Week eight of the NFL season was one of celebration. It was “National Tight Ends Day”. But would the league’s many skilled Tight Ends shine this week? Let’s look at how the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, and Washington Commanders, among others, fare this week.
Cleveland Shocks
The Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns have a fascinating history. The Browns moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens in the 90’s. This season, the Ravens are doing well (and seemed to be featured weekly in these reviews). The Browns, on the other hand, have struggled and come into the game with one win. But, with Jameis Winston now at the helm, replacing the injured Deshawn Watson, could Cleveland get the win?
On their opening drive, the Ravens got down to the Browns’ seven-yard line but turned the ball over on a failed fourth-down conversion. This handed the ball to Cleveland, who were able to get something from this. Winston slowly moved his offense down to the Ravens’ nine-yard line, where the drive would stall. This set up Dustin Hopkins for a 28-yard field goal kick, giving Cleveland the early lead after an eight-minute drive.
But, this did not last long. On the next drive, the Ravens could match the Browns with a 49-yard field goal from kicker Justin Tucker.
A few drives later, the Browns would again score a field goal. This came from a drive that stalled at the Ravens’ 15-yard line, with Hopkins making the field goal from 33 yards out.
However, the Browns then made a mistake. On their 37-yard line, Winston fumbled the ball, which the Ravens recovered. The Ravens capitalized on this mistake. Two plays later, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson found Nelson Aglohor for an 11-yard touchdown down.
This meant the Ravens had a 10-6 lead over the Browns at halftime.
Cleveland opened the second half in the best way. On the Ravens’ 23-yard line, Winston found David Njoku with a deep pass that found the endzone to give them the lead.
But, after a few drives, they again handed it over to Baltimore. Starting from their 38-yard line, Jackson and company were able to make their way down to the Browns’ seven-yard line. From here, he found Mark Andrews for the seven-yard touchdown pass.
In response, Cleveland quickly approached the Ravens’ 22-yard line. Here, Winston and Cedric Tilman, for the touchdown pass, give the Browns a three-point lead.
This lead would have been reduced to nothing on the next drive, but Justin Tucker made a rare mistake, putting his 50-yard field goal kick to the left of the uprights. However, the Browns did not miss their field goal attempt a couple of drives later, with Hopkins scoring from 48 yards out.
This gave them a six-point lead, but this disappeared after the Ravens’ next drive. Starting from their nine-yard line, the offense quickly moved down the field to reach the Browns’ two-yard line. Derrick Henry found the endzone from here, handing the Ravens a one-point lead.
Cleveland needed to score a touchdown on their final drive of the game. The Winston-led offense made it down to the Ravens’ 38-yard line. Here, Winson again found Tilman for the touchdown pass. They then attempted a two-point conversion to extend their lead, but this failed. However, it still meant that the Ravens had to score a touchdown on their final drive of the game to be victorious.
They could not do this, meaning that the Cleveland Browns had defeated the Baltimore Ravens 29-24.
For the Browns, this may be the win they needed to kickstart their season. However, as we saw with Andy Dalton and the Panthers earlier in the season, this may not be the case. For Baltimore, this is a minor setback in a game they should have won. The Browns improved to 2-6, while the Ravens fell to 5-3.
Next week, Cleveland faces the Los Angeles Chargers, while Baltimore plays the Denver Broncos.
A Hail Mary
This was one of the standout games of the week on paper. The Chicago Bears and the Washington Commanders have had good starts to the season, possibly because of two men. Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. These two were the first two picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, and after winning the last two Heisman Trophies, they look set to have impressive careers in the NFL. But who would win their first encounter?
The Commanders got the first points on the board on their opening drive. This would stall at the Bears’ eight-yard line, setting with Austin Selbert with a 27-yard field goal attempt, which was successful. Selbert would be needed again on the following drive from the Commanders, which this time stalled at the Bears’ 12-yard line. But, just as before, he successfully made the kick, this time from 30 yards out.
The final scoring play of the half was another field goal, this time from the Commanders. A 28-yard field goal kick gave the Commanders a 9-0 lead at halftime.
Washington looked like they would open the scoring in the second half with a touchdown when Daniels found Olamide Zaccheaus for a 32-yard touchdown pass. However, a penalty against the Commanders on this play removed the score from the board.
They got something from this drive through another field goal.
The game was very close to becoming the Austin Selbert show. But, near the end of the third quarter, we would finally see a notable play from the Bears.
On a drive that lasted two plays, D’Andre Swift found the endzone for a 56-yard rushing touchdown for the Bears. This immediately put them back into the game.
In response, Selbert missed the field goal attempt the Commanders had from the subsequent drive.
A few drives later, Caleb Williams moved his offense down the field and reached the Commander’s one-yard line. But here, he made a mistake. He fumbled the ball, which Washington subsequently recovered. Luckily for Chicago, the Commanders could not do anything with the ball.
Williams had more luck on his next drive. Starting from their 38-yard line, the Bears offense went down to the Commanders’ one-yard line. From here, Roschon Johnson found the endzone for the rushing touchdown. A successful two-point conversion gave the Bears a three-point lead with 25 seconds left on the clock. The Commanders needed a Miracle from above to help them win this game.
On the game’s final drive, Daniels brought his offense down to his team’s 48-yard line. With time almost out, Daniels attempted a Hail Mary.
This was successful, as Noah Brown caught the ball in the endzone for a 52-yard touchdown to give the Washington Commanders an 18-15 victory over the Chicago Bears.
For 59 minutes and 30 seconds, this game looked like a bust. But in those final 30 seconds, Jayden Daniels (and, to a lesser extent, Caleb Williams) showed why they were the top two picks. The Hail Mary victory has already been dubbed the “Madhouse in Maryland.” The win continues the strong season that the Commanders are having, improving to 6-2, while the Bears fall to 4-3.
Next week, the Commanders face the New York Giants, while the Bears play the Arizona Cardinals.
The Return of Tua
This week, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made his long-awaited return to action after being out for weeks due to another concussion. The Dolphins have struggled without him, but could they return to winning ways against the Arizona Cardinals?
The Dolphins had the first possession of the game and would be able to turn this into points. Starting from their 36-yard line, Tua moved his offense down to the Cardinals’ one-yard line. From here, Raheem Mostert found the endzone for a rushing touchdown—a successful start to Tua’s return.
Miami extended their lead on their next drive when Jason Sanders made a 53-yard field goal. However, the Cardinals were able to strike back immediately. Quarterback Kyler Murray took the team down to the Dolphins’ six-yard line before finding Michael Wilson for the touchdown pass.
Just before the half, the Dolphins could increase their lead again. The Dolphins offense went down to the Cardinals’ seven-yard line, but no further. This set up Sanders with a 25-yard field goal attempt. He was successful with this, meaning that the Dolphins had a 13-7 lead over the Cardinals at halftime.
The Cardinals had the opening possession in the second half and could score from it. Murray and company went down to the Dolphins’ 38-yard line, where the drive would stall. This set up Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland with a 57-yard field goal attempt, which he was successful with.
In response to this, the Dolphins would again extend their lead. Starting from their 30-yard line, Miami made it down to the Cardinals’ 12-yard line. From here, Tagovailoa found De’Von Achane for the touchdown pass to give them a 10-point lead.
But on their next drive, the Dolphins would make a costly error. Tua missed the snap, and the ball rolled out of the endzone, where the Cardinals’ defense pounced on it. However, as the ball was out of play, Arizona was awarded a safety, giving them two points.
Things would get better for the Cardinals on the next drive. From the Dolphins’ 22-yard line, Murray found Marvin Harrison Jr. for the touchdown pass, making it a two-point game in the fourth quarter.
Miami pulled away on their next drive when Mostert found the endzone for a six-yard rushing touchdown. But, they were immediately pulled back in by the Cardinals when James Connor scored a two-yard rushing touchdown to make it a two-point game again.
The Dolphins punted on their next drive, meaning that the Cardinals needed only to hold onto the ball for five minutes and score a field goal to win the game.
The drive was slow-moving, and it took Arizona down to the Dolphins’ 16-yard line. With enough time left on the clock to score a field goal, Chad Ryland stepped up and kicked the game-winner from 34 yards out.
This meant the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Miami Dolphins 28-27.
The return did not go as planned, and potentially, Tua’s botched snap that led to the safety could have cost the Dolphins the game. The loss means they fall to 2-5, while Arizona improves to 4-4.
Next week, the Cardinals face the Chicago Bears, while the Dolphins play the Buffalo Bills.
Still Undefeated
The Kansas City Chiefs are still undefeated, surprising nobody. Could they continue their winning streak this season and defeat the Las Vegas Raiders?
The Chiefs had the first possession of the game and could get the game’s first score from it. Patrick Mahomes moved the offense down to the Raiders’ one-yard line. From here, Kareem Hunt found the endzone for the rushing touchdown.
In reply, the Raiders would also be able to score a touchdown. To level the game, Gardner Minshew found Jakobi Meyers for a seven-yard touchdown pass.
The Raiders would then be able to take the lead. Their drive stalled at the Chiefs’ 34-yard line, setting up Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson’s successful 54-yard field goal.
But, the Raiders’ lead did not last long. On the next drive of the game, the Chiefs could make it down to the five-yard line. From here, Mahomes was able to find Travis Kelce on National Tight Ends Day for the touchdown pass. Kansas City would extend the lead just before halftime when Harrison Butker scored a 42-yard field goal.
This meant the Chiefs had a 17-10 lead over the Raiders at halftime.
Las Vegas would get the first points in the second half. Minshew’s drive would be able to reach the Chiefs’ 14-yard line, but this is where the drive would stall. This set up a 32-yard field goal for Carlson, which he was successful with.
Things would improve for the Raiders on the next drive, where Mahomes would throw an interception (something that has become a common sight). However, even at the Chiefs’ one-yard line, Las Vegas could not turn this into points.
Kansas City extended its lead on the next drive through a field goal from Butker. Then, the Raiders made a mistake. Minshew was sacked and then fumbled the ball, which was scooped up by the Chiefs, who capitalized on this mistake.
Mahomes and company moved the ball down to the Raiders’ nine-yard line before finding Xavier Worthy for the touchdown pass to put the game out of reach for Las Vegas. However, the Raiders scored a touchdown on their final drive of the game, with Minshew finding DJ Turner for an 11-yard touchdown pass.
But, it was not enough, as the Kansas City Chiefs had defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 27-20.
The victory improves the Chiefs to 7-0 on the season, while the Raiders fall to 2-6. Next week, the Chiefs face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Raiders play the Cincinnati Bengals.
What happened in the Other Games?
The Minnesota Vikings started the season strong but have now seemed to be on the downward slope. They faced the Los Angeles Rams, who had Cooper Kupp and Puca Nacua back from injury. This helped the Rams, as Matthew Stafford threw four touchdowns in a 30-20 win.
After destroying the New York Giants last week, the Philadelphia Eagles attempted to do the same against the Cincinnati Bengals. They appeared to do this successfully. Saquon Barkley ran for 108 yards in the Eagles 37-17 win.
The Detroit Lions again proved why they are one of the best teams this season. They played the Tennessee Titans, who have benched Will Levis and now rely on Mason Rudolph. It made no difference. Jared Goff threw for three touchdowns (but only for 85 yards), and Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 127 yards as the Lions defeated the Titans 52-14.
In a battle of two-win teams, the New York Jets faced the New England Patriots. This was closer than many thought it would be, with the game going down to the final minutes of the game. A late touchdown from Rhamondre Stevenson gave the Patriots a 25-22 win.
The last time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons met was a high-scoring classic, with Kirk Cousins throwing for 500 yards. This game was similar (but Cousins did not throw for 500 yards; he threw for 276 yards). The Falcons dominated the first three-quarters of the game to help record a 31-26 win and take control of the NFC South.
The Green Bay Packers faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in a game in which Packers quarterback Jordan Love was again injured. Despite leading for most of the game, the Packers were tied with the Jags in the game’s final moments. However, a 24-yard field goal from Brandon McManus gave Green Bay a 30-27 victory, keeping them in the race for the NFC North.
The Houston Texans played the Indianapolis Colts in an important game for the AFC South. The Texans outplayed the Colts to record a 23-20 win. After the game, the Colts announced that they would be benching Antony Richardson and going with Joe Flacco as quarterback.
The Los Angeles Chargers recorded a win over the struggling New Orleans Saints. Former Georgia Bulldogs Ladd McConkey scored two touchdowns (including one from 60 yards) as the Chargers cruised to a 26-8 win.
The Buffalo Bills extended their lead in the AFC East to four games with a win over the Seattle Seahawks. Josh Allen threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns, with James Cook scoring two more as the Bills won 31-10.
In a rematch of Super Bowl 50, the Denver Broncos faced the Carolina Panthers. Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw three touchdowns in the 28-14 win.
This week’s Sunday Night Football game was between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers. Both teams have been struggling recently, but the 49ers got the win. A dominant third quarter from San Francisco helped them record a 30-24 win.
And finally, how did the New York Giants ruin my weekend? Technically, they didn’t, as they played on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was another poor show from the offense. However, a punt return touchdown from Calvin Austin III was the main difference, as Pittsburgh recorded a 26-18 win. The Giants are now 2-6, with another Prime Time defeat for Daniel Jones, whose time in the NFL may be running out. To make things worse, while this game was happening, the New York Yankees were heavily defeated, putting their hopes for a World Series in doubt.
So, that was Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season. Next week, the Detroit Lions face the Green Bay Packers in what is a big game for the NFC North, the Chiefs and Buccs meet, and the Tennessee Titans face the New England Patriots in a battle of disappointing teams.
