his command of Miami’s offense was at a level we simply did not see from any of the three quarterbacks who replaced him over the past month.

Most surprising performance: Dolphins LB Chop Robinson recorded a game-high four quarterback pressures against the Cardinals and consistently harassed QB Kyler Murray. In three games without Jaelan Phillips (knee), Robinson has recorded a team-leading 12 QB pressures. He’s still looking for his first sack, but the lightbulb is coming on for the 2024 first-rounder. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Browns

Can QB Jameis Winston provide a spark for the rest of the season? With Winston starting for the injured QB Deshaun Watson, the Browns’ offense looked like a completely different unit. Cleveland reached 20 points for the first time all season and had a rhythm and flow to it that hadn’t been present. Winston was on the verge of giving the ball away a few times but provided way more good than bad as he led a game-winning drive in his first start since the 2022 season.

Describe the game in two words: Flacco-esque magic. Winston’s first game as starter was reminiscent of when Joe Flacco stepped in last year and settled the quarterback position for the Browns. It seemingly injected life into every phase of the team as the Browns pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season.

Early prediction for next week: RB Nick Chubb will record his first 100-yard game of the season. It was also a solid second game for Chubb, who provided some tough runs against one of the NFL’s best run defenses. With Cleveland’s offensive line getting healthier, Chubb could have a breakout game against the Chargers. — Daniel Oyefusi

Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Ravens

How did the Ravens lose to the one-win Browns? Nothing should come as a surprise. The winning touchdown allowed by the Ravens — a 38-yarder from Jameis Winston with 59 seconds left — was the 21st completion of 25 or more yards given up by Baltimore, which leads the NFL. This was a secondary that was missing two of its top cornerbacks in Marlon Humphrey (knee) and Nate Wiggins (shoulder/illness) and had benched safety Marcus Williams. Plus, the Ravens have a history of playing down to their competitor’s level. Before reeling off five straight wins, Baltimore lost to the last-place Raiders. The Ravens were due for a hiccup like this.

Describe the game in two words: Another collapse. This marked the Ravens’ eighth loss when leading inside the final two minutes of the fourth quarter since the start of the 2022 season. That’s the most such losses in the NFL over that span. Finishing has been a problem for the Baltimore defense, which entered this game with the most points allowed in the fourth quarter (84).

Most surprising performance: Dropped passes. The Ravens’ wide receivers dropped a season-worst three throws from QB Lamar Jackson, all of which came on third down. Baltimore entered this game as the second-most efficient offense on third downs, converting 50% of the time. On Sunday, the Ravens failed on 8-of-10 third downs (20.0%). — Jamison Hensley

Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Lions

Can the Lions carry their momentum into the divisional showdown with the Packers? The Lions were impressive in all three phases, notably on special teams, where Kalif Raymond returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown. CB Khalil Dorsey also had a 72-yard kick return as the Lions snapped their six-game losing streak to Tennessee. It’ll be hard to find a team more talented than Detroit right now, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down as they enter Green Bay on a roll. Even without its second-leading receiver, Jameson Williams, who was suspended for two games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy, Detroit put up 35 points in the first half for the first time since 1970.

Eye-popping stat: RB Jahmyr Gibbs reached a max speed of 22.03 mph on his career-long 70-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, which is the fastest top speed any Lion has reached as a ball carrier since 2016, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. It was also the longest rushing touchdown scored at Ford Field since former Lions RB Jahvid Best rushed for an 88-yard touchdown on Oct. 10, 2011.

Most surprising performance: The Lions’ offensive line. Detroit allowed veteran QB Jared Goff to get sacked three times in the opening quarter for the first time in his career, per ESPN Research. Goff was also under pressure on three of his first six dropbacks (50%), and he fumbled after being sacked in the first quarter, but teammate Kevin Zeitler recovered it. — Eric Woodyard

Next game: at Packers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Titans

Are the Titans the worst team in the NFL? The Titans entered the week in an intense competition with the Panthers, Browns and Patriots for the worst team, but the Patriots and Browns were victorious this week. The same can’t be said for the Titans who suffered a lopsided loss to the Lions. The defense might be the one thing that elevates Tennessee. Entering this week, they were tops in the NFL, allowing 272 yards per game. Although Detroit scored 52 points, they only gained 225 yards.

Most surprising performance: WR Calvin Ridley turned in the first 100-yard receiving performance of the season for the Titans. In the first quarter. Two of Ridleys’ first three catches went for over 20 yards. The first seven times QB Mason Rudolph targeted Ridley resulted in completions which was much higher than his 30% catch rate entering this week. Ridley finished the game with 10 receptions for 143 yards.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Colt Anderson’s special teams unit was terrible. Khalil Dorsey started with a 72-yard kickoff return, and Kalif Raymond, a former Titan, exploded for a 64-yard punt return in the second quarter and a 90-yard return for a touchdown later. Raymond is the first player with multiple 60-yard punt returns in a game since Gunner Olszewski for the Patriots in 2020. — Turron Davenport

Next game: vs. Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Eagles

Is it time to buy into this Eagles defense? It appears Vic Fangio’s group has arrived. After holding the Browns and Giants to a total of 12 points the past two weeks, questions remained about whether the Eagles’ defense could hold up against a more potent attack. They stabilized after a slow start against Cincinnati and came up with two huge, game-defining plays: A fourth-and-1 stick by CB Cooper DeJean on WR Ja’Marr Chase late in the third quarter that kept the Bengals short of the first-down marker, and a nice tip-drill interception from cornerback Isaiah Rodgers to safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson on a quarterback Joe Burrow deep ball early in the fourth quarter — one of two takeaways on the day. If Philadelphia can continue to play this kind of complementary football, it’s going to be a tough team to beat.

Describe the game in two words: Slow start. Thanks to an opening drive by Cincinnati that ate up more than 10 minutes, the Eagles failed to score in the first quarter for the eighth consecutive game, marking the longest first-quarter drought for the team in the past 25 years. Philadelphia put up just 55 yards of offense. Jalen Hurts helped lead the charge from there, however, posting four total touchdowns, including three rushing scores. It is his third career game with three rushing TDs, which is the most by any QB since the start of 1950.

Eye-popping stat: Hurts’ 45-yard TD pass to WR DeVonta Smith late in the third quarter had a completion probability of 21.6%, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, the least likely TD pass for Hurts this season. It’s the fifth-least likely TD of Hurts’ career, with three of those going to Smith. It’s the second-longest TD pass of Hurts’ career by air yards (45). — Tim McManus

Next game: vs. Jaguars (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

Bengals

Were the last two weeks fool’s gold? Yes. Turns out, beating a scuffling Giants squad that benched its quarterback a week later and a Browns team led by QB Deshaun Watson weren’t high-caliber wins. In a game against a potential playoff contender and recent conference champion, Cincinnati struggled. The offense couldn’t produce much outside of a strong drive to open the game, and the defense couldn’t get enough stops. Instead of moving to .500, the Bengals are 3-5 and winless in four home games.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Cincinnati couldn’t get the run game going. At one point, the Bengals had 48 rushing yards on 17 carries. The lack of faith in the ability to get a yard needed was evident when coach Zac Taylor dialed up a swing pass for WR Ja’Marr Chase on fourth-and-1 that was stopped short of the sticks. What had been a bright spot at times this season was ineffective when Cincinnati needed it.

Eye-popping stat: The Bengals couldn’t find a way to disrupt Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Hurts was pressured on just two of his first 20 dropbacks. He completed both of them. That’s not a winning metric when Cincinnati didn’t blitz on 72.7% of those dropbacks. — Ben Baby

Next game: vs. Raiders (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Rams

With WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back, could the Rams take the NFC West? Winning the division is absolutely still in play, and Los Angeles showed Thursday night how good their offense can be when healthy. This is the offense the Rams envisioned this offseason, and it gives coach Sean McVay many options as a playcaller. The Rams are still in the mix in a crowded NFC West, and they play in Seattle in Week 9 for a chance to move even closer to the top of the division.

Most surprising performance: The Rams kept Nacua’s return quiet, activating him from injured reserve despite the fact that he couldn’t practice because of the short week. QB Matthew Stafford went to Nacua early and often on Thursday night, and the second-year receiver led the Rams with seven catches for 106 yards on nine targets.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Stopping Justin Jefferson. Jefferson, the receiver Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula called “the best in the world” leading up to the game, had eight catches for 115 yards Thursday night. The Rams’ pass defense entered the game ranked 30th in DVOA, and the group struggled to stop the Vikings’ best player on what was otherwise a strong night for the defense. — Sarah Barshop

Next game: at Seahawks (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

Vikings

Who are these Vikings? Close observers left SoFi Stadium wondering whether these Vikings are the same team that dominated the first five games of the season, with the biggest point differential in the NFL. Or whether they are the one that allowed 61 points in two losses over five days. This was certainly a tougher stretch of the season than some realized, having played arguably the best and most physical team in the NFL (Detroit) and then traveling to the West Coast to play on a short week. The Vikings have put themselves in position for a playoff run, but they’ll need to tighten up to stay on it.

Describe the game in two words: Overblown controversy. There is no doubt that referee Tra Blake and his crew missed a face mask foul late in the fourth quarter that would have reversed a safety and given the Vikings a first down on their final possession. But it’s hard to say that call cost the Vikings the game. They still would have had to move nearly 80 yards in 1:36 with no timeouts for a touchdown, and then get a 2-point conversion just to force overtime. It was a bad miss, but the Vikings can’t (and didn’t) blame it for their loss.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Vikings couldn’t find a way to get to Rams QB Matthew Stafford. They pressured him on only three of his 34 dropbacks; that 9% pressure rate was their lowest in a game since 2020. And even then, Stafford completed a pass against all three of those pressures, including a 7-yard touchdown pass to WR Cooper Kupp after eluding DT Harrison Phillips and LB Jonathan Greenard. The pass rush had been key to the Vikings’ hot start this season, and before Thursday they had posted at least a 24.6% pressure rate in every game. — Kevin Seifert

Next game: vs. Colts (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)

 

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