WEEK 8 PREVIEW
Vikings (5-2) at Browns (0-7)
TV: Sunday, 9:30 a.m., from Twickenham Stadium, London, NFL Network (Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl)
The matchup: The Vikings are overcoming injuries well, their offensive line continues to show improvement and the defense is strong. RB Latavius Murray took his first turn leading the Vikings’ improved run game vs. the Ravens with his best showing since he was an Oakland Raider (18 carries, 113 yards, TD). The Browns are inexperienced behind center, whether it’s DeShone Kizer, Kevin Kessler or Kevin Hogan taking snaps. Minnesota’s pass rush and multiple coverage looks can rattle quarterbacks lacking poise and playmakers. Cleveland has started 21 quarterbacks since T Joe Thomas’ ( now injured and out for the year) ironman streak began in 2007, the most over that span. Cleveland is 0-7 for the second consecutive season, and the pressure intensifies on coach Hue Jackson, now 1-22.
Raiders (3-4) at Bills (4-2)
TV: Sunday, 1, CBS (Andrew Catalon, James Lofton)
The matchup: The Raiders’ come-from-behind 31-30 win over the Chiefs ended a fourgame losing streak and a twogame skid at home. QB Derek Carr, back after missing one game (back), passed for 417 yards and three TDs, threw no picks and wasn’t sacked. RB Marshawn Lynch was ejected and suspended for a game for leaving the bench area to enter a skirmish and making contact with an official. He has appealed the suspension. Bills QB Tyrod Taylor has played well despite questions about his value to the offense, throwing two TDs in a 30-27 win vs. Tampa Bay. The Raiders D must focus on Bills RB LeSean McCoy while hoping Taylor doesn’t hurt them with his arm and legs. Raiders WR Amari Cooper ended a prolonged slump with 11 catches for 210 yards and two TDs vs. the Chiefs.
Colts (2-5) at Bengals (2-4)
TV: Sunday, 1, CBS, (Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta)
The matchup: The Colts have been bad and during a blowout home loss last week lost promising rookie S Malik Hooker (torn ACL). It’s looking less likely QB Andrew Luck will return this season, and there’s plenty of evidence the Colts will be picking near the top of the 2018 draft. While QB Jacoby Brissett is learning on the job and has shown some positives, the Colts have faltered late in games and coach Chuck Pagano’s future is tenuous at best. Conversely, the Bengals are playing much better than early in the season, last week’s loss to Pittsburgh notwithstanding. To contend for a playoff spot, rookie RB Joe Mixon needs more touches, QB Andy Dalton has to take better care of the ball and a receiver besides A.J. Green needs to step up. The Bengals are giving opposing quarterbacks fits, blitzing from all angles.
Chargers (3-4) at Patriots (5-2)
TV: Sunday, 1, CBS, (Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Evan Washburn)
The matchup: The Chargers continued their surge toward .500 by handing Denver its first shutout loss in 25 years. They sacked QB Trevor Siemian five times, forced three turnovers and limited Denver to 251 total yards. The Chargers benefited from Drew Kaser’s punting. He averaged 51.6 yards per kick and pinned three inside the 20. The Patriots continue to have pass protection issues, particularly LT Nate Solder, which plays into a Chargers strength. DE Joey Bosa and LB Melvin Ingram have combined for 16 of L.A.’s 23 sacks. Patriots RB James White remains a passing threat. His 2-yard TD catch from Tom Brady vs. the Falcons was the 10th scoring reception of his career, most by a running back since 2015.
Bears (3-4) at Saints (4-2)
TV: Sunday, 1, Fox, (Justin Kutcher, Chris Spielman, Jennifer Hale)
The matchup: Bears rookie S Eddie Jackson became the first NFL player to have two 75plus-yard defensive scores in the same game, helping the Bears upend Carolina 17-3 at Soldier Field. Offensively, the Bears are dismal. Rookie QB Mitchell Trubisky produced five first downs on 37 plays, and the offense was on the field for barely 21 minutes vs. the Panthers. Look for the Saints to put eight in the box against the run and make Trubisky beat them from the pocket. The Saints are most vulnerable against the pass (236.8 ypg). QB Drew Brees and a well-balanced offense still drive the train in New Orleans, which has won four in a row for the first time since 2013. Six of the Saints’ final 10 games come at home. October has been the Saints’ month. They’re
12-3 in October since the start of
2014, including 3-0 this season.
Falcons (3-3) at Jets (3-4)
TV: Sunday, 1, Fox, (Sam Rosen, Ronde Barber, Kristina Pink) The matchup: The Falcons’ high-octane offense that led the NFL in scoring last season and averaged 29 points through the first three games this season continued to sputter in a 23-7 loss to the Patriots in a dud of a Super Bowl rematch. Under new offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, the Falcons are averaging 13.7 points in their last three games, all losses. QB Matt Ryan has six picks and is on pace to throw 19 TD passes after tossing 38 a year ago. Jets CB Buster Skrine allowed two TDs and was penalized three times at Miami. Look for Ryan to test him early. The Jets would be wise to ride RBs Bilal Powell and Matt Forte (combined 165 yards from scrimmage vs. Miami). Atlanta needs to use RBs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman more. The Jets have been outscored 67-17 in the fourth quarter.
49ers (0-7) at Eagles (6-1)
TV: Sunday, 1, Fox, (Kenny Albert, Charles Davis, Pam Oliver)
The matchup: The 49ers are losing, but not badly. It looked as if they found the quarterback of the future in rookie C.J. Beathard, who led a comeback that came up just short vs. Washington. That was followed by a 40-10 destruction by Dallas, as Beathard was sacked five times and fumbled twice. Eagles second-year QB Carson Wentz continues to play like a veteran, throwing 4 TD passes in a 34-24 win vs. the Redskins on Monday, including one to TE Zach Ertz. The Eagles’ top receiver leads NFL tight ends in receptions (44), receiving yards (583) and TD catches (five). The Eagles have converted more than half of their third-down chances, thanks to Wentz, who has become perhaps the NFL’s best third-down QB.
Panthers (4-3) at Buccaneers (2-4)
TV: Sunday, 1, Fox, (Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, Laura Okmin)
The matchup: Panthers QB Cam Newton can’t escape the scrutiny surrounding his team’s wildly inconsistent season. Until the Panthers can establish a reliable running game and do a better job in pass protection, Newton will make questionable decisions. Yet the Bucs lack a consistent pass rush under coordinator Mike Smith and have only seven sacks this season. The Bucs seem to have reached the point of no return. Now 2-4 and in the NFC South cellar after a 30-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills, coach Dirk Koetter’s team has back-to-back divisional games vs. the Panthers and Saints. Bucs QB Jameis Winston showed no signs of being limited by his sprained shoulder, throwing for 384 yards with three TDs vs. Buffalo. The Bucs led the NFL in third-down defense last season but rank near the bottom this year at 49.4%.
Texans (3-3) at Seahawks (4-2)
TV: Sunday, 4:05, CBS, (Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon)
The matchup: The Texans, coming off a bye, will face NFC West opponents in three of their next four games. First stop: Seattle, where the Texans haven’t played since a 42-10 thumping in 2005. Rookie QB Deshaun Watson has given defenses fits, and if he can crack the Legion of Boom, his résumé for Rookie of the Year could get stronger. Seattle, which has won three in a row, had just one field goal in the first half of a 24-7 win vs. the Giants, and mounting frustrations led to a screaming fit from WR Doug Baldwin, who shoved offensive line coach Tom Cable. Baldwin later apologized. The Texans are most successful when their O-line opens lanes for the running game. At 4.4 yards per carry, the Texans rank among the league’s top 10, while Seattle’s defense is allowing 4.7 yards per carry, in the bottom 10. The Texans are third in the NFL with TDs in 65% of red-zone trips. The Seahawks are 23rd (47%).
Cowboys (3-3) at Redskins (3-3)
TV: Sunday, 4:25, Fox (Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews)
The matchup: Dallas is coming off by far its most impressive performance of the season, albeit vs. winless San Francisco. RB Ezekiel Elliott, who will play vs. the Redskins, was unstoppable, QB Dak Prescott unflappable, and with LB Sean Lee back from injury, the previously struggling defense unshakable, recording its first two takeaways since Week 2. The Redskins are a M*A*S*H unit, with major inju- ries on both sides of the ball. The Redskins have done an excellent job protecting QB Kirk Cousins, but three starting Olinemen went down Monday in the loss to the Eagles — all-pro LT Trent Williams (knee), RT Morgan Moses (ankles) and G Brandon Scherff (knee). Their availability for the Cowboys is in question. And unless shutdown CB Josh Norman (broken rib) returns vs. the Cowboys, the Redskins will struggle to stop Prescott, as they did vs. Carson Wentz.
Steelers (5-2) at Lions (3-3)
TV: Sunday, 8:30, NBC, (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya)
The matchup: The Steelers offense has developed a runfirst identity, and the defense is playing its best football in years. They haven’t been perfect and have dealt with some drama, but they’ve scored consecutive impressive wins and have the manpower to make it three. Le’Veon Bell is running his way toward the top of the NFL’s rushing charts. LB Ryan Shazier is having a career-best season, and though the Steelers still trust in QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Antonio Brown to create big plays, they’ve been sticking with a simple, smashmouth formula. Lions QB Matthew Stafford needed the bye week to heal his bruises, and the offense needs to do more for the Lions to be legitimate NFC North contenders. The Lions won’t totally shut down Bell. But if they can contain him and keep within range, Stafford has produced fourth-quarter heroics before and can beat this secondary.
Broncos (3-3) at Chiefs (5-2)
TV: Monday, 8:30, ESPN (Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden)
The matchup: The Broncos started the season 3-1 and looked like an old school NFL team, but the last two weeks have been ugly, starting with a
23-10 loss at home to the Giants (their only win of the season) and then hit rock bottom in a
21-0 road loss to the Chargers. The Broncos had eight punts, seven possessions with three plays or fewer and 251 yards vs. the Chargers. They need to get WRs Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas healthy and protect QB Trevor Siemian better (five sacks vs. Chargers). They also need to get their running game going. Kansas City is still in control of the AFC West, but that can change in a hurry, as evidenced by consecutive losses to Pittsburgh and Oakland. RB Kareem Hunt had his seventh consecutive game with at least 100 yards from scrimmage. In the absence of Eric Berry, who is lost for the season, the Chiefs need better overall secondary play and might have injured DB Steven Nelson back.