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A full slate of 16 games in Week 8 produced the highest scoring week (777 points) and the most games within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter (13) since Week 2 of 2023 season (796 points, 13 games) and had nine games decided by seven-or-fewer points, including five featuring a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation. The 67 games decided by seven points or fewer and 57 games decided by six points or less are the most through Week 8 in NFL history.
The week got underway last night with the New York Jets' 21-13 win over the Houston Texans, exceeding the closing 2.5-point line. The Congrove Computer Rankings Weekly NFL Picks had the Jets by just 0.64 points and picked up the moneyline win, but lost ATS by being under the spread.
Among the best NFL player props for week 9, according to Annie Nader, at FanDuel, are Courtland Sutton Over 51.5 Receiving Yards (-114) for the Broncos versus the Ravens, and Brock Bowers (Raiders at Bengals) finally getting just his second TD of the season, despite having the 6th-most targets of any player in the league,
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) visit the Kansas City Chiefs (7-0) on Monday (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN) as the Chiefs, the last remaining undefeated team, can become the sixth reigning Super Bowl champions to win each of their first eight games, joining the 2015 and 2019 New England Patriots, 2011 Green Bay Packers, 1998 Denver Broncos and 1990 San Francisco 49ers.
Tampa Bay is a 9.5-point underdog to the Chiefs, but the computer suggests taking Tampa Bay to cover. That may be a tough accomplishment when Buccaneers.com was reporting on Thursday that "Lavonte David (ankle/chest), receiver Mike Evans (hamstring), running back Bucky Irving (toe), receiver Sterling Shepard (hamstring) and nose tackle Greg Gaines (calf) did not participate in practice."
In Super Bowl LV, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, the Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs, 31-9, as Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes (two to Rob Gronkowski) and the Tampa Bay defense, under then-defensive coordinator and current head coach Todd Bowles, held Kansas City out of the end zone.
Kansas City has won 13 consecutive games, including the postseason, and can become the first team since the 2015 Carolina Panthers with a 14-game winning streak. Last week, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the fastest player ever to reach 30,000 passing yards (103 games) and recorded his 96th win (including the postseason) as a starting quarterback since entering the NFL in 2017, the second-most wins, including the postseason, by a starting quarterback in his first eight seasons in NFL history, trailing only Tom Brady (100 wins).
Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce recorded his 75th career regular-season touchdown reception in Week 8 and surpassed Jason Witten (74 touchdown receptions) for the fifth-most touchdown receptions by a tight end in NFL history.
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the NFL with 21 touchdown passes and ranks second with 2,189 passing yards, third with a 71.1 completion percentage and sixth with a 104.9 passer rating this season. The last quarterback to rank in the top three in touchdown passes, passing yards and completion percentage through Week 8 of a season was Alex Smith with Kansas City in 2017.
Mayfield can become the fourth player in NFL history with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes in four consecutive games within a single season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Steve Young (five straight games in 1998) and Peyton Manning (four in 2012) as well as Patrick Mahomes (four in 2018).
Between Washington’s Jayden Daniels (six wins), Denver’s Bo Nix (five – the most-ever by a Broncos rookie), Chicago’s Caleb Williams (four) and New England’s Drake Maye (one), rookie quarterbacks have combined for 16 wins this season, the second-most by rookie quarterbacks in the first eight weeks of a season since 1950, trailing only 2012 (17).
Three Week 9 matchups can feature top-10 selections from the 2024 NFL Draft facing off:
Chicago [Caleb Williams (No. 1 overall) and Rome Odunze (No. 9)] at Arizona (Marvin Harrison Jr. (No 4)].
Washington [Jayden Daniels (No. 2)] at the New York Giants [Malik Nabers (No. 6)].
New England [Drake Maye (No. 3)] at Tennessee [JC Latham (No. 7)].
Denver Broncos (5-3) at Baltimore Ravens (5-3) (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
The Ravens enter Week 9 with the AFC’s top offense (30.3 points per game) while the Broncos rank third in the NFL in scoring defense (15 points per game allowed). It marks the first meeting between a team averaging 30-or-more points per game and a team allowing 15-or-fewer points per game in Week 9 or later since the Ravens (35.1 points per game) faced off against San Francisco (14.8 points per game allowed) on Dec. 1, 2019.
In Week 8, Bo Nix became the first Broncos rookie quarterback to win five games and with four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and a 124.2 passer rating, became the fourth rookie quarterback with at least three touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown and a passer rating of 120-or-higher in a game since 2000, joining Justin Herbert (Jan. 3, 2021), Cam Newton (Dec. 24, 2011) and Deshaun Watson (Oct. 1, 2017).
Baltimore enters Week 9 as one of four teams in NFL history to score at least 20 points and record at least 375 total yards in each of their first eight games of a season, joining the 2013 Denver Broncos, 2007 New England Patriots and 2000 St. Louis Rams.
Last week, Lamar Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 500 rushing yards in seven consecutive seasons, while Derrick Henry became the first player ever with a touchdown in each of his first eight games with a team.
The Commanders, with Jayden Daniels, became the fourth team since 1950 to win six of their first eight games of a season with a rookie starting quarterback, joining the 2016 Dallas Cowboys, 2011 Cincinnati Bengals and 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers. Last week, Daniels found wide receiver Noah Brown for a 52-yard game-winning touchdown pass as time expired, becoming the second rookie quarterback since 1970 to record a 50-yard game-winning touchdown pass as time expired, joining Cleveland's Tim Couch in Week 8 of the 1999 season (56-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Johnson).
The Giants lead the NFL with 35 sacks this season, the most by a team in its first eight games since the 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars (35 sacks). On Sunday, they can become the fifth team in the past 20 seasons (2005-24) with at least four sacks in five consecutive games, joining the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles, 2015 Denver Broncos, 2014 Buffalo Bills and 2008 Dallas Cowboys.
Chicago rookie quarterback Caleb Williams can become the second quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft to win five of his first eight career starts, joining Andrew Luck.
Arizona has won three of its past four games, with each win secured by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. Kicker Chad Ryland became the first kicker since Daniel Carlson (with Las Vegas in 2021) to record three game-winning field goals in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime in a four-game span.
Division leaders with six wins in action
In addition to the NFC East-leading Washington Commanders (6-2), the Houston Texans (6-2) lead the AFC South and the Buffalo Bills (6-2) lead the AFC East, while the Detroit Lions (6-1) and Green Bay Packers (6-2) sit atop the NFC North ahead of their Week 9 matchup.
Since being named the Bills head coach in 2017, Sean McDermott has won 79 regular-season games and with a win on Sunday, can become the 13th head coach all-time to win 80 regular-season games in his first eight seasons. With nine games remaining this season, he has a chance to surpass Mike Holmgren (84) for the second-most regular-season wins by a head coach in his first eight seasons, trailing only George Seifert (98).
The Lions have scored 172 points in their past four games (Weeks 4, 6-8), the most points by a team in a four-game span since the 2019 Baltimore Ravens (172 points from Weeks 9-12).
Last week, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff became the third player in NFL history with a passer rating of 125-or-higher in four consecutive games (minimum 15 attempts per game), joining Russell Wilson (five straight games in 2015) and Ryan Tannehill (four in 2019).
Goff can become the fourth quarterback since 2000 with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 110-or-higher in six consecutive games, joining Aaron Rodgers (11 straight games in 2011), Tom Brady (six in 2010) and Patrick Mahomes (six in 2018).
Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney had his league-leading sixth interception last week and became the fifth player since 2000 with an interception in six of his team’s first eight games of a season, joining Corey Chavous (2003 with Minnesota), Trevon Diggs (2021 with Dallas), Doug Evans (2001 with Carolina) and Brian Russell (2003 with Minnesota).
Joseph Santoliquito can be followed on "X" (formerly Twitter) @JSantoliquito.
The Maxwell Football Club has honored excellence at all levels of football since 1935 and the Club's outreach programs provide educational opportunities for student-athletes and coaches. With members in over 40 states the Maxwell Football Club is one of the largest football organizations in America. Become a member by visiting maxwellfootballclub.org.
CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is member of the Maxwell Football Club.
There have been 58 games decided by seven-or-fewer points this season, the most through Week 7 of a season in NFL history. Seven teams have had five-or-more games decided by seven-or-fewer points: Indianapolis (seven), Baltimore (five), Cincinnati (five), Cleveland (five), Green Bay (five), Houston (five) and the Los Angeles Rams (five). The Colts are one of four teams to have each of their first seven games of a season decided by seven-or-fewer points since 2000, along with the 2019 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Detroit Lions and 2008 Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Kansas City Chiefs (6-0) are the last remaining undefeated team and with a win at Las Vegas (2-5) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), can become the seventh reigning Super Bowl champions to win each of their first seven games, joining the 2015 and 2019 New England Patriots, 2011 Green Bay Packers, 2007 Indianapolis Colts, 1998 Denver Broncos and 1990 San Francisco 49ers.
Since making his first career start in the regular-season finale of the 2017 season, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a .792 winning percentage [95-25 (80-22 in regular season, 15-3 in postseason)] as a starting quarterback in his first eight NFL seasons. With his next win, Mahomes will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (80 wins) and Ben Roethlisberger (80) for the third-most wins by a starting quarterback in his first eight seasons in NFL history. Only Tom Brady (86 wins) and Russell Wilson (86) have more.
With his next win, Mahomes will surpass Russell Wilson (95 wins) for the second-most wins, including the postseason, by a starting quarterback in his first eight seasons in NFL history. Only Tom Brady (100 wins) has more. With a win on Sunday, Mahomes can become the third quarterback ever to record three career winning streaks of 12-or-more games, including the postseason, joining Tom Brady (five such streaks) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (three).
In six career starts at Las Vegas/Oakland, Mahomes is 6-0 with 1,992 passing yards (332 per game) and 18 touchdown passes against one interception for a 119.4 rating, registering a passer rating of 100-or-higher in each contest.
Kansas City enters Week 8 with a 12-game winning streak, including the postseason, with its last loss coming in Week 16 against Las Vegas last season. In that contest, Raiders running back Zamir White rushed for 145 yards and Las Vegas registered two first-half defensive touchdowns to defeat the Chiefs, 20-14, in Kansas City.
Las Vegas rookie tight end Brock Bowers leads all tight ends with 47 receptions and 477 receiving yards this season and is coming off a 10-reception, 93-yard performance in Week 7. Bowers can become the first rookie tight end in NFL history with five games of eight-or-more receptions and the third rookie tight end ever with four games of 90-or-more receiving yards, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka (six games in 1961) and Charle Young (four in 1973).
The Detroit Lions (5-1) enter Week 8 atop the NFC North and with a win against Tennessee (1-5) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), can win six of their first seven games of a season for the first time since 1956.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff ranks second in the NFL with a 111.5 passer rating this season and in his past three contests (Weeks 4, 6 and 7), became the fourth quarterback in NFL history with a passer rating of 140-or-higher in three consecutive games, joining Aaron Rodgers (Weeks 7-10, 2011), as well as Pro Football Hall of Famers Roger Staubach (Weeks 11-13, 1971) and Kurt Warner (Weeks 3-5, 1999).
Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown recorded eight receptions for 112 yards and one touchdown last week and has a touchdown catch in four consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
St. Brown has 354 receptions for 3,989 yards and 25 touchdowns since entering the NFL in 2021 and with 11 receiving yards, can become the fourth player in NFL history with at least 350 receptions, 4,000 receiving yards and 25 touchdown receptions in his first four seasons, joining Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Thomas.
Lions defensive back Brian Branch has 11 passes defensed in five games this season, becoming the first player since 2011 (Brandon Browner) to record multiple passes defensed in five consecutive games.
In his first 20 career games, Branch has 24 passes defensed and seven interceptions. The only players with more passes defensed and interceptions than Branch in their first 20 games since 2000 are Marcus Peters (34 passes defensed, 12 interceptions) and Trevon Diggs (26 passes defensed, 10 interceptions).
The Baltimore Ravens (5-2) visit the Cleveland Browns (1-6) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) and enter Week 8 with the league’s top offense, averaging 31.1 points and 461.4 yards per game. The Ravens, who had 41 points at Cincinnati in Week 5 and 41 points at Tampa Bay in Week 7, can become the first team in the Super Bowl era and the second team in NFL history to score 40-or-more points in three consecutive road games, joining the 1961 Houston Oilers.
Baltimore leads the NFL with 1,476 rushing yards, tied with the 2006 Atlanta Falcons for the fourth-most rushing yards by a team in its first seven games of a season since 1970. The 1975 Buffalo Bills have the most rushing yards by a team in its first eight games of a season since 1970, with 1,716.
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson passed for 281 yards and five touchdowns with a 158.1 rating and added 52 rushing yards in Week 7. There have been five games in NFL history in which a player has recorded at least five touchdown passes and 50 rushing yards – Jackson has three of them. With his Week 7 performance, Jackson became the fourth quarterback in NFL history with five games of five-or-more touchdown passes in his first seven seasons, joining Patrick Mahomes (six) and Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning (six) and Dan Marino (five).
Jackson who has 455 rushing yards this season, can become the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 500 rushing yards in seven consecutive seasons and the second quarterback ever with at least 500 rushing yards in seven career seasons, joining Cam Newton (seven).
Ravens running back Derrick Henry rushed for 169 yards and added a 13-yard touchdown reception in Week 7. It marked Henry’s 16th career game with 150 rushing yards and a scrimmage touchdown, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famers Barry Sanders (16 games) and LaDainian Tomlinson (16) for the third-most such games in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers Jim Brown (21 games) and Walter Payton (17) have more.
Henry leads the league with 873 rushing yards, the most rushing yards by a player in his team’s first seven games of a season since DeMarco Murray (913 rushing yards in 2014) and the second-most rushing yards by a running back over the age of 30 in his team’s first seven games of a season in NFL history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Walter Payton (875 rushing yards in 1984).
Henry, who leads the NFL with 935 scrimmage yards and 10 scrimmage touchdowns, can join Priest Holmes (1,079 scrimmage yards and 15 scrimmage touchdowns in 2004) as the only players over the age of 30 with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards and 10 scrimmage touchdowns in his team’s first eight games of a season in NFL history.
Between Washington’s Jayden Daniels (five wins), Denver’s Bo Nix (four) and Chicago’s Caleb Williams (four), rookie quarterbacks have combined for 13 wins this season, tied with 1987 (13 combined wins) for the second-most by rookie quarterbacks in the first seven weeks of a season in NFL history, trailing only 2012 (14).
In NFL history, there have only been two previous seasons in which three rookie quarterbacks each had five-or-more wins: 2012 (Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Weeden and Russell Wilson) and 2018 (Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield).
The Chicago Bears (4-2) visit the Washington Commanders (5-2) on Sunday afternoon (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS) and should Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Daniels, the No. 2 selection, both start, it would mark the sixth time in NFL history that the top two selections in the NFL Draft will meet as starting quarterbacks in their rookie season.
The previous games to feature rookie starting quarterbacks that were selected No. 1 and No. 2 overall in the NFL Draft: Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud (Week 8, 2023), Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson (Week 16, 2021), Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota (Week 1, 2015), Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf (Week 5, 1998) as well as Drew Bledsoe and Rick Mirer (Week 3, 1993).
The AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills (5-2) visit the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks (4-3) on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX). Bills quarterback Josh Allen has a 21-6 record and 75 touchdowns (53 passing, 22 rushing) in 27 career games against the NFC. In his last game against Seattle, he recorded 415 passing yards and four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing).
Seattle quarterback Geno Smith leads the NFL with 1,985 passing yards while running back Kenneth Walker has seven touchdowns (six rushing, one receiving) in five games this season. Walker can become the third running back in the past 15 seasons (2010-24) with nine-or-more scrimmage touchdowns in each of his first three career seasons, joining Ezekiel Elliott and Jeremy Hill.
Of the five divisional matchups on the Week 8 schedule, two feature games between clubs entering the week above .500 – the Indianapolis Colts (4-3) at the Houston Texans (5-2) and the Atlanta Falcons (4-3) at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3). Both divisional games conclude the regular-season matchups between the two clubs – Houston defeated Indianapolis, 29-27, on Kickoff Weekend, while Atlanta defeated Tampa Bay, 36-30, in overtime in Week 5.
Indianapolis has won four of their past five games after beginning the season 0-2. In the past 10 seasons (2014-23), nine teams have qualified for the postseason after starting 0-2, including Houston last year. They are one of five teams to hold opponents to 17-or-fewer points in at least four games this season, along with the Los Angeles Chargers (five), Pittsburgh (five), Denver (four) and Minnesota (four).
Houston has won five consecutive AFC divisional games since Week 15 of the 2023 season and is looking to win six consecutive games against AFC South opponents for the second time in franchise history (10 consecutive wins from 2015-16).
Texans running back Joe Mixon has at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in three of his four games this season and with another such performance on Sunday, can become the first player in NFL history with 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in four of his first five games with a team.
Atlanta is looking to win its first three road games of a season for the first time since 2016. Running back Bijan Robinson has 2,147 scrimmage yards (1,459 rushing, 688 receiving) in 24 career games Only four players in the past 10 years (2015-24) had at least 1,500 rushing yards and 700 receiving yards in their first 25 career games: Saquon Barkley, Dalvin Cook, Breece Hall and Kareem Hunt.
Tampa Bay safety Antoine Winfield Jr. recorded his first sack of the season last week and has 16 career sacks, surpassing Bill Bates (15.5 sacks) for the second-most sacks by a defensive back in his first five seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. Only Jamal Adams (21.5 sacks) has more. With his next sack this season, he can become the third defensive back with at least two sacks in each of his first five seasons since 1982, joining Adam Archuleta and Keith Bostic.
Joseph Santoliquito can be followed on "X" (formerly Twitter) @JSantoliquito.
The Maxwell Football Club has honored excellence at all levels of football since 1935 and the Club's outreach programs provide educational opportunities for student-athletes and coaches. With members in over 40 states the Maxwell Football Club is one of the largest football organizations in America. Become a member by visiting maxwellfootballclub.org.
CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is member of the Maxwell Football Club.