NFL Week 8 breakdown: Backup QBs have a spectacular Sunday. Patriots look like a playoff contender.
It was a big day for backup quarterbacks.
Cooper Rush lifted the Dallas Cowboys to victory on Sunday night.
Mike White helped the New York Jets pull off a stunning win over a Cincinnati Bengals team that was coming off a statement win vs. the Baltimore Ravens.
The New Orleans Saints' Trevor Siemian came off the bench after Jameis Winston's injury and prevailed against the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Elsewhere, the New England Patriots' road win over the Los Angeles Chargers might signal a possible playoff push for Bill Belichick's team.
But before we get to the week's highlights, a reminder the trade deadline is Tuesday. Here are 13 key players who could be on the block.
NFL Week 8's biggest moments
- "I got a funny story." Inside Cowboys WRs’ huddle exchange just before Amari Cooper's game-winning TD
- Falcons WR Calvin Ridley is stepping away from football to focus on his mental health.
- Saints QB Jameis Winston was knocked out of Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers by an illegal horse-collar tackle. Saints coach Sean Payton believes the injury is "significant."
- The return of Rob Gronkowski was brief.
- Tom Brady owned up to the costly late-game pick-six that sealed the Saints' win over the Buccaneers.
- Mike White was so good in the Jets' upset win over the Bengals that the backup QB could have a long future with the team. "Anything is possible, right?" Jets coach Robert Saleh said.
- Browns WR Jarvis Landry was haunted by his Halloween letdowns in Sunday's loss to the Steelers.
- Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was knocked out of Sunday's game against the Browns after a huge hit on a fake field goal attempt.
- NFL players were in the Halloween spirit, including Aaron Rodgers, who finally revealed his long-teased Halloween costume.
- Carson Wentz had an ill-advised interception that gifted the Titans a touchdown.
- The Colts' mascot had a funny reaction to the Titans' game-winning field goal in overtime.
NFL Week 8 analysis
- Week 8 winners and losers: While backup quarterbacks had a spectacular Sunday, the Vikings offense was absolutely abysmal.
- 32 things we learned in Week 8: As the NFL approaches the midpoint of the regular season, Halloween week featured plenty of ghastly sights for several teams.
- Patriots look like playoff contenders: The Patriots put forth the kind of performance Sunday that bodes well for a team that looks ready to peak in the season's second half.
- Frank Reich blames himself for Colts loss. He's not wrong: They're together forever, coach Frank Reich and quarterback Carson Wentz, with that 2018 Super Bowl in Philadelphia and this 2021 dud in Indianapolis, Gregg Doyel writes.
- Lions could be headed for badge of dishonor: After Sunday's embarrassment, it's become apparent that the Lions face the real possibility of becoming the NFL's first 0-17 team.
NFL Week 8 rundown
- Cowboys 20, Vikings 16: Backup Cooper Rush stepped in admirably for Dak Prescott.
- Broncos 17, Football Team 10: Mistake-prone Washington has now lost five of its last six.
- Saints 36, Buccaneers 27: Tom Brady still can't beat the Saints as a Buccaneer ... in the regular season.
- Seahawks 31, Jaguars 7: Nothing like a matchup against the lowly Jaguars to snap a three-game losing streak.
- Patriots 27, Chargers 24: After a 1-3 start to the season, the Patriots have played their way into the AFC playoff picture entering November.
- 49ers 33, Bears 22: The 49ers snapped a four-game losing streak behind a strong performance by Jimmy Garoppolo.
- Rams 38, Texans 22: The Rams have won 43 straight games (including the playoffs) when leading at halftime, which is the second-longest streak in NFL history behind a 49-game streak by the Packers beginning in 1926.
- Eagles 44, Lions 6: The Eagles ran for a season-high 236 yards as they kept the Lions winless.
- Steelers 15, Browns 10: The Browns are now 9-37-1, including 1-1 in the playoffs, against the Steelers since coming off their hiatus in 1999.
- Jets 34, Bengals 31: The Jets stunned the Bengals - and crushed many peoples' survivor poll hopes and dreams - behind little-known quarterback Mike White.
- Bills 26, Dolphins 11: The Bills didn't dominate the lowly Dolphins and did just enough to pull out this win.
- Titans 34, Colts 31 (OT): A pair of Carson Wentz blunders cost the Colts in this crucial AFC South matchup.
- Panthers 19, Falcons 13: A strong defensive performance helped Carolina snap a four-game skid.
- Packers 24, Cardinals 21 (Thursday): The Packers knocked off the last of the NFL's unbeaten teams in a wild finish.
Eyes on the (fantasy) prize
It was quite a surprise when two of the biggest fantasy performances in Week 8 came from players on the injury-depleted Jets.
Rookie running back Michael Carter posted career-highs in rushing and receiving yards, and also found the end zone to lead all running backs in PPR fantasy points for the week. And quarterback Mike White, in his first NFL start, completed 37-of-45 passes for 405 yards and three TDs. He also caught a two-point conversion. Expecting either one to do it again is a tall order. However, the Jets won’t have long to get healthy with their next game Thursday night at Indianapolis. Depending on the depth of your league, it might be worth it to try and ride the wave.
The Jaguars lost running back James Robinson to a heel injury, making for a busy day for veteran Carlos Hyde. He ran the ball nine times for 32 yards and caught six passes for 40 yards. Hyde would be an excellent addition if the Jags weren’t facing the staunch Bills defense in Week 9.
With the Eagles’ Miles Sanders out, Boston Scott saw the most snaps, rushed for 60 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns. But Scott and Kenneth Gainwell were likely already rostered. Enter veteran Jordan Howard, who was promoted from the practice squad and nearly matched Scott’s performance with 12 carries, 57 yards and two scores. A blowout win over the Lions may have helped pad everyone’s stats, but the Chargers, up next week, are generous to running backs as well. Howard could be an interesting deep league pickup.
Among wide receivers, target hogs Cole Beasley of the Bills (10 catches for 110 yards) and Jamal Agnew of the Jags (6-38, TD) had good games. With Calvin Ridley out indefinitely, the Falcons’ Tajae Sharpe picked up some of the slack with five receptions for 58 yards.
Finally, in a down week for tight ends, the Jaguars’ Dan Arnold caught eight passes for 68 yards. And Pat Freiermuth of the Steelers was four for 44 with an impressive juggling touchdown reception.
Coming this week
Monday: Week 8 wraps up when the Kansas City Chiefs host the New York Giants (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Chiefs will look to get their season back on track as they enter a stretch where they play five of six games at Arrowhead Stadium.
Tuesday: USA TODAY Sports offers its power rankings for all 32 NFL teams after Week 8.
Thursday: Week 9 kicks off with the Indianapolis Colts hosting the New York Jets (8:20 p.m. ET, NFL Network). Before the game, make sure to check out our expert picks for every Week 9 game.
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