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NFL Week Eight Winners and Losers

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Week eight was a fun and wild end to October. There are some surprising teams in first place while some playoff-seasoned teams continue to fade. The first two months of this season were anything but dull. It’s time to break down the week eight winners and losers before Halloween.

Winners: Mike McDaniel

Miami head coach Mike McDaniel has received a lot of deserved criticism almost all of 2025. The Dolphins have been more sloppy, soft and terrible at every end of the field. So when Miami dominated in Atlanta Sunday, it was a reminder the head coach isn’t finished yet.

The Dolphins offense was close to perfect. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played his best game of the season. He completed 20 of 26 passes for 205 yards, four touchdowns and a 138.6 passer rating. The best part for Tagovailoa was his focus and determination. He didn’t turn the ball over and he completed a pass to nine different receivers. An active running game helped. Three runningbacks, led by Devon Achane, ran for 131 total yards.

The defense also had their best game of the season. Although the Dolphins sacked quarterback Kirk Cousins once, they snuffed out the Falcons’ running game. Miami has been last in stopping the run all season. They gave up less than 50 rushing yards and forced Atlanta to beat them throwing the ball downfield. The Falcons couldn’t do much but score a garbage time touchdown at the end and punt the ball away almost every possession.

Sunday’s win gives Mike McDaniel some time and helps him retain control of the locker room. A head coaching change at the end of October would show the Dolphins giving up on the regular season. A dominant road win the last Sunday of October changes that view and gives Miami some hope for November.

New England Patriots defense

Many raved about Cleveland’s Myles Garrett having a five sack day, but New England had the better all-around performance Sunday afternoon. The Patriot defense is quietly one of the NFL’s best.

Although New England played a middling Browns offense, they didn’t play down to competition and dominated most of the game. The Patriots forced a safety, intercepted quarterback Dillon Gabriel twice, and sacked Gabriel once. New England gave up less than 70 yards rushing, forcing Cleveland’s offense to throw most of the second half.

Head coach Mike Vrabel was hired to make sure the Patriot defense kept playing at a high level while getting better offensive production. That defense is a big reason New England ends October at first place in the AFC East.

Tucker Kraft

Week eight is usually seen as National Tight-End Week. No tight-end had a better Sunday than Green Bay’s Tucker Kraft.

The Packers double digit win in Pittsburgh wouldn’t have been possible without Kraft. He had seven catches on nine targets for 143 yards, five first downs and two touchdowns. Both of Kraft’s scores gave Green Bay leads, and the second was the final lead change of the game.

Tucker Kraft’s physical play specifically stood out in the second half. The Packers scored on all but one possession and every time quarterback Jordan Love needed to complete a critical pass, Kraft delivered. There are a good number of offensive pieces Green Bay can rely on, but Tucker Kraft is the easy go-to option for both Love and and the passing game.

Losers: San Francisco 49ers defense

Despite injuries to captains and star players, San Francisco’s defense played well the last few weeks. Viewers knew at some point the injuries and lack of pass rush would catch up to the 49ers. It finally and spectacularly happened Sunday.

Houston’s offense was embarrassed last Monday night in Seattle. With receiver Nico Collins out, quarterback C.J. Stroud IV had to complete passes to different receivers trying to win their coverage matchups. Stroud shredded San Francisco’s secondary for 318 yards, two touchdowns and a 106.6 passer rating. The 49ers pass rush couldn’t sack Stroud and were dominated in first half time of possession. At one point in the second quarter, NFL Redzone reported that of the 23 minutes played, San Francisco was on offense for five and a half minutes.

The 49ers offense scored a few times to narrow Houston’s lead, but the damage was done. The Texans’ offense found a way to get their double digit lead back every time San Francisco came close. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has done a great job and should be a head coaching candidate for next season, but this is something even he cannot fix.

All the late afternoon games

There were six teams on a bye this weekend. That meant fewer games, and it also meant a lot more objective fanbases could check in on a lot more conference matchups. Anyone who chose the opposite and skipped the late afternoon trio of games won the weekend.

The early 3:05 p.m. central time game between Tampa Bay v. New Orleans was painful to watch. The Buccaneers defense led a one-sided win and the Saints were unwatchable on offense. Dallas v. Denver was a one-sided, high-scoring game. The Cowboys had not beaten the Broncos in 30 years. That record was unbroken with a 20 point loss keeping the streak going. Tennessee v. Indianapolis ended how everyone thought it would: a double digit Colt win.

This is also the time of year many complain that the NFL has to start flexing games. After watching a few clips of yesterday’s late afternoon games, one cannot argue that commissioner Roger Goodell again lacked foresight in flexing a few matchups.

Terry Bradshaw

When will the NFL on FOX decide to move on and force former Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw to retire? There is no way a decent sports commentator has either a mental lapse or breakdown while talking about a sports matchup or head coach without getting some form of public blowback. The fact that both former Hall of Fame commentators Howie Long and Michael Strahan were also stunned by Bradshaw’s incoherent sentences shows how awkward and out-of-touch pre-game commentary has gotten on FOX. The network should be glad no one filed a lawsuit.

NFL Week Eleven Winners and Losers

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The eleventh week of the NFL season was as chaotic and fun. The upsets shocked not just the football world but the playoff picture in both conferences. There’s still a lot to process and breakdown because most fans and analysts didn’t expect so many highlights. Time to break down the best and worst of week eleven.

Winners: Taysom Hill

Anyone who’s watched the NFL for a while knows the Saints’ Taysom Hill is one of the best gadget players in the league. He can play any position on offense or special teams. Hill had one of his best career games Sunday.

Taysom Hill completed two passes for 18 yards and an interception, but he had a better day running and catching the football. The former quarterback turned tight-end ran seven times for 138 yards and three touchdowns, caught eight passes for 50 yards, and ran for 42 kick return yards. His first score gave New Orleans their first lead of the game. His last two in the fourth quarter sealed the Saints’ fourth win of the season.

New Orleans had their best offensive game since week two back in September. Interim coach Darren Rizzi is finally getting production from offensive players like Taysom Hill. Both have figured out that if the Saints want to stay alive in the playoff race, they have to run the football and dominate time of possession.

Miami Dolphins

Miami went from a solid, Monday night win in Los Angeles to playing a home game against the Raiders coming off a bye week. It would be understandable if the Dolphins played terrible given the timing. However, Miami played better than they did last Monday night.

The Dolphins offense started hot with a quick touchdown from starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to tight-end Jonnu Smith. After Vegas trailed by four with Daniel Carlson’s second field goal in the game, Miami made second half adjustments and got their second touchdown from receiver Tyreek Hill. The Dolphins followed up with a 17 point fourth quarter from Smith, runningback De’Von Achane and kicker Jason Sanders.

While it was a good sign the offense played better each quarter, the defense again stepped up and had another good performance. They sacked quarterback Gardner Minshew II three times, intercepted him once and gave up 268 passing yards. Outside of a Jakobi Meyers 20 yard run, the rushing game was snuffed out.

Miami’s back to two games under .500 after a week. Many expected the Dolphins to fade away with other AFC hopefuls playing well since October. Miami has New England and their first of two games against the Jets the next three weeks. The Dolphins could return as a playoff threat before Christmas.

Geno Smith and Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Seattle struggled to beat San Francisco since star quarterback Russell Wilson was traded to Denver. The 49ers beat the Seahawks six straight times heading into Sunday’s matchup. Seattle needed quarterback Geno Smith to play well and keep their postseason hopes alive with a division win.

Smith completed 25 of his 32 passes for 221 yards and an 82.4 passer rating. Although he threw an interception to start the second half, Geno Smith led an eleven play, 85 yard drive that included passes of 10+ yards to receivers D.K. Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the Seahawks’ final drive of the game. Smith ran for the winning touchdown with 12 seconds left.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba had another big game with ten catches on eleven targets for 110 yards. Four of those catches went for 38 yards on the final drive and kept Seattle’s chances of victory alive. Smith-Njigba’s had 17 catches for 290 yards and two touchdowns his last two games. Per the Seahawks PR department, that’s the third most over a two game span in franchise history, and the most for any receiver this century. Only retired Hall-of-Famer Steve Largent did this (more than once) with more yards. The sophomore wide receiver’s talent and growth helps Seattle’s chances of winning the NFC west.

Losers: Cleveland’s last first half possession in New Orleans

The Saints offense made it easy in the fourth quarter versus Cleveland, but before the offensive barrage began, the Browns kept it close for three quarters. While it didn’t determine the outcome, Cleveland could’ve had a better second half game-plan if they scored at the end of the first half.

The Browns had a 14 play, 84 yard drive that began after the two minute warning. Quarterback Jameis Winston led a good drive, but stalled a couple of plays into New Orleans’ redzone. After Winston threw incomplete past Cedric Thompson, kicker Dustin Hopkins came onto the field for a 33 yard field goal. He hooked it left for a miss.

Yet the Browns caught a break. A side judge called a penalty on the Saints for holding. That meant Cleveland had a fresh set of downs with eleven seconds left and could either cut the deficit to four or take the lead. Jameis Winston threw two incomplete passes at New Orleans’ nine yard line in four seconds. The Browns opted for another Dustin Hopkins field goal attempt, this one for 25 yards.

Hopkins hooked it left for another miss as time expired.

Justin Tucker

If someone told me the first kicker would make the losers column eleven weeks into the season, I could believe it. If I was told it would be one of the most accurate kickers of all-time in Justin Tucker, that would be a shock. It’s also a shock this is one of Tucker’s worst seasons half-way into the year.

The difference between Pittsburgh having a two game, first place lead and Baltimore having the tie-breaker for first place came down to two missed field goals by Ravens kicker Justin Tucker. The Steelers didn’t score a touchdown against their division rival, but their kicker Chris Boswell made all six field goal attempts. Tucker missed two late in the first quarter and is no longer the most accurate kicker in NFL history. The Steelers won 18-16.

Part of Tucker’s struggles are miscommunication with the new ball-holder after punter Sam Koch retired. While that’s understandable for some of his early season misses, it doesn’t explain why Baltimore relies more on quarterback Lamar Jackson near mid-field than they would with their kicker. Perhaps it’s a one season issue, but it’s something to be aware of before the playoffs.

Kansas City Chiefs offense

Kansas City finally lost their first regular season game since December 2023 on Sunday. Buffalo played their most complete game of the season and left no doubt who was the better team. Conversations about how the Chiefs offense have multi-layered problems ring true.

If Kansas City put up better offensive stats, the nine point loss wouldn’t be seen as a big issue. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes II might’ve thrown less than 200 yards and two interceptions, but he also threw three touchdowns and gave the Chiefs a lead multiple times in the first half. While runningback Kareem Hunt ran 14 times for 60 yards, no one else had more than one rushing attempt.

The receivers weren’t much better. Xavier Worthy was the leading receiver with four catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. All of Worthy’s stats were on Kansas City’s first touchdown of the game, and 31 of those yards were on one catch. This would’ve been a great game for Worthy to be the featured receiver and continue a breakout game. Instead he disappeared after the scoring drive and couldn’t use his speed to separate himself from defensive backs. DeAndre Hopkins being used on slant routes isn’t creating mismatches downfield and increases risks of dangerous throws. Even tight-ends Noah Gray and Travis Kelce struggle finding separation against opposing linebackers.

It doesn’t help that even if Mahomes recognizes these issues, he’s trying to cover it up by doing too much. That always leads to more turnovers and scoring opportunities for opposing offenses. Buffalo’s first touchdown and lead came after a Patrick Mahomes interception 45 seconds into the game. The offense has to fix a lot of things and start using dynamic playmakers in the right ways.

Note: NFL’s Winners and Losers will not be published until mid-December due to the writer, editor and publisher having personal reasons and time off. Publications will resume around the conclusion of week 14. The NBA and NHL power rankings will return around U.S. Thanksgiving.

2024 AFC Wild Card Weekend Playoff Picks

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The 2023-2024 NFL regular season is over. 14 teams in two conferences (seven in each) have a chance at winning the Vince Lombardi championship trophy. For those unfamiliar with the updated playoff format, an extra team was added. That means there’s one bye week for the top seeded team in each conference and a Monday night playoff game. Everyone wants to know which three teams in the AFC advance to the divisional round, so here are the best picks come Saturday.

#5 Cleveland Browns v. #4 Houston Texans

The resurgence of Joe Flacco’s career (15, white) has many picking Cleveland to go far in the postseason. Flacco has never lost a wildcard weekend game he’s started.

This regular season matchup was a one sided game where Houston didn’t have rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud IV. The Browns did any and everything they wanted to, embarrassing the Texans until the game was out of reach. Trust Houston’s rookie duo of Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans to perform a lot better after re-watching the film and making adjustments.

Unfortunately for the Texans, it won’t matter. Cleveland has the better defense, offensive line and postseason quarterback in Joe Flacco, who’s never lost a wildcard game and ended his last postseason run with a championship.

Prediction: Browns win 27-20

#6 Miami Dolphins v. #3 Kansas City Chiefs

Miami’s Tyreek Hill will be the main focus of Kansas City’s hard-hitting secondary. The sub-zero temperatures and no Jaylen Waddle could be the Dolphins’ undoing.

Miami lost crucial games that could have locked up the east and a first round bye. The Dolphins didn’t win their division, so they’re awarded a first round trip to Kansas City in freezing temperatures against a well-rested Chiefs team.

While Miami is reeling from injuries, Kansas City finished top ten in passing yards and has one of the best defenses in the league. It’ll be hard for the undermanned Dolphins to play four focused quarters in one of the league’s loudest stadiums.

Prediction: Chiefs win 24-13

#7 Pittsburgh Steelers v. #2 Buffalo Bills

The AFC’s best player this wildcard round is arguably Buffalo’s Josh Allen. The Bills quarterback led a top ten offense in passing and total offense.

Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin kept his streak of not having a losing season alive thanks to starting third string quarterback Mason Rudolph the last three games of the regular season. The Steelers are rewarded by playing the second hottest team in the conference. Tomlin’s defense will be without star linebacker T.J. Watt, but free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick will return.

Buffalo’s Josh Allen has been one of the NFL’s best players since Thanksgiving, guiding the Bills from three games out of first place to decisively winning the AFC East last Sunday. Receivers Stefon Diggs, Dalton Kinkaid and Dawson Knox will face little resistance against a banged up secondary.

Prediction: Bills win 37-20

2023 regular season playoff picks record: 3-3

NFL Week 13 Winners and Losers

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The first weekend of December eliminated teams from playoff contention and solidified division leaders. The postseason is near and most teams are getting ready for either the offseason or for home-field advantage. Time to break down who’s closer to wildcard weekend and who’s ready for a top five position in the draft.

Winners: De’Von Achane’s return for Miami

While the Dolphins cruised to an easy win in Washington D.C. with historical performances by receiver Tyreek Hill and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, viewers should pay attention to rookie runningback De’Von Achane’s solid performance.

Achane picked up where he left off almost two months ago, running 17 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns. He had the highest yards per rush for any Miami runner. While his two scores came in the second half of a blowout win, Achane looked comfortable easing back into a key role.

The main criticism towards the Dolphins before week one was who the main runningback threat would be when Tagovailoa wasn’t throwing deep passes to receivers. De’Von Achane appeared to be the answer before his knee injury, and most believe this will continue with five games remaining in the regular season. His health could determine how far Miami advances in the playoffs.

Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis was one of three NFL teams to win every game played in November. Sunday was a litmus test for rookie coach Shane Stechen against a division rival the Colts hadn’t swept since 2018.

It was an ugly start as the Titans led by ten at one point in the first half. Then Tennessee botched back-to-back punts leading to Indianapolis grabbing a lead. Yet the Colts allowed their rivals to stick around long enough to force overtime. Kicker Nick Folk got the lead back for the Titans but Gardner Minshew II had the last laugh, throwing a four yard touchdown to Michael Pittman Jr.

Indianapolis is tied for second in the AFC South and is one of a half dozen teams fighting for a wild-card spot. The defense is top ten in both sacks and interceptions while the offense is eighth in points per game. Refreshing ideas and schemes from a new head coach working on player development is paying off for a franchise many believed was one of the worst when the season began.

Mike Evans

There are only two receivers in NFL history who have recorded ten straight seasons with 1,000 receiving yards. They are Jerry Rice and Mike Evans. The latter is the only one to accomplish this in his first ten seasons.

Tampa’s franchise leader in career catches, receiving yards, touchdown receptions, overall touchdowns and 100-yard receiving games had another breakout game against the division rival Panthers on Sunday. His seven catches for 162 yards and a touchdown gave the Buccaneers their second lead of the day late in the third quarter. The 75 yard score dented Carolina’s hope of winning their second game of the year.

Evans’ career has been quiet despite the decade long production and how the league has eased defensive rules, giving receivers more attention and media spotlight. It’s unlikely Tampa’s all-time best receiver retires anytime soon. Mike Evans has a great chance to threaten some records of all-time great Jerry Rice and is likely to be viewed as a top three wide receiver whenever he retires.

Losers: Whoever thought the Denver Broncos were back in the playoff discussion

The Broncos had won their last five games after an awful loss in Kansas City. Many believed there was a return to relevance for Denver after their Monday night win in Buffalo a few weeks ago. Sunday was a test for head coach Sean Payton’s team to see how they’d fare against a playoff-caliber team featuring a solid defense and a great quarterback. It didn’t go well.

Quarterback Russell Wilson came up short on several possessions despite a close score. His 186 yards, three interceptions and three sacks held Denver back from closing the first place gap with Kansas City. While the Broncos defense forced Houston to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns, the offense didn’t score their first points until the last minute of the first half. The one time Denver came close to threatening a lead change was the last possession of the game. Wilson then threw his third interception to seal Houston’s seventh win.

A good number of viewers will say it’s an off-week especially when Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud IV has been one of the most exciting players this season. The rookie played hurt a good part of the game and still outplayed Wilson when it mattered most. The Broncos offense is still bottom five in the league in passing yards. The defense is last against the rush and third to last in total yards given up. It’s not like their last five wins came against healthy teams with no issues. Denver has improved but they won’t go on a postseason run.

Anyone who thought the AFC east would have more than one team in the postseason

A fun yet frustrating part of covering the NFL is how objective, pre-season predictions can be derailed around Thanksgiving. The AFC east divisional race is a perfect example of how bold or conservative predictions can get shredded by the start of December.

The Dolphins are a lock to make the playoffs unless there are season ending injuries to star players. Outside of Miami, there won’t be another team sniffing the playoffs. New England has given up an average of eight points their last three games while scoring an average of four. Predictably, those resulted in losses and the Patriots are the worst team in the conference.

New York isn’t much better. They had to make another change at quarterback after Tim Boyle floundered in a home loss to Atlanta. Like New England, the defense keeps the Jets in close games, but inept quarterback play (with Aaron Rodgers officially ruled out for the season) dooms any chance of a playoff spot.

Then there’s the .500 Bills, who have four of their remaining five games against heavy playoff favorites with better defenses. Quarterback Josh Allen is regressing and the running game is non-existent. The injuries to star defensive players like Mike Milano show Buffalo will fizzle out by Christmas.

Many fans and analysts had at least two teams from the AFC east making the postseason. It’s bizarre the division isn’t close to competitive as Miami inches closer to clinching the division. At least it makes the sport more fun and unpredictable.

Jalen Hurts

For most of the season, Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts has played well. Hurts hasn’t replicated his 2022 numbers but he’s led Philadelphia to the league’s best record. Sunday’s nationally televised home thumping by San Francisco was a reality check.

Statistically, Jalen Hurts had a solid game completing 26 of 45 passes, 298 yards and one touchdown. He also ran seven times for 20 yards and an additional score. The problem was Hurts couldn’t lead the Eagles downfield consistently against a defense he had an easier time with in last year’s NFC championship game. While he was concussed late in the third quarter, Hurts looked overwhelmed and had no answers before that hit.

The performance puts a dent in his MVP chances but more importantly questions what’s been different in his style of play since the Super Bowl loss. It appears opposing defenses have caught onto his reads faster and interrupt certain routes when he least expects it. We’ll find out more next Sunday night if this remains a problem against a similar defense.