After seven weeks of craziness in the NFL, week eight was about as, can we say boring?
Only one game in which a winless team, the Jets, won was decided by one score. All the rest were two-score wins, or worse. And only two underdogs — the Jets coming from behind to beat Cincinnati and Miami winning in Atlanta — were considered upsets.
So what did it all mean?
With a 17-game schedule that includes bye weeks, there isn’t really a halfway point. So let’s look at the division and playoff races after eight weeks of the season.
NFC East
Unless there is a catastrophic collapse via 2023, the Eagles (6-2) have this division to themselves. It will be the first time a team repeats in this division since the Eagles did it in 2004. Dallas (3-4-1) and Washington (3-4 and at KC, Monday night) could be in the hunt for a wild-card spot, but they better go on a run soon. The Giants (2-6) found their quarterback in Jaxson Dart. Now they just need to find another 25 players, or so.
NFC North
Green Bay (5-1-1) and Detroit (5-2) will both make the playoffs. It’s just a matter of who wins the division and who gets a wild-card berth. Four of the Packers’ five wins have come by two scores — only the Colts (5) have more. Chicago (4-3) is improved, but not enough as Sunday’s loss to Baltimore showed. The Bears, with a favorable schedule, could still have wild-card hopes. Minnesota (3-4) probably should have just kept Sam Darnold. The Vikings’ four losses are more than they had last year.
NFC South
As it has been the past four years, it’s Tampa Bay’s (6-2) division. Atlanta (3-4) showed its true side in getting blown out by Miami at home Sunday. Kirk Cousins started for the Falcons. In his last six starts, Cousins has one TD pass and nine interceptions. Carolina (4-4) has improved and may continue to improve, but the Panthers aren’t there yet — as witnessed by their blowout loss at home to Buffalo. New Orleans (1-7) has a ways to go to just be average.
NFC West
Injuries and some bad decisions finally caught up to San Francisco (5-3) in its loss to Houston Sunday. If Matthew Stafford can stay healthy, the Rams (5-2) should win this vastly improved division. Seattle (5-2) looks like a wild-card team. Arizona (2-5) looks like it got snake bit in the desert. All five Cardinals losses have been by less than a touchdown, and three came on the final play of the game.
AFC East
This is a two-team race and it should be a good one between Buffalo (6-2) and New England (6-2). The last time one of these two didn’t win the division was 2008 when Miami did. The Pats beat the Bills in Buffalo and will host the rematch Dec. 14. Whoever doesn’t win the division will get one of the wild-card spots. Miami (2-6) and the Jets (1-7) are non-factors.
AFC North
This division got bad in a hurry. Pittsburgh (4-3) is in good shape for the shape it’s in, but don’t count out a Ravens (2-5) comeback just yet. Baltimore’s next five games are against teams with a combined record of 11-26. After losing to the Jets, you can count out the Bengals (3-5). And the Browns (2-6), despite some good young players, continue to be the Browns.
AFC South
I’m still not sure how the Colts (7-1) are doing it, but they keep doing it — and this division is all but over. It will mark the Colts’ first division title since 2014. Houston (3-4) got a nice win over San Francisco and could still make a wild-card run. The Texans have allowed a league-low 103 points in seven games. Jacksonville (4-3) isn’t out of it, but you just get bad vibes about the Jaguars. Tennessee (1-7) has a shot for the No. 1 pick in the draft two straight years.
AFC West
The best division in the conference by far. Just when the Chargers (5-3) and Broncos (6-2) thought they might have had the Chiefs (5-3 after the win Monday night) buried — here comes the nine-time defending division champ. All three teams should go to the playoffs for the second straight year.
The poor Raiders (2-5) would be competitive in the East, North, or South, but they’re stuck in the West.
