NFL Week 8 preview
EAGLES (3-4) AT BUFFALO (5-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox
OPENING LINE: Bills by 1
SERIES: Eagles, 7-6
LAST MEETING: Eagles, 23-20, 2015
EAGLES OFFENSE: OVERALL (23), RUSH (14), PASS (20). EAGLES DEFENSE: OVERALL (18), RUSH (6), PASS (27).
BILLS OFFENSE: OVERALL (17), RUSH (7), PASS (21).
BILLS DEFENSE: OVERALL (3), RUSH (10), PASS (4).
FANTASY TIP: Bills WR John Brown is must-start against Eagles secondary allowing an average 270.6 yards passing and 13 TDs passing overall. Brown, 17th in NFL with 473 yards receiving, has four or more catches and topped 50 yards in each of first six games.
ETC.: Eagles are 40-24-1 vs. AFC since 2003 . ... QB Carson Wentz has 1,209 yards passing, eight TDs and two picks in past four road games vs. AFC . ... Wentz has TD pass in 10 consecutive games, tied with Seattle’s Russell Wilson for NFL’s longest active streak. ... RB Jordan Howard had two rushing TDs in only career game vs. Bills with Chicago last Nov. 4 . ... RB Miles Sanders only rookie with at least 200 yards rushing and receiving . ... Since 2013, Zach Ertz leads NFL TEs with 472 receptions and is second with 5,231 yards receiving . ... DE Derek Barnett has sack in three of past four. ... Eagles are first in run defense since 2016, allowing 92.8 rushing
N.Y. GIANTS (2-5) AT DETROIT (2-3-1) Sunday, 1 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Lions by 7½ SERIES: Lions, 23-21-1
LAST MEETING: Lions, 24-10, 2017
FANTASY TIP: Golden Tate will be motivated to excel against team that traded him to the Eagles last season.
ETC.: Giants’ Daniel Jones has thrown one TD pass each of past four games and has seven INTs during span . ... Kevin Zeitler to start 80th straight game, first among active NFL guards . ... Matthew Stafford had 3-plus TD passes and 110-plus rating past two home games. ... Lions rookie RB Ty Johnson had career-high 57 yards from scrimmage last week.
CAROLINA (4-2) AT SAN FRANCISCO (6-0) Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
OPENING LINE: 49ers by 6 SERIES: Panthers, 13-8
LAST MEETING: Panthers, 23-3, 2017
FANTASY TIP: Panthers WR Curtis Samuel had rushing, receiving TD in previous game to go with 78 yards from scrimmage. ETC.: Carolina’s Kyle Allen first QB in Super Bowl era to win first five starts with no INTs. ... Panthers lead NFL with 27 sacks . ... Niners fifth team in Super Bowl era to start season 6-0 after winning fewer than five games previous season. Two of other four (1988 Bengals, 1999 Rams) reached Super Bowl.
CINCINNATI (0-7) VS. L.A. RAMS (4-3) AT LONDON Sunday, 1 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Rams by 11½ SERIES: Bengals, 8-5
LAST MEETING: Bengals, 31-7, 2015
FANTASY TIP: Todd Gurley and his offensive line have struggled, but just about everybody runs wild on Bengals.
ETC.: First-year Bengals coach Zac Taylor was Rams’ QB coach last season, and assistant receivers coach in 2017 . ... Rams LT Andrew Whitworth played first 11 NFL seasons with Bengals before signing with Rams in 2017. Won first career playoff game last season. Would become 12th player to earn victory as starter against all 32 NFL teams if Rams win in London.
HOUSTON (4-3) AT OAKLAND (3-3) Sunday, 4:25 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Texans by 6½ SERIES: Texans, 7-4.
LAST MEETING: Texans, 27-24, 2017
FANTASY TIP: Raiders’ Darren Waller is clearly Derek Carr’s top target. His 7.3 catches per game would be most for TE in season since Kellen Winslow’s 7.9 (1984). ETC.: Texans haven’t allowed 100-yard rusher in 23 straight regular-season games . ... Josh Jacobs first Raider with backto-back 120-yard rushing games since Justin Fargas in 2007. Only Raiders to do it three straight are Marcus Allen (four in 1975), Napoleon Kaufman (1997). yards per game . ... Bills 4-1 when tied or trailing in fourth quarter. ... Second-year QB Josh Allen 3-0 this season without second-half turnover and 7-0 overall in games he starts and finishes . ... Allen’s seven TDs passing three short of last season . ... RB Frank Gore 20 scrimmage yards shy of becoming fifth to top 19,000.
DENVER (2-5) AT INDIANAPOLIS (4-2) Sunday, 1 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Colts by 6½ SERIES: Broncos, 14-13
LAST MEETING: Broncos, 2513, 2017
FANTASY TIP: Adam Vinatieri struggled early this season but has only missed one kick since Week 2.
ETC.: Broncos Joe Flacco needs 107 yards passing to become 22nd quarterback with 40,000. ... Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman have combined for 752yards rushing — fourth in NFL among running back duos. ... Colts have allowed secondfewest sacks in league (seven). ... WR T.Y. Hilton’s next TD catch will tie Dallas Clark (46) for sixth in Colts history.
CLEVELAND (2-4) AT NEW ENGLAND (7-0) Sunday, 4:25 p.m., CBS OPENING LINE: Pats by 11½ SERIES: Browns, 13-11
LAST MEETING: Pats, 33-13, 2016
FANTASY TIP: Tom Brady has at least 400 yards passing and two TD passes each of past two meetings with Browns. ETC.: Browns lost six of past seven games against Patriots since 2001 . ... Browns QB Baker Mayfield leads league with 11 picks and has 25 in 19 NFL starts . ... Former Browns LB Jamie Collins (2016-18) having strong return with Patriots, with 4½ sacks, fumble return for TD . ... Patriots can improve to 8-0 for third time.
NEW YORK JETS (1-5) AT JACKSONVILLE (3-4) Sunday, 1 p.m.
OPENING LINE: Jags by 5 SERIES: Jags, 7-6
LAST MEETING: Jags, 31-12, 2018
FANTASY TIP: Jags PK Josh Lambo has become a safe pick. He’s made 20 consecutive fieldgoal attempts, including 18 in a row this season.
ETC.: Jets RB Le’Veon Bell, averaging career-low 3.3 yards a carry. He has at least 90 yards from scrimmage in nine consecutive games against AFC South teams . ... Jets rookie DT Quinnen Williams and Jags rookie LB Quincy Williams are brothers. The Birmingham, Ala., natives have more than 60 friends and family members coming.
GREEN BAY (6-1) AT KANSAS CITY (5-2) Sunday, 8:20 p.m., NBC OPENING LINE: Packers by 1 SERIES: Chiefs, 7-4-1
LAST MEETING: Packers, 3828, 2015
FANTASY TIP: Don’t sit WRs Tyreek Hill or Sammy Watkins (if he plays) just because Matt Moore is replacing injured QB Patrick Mahomes for Chiefs. Chiefs may be forced to throw often to keep pace.
ETC.: Chiefs coach Andy Reid was an assistant in Green Bay. Reid 5-5 against Packers . ... Green Bay is 15-3 against AFC West since 2002 . ... Packers RB Aaron Jones tied with Vikings’ Dalvin Cook for NFL lead in TD runs (eight).