Looking at NFL’s Week 8 slate, there are a lot of important games on the docket. Games that will dictate whether certain teams go into the second half of the season with an opportunity to make a playoff push or on the outside looking in and just playing out the string.
The two-win New Orleans Saints must find a way to defeat a Green Bay Packers team that has won four in a row and is playing outstanding football. If not, Drew Brees and Co. might as well just pack it up for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks travel to Carolina to face a Panthers team in what has to be considered a matchup between two struggling squads.
In Cincinnati, Marvin Lewis’ Bengals are in the midst of a three-game winless streak and face the real possibility of falling far behind the division-leading Baltimore Ravens. That matchup is going to be a two-game swing in either direction and is rather huge in the AFC North moving forward this year.
As we have done throughout the season, it is time to check in on the top storyline for each game on this week’s NFL schedule.
San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos: San Diego’s Depleted Secondary
Courtesy of Time.com: Manning has the opportunity to face another depleted defense Thursday night.
With Brandon Flowers out and rookie Jason Verrett unlikely to play Thursday night, the Chargers are going to be in a rather precarious position against Peyton Manning and Co. If Verrett does sit out, as expected, safety Marcus Gilchrist will have to play the slot. And without the services of Flowers, Shareece Wright and Richard Marshall will be starting on the outside.
That’s not a recipe for success going up against an offense that completely humiliated a depleted San Francisco 49ers defense less than a week ago. If San Diego wants to head into Week 9 tied for first place and not two games behind the Broncos, it is going to need to send the heat Manning’s way. That’s the only way Mike McCoy’s team goes into Denver and pulls out a win.
Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons: Can Mike Smith and Co. Salvage the Season?
The Falcons may be 2-5 on the season, but they are just one game out of first place in the NFC South. While that might tell us a story of just how bad this division is, it also means that Atlanta still has a chance to remain in contention heading into the second half of the season. Now losers of four in a row, Mike Smith’s squad must get off the snide across the pond against a Lions team that has won four of its last five games.
In order for that to happen, Atlanta’s offensive line must do better in pass protection. Key injuries to Sam Baker and others aside, it’s just not acceptable to see Ryan under pressure on a consistent basis throughout the game. That only promises to be magnified Sunday against a Lions team that has racked up 21 sacks in seven games and ranks first overall in total defense entering Week 8.
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets: Bills Look to Move Two Games Above .500
The last time Buffalo was two games over .500 this late in the season was in 2008. It ended up losing eight of its last 10 games to finish under .500 on the season. Let’s hope for the Bills’ sake that history only repeats itself once here, as they take on a Jets team that is in desperation mode following six consecutive losses.
And just one game behind New England in the AFC East, the Bills are in prime position to remain in the division race for the long haul this season. That was made possible by a late-game comeback against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. While no one can take Buffalo seriously as contenders at this point, it could make a statement with a convincing win against a bad Jets team.
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals: Home Team Looks to Snap Winless Streak
Courtesy of USA Today: Cincinnati must find a way to get back in the win column.
Cincinnati is currently in its worst stretch since losing four in a row back in 2012. Without the services of star wide receiver A.J. Green last week against Indianapolis, the Bengals were shutout for the first time since J.T. O’Sullivan took snaps under in the 2009 season finale. Needless to say, this team needs to rebound in a big way Sunday against the division-leading Ravens. The good news here is that Green is expected to go, which should help Andy Dalton and the passing game a great deal. A loss here, and Cincinnati is three games out in the win column. A win and its right back in the AFC North race. Yeah, it’s a rather big game for Marvin Lewis’ squad.
Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers: Two Struggling Football Teams
Seattle is in the midst of a two-game losing streak and will have to travel to Carolina to take on a Panthers team that’s won one game since mid September. As these two struggling teams prepare for an important game, there is a certain backdrop to the on-field play of the Seahawks. On the heels of the Percy Harvin trade, Seattle went into St. Louis and laid an egg against a last place Rams team. This performance came at the worst possible time, as the media has now started to turn its attention to what might be plaguing the Seahawks off the field. In order for the team to remain in the NFC West race and avoid falling to under .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2011, they need to defeat Cam Newton and the Panthers.
As it relates to the Panthers, they have won just one of their last five games and are yielding a whopping 34.8 points per game during that span. This type of lackluster defense isn’t going to fly against Russell Wilson, who is playing some tremendous football. Something has to give in this one, and one of these teams is going to enter the second half of the season with a ton of question marks.
Chicago Bears at New England Patriots: How Will Chicago Respond After Difficult Week?
You have read the reports. You’ve heard the statements from some Bears players. It’s rather obvious Chicago’s locker room is frustrated after dropping three of its last four. Not only is Jay Cutler playing some bad football (six touchdowns and five interceptions last four games), Chicago’s rushing attack has netted 85 or fewer yards in all but two games this season. The team simply needs to find some balance on offense in order for Cutler to succeed through the air. A loss here to the Patriots, and Chicago could fall three games behind Detroit in the loss column. It’s going to be tough sledding against the league’s top-ranked passing defense.
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans: Zach Mettenberger’s First NFL Start
Courtesy of Nola.com: Mettenberger will get his first NFL start on Sunday.
Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean reported late Wednesday night that Mettenberger, a sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft, will make his first NFL start. He replaces Charlie Whitehurst, who was called upon to replace an injured Jake Locker, who is seemingly healthy and ready to go in this one. Do you need a less convoluted explanation? Summed up, Locker’s Titans career is likely over, as the team turns to its third starting quarterback in eight games.
Mettenberger is seen as a talented project who might not necessarily be ready to play at this stage in his career. While he did perform well in the preseason, it must be noted that this was against backups…not the likes of J.J. Watt. And that’s potentially where some may question Ken Whisenhunt’s decision to start the rookie. Watt is arguably the best player in the NFL right now and will eat Mettenberger alive in the Titans backfield. Why not wait until after the team’s Week 9 bye to throw the LSU product out there. Either way, don’t expect much from Mettenberger in this one.
Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars: Dolphins Look to Remain in AFC East Race
The Dolphins are only one game behind New England in the loss column. They have a relatively easy (if that’s possible in the NFL) matchup against a one-win Jaguars team after knocking the snot out of the Bears at Soldier Field last week. Everything seems to be lining up for Miami to remain competitive for a playoff spot late into the season.
If this sounds like my own version of Groundhog Day, don’t worry you’re not alone. Every single time the Dolphins look like they are going to take that next step towards contention, their inconsistency shows up on the football field.
That simply cannot happen against an inferior team on Sunday. Coming off arguably the best performance of his young career, Ryan Tannehill needs to be the first step towards a more consistent offense. If he can pick up where he left off last week, the Dolphins will find themselves with a 4-3 record heading into an important Week 9 matchup with the San Diego Chargers.
St. Louis Rams at Kansas City Chiefs: Austin Davis’ Progression
The focus here could be on whether Kansas City is prepared to stay in contention in what has increasingly become a top-heavy AFC West. But let’s face reality here. If the Chiefs cannot defeat a last-place Rams team at home, they don’t really belong in any playoff conversation.
Instead, let’s check in on young Rams’ quarterback Austin Davis, who is coming off an impressive 18-of-21 performance in an upset win over the Seattle Seahawks last week. It was the first time that Davis was able to put together four complete quarters of outstanding football. And now five starts into his NFL career, the former undrafted rookie from Southern Missisippi is looking to prove that he can be the Rams’ quarterback of the future. A solid performance at Arrowhead would go a long way in helping general manager Les Snead feel more comfortable with that prospect.
Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Teddy Bridgewater Looks to Bounce Back
Courtesy of Vikings.com: Bridgewater and the Vikings needs to rebound.
After performing extremely well in his NFL starting debut against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4, Bridgewater has struggled since coming back from an ankle injury. Over the course of his last two games, the rookie has tallied one touchdown compared to five interceptions. He’s also been sacked 13 times during that span.
In order for Bridgewater to progress down the stretch this season, left tackle Matt Kalil is going to have to play much better football. He’s consistently found himself beat throughout the season, allowing a whopping eight sacks through seven games. If Kalil doesn’t get his act together at left tackle, the chances that Bridgewater improves are remote. At 2-5, it’s now all about giving the rookie everything he needs to perform well in these final nine games.
Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals: Battle of One-Loss Teams
This is a relatively big game for the Cardinals. A win here and they will be at least two games up in the NFC West heading into the second half of the season. If Arizona falls at home to the Eagles, they will enter the second half with just a one game lead over the San Francisco 49ers, who are idle this week.
The good news here is that Arizona is 9-2 at home under head coach Bruce Arians with losses against the Seattle Seahawks and 49ers. The key here will be getting pressure on Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, who has been sacked just seven times in six games. With Lane Johnson now back at right tackle and performing at a high level, that’s going to be a difficult task.
For the Eagles, it is all about remaining atop the NFC East with a Cowboys team that has won six in a row and boasts the best record in football. Coming out of a bye, Philadelphia should be in a good position to play a solid game on the road here. With that said, it needs to get some production from LeSean McCoy against the league’s top-ranked run defense. If that doesn’t happen, the Eagles will be on trouble offensively. Either way you put it, this is the best game on the schedule in Week 8.
Oakland Raiders at Cleveland Browns: Must Win for the Home Team
Cleveland in the midst of a three-game stretch against opponents who have a combined two wins on the season. It started this stretch with a humiliating 24-6 loss against the previously winless Jacksonville Jaguars last week. Among the biggest concerns for the Browns is the play of Brian Hoyer, who has completed just over 40 percent of his passes over the past two weeks. He struggled big time against a bad Jaguars pass defense, which should be cause for alarm. If the Browns fall victim to a winless Raiders team at home on Sunday, they can pretty much say goodbye to any hopes of contending in the AFC North moving forward this year. For all intents and purposes, this is a must-win game for Hoyer and head coach Mike Pettine.
Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers: Colts Winning Streak on the Line
Courtesy of ESPN.com: Luck and Co. look to continue their hot streak.
Indianapolis has now won five consecutive games by an average of 18 points per outing. After completely dominating the Cincinnati Bengals last week, Andrew Luck and Co. look to take care of another difficult AFC North opponent on the road here. Since starting out the season with five touchdowns and three interceptions in his first three starts, the former No. 1 overall pick has tallied 14 touchdowns in his last four games. He currently leads the NFL in pass attempts, completions, passing yards and touchdowns.
In order for the Colts to continue this impressive streak, Luck will have to get some help in the ground game against a Steelers defense that ranks in the bottom half of the NFL against the run and has yielded an average of 145 yard on the ground over the past two games. This is where Ahmad Bradshaw and Trent Richardson come into play. They have combined for nearly 1,100 total yards in the first seven games. Despite all the criticism Indianapolis’ running game has received, that’s pretty darn impressive.
Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints: Aaron Rodgers and Co. Look to Stay Hot
After losing two of their first three games, Green Bay has won four in a row. And to be honest, it’s been incredibly impressive. They have outscored their opponents by nearly 20 points per game during this winning streak. For his part, Rodgers looks to have returned to 2012 form. He has put up 13 touchdowns with ZERO interceptions for a 139.4 quarterback rating over these last four games. Yeah, that’s pretty good.
Now taking on a Saints team that has lost four of its first six games and ranks 28th in the NFL in pass defense, Rodgers should find himself in a good position to lead the Packers to a fifth consecutive win. It’s all about continuing that momentum.
For the Saints, they simply need to get a win against a good football team. Their only two wins this season have come against the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who possess a combined 3-10 record.
Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys: Home Team Looking for its Longest Winning Streak in 31 Years
Courtesy of USA Today: Romo is attempting to accomplish a feat even Troy Aikman didn’t.
Let’s be honest here for a second. This is not going to be a good homecoming for new Redskins starting quarterback Colt McCoy, who played his football in Austin, Texas. The veteran backup simply doesn’t have the ability to push the ball down field, which will cause issues for Alfred Morris in the running game.
If you look at these two squads on paper, there is no reason to believe that Washington will be able to hang with a Cowboys team that has won six consecutive games. But you would also be making a mistake if you didn’t look into the fact that this is a rivalry game between two teams who usually play one another pretty close.
With a win here, the Cowboys would have their seventh consecutive win. That would be the longest streak for the franchise since Tom Landry’s 1983 squad.
Photo: Fox Sports