Week 8 delivered a full slate of swings, but the biggest jolt came in Denver, where the Broncos erased an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit and knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 to move atop the AFC West.
Former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix was right in the middle of it, finishing with two touchdowns and 20 completions in the comeback win. Former Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle also found the end zone on one of Nix’s scoring throws in the thriller. On the other side, former Alabama defender Patrick Surtain II was busy all afternoon, piling up eight tackles, seven of them solo.
The day also carried plenty of Alabama and Auburn connections elsewhere around the league.
In Buffalo, the Bills rolled past the Baltimore Ravens 36-10, and Baltimore’s problems only deepened. The Ravens lost Lamar Jackson for the foreseeable future because of a hand injury, and backup Tyler Huntley may also have gone down in the loss. Derrick Henry scored a touchdown, but he was held to 53 yards on 11 carries.
Dallas had one of the weekend’s most stunning finishes, as the Cowboys blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and fell 33-30 to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime. Gardner Minshew threw three touchdown passes to help Arizona pull it out. Former Hoover High product George Pickens caught two passes for 48 yards in the defeat.
In Detroit, the Lions handed the Minnesota Vikings a 19-15 loss in a game that carried its own piece of history. Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 153 yards and a touchdown, while Jameson Williams led Detroit’s receivers with 70 yards on four catches and a score.
The Las Vegas Raiders outlasted the New York Jets 38-33 in another high-scoring game, with former Alabama defender Minkah Fitzpatrick collecting nine tackles and a pass deflection.
Pittsburgh handled Cleveland 27-6 in a matchup for first place in the AFC North, and former Alabama receiver Germie Bernard had five catches for 30 yards in the win.
There was also a late afternoon twist in Miami, where former Auburn quarterback Malik Willis had the Patriots in position at halftime in the rain at Hard Rock Stadium before New England rallied to win. Willis threw for 211 yards and two touchdowns, while former Auburn defender Carlton Davis led the Patriots with nine tackles, including seven solo stops.
In Other News...
Auburns Ole Miss Collapse Drew A Pointed Response From Alex Golesh
Auburns trip to Ole Miss ended with a 45-15 loss that left Alex Golesh sounding every bit like a coach who knows his team is running out of margin for error. Afterward, he pointed to the Tigers lack of finish, noting the offense never found enough consistency to keep pace and that the running game never got going, with Auburn held to just 63 rushing yards.
Golesh also talked through offensive line changes and the kinds of costly mistakes that can swing a game off course, including penalties that made life harder throughout the afternoon. With bowl eligibility still in play, he challenged both players and coaches to clean things up quickly, because Auburn cannot afford many more second-half fades like the one it suffered against the Rebels. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Biggest Problem Looks Worse Than A Talent Issue
Auburns 45-15 loss to Ole Miss did more than add another mark in the wrong column. It exposed a team still searching for basic stability, with penalties, special teams mistakes, offensive line inconsistency and a general lack of clean execution all piling up in a game that never felt close. Alex Golesh has already started making changes up front, a sign that the staff is trying to find answers quickly rather than wait for the problems to sort themselves out.
The bigger concern is that this does not look like a simple talent gap that can be fixed by one or two breakout performances. Auburns issue has become one of finishing and functioning, and the next stretch against Arkansas, Mississippi State and Samford will say a lot about whether the Tigers can turn that frustration into progress. Those games should offer a clearer read on how much of this is fixable and how much deeper the trouble really goes. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Delivered The Kind Of SEC Road Finish Fans Love
Auburns trip to Fayetteville on Oct. 25 had the feel of a classic SEC road test, the kind that asks plenty of questions before it gives any answers. At Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the Tigers handled Arkansas 33-24 behind a mix of contributions from Cam Coleman, Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels and Jeremiah Cobb, a balanced showing that gave Auburn enough offense to keep control through the finish.
For Hugh Freeze, it was the sort of result that can travel well in conference play, especially with Auburn getting production from multiple spots instead of leaning on one player alone. Arkansas interim coach Bobby Petrino was on the other sideline as the Tigers closed out a win that should resonate with fans who value a tough road finish, even if the bigger picture in the SEC still has plenty of work ahead. [Read more 🡒]