NFC Week 8 overreactions: 49ers are Super Bowl contenders when they want to be
Mackenzie Salmon ‘overreacts’ to the biggest NFC storylines from Week 8 in the NFL.
USA TODAY
NFL fans were treated Halloween weekend. Several teams put on an offensive showcase across the league.
Six teams scored 30 or more points. The Dallas Cowboys scored a season-high 49 points against the Chicago Bears. The Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers combined for 71 points in a wild overtime battle.
The individual performances were just as impressive.
NFL running backs D’Onta Foreman, Alvin Kamara and Tony Pollard each scored three touchdowns. Miami Dolphins duo Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill torched the Detroit Lions defense for 294 receiving yards.
The Eagles remained undefeated with a 35-13 victory over their in-state rival Steelers. Eagles receiver A.J. Brown led the way with hauled in six receptions for 156 yards. He accounted for three receiving touchdowns as well.
In the afternoon slate, the Rams locked horns with the San Francisco 49ers. The Battle of Ohio will take center stage on Monday night with the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns renew their heated rivalry.
What tricks are still in store for Week 8? Grab your favorite candy and settle in for remainder of rollercoaster Sunday afternoon.
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Here’s a rundown of all the Week 8 action around the NFL.
Baltimore Ravens 27, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 22
Briefly: The Ravens continued to roll behind star quarterback Lamar Jackson. The former NFL MVP put together a standout performance against the Buccaneers. Jackson accounted for 281 total yards and two touchdowns. The Buccaneers dropped a third consecutive game. Tom Brady threw for 325 yards, but the offense struggled to find a rhythm. Tampa Bay was outscored by 12 points after halftime and fell to 3-5 on the season.
One highlight to know: Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely scored his first NFL touchdown in the third quarter. He finished with six receptions for 77 yards after All-Pro teammate Mark Andrews was ruled out with shoulder injury.
Next up: The Ravens face the New Orleans Saints in Week 9. The Buccaneers will host the Los Angeles Rams at Raymond James Stadium.
Denver Broncos 21, Jacksonville Jaguars 17
Briefly: Latavius Murray scored a go-ahead touchdown with 1:43 remaining to propel the Broncos to victory. Denver snapped a four-game losing streak to improve to 3-5 on the season. Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson returned after a one-game absence and completed 18 of 30 passes for 252 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Jaguars have lost five straight games. Running back Travis Etienne was the lone bright spot with 156 rushing yards.
One highlight to know: Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy hauled in a 6-yard touchdown just before halftime. Jeudy finished with six catches for 63 yards.
Next up: The Broncos are on bye week. The Jaguars host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9.
Philadelphia Eagles 35, Pittsburgh Steelers 13
Briefly: The Eagles improved to 7-0 this season behind their high-powered offensive attack. Philadelphia accounted for 401 total yards as quarterback Jalen Hurts led the way through the air. Hurts completed 19 of 28 passes for 285 yards and four touchdowns. He found receiver A.J. Brown for three touchdowns. The Steelers averaged 4.3 yards per play as they lost their second consecutive game.
One highlight to know: A.J. Brown hauled in a 29-yard touchdown in the second quarter to extend the Eagles’ lead. It was one of three first-half touchdowns against the Steelers.
Next up: The Steelers are on bye week. The Eagles face the Houston Texans on to kick off Week 9 on Thursday night.
New Orleans Saints 24, Las Vegas Raiders 0
Briefly: Saints running back Alvin Kamara had a career day against the Raiders. He accounted for 158 total yards and three total touchdowns. Kamara was a favorite target of Saints quarterback Andy Dalton. He hauled in nine of 10 targets to pace the offense. The Raiders were out of sync all afternoon. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw for just 101 yards. Meanwhile, the Saints shut down Raiders’ backfield as the unit mustered just 38 rushing yards.
One highlight to know: Alvin Kamara hauled in a 36-yard touchdown to seal the victory in the third quarter. The Saints improved to 3-5 overall on the season.
Next up: The Raiders host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9. The Saints host the Baltimore Ravens next Monday night.
Atlanta Falcons 37, Carolina Panthers 34
Briefly: The Falcons outlasted the Panthers in a true NFC South slugfest. This game had a little bit of EVERYTHING. The Falcons held serve late in overtime as kicker Younghoe Koo nailed a game-winning 41-yard field goal. Both teams traded scoring drives in the second half and combined for 71 points. Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown. Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts scored his third career touchdown and finished with 80 receiving yards.
One highlight to know: Panthers receiver D.J. Moore hauled in a game-tying 62-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. He finished with six catches for 152 yards on the afternoon.
Next up: The Falcons face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. The Panthers hit the road to play the Cincinnati Bengals.
New England Patriots 22, New York Jets 17
Briefly: The Patriots won their 13th consecutive game against the Jets. Bill Belichick also passed George Halas for second place on the all-time wins list. The Patriots utilized a balanced effort to outscore the Jets 16-7 after halftime. Jakobi Meyers continued to find the end zone with his third touchdown in four games. The Jets snapped a four-game winning streak and fell to 5-3 overall.
One highlight to know: Jakobi Meyers hauled in a five-yard touchdown in the third quarter to give the Patriots a 13-10 lead.
Next up: The Patriots face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9. The Jets host the Buffalo Bills at home next week.
Minnesota Vikings 34, Arizona Cardinals 26
Briefly: Vikings running back Dalvin Cook rushed for 111 yards and scored a touchdown as Minnesota improved to 6-1 this season. K.J. Osborn scored a go-ahead 5-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Vikings held on late behind a furious rally by the Cardinals. Arizona receiver DeAndre Hopkins has not missed a beat since returning from a six-game suspension. He hauled in 12 catches for 159 yards and scored a touchdown in his second game back.
One highlight to know: Cardinals receiver Rondale Moore showcased his track speed by breaking three tackles for a 38-yard touchdown.
Next up: The Cardinals face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9. The Vikings will play the Washington Commanders.
Miami Dolphins 31, Detroit Lions 27
Briefly: Dolphins receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill combined for 20 receptions and 294 yards in the victory. The Dolphins outscored the Lions 14-0 after halftime as both teams moved the football efficiently. Lions running back Jamaal Williams scored two touchdowns as he paced the Detroit backfield.
One highlight to know: Tua Tagovailoa connected with Jaylen Waddle for a late first quarter touchdown to put the Dolphins on the board.
Next up: The Dolphins play the Chicago Bears in Week 9. The Lions host the Green Bay Packers.
Dallas Cowboys 49, Chicago Bears 29
Briefly: The Cowboys offense exploded against the Bears. Tony Pollard seized control of the Cowboys backfield and responded with 131 yards and three touchdowns. Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons scored a 36-yard fumble recovery in the victory. The Bears fell to 3-5 on the season. Justin Fields completed 17 of 23 passes for 151 yards.
One highlight to know: Micah Parsons scored a defensive touchdown in the third quarter to put the Cowboys up 42-23 in the game.
Next up: The Cowboys are on bye week. The Bears face the Miami Dolphins.
Tennessee Titans 17, Houston Texans 10
Briefly: With rookie quarterback Malik Willis making his first career start, Derrick Henry carried the Titans. He had 219 yards and two touchdowns as Tennessee steamrolled over their AFC South rival. Davis Mills found Dameon Pierce late in the fourth quarter for the Texans’ lone touchdown, but by then, the damage had already been done.
One highlight to know: Henry had a historic day in several ways on Sunday, becoming only the third player in NFL history with six 200-yard games. But his 1-yard touchdown in the third quarter was his 75th career score for the Titans, setting a new franchise record.
Next up: The Titans take their five-game win-streak to Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs while the Texans have a short week and host the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles in a Thursday night game.
San Francisco 49ers 31, Los Angeles Rams 14
Briefly: Christian McCaffrey threw, caught and rushed for a touchdown in his second game for the 49ers. A Cooper Kupp touchdown temporarily put the rival Rams ahead in the second quarter, but after halftime, it was all San Francisco.
One highlight to know: McCaffrey scored his first receiving touchdown as a 49er with a nine-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo. His leaping catch was the extra razzle dazzle that let San Francisco fans know it was time to get excited about their new star.
Next up: The 49ers enter their bye week while the Rams travel east to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are riding a three-game losing streak.
Washington Commanders 17, Indianapolis Colts 16
Briefly: Quarterback Taylor Heinicke had two touchdowns, one through the air and one on the ground, to bring the Commanders to .500. As he takes command of Washington, Sam Ehlinger had a decent first start replacing Matt Ryan, going 17-of-23 for 201 yards. Nyheim Hines scored the Colts’ lone touchdown, a six-yard run in the fourth quarter.
One highlight to know: Down 16-10 with 41 seconds left in the game, Heinicke found star receiver Terry McLaurin 33 yards downfield. McLaurin went up against Stephon Gilmore and wrestled the ball into his own possession before dropping down on the 1-yard line to put the Commanders in scoring position.
Next up: Washington travels to face the red hot Minnesota Vikings while the Colts travel to face the equally wobbly New England Patriots.
Seattle Seahawks 27, New York Giants 13
Briefly: The Seahawks squashed the Giants’ four-game winning streak in a tightly contested game. New York receiver Richie James lost two fumbles, which stunted the Giants’ momentum. Geno Smith remains reliable for Seattle and he went 23-of-34 for 212 yards and two touchdowns.
One highlight to know: With the game tied at 13 in the fourth quarter, Smith found Tyler Lockett 33 yards downfield for a touchdown that put the Seahawks ahead for good.
Next up: The Giants enter their bye week while the Seahawks travel south to face the Arizona Cardinals in an NFC West match
Buffalo Bills 27, Green Bay Packers 17
Briefly: It wasn’t pretty, but the Bills scrapped their way to a victory over the Packers, extending Green Bay’s losing streak to four games. Buffalo stormed ahead 24-7 in the first half, but was practically silenced after the break. Josh Allen went 13-of-25 for 218 yards, with two touchdowns and he threw back-to-back interceptions in the second half. Aaron Rodgers only fared slightly better going 19-of-30 for 203 yards with two touchdowns and a lone pick of his own.
One highlight to know: The Bills went up 14-0 early in the second quarter with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Stefon Diggs, who had 108 yards on the day. This gave Buffalo enough of a cushion to stay ahead the rest of the game.
Next up: The Bills carry their four-game win streak to play the New York Jets in an AFC East battle while the Packers have their third-straight road game when they play the lowly Detroit Lions.
Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Betting info: Odds, moneyline and more
What to know: Halloween is the fitting conclusion for Week 8 of the NFL season. The Battle of Ohio is always competitive and filled with unexpected results. What kind of tricks will the Bengals offense have in store without WR Ja’Marr Chase? Can the Browns end their nightmare start to the season? It’s all worth watching on Halloween night.
