NFL 2024-25: Week 8

The Game Room
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After 7 weeks, there is just one undefeated team. The Chiefs improved to 6-0 by beating the Niners in a game in which Patrick Mahomes had two interceptions and no touchdowns. Meanwhile, the previously unbeaten Vikings fell to the Lions on a last-minute field goal; both teams are now 5-1 in the highly competitive NFC North. The Pack defeated the Texans also on a late field goal in a game that featured seven lead changes. The Commanders continued to roll, while Russell Wilson, in his first start as a Steeler, led Pittsburgh to a win over Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. On MNF, Lamar Jackson threw five TD passes as the Ravens defeated Tampa Bay.

This week, the Bucs host the Falcons in a battle for the lead in the NFC South, while the Colts and Texans do the same in the AFC South. Buffalo travels to Seattle in a battle of division leaders, and the Bears are favored on the road at Washington. KC tries to stay unbeaten in Vegas, while the Sunday night game features two teams in desperate need of a win when the Cowboys visit San Francisco. For some reason, there are no teams with a bye this week.

This week’s games. All spreads taken from ESPNBet on Tuesday, October 22 at 9:45 am CT.

Thursday Night:

Vikings @ Rams (+3)

Sunday early:

Eagles @ Bengals (-2.5)
Ravens @ Browns (+10.5)
Titans @ Lions (-11)
Cardinals @ Dolphins (-3)
Jets @ Patriots (+7.5)
Falcons @ Buccaneers (+2.5)
Packers @ Jaguars (+4.5)
Colts @ Texans (-6)

Sunday late:

Saints @ Chargers (-7.5)
Bills @ Seahawks (+3)
Panthers @ Broncos (-7.5)
Bears @ Commanders (+3)
Chiefs @ Raiders (+10)

Sunday night:

Cowboys @ 49ers (-5.5)

Monday night:

Giants @ Steelers (-6)

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Omg. Ravens-Browns. I am rooting against my home team.

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Well, technically, no passing touchdowns. But one rushing TD. But yeah, he had a bad day by Patrick Mahomes standards.

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As was alluded to in the Week 7 thread, there were some notable injuries last weekend.

DeShaun Watson tore his Achilles and is out for the season. His replacement, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, injured his finger later in the game, forcing the Browns to use their emergency quarterback, Jameis Winston.

Jaylen Watson, Chiefs cornerback, suffered an ankle fracture and is likely done for the season.

Aidan O’Connell, Raiders quarterback, fractured his thumb and is out for at least four weeks.

Tyler Huntley, who was the Dolphins third starting quarterback after injuries to Tua Tagovailoa and Skylar Thompson, left the game with a shoulder injury. Tim Boyle replaced him in the third quarter.

Brandon Aiyuk, Niners wide receiver, suffered a torn MCL and ACL and is done for the season.

Jayden Daniels, Commanders quarterback, left the game with a rib injury. The Commanders are “hopeful” Daniels will be able to play Sunday against the Bears.

DK Metcalf, Seahawks wide receiver, left the game with a knee injury but is expected to play next Sunday.

Mike Evans, wide receiver for Tampa Bay, suffered a hamstring injury last night and left the game. He is undergoing an MRI today.

Chris Godwin, wide receiver for Tampa Bay, dislocated an ankle last night and is done for the season.

The hits just keep on coming.

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Weird. Apparently nobody had a bye week 8 last year either. Maybe it’s a thing now. I enjoyed this article about it:

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And sadly I think that’s a wrap on the Giants. All-Pro LT Andrew Thomas had season-ending foot surgery last week. Without him, the Giants looked like hot garbage against the Eagles. It was a clown show.

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On one of the last plays of the game, which was mathematically over (10 point margin, on their own 20, no time outs and about 1 minute left). Right after the announcers basically said “TB should pull their starters and get out of this game as healthy as possible”. Terrible coaching, there.

Oh, and apparently it might have been a hip-drop tackle and is under review by the NFL.

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Last night put a major damper on the Bucs as well. Mike Evans is having an excellent season; if he’s out for a while, that’s a major loss. Particularly since Chris Godwin is done for the year.

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I also wonder about their decision to play Evans. After his TD, the announcers were saying he was nursing a hamstring injury and commented that he was limping on his way to the sideline. It was questionable to play him at all, but keeping him in after that was idiotic.

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In another case of questionable decisionmaking…

Tua Taglivoa to return to play Sunday, will not wear the guardian cap:

Defiant Tua Tagovailoa on returning from multiple concussions: ‘I’m willing to play the odds’ - Yahoo Sports

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Sometimes, a team is just snakebit. When your healthiest receiver is a guy who was shot just a couple months ago, you might just have to sit back, laugh, and just accept it might not be your year.

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It’ll be interesting what they decide here.

Here’s the All-22 angle that shows the tackle (not super gruesome) and it definitely has some elements of a hip drop and Roquan’s bodyweight is what caused the injury, but it wasn’t really the typical pursuit from behind/drop on the back of the legs type tackle that is normally thought of. At the end of the day, I don’t think this is a hip drop so much as a player playing fast and maybe a little out of control. That said, there’s no reason why Roquan should have left his feet here.

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I saw the Bucs/Ravens game and Derrick Henry is still a force of nature. Holy freaking crap. He’s a Madden cheat code in real life.

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Rams handed the Viking their second straight defeat last night, 30-20.

But it certainly wasn’t without controversy. With the score 28-20, the Vikes got the ball at their own 5. After an incompletion, QB Sam Darnold was sacked in the end zone for a safety. But the refs completely missed a facemask foul on the Rams defender. Even he (the defender) knew that he screwed up.

San Darnold controversial non-facemask penalty in Vikings-Rams, explained by the officials (msn.com)

If you haven’t blocked xitter, you can see it here. The ref was literally five feet away from the play.

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Oof, that’s even egregious. Chalk yet another one up to borderline competent refs.

Now I want to know order of operations on how the penalty would apply. I’m pretty sure ball carrier is still down in the end zone. So it would be a safety, but 15 yards forward for the ensuing free kick?

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From your article:

“Well, on that play, the quarterback was facing the opposite direction from me so I did not have good look at it,” began Blake. “I did not have a look, and I did not see the facemask being pulled, obviously. The umpire had players between him and the quarterback, so he did not get a good look at it. He was blocked out as well. So that was the thing, we did not see it so we couldn’t call it. We couldn’t see it.”

That’s a lie proven by video evidence. Maybe they didn’t see it, but “couldn’t” see it? That’s BS. You can see from the video that the ref immediately behind the QB can see the head being pulled around toward him. The only explanation is that he wasn’t paying attention, and as an official that’s your entire job. Hopefully there’s some kind of discipline from this gross incompetence.

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No, in this case, the accepted penalty negates the results of the play in which it occurred. A face-mask penalty is 15 yards and an automatic first down. Vikings ball, first and ten from their own 20 yard line.

Now, had the QB been able to escape the face mask and complete a pass, the penalty would have been enforced from the result of the play.

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Yeah, on any given Sunday you’ll have multiple sacks in games that are turned into a gain by the offense when that sack is deemed to be roughing the passer.

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Yes, and I modified my post slightly. Roughing the passer can also occur after the ball is released. If the pass is completed, the penalty is added to the gain (if any) of the play.

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Absolutely, and when that happens I usually call that, “Adding insult to injury.” :laughing: