Five things to watch out for in Week 8 of the NFL season
By Andy Scholes, CNN
(CNN) — We saw blowouts aplenty in Week 7 as six games were decided by 20 or more points.
We could see more this week as for the first time this season, three teams – the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs – are all favored by 10 or more points.
Here are five things to know for Week 8 of the National Football League season.
No stopping Chiefs Kingdom
If I told you before the season that, after six games, Patrick Mahomes had just six touchdowns and eight interceptions, what would you have guessed the Chiefs record was?
2-4? 3-3?
Well, how about 6-0!? They are the only undefeated team remaining in the league. Steve Spagnuolo has the Chiefs defense playing as good as anyone. And when they need a play to be made, Mahomes – somehow, some way – still gets it done.
This week, the Chiefs are in Las Vegas. The last team to beat Kansas City was the Raiders last year on Christmas when they pulled off a 20-14 upset, so this is a revenge game of sorts for the Chiefs.
When they to take the field on Sunday, Mahomes will have a new target on offense after the Chiefs traded for Tennessee Titans receiver Deandre Hopkins this week.
Hopkins is in his 12th NFL season and we will see if his addition helps Mahomes get back to the two-time MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion we are used to.
Tua Returns
All signs are pointing to Tua Tagovailoa making his return to action this week.
Many former players and pundits called for Tagovailoa to retire after he suffered his third diagnosed concussion in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.
But this week, the Miami Dolphins QB said he never considered retiring, adding: “I appreciate your concern, I really do. I love this game and I love it to the death of me.”
Tagovailoa has been on the injured reserve list for the past five weeks and returned to practice for the first time on Wednesday. The Dolphins went 1-3 without him under center.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill couldn’t have been happier to have Tua back, saying: “He looked great. Felt like old times. Me and him connected on a few deep shots today, and that kind of got me feeling good today.
“I missed that and I missed him. I told him I’ve got to take him and his wife to dinner because I missed him so much.
“Sh*t was so beautiful. That sh*t almost made me cry today, like just having him in the lineup, having him call the plays, having him direct the offense, like just hearing his voice.”
The Dolphins are 2-5 on the season and host the Cardinals on Sunday.
Bryce Young gets another chance
2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young will be starting once again for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday against the Broncos.
But the turn of events is because of extraordinary circumstances: Andy Dalton, who took over for Young in Week 3, was involved in a multi-vehicle car accident in Charlotte on Tuesday.
Dalton’s wife, three children and his dog were in the car at the time of the accident, but according to a team spokesperson, no one had to be taken to the hospital.
Dalton, though, did suffer a sprained thumb on his throwing hand. Head coach Dave Canales said Dalton is week to week and could be the backup on Sunday in Denver.
Canales told reporters on Wednesday that Young, though, is “excited about (the opportunity).”
“He’s been an absolute stud through this whole process. He’s been engaged and involved in what we’re doing, and so he’s excited about this opportunity. I’m fired up for him to have another opportunity to get in there and play some football.”
Young told reporters that, despite his benching, he always prepared like the team’s No. 1 QB: “My job is always, no matter what, it would be the same level of preparation. You always have to prepare like you’re going to play no matter where it is.
“So it doesn’t change my approach or anything. For me, I never was out of it. That’s just out of respect for the game and respect for the team and knowing just how the league is,” he said, per the Panthers. “There’s never a ‘take a step back or phone it in for a week.’ I have too much love for a game to do that.”
Young has not thrown a touchdown pass and has three interceptions in the two games he’s played this season and it won’t be easy for him on Sunday as the Broncos have the third best defense in the league.
First place on the line
We have two big matchups with first place in the AFC South and NFC South divisions on the line Sunday.
The Indianapolis Colts visit the Houston Texans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hosting the Atlanta Falcons in two rematches from earlier this season.
The Texans beat the Colts 29-27 in Week 1, while the Falcons beat the Bucs 36-30 in overtime in Week 5.
Houston is coming off losing at the last second to the Packers, with CJ Stroud throwing a career-low 86 yards in that game, so expect him to bounce back in a big way at home.
Indianapolis, meanwhile, is coming off a 16-10 win over the Dolphins and has now won four of its last five.
In the NFC South showdown, the Falcons would love to repeat three weeks ago when they beat the Bucs in a Thursday night thriller.
In that game, Kirk Cousins threw for a franchise-record 509 yards, including a 45-yarder to KhaDarel Hodge to win the game in OT.
This time around, the game is in Tampa, but the Bucs are struggling with injuries, especially with receivers.
Chris Godwin is likely out for the year with an ankle injury, while Mike Evans is likely out until Week 11 with a hamstring injury.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield is going to have to make some magic happen if Tampa Bay hopes to avenge its loss from earlier this month.
Cowboys-49ers renew rivalry
The marquee matchup on Sunday is the San Francisco 49ers hosting the Dallas Cowboys.
This is one of the best rivalries in football, but this season, both teams have fallen on hard times.
The 49ers continue to deal with the dreaded Super Bowl hangover. After losing to the Chiefs this past Sunday, the Niners are now just 3-4 on the season.
They have been bitten hard by the injury bug this season.
Star running back Christian McCaffrey is still yet to play a game as he continues to deal with Achilles soreness, while they lost receiver Bandon Ayiuk for the season after he tore his ACL on Sunday against the Chiefs.
The 49ers now have a whopping 10 players on the injured reserve list.
But San Francisco has dealt with a Super Bowl hangover before. After losing to the Chiefs in 2020, they were poised to have another good season but, like this campaign, were hit hard with injuries.
The Cowboys have also been underwhelming this season but are much better on the road than at home. They are 3-0 in road games but 0-3 at AT&T Stadium.
The 49ers lead the all-time series 20-19-1, including winning the past three matchups.
Week 8’s full schedule
Away @ home
Thursday
Minnesota Vikings (5-1) @ Los Angeles Rams (2-4), 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday
Atlanta Falcons (4-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3), 1 p.m. ET
Arizona Cardinals (3-4) @ Miami Dolphins (2-4), 1 p.m. ET
Baltimore Ravens (5-2) @ Cleveland Browns (1-6), 1 p.m. ET
Green Bay Packers (5-2) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5), 1 p.m. ET
Indianapolis Colts (4-3) @ Houston Texans (5-2), 1 p.m. ET
New York Jets (2-5) @ New England Patriots (1-6), 1 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) @ Cincinnati Bengals (3-4), 1 p.m. ET
Tennessee Titans (1-5) @ Detroit Lions (5-1), 1 p.m. ET
New Orleans Saints (2-5) @ Los Angeles Chargers (3-3), 4:05 p.m. ET
Buffalo Bills (5-2) @ Seattle Seahawks (4-3), 4:05 p.m. ET
Carolina Panthers (1-6) @ Denver Broncos (4-3), 4:25 p.m. ET
Chicago Bears (4-2) @ Washington Commanders (5-2), 4:25 p.m. ET
Kansas City Chiefs (6-0) @ Las Vegas Raiders (2-5), 4:25 p.m. ET
Dallas Cowboys (3-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (3-4), 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday
New York Giants (2-5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2), 8:15 p.m. ET
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