In the NFL, anything can happen when the on-field action is as tightly contested as it has been in 2024.
There have been 58 games decided by seven-or-fewer points this season, the most through Week 7 of a season in NFL history, per CBS Sports Research. As many as seven teams have had five or more games decided by seven-or-fewer points: the Indianapolis Colts (seven), the Baltimore Ravens (five), the Cincinnati Bengals (five), the Cleveland Browns (five), the Green Bay Packers (five), the Houston Texans (five) and the Los Angeles Rams (five).
What unforeseen circumstances could go down in Week 8 given the margins between winning and losing through seven weeks have been closer than ever before? Let’s take a peek at five potential possibilities in the newest iteration of our CBS Sports NFL bold predictions.
Jared Goff continues record-breaking efficiency against tough Titans pass defense
The 2024 Detroit Lions are the only team to throw for more touchdowns (18) than incompletions (16) in a four-game span in a single season since at least 1940 thanks to quarterback Jared Goff’s historic efficiency. He has completed 83.5% of his passes (76-91) in each of his last four games since Week 3, which is the highest in a four-game span in NFL history, per CBS Sports Research. His connection with Amon-Ra St. Brown during this run has been automatic with the duo connecting on 25 of 26 targets, including an active streak of 21 straight completions.
Naturally, that is a large part of the reason why Goff is also the fourth quarterback in NFL history with a passer rating of 140 or higher in three games in a row joining Aaron Rodgers (2011), Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (1999) and Hall of Famer Roger Staubach (1971). Each of those three either won NFL MVP (Rodgers) or both NFL MVP and the Super Bowl (Warner and Staubach).
Goff will have a difficult time maintaining a completion percentage around 80% against his Week 8 opponent in the Tennessee Titans since their 59.6% completion percentage allowed this season is the fourth-lowest in the NFL. I’m betting it won’t matter as Goff, St. Brown and Co. steamroll their way to another high-scoring victory with Detroit’s quarterback completing at least 80% of his throws.
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The Eagles score in the first quarter for the first time in 2024
Scoring in the first quarter for an NFL team, especially a regular playoff participant like the 4-2 Philadelphia Eagles, should be a piece of cake. However, that has not been the case: they have scored zero points in the opening quarter of all six of their games this season. They are the only team in the NFL who has yet to score in the first quarter this season.
A big reason for this is Philadelphia’s turnover ratio in the first quarter of negative three, which is tied for the worst in the league this season with the Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers. Quarterback Jalen Hurts isn’t helping this cause since he leads the NFL with 27 giveaways since 2023, but he hasn’t thrown an interception in the last three games.
Getting out of this early quarter rut won’t be easy since the Bengals defense is heating up, allowing 10.5 points per game from Weeks 6 to 7, the second-fewest in the NFL behind only the Eagles (9.5 points per game allowed). A critical reason why is All-Pro caliber play from Pro Bowl edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson has consecutive games with 2.0 sacks, making him the first Cincy player with back-to-back games of multiple sacks since Antwan Odom in 2009. Cincinnati has been strong in the first quarter all season long, surrendering just 2.4 points per game in the first quarter, the third-fewest in the NFL this season.
That won’t matter on Sunday as Philly gets on the scoreboard in the game’s first 15 minutes. Hurts is on pace to register a career-high in completion percentage this season (67.8%, which currently ranks as the ninth-best in the NFL), and Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown has caught a receiving touchdown in all three games he has played this season. He has also been a big play machine, averaging a career-high 20.3 yards per catch this season, the fourth-most in the NFL. Hurts will connect with Brown for a big enough play that either leads to Philly getting into the end zone or at the very least field goal position to get on the score board in the first quarter for the first time in 2024.
Joe Mixon rushes for a TD in fifth consecutive meeting with Colts
Running back Joe Mixon is the hub of the Houston Texans offense in 2024. He is averaging the third-most rushing yards per game (100.5) in the NFL this season, trailing only Saquon Barkley (109.7) and Derrick Henry (124.7). Houston also averages 9.8 more points per game (27.8) when he does play versus when he doesn’t (18.0).
Mixon has had a specific and rare run of success against the Texans Week 8 opponent in the Indianapolis Colts: he has scored a rushing touchdown against them in four consecutive games, making him the first running back to do so since Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Bowler Maurice Jones-Drew in the 2006-2008 seasons. If he can rumble into the end zone on Sunday, he will become only the third player with a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games against the Colts, joining Greg Bell (1984-1989) and Domanick Williams (2003-2005).
It’s statistically unlikely to happen, given how rare the feat is. But with Indianapolis possessing the NFL’s second-worst run defense (159.9), and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud coming off the worst game of his NFL career at the Packers in Week 7 — threw for a career-low 86 passing yards — Mixon will have plenty of chances.
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Garrett fails to record sack in fourth straight game
Cleveland Browns three-time first-team All-Pro rusher Myles Garrett, the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is a beast, of course. His 92.5 sacks since entering the league in 2017 as the first overall draft pick are the second most in the NFL during that time behind only Steelers All-Pro T.J. Watt’s 101.0, and he’s off to a nice start in 2024 with four sacks in seven games.
However, none of those four has come in the last three weeks against Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. One would think that streak could come to an end on Sunday against Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. One reason for that is Jackson’s love of scrambling and extending plays with his feet is why his average time to throw is 3.05 seconds, the ninth-longest in the NFL this season. Another is Garrett has 6.5 sacks of Jackson in nine career meetings.
Unfortunately for Garrett, that pass rush success against Jackson won’t continue into Week 8 on Sunday. The Ravens have allowed nine sacks the season, tied for the fewest by any team this season, and their quarterback pressure rate of 30.4% also ranks as the 10th-best in the league. Jackson is playing the quarterback position more efficient than he ever has before, leading all NFL quarterbacks in passer rating (118.0) and rushing yards (455). He is the first qualified quarterback to do so through Week 7 since Hall of Famer Steve Young in 1992, his first of two NFL MVP seasons. Garrett won’t be taking Jackson down to the ground for a sack on Sunday, and his unlikely drought will continue on.
Josh Allen extends longest INT-free streak of career vs. lengthy Seahawks secondary
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen drew comparisons to Hall of Famer Brett Favre since they share the traits of having a bazooka for a right arm as well as a turnover issue. Since joining the league in 2018, Allen ranks third in the league in passing touchdowns (179), but in his first six years (2018-2023), his 78 interceptions led the NFL.
Fast forward to today, and Allen has played clean football with 12 passing touchdowns and zero interceptions to start 2024. He is the third quarterback in NFL history with 12 or more passing touchdowns and no interceptions through the first seven games of a season along with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (2013) and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (2017). Allen’s consecutive games without an interception is the longest streak by a starting quarterback in Bills history.
He’ll be challenged to keep that run going in Week 8 against one of the longest cornerback duos in the NFL in the Seattle Seahawks tandem of Riq Woolen (six feet, four inches tall with a 33 5/8″ arm length) and Devon Witherspoon (six feet tall with 31 1/4″ arm length). However, Allen will avoid the many pitfalls in Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme and remain interception free on Sunday.
