Another Sunday, another full slate of NFL action nearly in the books. And boy did Week 8 come chock-full of drama, from the New England Patriots upsetting the rival New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins welcoming back Tua Tagovailoa to Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons outlasting their NFC South rivals.
Here are some of the biggest winners and losers of Sunday’s matchups:
Winner: Lions‘ Super Bowl chances
The Tennessee Titans may not be a formidable foe, but Detroit has now been lights out as an offensive operation for a month. Whether it’s David Montgomery trucking, Jahmyr Gibbs sprinting or Jared Goff dealing, they look like a safe bet to be in the mix for an NFC title for a second straight season.
Loser: Colts‘ QB situation
Indianapolis is right to see what it has in Anthony Richardson, and the young gunslinger has helped keep the Colts competitive late in games. But the second-year passer was again trying to win in spite of his own inaccuracy against the Houston Texans, making backup Joe Flacco look like a much steadier alternative.
Winner: Nick Sirianni’s Eagles offense
Weeks after he made a fool of himself after an ugly win, Sirianni’s Birds delivered arguably their best performance since the 2022 season against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, with Jalen Hurts both controlling the ball and airing it out en route to 37 points, even with a few starters sidelined due to injury.
Loser: The entire Jets organization
Aaron Rodgers got his wish a few weeks ago, reuniting with Davante Adams in hopes of salvaging an otherwise dour New York season. And yet Gang Green has gone 0-2 since, dropping to 2-6 on the year thanks to another inconsistent showing against the lowly New England Patriots. What a disaster.
Winner: Chad Ryland
On and off the Arizona Cardinals‘ practice squad to start the year, the second-year kicker has been one of the NFL’s most clutch special teamers of 2024, drilling his third game-winning field goal of the season to spoil Tua Tagovailoa’s return for the Miami Dolphins. Suddenly the Cards are back to .500.
Loser: The Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence hit Evan Engram for a late touchdown, but it wasn’t enough to save a rough day for the entire franchise, which saw key players like Christian Kirk go down with an injury, Lawrence lose yet another fumble, and ex-Jag Brandon McManus seal a win for a Packers team without a healthy Jordan Love.
Winner: The Jameis Winston experience
Replacing an injured Deshaun Watson at the helm of the hapless Cleveland Browns, Winston nearly threw a game-ending pick in a shootout with MVP favorite Lamar Jackson, then turned around and launched a go-ahead score to breakout speedster Cedric Tillman. His three scores propelled the Browns’ unlikely “W.”
