NFL WEEK 8 TAKEAWAYS: QB TROUBLE ALL OVER THE NFL
I’m not sure there has been an NFL season in recent memory that has had this level of parity. It seems like every week a team that we had originally thought was at the very top of the league makes us completely reconsider when they get upset by a clearly inferior team. In Week 3 it was the Cardinals over the Cowboys. Week 6 had the doubleheader of the Jets over the Eagles and the Browns over the Niners. Week 7 was the languishing Patriots over the Bills. and this week, Week 8, we had the Broncos over the Chiefs.
In my opinion, this is when the NFL product is at its best. Fanbases stay engaged, seats get filled, and I’m sure it can only be beneficial for sports betting. Who cares if the Panthers got their first win of the season this week, I’ll at the very least consider picking them over the Cowboys in Week 11.
Maybe.
These are my takeaways from Week 8 of the NFL season.
Dallas Dominates
Speaking of the Cowboys, they find themselves right back in the discussion for best team in the league with their destruction of the LA Rams. The incredible potential of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb seems to have reached its peak as their chemistry has reached an all time high on Sunday, connecting 12 times for 158 yards and two touchdowns. The defense wasn't too shabby either, limiting the Rams’ Matthew Stafford-led passing attack to only 162 yards through the air and scoring a pick six. Tony Pollard has disappointed thus far this year, and if Dallas wants to get rolling on all cylinders as the back half of the season (and colder weather) comes into view, Pollard will need to play a larger part of the offense.
Rams Are In Trouble
Maybe I was a bit off target when I chose the Rams to be my dark horse Super Bowl pick this year. Los Angeles found themselves out their veteran QB to an injury, but the game was not looking in their favor far before that. Looking forward, receivers Cooper Kupp, Puka Nakua, and Tutu Atwell’s impressive receiving core will be tested with Brett Rypien under center, to say the least. Fantasy managers may find themselves putting the three on the trade block in the coming weeks as there is no telling how long a sprained thumb on his throwing hand (those tend to be important) will keep Stafford out, despite the injury report listing him as day-to-day.
QBs Injuries Everywhere
Week 8 was not good to the health of quarterbacks. Even more notable than Stafford’s hand injury, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins’ season is over after tearing his Achilles tendon, which is incredibly disappointing for one of the most impressive passing attacks in the NFL. Tyrod Taylor left the game to a rib injury that turned out to necessitate an overnight hospital stay, Kenny Pickett also suffered a rib injury that kept him out of most of the second half, and Desmond Ritter suffered a concussion that he was later cleared of, but Arthur Smith decided to play it safe with the young quarterback, gratefully so. A few teams have already been in the market for a QB at the trade deadline, so expect Minnesota to join that list in a major way in the coming days.
Levis Has Himself a Day
With Ryan Tannehill out, Will Levis impressed in his first start, throwing 4 touchdowns and winning the hearts of dads everywhere in his postgame interview, defending fellow young QB Malik Willis from ornery fans. Willis ran onto the field to the sound of boos in front of a home crowd, which teammate-of-the-week Will Levis did not appreciate, saying Titan fans better “treat him correctly”.
Quarterback battles are something I am all too familiar with. Every quarterback room I have been in has been contentious. It’s impossible not to be with only one spot on the field that can be filled. However, this doesn’t mean they have contentious relationships. Levis and Willis have had to fight for the same job backing up Ryan Tannehill, but in doing so they look like they built a strong relationship, helping each other improve. You have to root for both of them, as well as give credit to everyone in that room, Ryan Tannehill and QB coach Charles London included.
Niners’ 3 Game Slide Surprises
Is it time to hit the panic button in San Francisco? The offense isn't working with key pieces injured, and their impressive defense game up 400 yards and 31 points. Besides Christian McCaffery finding the endzone twice (with a chance to set the record for most weeks straight with the touchdown next week against the red-hot Jaguars), there wasn’t much to get excited about for the Niners. The key? Injuries. With Deebo Samuels out and Purdy in concussion protocol most of the week, the same refrain plays again in the 2023 season for San Francisco. 6 days was not enough for Purdy to come back from a concussion, and the medical personnel absolutely should have pulled him from the game after slamming his head to the ground on a QB hit.
Fullback Moment of the Week
It was a light week in terms of fullback news. We have to give some love to Andrew Back, the Texans’ fullback you might remember for his electric kick return touchdown back in Week 3, for his 1 yard rushing touchdown. But even better than a touchdown are the fantasy football managing fullback haters. Every time a fullback scores from inside the 10 yardline, the outcry about how someone who was in their fantasy lineup could have scored fills the timelines and mentions of the fullback who got those points. There is no sweeter compliment than someone on X/Twitter calling you a touchdown vulture, as if the fullback isn’t responsible for far more scoring plays than we get the credit for. We relish every angry keyboard warrior’s tears. It feeds our souls.
