Week 8 had no shortage of eye-openers, and the biggest ones came from teams that either found a groove on the ground or let a game get away from them. From Dallas’ collapse to Trevor Lawrence’s ultra-efficient afternoon, the weekend was packed with swings that said plenty about where several teams stand right now.
Dallas had control, then watched it disappear. The Cowboys ran the ball 39 times and kept Dak Prescott to 29 pass attempts, but that conservative approach couldn’t hold up once Arizona started climbing back.
Dallas still ended up surrendering the lead after building what looked like a comfortable cushion, and the passing game never offered much help. No Cowboys receiver topped 58 receiving yards, which only added to the concern.
Jerry Jones could eventually consider changes to the coaching staff, including the defensive coordinator and possibly Brian Schottenheimer, though an immediate move is unlikely.
Buffalo, meanwhile, got another big day from Josh Allen and another reminder of how dangerous this offense can be when he’s rolling. Allen threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns and added another score on the ground.
Dalton Kincaid was a key target with 86 yards and a touchdown, while DJ Moore came back from injury and posted 82 yards and a touchdown. James Cook also chipped in with 80 rushing yards and a touchdown, plus two catches for 21 yards, before leaving with an injury and returning.
Las Vegas also leaned heavily on the run, but in a way that stood out for a different reason. Kirk Cousins threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns, including two scoring throws to Brock Bowers, but the backfield split was the headline.
Mike Washington handled 25 carries for 83 yards, while Ashton Jeanty got just two rushing attempts for nine yards. Jeanty did make more of an impact as a receiver, catching three passes for 64 yards.
The Raiders clearly trust what Washington brings as a runner, but the carry gap was much larger than expected.
Pittsburgh kept doing what it has done best lately: punishing teams on the ground. Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle combined for 32 carries, 199 rushing yards and two touchdowns as the Steelers controlled Cleveland again, just like they did in the previous meeting.
Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth also played major roles, finishing with five catches for 129 yards between them. Pittsburgh heads into its bye at 6-2, with the passing game still the area that needs work if this team is going to make a real postseason push.
Detroit’s win over Minnesota came with a familiar formula, only louder. Jahmyr Gibbs was the engine, piling up 23 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown and looking nearly impossible to stop in the second half.
Sione Vaki added 11 carries for 65 yards as the Lions kept hammering Minnesota’s run defense. Jameson Williams also made his mark, catching four passes for 70 yards and a touchdown after finding space throughout the day.
Detroit’s defense, too, has taken a noticeable step forward over the past couple of weeks.
New England got a different kind of boost from Drake Maye. He was shaky in the first half, then came out more willing to attack downfield after the break.
That shift helped him finish with 199 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in a win over Miami. The Patriots were also without A.J.
Brown and TreVeyon Henderson, but still found a way to play well. Even so, New England may need to get healthier offensively or explore a trade to shore up the unit.
Jacksonville’s day was shorter for Trevor Lawrence, but no less efficient. He completed 10 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns before the Jaguars eased off in the fourth quarter with the game already in hand.
Bhayshul Tuten was a major factor as well, rushing for 104 yards and a touchdown while adding 55 receiving yards and another score. When Jacksonville gets Tuten into space, he can flip a game fast.
In Other News...
Patriots Defense Just Delivered The Momentum Shift Fans Needed
The Patriots needed a spark after a sluggish first half against Miami, and their defense supplied it in a hurry. New England trailed at halftime before turning the game around in the second half, with the unit stringing together three-and-outs and consistently making life uncomfortable for the Dolphins quarterback.
Kevin Byard gave the comeback a jolt with his first interception as a Patriot in the fourth quarter, a play that helped swing momentum and fed into a touchdown drive. For a team that had to claw back into the game, it was the kind of timely defensive moment that can change how a win feels, not just how it looks in the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Belichick Had A Very Belichick Response To An Off-Field Question
Bill Belichick was back in familiar territory at a press conference, fielding a question about his personal life after a TMZ report raised eyebrows around his relationship with Jordon Hudson. The report said the two ended their romantic relationship last year but remain close friends and business partners, a detail neither has publicly confirmed.
Belichick, unsurprisingly, wanted no part of the conversation. When asked about it, he declined to discuss his personal life and pushed back at the premise of the question, asking the reporter whether they worked for a tabloid. For a coach long known for keeping the focus on football, it was a very on-brand answer, and one that left the broader story where it started. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots May Be Ready To Move On From Christian Barmore
Christian Barmores name is suddenly in the trade conversation, with a Sports Illustrated report saying the Patriots are willing to listen on the defensive tackle. For a team still sorting out its long-term roster and cap structure, that kind of move would not just be about parting with a talented interior defender, but about deciding how aggressively to reshape the roster around younger, cheaper pieces.
The financial side is what makes the possibility worth watching. Moving Barmore would create meaningful flexibility for New England in the near term and beyond, which helps explain why the idea is being floated at all. The question now is whether another team values him enough to meet the Patriots price and make a deal worth considering. [Read more 🡒]