Week 8 of the NFL season was a surprising one in many instances. Some upsets, close wins, and once again another overtime thriller. After this week, there are zero undefeated teams that remain. Let’s see the aftermath of what occurred during NFL Week 8.
Green Bay Packers (7-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (7-1) (TNF)
Final: Packers-24 Cardinals-21
Player of the Game: Aaron Jones (Honorable Mention: Rasul Douglas)
And then there were none. With the Arizona Cardinals loss on Thursday night, there are no undefeated teams left in the NFL. Without WR’s Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the Green Bay Packers ran all over the Arizona Cardinals, with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon carrying the workload. Aaron Rodgers and Randall Cobb had a blast from the past type of game, with Cobb hauling in both of Rodgers’ TD passes. Rasul Douglas sealed the game with a red zone INT covering A.J. Green. The Green Bay Packers have now won seven straight games since losing Week 1, and they will travel to Kansas City next week to take on the Chiefs in a much anticipated game.
With the injury of DeAndre Hopkins midway through the game, the Arizona Cardinals and Kyler Murray struggled to find momentum throughout the air in the second half. Kyler Murray finished the day with no TD and 2 INT, including an injury that left him shaken up on the final play of the game. The Cardinals offense ran mainly through RB’s Chase Edmonds and in the red zone through James Conner. The Cardinals first loss of the season is certainly a stinger and one they’ll remember as they prep for their game next week, when they travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers in an AFC West battle.
Game Highlights (All footage courtesy of the NFL): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWeNmTB99FE
Tennessee Titans (6-2) @ Indianapolis Colts (3-5)
Final: Titans-34 Colts-31
Player of the Game: A.J. Brown
The Tennessee Titans picked up another win in an overtime thriller, similar to their close win against the Buffalo Bills. The Titans had a tough time against their division rival, which can be expected in a game that has such high stakes for the AFC South. Derrick Henry was limited to what his normal performance would be, due to an injury which we learned on Monday, could be season ending. A.J. Brown led the way for the offense, with Ryan Tannehill having an up and down day. Randy Bullock sealed the deal with a game winning field goal to pick up the win. The Titans will travel to Los Angeles next week to take on the Rams for Sunday Night Football.
Despite a good effort, the Indianapolis Colts fell short of picking up a win against the best team in the AFC South. Carson Wentz ended the game with a head scratching throw that would jeopardize his team’s chances of winning the game. Michael Pittman Jr. is turning into a legitimate WR and Jonathan Taylor keeps stacking up good games. The Colts will have a short week as they host the New York Jets for Thursday Night Football.
Game Highlights: Titans vs. Colts Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Carolina Panthers (4-4) @ Atlanta Falcons (3-4)
Final: Panthers-19 Falcons-13
Player of the Game: Chuba Hubbard
The Carolina Panthers finally returned to the win column after four straight weeks of disappointment. Sam Darnold left the game momentarily after being shaken up, leaving the path for Hubbard to establish himself as the offensive lead, which he did, totaling 91 yards and 1 TD. The Panthers will host the New England Patriots next week.
The Atlanta Falcons struggled to find any momentum on offense for the entire day. Breakout rookie TE Kyle Pitts was held to only 13 yards, and Matt Ryan struggled to spread the ball out to anyone else. Star WR Calvin Ridley announced on social media that he is stepping away from football to focus on his mental health, so I wish the best to him and hope he takes care of himself. The Falcons will look to get back on track next week when they travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints.
Game Highlights: Panthers vs. Falcons Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Miami Dolphins (1-7) @ Buffalo Bills (5-2)
Final: Bills-26 Dolphins-11
Player of the Game: Cole Beasley (Honorable Mention: Josh Allen)
After struggling in the first half against their division rival Miami Dolphins, the Buffalo Bills quickly reminded them who runs the AFC East. With poor offensive line play and no run game except for Allen, the Bills could not get anything going in the first half, heading to halftime with a 3-3 score. Cole Beasley was the spark that ignited the Bills offense to find a rhythm and eventually run away with the game. The Bills will look to pick up another win when they travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars next week.
Dolphins head coach Brian Flores admitted after the game that his team put everything into this game plan and performance, so the defeat was even more deflating for the South Beach squad. Tua Tagovailoa had an alright day, not making many mistakes, but not pushing the ball down the field either. His mediocre play ultimately wasn’t enough to lead his team to a victory. The Dolphins will host the Houston Texans next week.
Game Highlights: Dolphins vs. Bills Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Cincinnati Bengals (5-3) @ New York Jets (2-5)
Final: Jets-34 Bengals-31
Player of the Game: Mike White (Honorable Mention: Michael Carter)
This game proves that the NFL is an any given Sunday type of league. The New York Jets’ only two victories are now against the Tennessee Titans, and Cincinnati Bengals, two of the AFC’s top teams. Mike White was the hero of the day for the Jets, throwing for 405 yards and 3 TD, while also throwing for 2 INT. Michael Carter was also a weapon for the Jets. The New York Jets will travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts for Thursday Night Football.
Many believe that the Cincinnati Bengals were robbed of a victory in their game against the Jets on Sunday after a questionable penalty called. The Bengals played well, but were simply surprised by Mike White’s stellar performance, which was able to give his team a victory. The Cincinnati Bengals will host the Cleveland Browns next week.
Game Highlights: Bengals vs. Jets Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) @ Cleveland Browns (4-4)
Final: Steelers-15 Browns-10
Player of the Game: Najee Harris
This was a typical AFC North bout. Tough, gritty, and low scoring with good defense. The Steelers, with Najee Harris leading the way, established a consistent plan to limit Nick Chubb and Baker Mayfield. T.J. Watt totaled 1.5 sacks on the day as well. The Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football next week.
The Cleveland Browns find themselves in a less than desirable spot eight weeks through the season. With a banged up Baker Mayfield and offense as a whole, they have struggled to overcome teams that play them well. The Cleveland Browns will travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in another AFC North bout next week.
Game Highlights: Steelers vs. Browns Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) @ Detroit Lions (0-8)
Final: Eagles-44 Lions-6
Player of the Game: Boston Scott (Honorable Mention: Jordan Howard)
The Philadelphia Eagles had a game that they have been waiting for for the entire season with their absolute dominating performance against the Detroit Lions. Without starting RB Miles Sanders, backups Boston Scott and Jordan Howard stepped up, each notching 2 TD. Jalen Hurts ran for 71 yards while throwing for 103. The Eagles will host the Los Angeles Chargers next week.
The Detroit Lions remain winless, despite a good performance from T.J. Hockensen. A main reason for the Lions’ slump was the inability for them to get D’Andre Swift going. Jared Goff was uneventful as a QB, not throwing any INT, but no TD either. The Lions will have their BYE next week.
Game Highlights: Eagles vs. Lions Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Los Angeles Rams (7-1) @ Houston Texans (1-7)
Final: Rams-38 Texans-22
Player of the Game: Matthew Stafford (Cooper Kupp)
The Los Angeles Rams continue to pick up wins, as they steamrolled the Houston Texans on Sunday. The Stafford-Kupp connection kept its reputation as the NFL’s best QB-WR duo this season. Darrell Henderson had himself a nice game as well, totaling 2 TD. On Monday, the Los Angeles Rams made an “all-in” move by trading for former Super Bowl MVP, Von Miller, so they will continue to make a push for the Super Bowl as the weeks go on. The L.A. Rams will host the Tennessee Titans next week on Sunday Night Football.
The Houston Texans were just overwhelmed by the immense talent that the Rams possess, not having any answer for what was thrown at them. Brandin Cooks was a bright spot, one of the few consistent ones for Houston all season. The Houston Texans will travel to Miami to play the Dolphins next week.
Game Highlights: Rams vs. Texans Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
San Francisco 49ers (3-4) @ Chicago Bears (3-5)
Final: 49ers-33 Bears-22
Player of the Game: Deebo Samuel (Honorable Mention: Jimmy Garoppolo/Elijah Mitchell)
The 49ers offense got contributions from all of their notable offensive players on Sunday. Jimmy Garoppolo notched 2 TD on the ground, along with Samuel’s 171 yards and Elijah Mitchell’s 137 yards and 1 TD. The 49ers found the win that has been evading them for weeks now, and will look to continue their winning ways when they host the Arizona Cardinals next week.
Despite Justin Fields’ breakout game both on the ground and throughout the air, the Chicago Bears were not able to escape Sunday’s game with a win. Fields notched 175 yards in the air and 103 on the ground, along with 2 total TD. With head coach Matt Nagy’s absence due to Covid, Justin Fields has his best game of the year. This will be a situation to monitor moving forward. The Bears will travel to Heinz Field to take on the Steelers next week for Sunday Night Football.
Game Highlights: 49ers vs. Bears Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
New England Patriots (4-4) @ Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)
Final: Patriots-27 Chargers-24
Player of the Game: Adrian Phillips
The New England Patriots and Bill Belichick will always be a tough game to win. The L.A. Chargers learned that lesson firsthand on Sunday. Justin Herbert struggled against the stingy New England defense, throwing 2 TD and 2 INT. Adrian Phillips was the DB to tally both INT’s. The Patriots will look to earn an above .500 record when they travel to Carolina to play the Panthers next week.
The L.A. Chargers’ offense mainly ran through RB Austin Ekeler and WR Keenan Allen, but neither was able to have a dominant enough performance to carry their team to a victory. The Chargers will look to gain some momentum next week when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles.
Game Highlights: Patriots vs. Chargers Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6) @ Seattle Seahawks (3-5)
Final: Seahawks-31 Jaguars-7
Player of the Game: D.K. Metcalf (Honorable Mention: Tyler Lockett)
The dynamic WR duo of D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett led the way for the Seahawks on Sunday, in a game where the Jaguars never really had a chance. Geno Smith played a clean and efficient game. The Seahawks picked up a much needed win and will look to get another in 2 weeks when they come off of their BYE.
The Jacksonville Jaguars continue their rebuilding season, and the injury of RB James Robinson early on derailed their offensive game plan for the rest of the game. Thankfully for the Jaguars, Robinson is not expected to miss much or any time at all, and will work to play next Sunday when they host the Buffalo Bills.
Game Highlights: Jaguars vs. Seahawks Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Washington Football Team (2-6) @ Denver Broncos (4-4)
Final: Broncos-17 WFT-10
Player of the Game: Melvin Gordon (Honorable Mention: Justin Simmons)
The Denver Broncos managed to get a tough win over the Washington Football Team. Melvin Gordon earns player of the game honors with his 2 total TD. Teddy Bridgewater played an efficient game, throwing for 213 yards and 1 TD. Justin Simmons, the anchor of the Denver defense finished the day with 2 INT’s to secure the win for his team. The Denver Broncos will travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys next week.
The WFT struggled to get anything going offensively, with RB Antonio Gibson and WR Terry McLaurin both having lackluster days. Taylor Heinicke had a hot and cold day, with his 1 TD and 2 INT. The WFT will look to notch a victory when they come off their BYE in two weeks.
Game Highlights: Washington Football Team vs. Broncos Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) @ New Orleans Saints (5-2)
Final: Saints-36 Buccaneers-27
Player of the Game: Saints Defense(?)
By the choice for player of the game, this was a puzzling game, but for all of the right reasons for the New Orleans Saints. Jameis Winston exited the game early, with what we now know is a torn ACL, leaving Trevor Siemian to assume the role of QB1. Siemian played a good game, throwing for 159 yards and 1 TD. Alvin Kamara totaled 76 yards and 1 TD, with the New Orleans defense picking off Tom Brady twice. The Saints, after a huge NFC South victory, will host the Atlanta Falcons next week.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were stunned by their division rival Saints on Sunday, leaving them with some things to figure out as they head into their BYE next week. Tom Brady finished the day with 4 TD passes and 2 INT, with WR Chris Godwin leading the way for the offensive weapons, finishing the day game with 140 yards and 1 TD on 8 receptions.
Game Highlights: Buccaneers vs. Saints Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
Dallas Cowboys (6-1) @ Minnesota Vikings (3-4) (SNF)
Final: Cowboys-20 Vikings-16
Player of the Game: Cooper Rush (Honorable Mention: Amari Cooper)
The Dallas Cowboys continue to stack wins, and they added one more on Sunday night, with a resilient win over the Minnesota Vikings. Backup QB Cooper Rush played in the most important game of his life, and for the most part, he did not disappoint. Rush finished with 327 total yards, 2 TD, and 1 INT. Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb both finished with over 100 yards, supporting their QB in the win. The Dallas Cowboys will host the Denver Broncos next week.
The Minnesota Vikings would like to have this game back, given the chance, as it was one they were supposed to win, given the circumstances. Dalvin Cook was limited to only 78 yards rushing, along with Justin Jefferson only notching 2 receptions for 21 yards. Adam Thielen had himself a nice day, with 78 yards and 1 TD. The Vikings, who are steering off the tracks, will look to steady themselves when they travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens.
Game Highlights: Cowboys vs. Vikings Week 8 Highlights | NFL 2021
New York Giants (2-6) @ Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) (MNF)
FInal: Chiefs-20 Giants-17
Player of the Game: Tyreek Hill
Despite a win on Monday night, the Kansas City Chiefs appear to be a shell of the team they once used to be. Patrick Mahomes threw yet another INT, his 10th of the year. Travis Kelce had a forgettable performance, and it was Tyreek Hill who led the way for the Chiefs offense, totaling 94 yards and 1 TD with 12 receptions. The Kansas City Chiefs will look to get another win when they host the Green Bay Packers next week.
The New York Giants’ disappointment of a season continued on Monday Night, falling just short of a win against the Chiefs. With many key offensive players injured, it has been hard for the Giants to have any sort of offensive consistency and momentum, and that trend continued Monday night. Backup RB Devonate Booker has been a bright spot for this team, as he totaled 125 yards. Daniel Jones took a tough sack on 4th down on what could’ve been a game winning drive, but ultimately was not. The New York Giants will host the Las Vegas Raiders next week.
Game Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnD_FgSkjt8