We’re nearing the season's midpoint and the true contenders have started to show their colors. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have managed to stay undefeated thus far, and some surprise squads like the Vikings have returned to reality. Week 8 was a busy time in the NFL, so let’s summarize some of the biggest things that happened last week before moving into our Week 9 preview and best bets.
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Week 8 takeaways
Week 8 was full of surprises. It started with the Rams upsetting the Vikings on Thursday Night Football, putting a damper on Minnesota’s excellent start to the season. The rest of the week had divisional rivalries, blowout wins, and even a Hail Mary to win the game. Here are 3 of the biggest takeaways from last week.
The Lions Maul The Titans
The biggest win in Week 8 came courtesy of the Lions. Detroit ran up the score against the faltering Titans and finished with an absurd 52 points. Players who scored a touchdown for Detroit included Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Sam LaPorta, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Brock Wright, and Kalif Raymond. You couldn’t go wrong if you picked a Lions player to score a touchdown.
But perhaps the most baffling part of the entire game was that Jared Goff threw for just 85 yards and 3 touchdowns. Goff didn’t need to do much, but when he threw it, it was usually for a huge gain and sometimes a touchdown.
Commanders Win On A Jayden Daniels Hail Mary
The highly anticipated battle between the #1 and #2 picks in the Draft finally happened last week as Caleb Williams and the Bears visited the Nation’s Capital to take on Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. Daniels and company had a 12-0 lead late in the 3rd quarter and had all the momentum in the world, but a touchdown from D’Andre Swift and then Roschon Johnson with just 25 seconds left gave the Bears a 15-12 lead.
With just 25 seconds left on the clock and most of the field to go, it appeared like Williams had won this round. But that’s when Daniels launched a hail mary from midfield that was tipped and caught by Noah Brown as time expired. An instant classic between two elite rookie quarterbacks.
Jameis Winston, Browns Snap Ravens Win Streak
Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 7, which meant it was time for Jameis Winston in Cleveland. Winston had been a backup in New Orleans for the last several years after losing the starting role in Tampa Bay but was in the right place at the right time for the Browns. In his first start of the season against a strong Ravens defense, Winston threw for 334 yards and 3 touchdowns and snapped Baltimore’s 5-game win streak.
The Browns offense looked much more fluid with Winston under center, and he will remain the starting quarterback for Week 9. Although the Browns are 2-6, can Winston lead a desperately needed turnaround?
Week 9 storylines
A lot of things happened in Week 8 that have directly impacted how teams will game plan for Week 9. That includes quarterbacks getting benched, receivers getting hurt and everything in between. Let’s dive into the Week 9 storylines.
Anthony Richardson Benched For Joe Flacco In Indy
Anthony Richardson showed a lot of potential in his rookie season. His arm strength was great, his scrambling ability was elite, and he seemed to make a connection with Michael Pittman. But that potential didn’t translate to success this season, as Richardson owned a 44.4% completion rate with a 38.4 QBR and a 4:7 touchdown to interception ratio after Week 8.
Richardson even took himself out of the game last week due to being tired. All of that was good enough for the Colts to bench Richardson for the 39-year-old Joe Flacco. Once again, it’s Flacco time in the NFL.
Texans Prepare To Play Without Another Receiver
First, it was Nico Collins. Now, it’s Stefon Diggs. The Texans came into the season with one of the best wide receiving groups in all of football, with Collins, Diggs and Tank Dell as options for CJ Stroud. However, it didn’t last long. Collins suffered a hamstring injury after an incredible first few weeks of the season, and Diggs tore his ACL in Week 8.
That leaves just Tank Dell as the top option for the Texans until Collins returns. Can Stroud maneuver his way through the strong Jets secondary with Tank Dell, Dalton Schultz, John Metchie III, and Xavier Hutchinson? We’ll find out on Thursday Night Football.
Baker Mayfield Against Patrick Mahomes On MNF
This week’s edition of Monday Night Football will take us to Kansas City for a battle between the Buccaneers and Chiefs. Both teams have been decimated by injuries this season; the Bucs lost Chris Godwin to an ankle injury and Mike Evans to a hamstring injury, while the Chiefs lost Isiah Pacheco to a leg injury several weeks ago and then Rashee Rice to a knee injury earlier this season.
Still, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have found a way to win even without his top options. Kansas City is favored in this primetime matchup to remain undefeated, but can Baker Mayfield put some magic together and end the Chiefs’ perfect season?
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Week 9 best bets
There are several enticing matchups on the Week 9 slate, which means it’s never too early to lock in a bet. Here are two of our favorite picks of the week, featuring a pick for Thursday Night Football and Sunday Night Football.
Texans +2.5 (-110)
CJ Stroud has been put to the test. He’s lost his top 2 options and will be left with a very slim receiving group. Fortunately, he developed plenty of chemistry with Tank Dell last season, meaning he will likely shift over to WR1 until Collins returns from injury. Stroud is also lucky to have Joe Mixon in the backfield, who has been incredible this season. When he’s healthy, Mixon is a top-10 running back in football.
The former Bengals RB ran for over 100 yards in 4 of 5 games played this season, and the time he failed to reach the century mark, it’s because he left the game early due to an injury. As for the Jets, things have gone from bad to worse after their Week 8 loss to the Patriots. I’m jumping on the Texans to continue New York’s woes.
Vikings -5.5 (-110)
The Vikings were the 2nd to last team to lose a game this season. Minnesota started 5-0, but their perfect season ended against the Lions as they lost 31-29 to Dan Campbell’s team. Their Week 8 matchup against the Rams appeared to be a great bounce-back spot for Sam Darnold and company, but the return of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua to the Rams offense complicated things.
Even after back-to-back losses, I’m not jumping off the Vikings bandwagon yet. Darnold has an elite offense with Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones, and they will face a terrible Colts defense in Week 9. I’m fading the 39-year-old Joe Flacco and backing the Vikings to get back on track.
