The NFL referees have been horrible this season and week eight was no different. This ranges from the Chicago Bears at the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Giants at the Philadelphia Eagles. 

*All stats and standings are provided by ESPN via NFL, NFL Record Predictor, PFF via NFL and NFL Stats.*

In the Bears-Ravens game, the most missed penalties came from the multiple missed pass interference calls—offensive and defensive—whether it was the missed call on Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins or Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins. In the Giants-Eagles game, the most notable play was when Jalen Hurts clearly fumbled the ball on a tush push, and the Giants recovered the ball, but instead the refs called the play dead instead of ruling it a forced turnover.

Let us hope Week 9 is better.

This week, a former Michigan Wolverines quarterback makes his return to the state, and the 2024-25 Most Valuable Player looks for revenge in the 2024-25 AFC Championship rematch. The uniform matchup this week is again another throwback battle — boring yet exciting at the same time.

J.J. McCarthy makes his return against a tough Detroit Lions defense in Michigan

A year to forget so far for the Minnesota Vikings. After an impressive Week 1 comeback win over the Chicago Bears, there has not been much sunshine and rainbows for the Vikings since. In Week 2, second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy suffered an ankle injury that has sidelined him since—thankfully, though, he is expected to return and play this week.

Veteran quarterback Carson Wentz stepped in for McCarthy. Wentz looked rough, but credit is due—he is a fighter. Per ESPN, Wentz suffered a dislocated shoulder and a torn labrum in the team’s Week 5 win over the Cleveland Browns in London, United Kingdom.

Wentz then told the staff he could play through the injuries in Weeks 7 and 8, following the team’s Week 6 bye. In the team’s Week 8 37-10 loss against the Chargers, Wentz looked like he was in pain all game, and it was clear that he could not go on much longer. The staff decided it was best for him to have season-ending shoulder surgery and placed him on injured reserve.

While the injuries have piled up and the evidence is clear this team needs to be healthy, there is a bright spot even in the massive loss to the Chargers. Defensive tackle Jalen Redmond has been a big surprise for the Vikings.

Redmond was a free agent signing in 2024, but did not do much that season. Now in 2025, Redmond is the team’s sack leader (three) and has been consistently in other teams’ backfields. Redmond currently ranks seventh among defensive tackles in quarterback hurries (17)—hurries are when a defensive player gets in a quarterback’s face in the backfield on a passing down.

Back to the quarterback position, McCarthy is now set to make his return in Week 9 against the NFC North Detroit Lions. McCarthy played for the Michigan Wolverines in college.

The Lions are off a bye week and made some massive moves.

Per multiple NFL insiders such as Adam Schefter and Ari Meirov, the Lions and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson have agreed to a four-year, $180 million contract extension. In that contract, Hutchinson will earn an average yearly salary of $45 million, the second most among defensive ends. Hutchinson will also earn the most non-quarterback guarantees in one contract in NFL history—$141 million.

Hutchinson has earned this contract, as he has been one of the NFL’s top defensive ends since drafted second overall by the Lions in the 2022 NFL Draft. He is the NFL’s current leader in pressures at 48 and features a high pass rush win percentage at 25.2%. Hutchinson now has a chance to sack his college quarterback, McCarthy.

Hutchinson will not be the only pass rusher giving McCarthy a hard time. In a surprise turnaround, fellow defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad is just one sack off his career high of six, a number he achieved four years ago in 2021. Muhammad is now in his second season with the Lions and has filled in as a much-needed secondary defensive end.

Now on the inside of the defensive line, defensive tackle Alim McNeill returned in the team’s Week 8 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McNeill tore his ACL in December 2024 against the Buffalo Bills. In his return, McNeill posted two pressures and an 81.2 Pro Football Focus grade.

Defense, defense and more defense. The Lions will give McCarthy a game he wishes he could take back as he is sacked and intercepted multiple times in a blowout loss.

Final Score: Vikings 16 – Lions 37

The Buffalo Bills look for revenge as they host the Kansas City Chiefs in a 2024-25 AFC Championship rematch in Buffalo, New York.

You get a blowout win and you get a blowout win. That is what the NFL script makers probably said to the Chiefs and Bills.

Is Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes the MVP leader? Mahomes is always in the conversation to start the season, but the past two years have not looked like his old self—at least statistically. He has made unbelievable throws, a regular occurrence for him. He has trusted his weapons more. He is one of the main reasons why the Chiefs’ season has turned around.

While he did throw two interceptions in the team’s Week 8 28-7 win over the Washington Commanders, he also threw for 400 yards and three touchdowns, with most of it coming in the second half. Mahomes has this ability that only one other quarterback has—at least what most believe—you can never count the Chiefs out as long as he is on the field. That one other quarterback? Seven-time Super Bowl champion and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady.

All of that said, Mahomes is probably glad his No. 1 target is back: wide receiver Rashee Rice.

Rice missed the start of the 2025 season due to a suspension that involved him fleeing the scene of a car accident. Rice has not lost a step since he suffered a season-ending injury in 2024 and his suspension to start the 2025 season. In two games — one at the Las Vegas Raiders and the other versus the Commanders—Rice has caught 16 passes on 19 targets for 135 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. He may have been the spark this Chiefs offense needed to get back on a roll. To be fair, though, neither the Raiders nor the Commanders have been good teams this season, with the latter injured at almost every position.

After back-to-back upset losses to the New England Patriots in Week 5 (23-20) and the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6 (24-14), the Bills said enough is enough. Offense or defense—which would you rather your team be elite at? The Bills did both in their Week 8 win of 40-9 over the Carolina Panthers.

Running back James Cook took over. Similar to most of the team, he had struggled in Week 5 and 6 on the ground—49 rushing yards on 15 carries against the Patriots and 87 on 17 carries against the Falcons. Cook rushed for more yards than both of those games combined: 216 yards on just 19 carries, with one of those carries breaking off for 64 yards and a touchdown. Cook also added another rushing touchdown from 21 yards out. While quarterback Josh Allen did not have the yards Cook had, he did match him in rushing touchdowns—two. If you add that together, that means the Panthers allowed four rushing touchdowns, a rough game for the defense.

On the passing side of things, Allen did not do anything fancy; he was smart with the ball and had no reason to pass much. The biggest pass of the game came from a 54-yard catch and run by wide receiver Khalil Shakir.

As mentioned, the defense also had a big day. The team sacked veteran quarterback Andy Dalton seven times with seven different players—just insane versatility in the defense. Defensive end A.J. Epenesa also got involved in the passing game for Dalton. Late in the second quarter, the Panthers were driving down the field. Epenesa got in Dalton’s face, Dalton attempted to throw the ball, Epenesa kicked the ball up and intercepted it. Just when you think things could not have been any worse for Dalton, he fumbled away the ball not once but twice—one came late in the first quarter while the other came late in the third quarter.

Both teams recently had blowout wins, and this may be the hardest matchup to pick this week. In the end, Mahomes duels it out with the reigning MVP winning.

Final Score: Chiefs 31 – Bills 38

UMOTW | Once again throwbacks dominate the week

It is a shame and a blessing that the league’s best uniforms are throwbacks. The Seattle Seahawks once again will wear their 1990s throwback jerseys—this time on the road—while the Commanders are set to wear their Super Bowl-era jerseys for the first time.

The Commanders have some of the worst uniform sets in football, but the throwbacks are arguably one of the best. Thankfully, there is a current rumor that the Commanders will bring in a new uniform set in 2026.

For the second game this season, the Seahawks will wear their beautiful throwback uniforms. The base color is royal blue with accents of apple green and silver.

The Commanders’ throwback uniforms bring out the Redskins look the team featured before the name change. The base color is white with accents of burgundy, yellow and white.

In the throwback matchup, the Commanders are just too injured of a team to put up a good fight against a powerhouse Seahawks team. 

Final score from “Sunday Night Football”: Seahawks 27, Commanders 17

Remaining games:

Thursday Night Football | Ravens at Miami Dolphins:
With Lamar Jackson back, the Ravens continue to build up wins. Final score: Ravens 30, Dolphins 20

San Francisco 49ers at Giants:
In a defensive showdown — or an offensive garbage fest — the Giants earn their third win of the season with a last-second field goal. Final score: 49ers 10, Giants 13

Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans:
Cam Ward continues to get better, but it is not enough against Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Final score: Chargers 35, Titans 24

Falcons at Patriots:
After several weeks of wins, the Patriots drop a close one at home. Final score: Falcons 28, Patriots 27

Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers:
The Colts continue to dominate as everyone questions: How long can this last? Final score: Colts 44, Steelers 23

Denver Broncos at Houston Texans:
In a defensive showdown, the Texans earn back-to-back wins. Final score: Broncos 20, Texans 23

Bears at Cincinnati Bengals:
In a not-so-shocking game, the Bears’ offense drops 38 on the Bengals in a bounce-back win. Final score: Bears 38, Bengals 17

Panthers at Green Bay Packers:
Though in ugly fashion, the Packers hand the Panthers their fifth loss of the season. Final score: Panthers 14, Packers 30

New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams:
In Tyler Shough’s first start, he upsets the Rams and gives some Saints fans hope — they will still draft a quarterback come April. Final score: Saints 24, Rams 23

Jacksonville Jaguars at Raiders:
The Jaguars’ defense intercepts Geno Smith four times in a blowout win. Final score: Jaguars 28, Raiders 13

Monday Night Football | Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys:
The Cowboys move back to .500 in a much-needed win. Final score: Cardinals 20, Cowboys 34

Teams on bye:

Cleveland Browns | next at Jets

New York Jets | next versus Browns

Eagles | next at Packers on Monday Night Football

Buccaneers | next versus Patriots

Standings after week eight: Conference rank | Overall record | Divisional record

AFC South

1 Colts 7-1 | 2-0

8 Jaguars 4-3 | 1-0

9 Texans 3-4 | 1-1

16 Titans 1-7 | 0-3

AFC East

2 Patriots 6-2 | 2-0

5 Bills 5-2 | 2-1

14 Dolphins 2-6 | 1-2

15 Jets 1-7 | 0-2

AFC West

3 Broncos 6-2 | 0-1

6 Chargers 5-3 | 3-0

7 Chiefs 5-3 | 1-1

11 Raiders 2-5 | 0-2

AFC North

4 Steelers 4-3 | 1-1

10 Bengals 3-5 | 2-0

12 Ravens 2-5 | 1-0

13 Browns 2-6 | 0-3

NFC North

1 Packers 5-1-1 | 1-0

5 Lions 5-2 | 1-1

8 Bears 4-3 | 0-2

12 Vikings 3-4 | 1-0

NFC East

2 Eagles 6-2 | 2-1

10 Cowboys 3-4-1 | 2-1

13 Commanders 3-5 | 1-1

15 Giants 2-6 | 1-3

NFC South

3 Buccaneers 6-2 | 2-0

9 Panthers 4-4 | 1-0

11 Falcons 3-4 | 0-2

16 Saints 1-7 | 0-1

NFC West

4 Seahawks 5-2 | 1-1

6 Rams 5-2 | 0-1

7 49ers 5-3 | 3-0

14 Cardinals 2-5 | 0-2

Power rankings after week eight: 

1. Colts | N/C 9. Patriots | N/C 17. Texans | +7 25. Bengals | -2
2. Lions | N/C 10. Buccaneers | -3 18. Panthers | -2 26. Giants | -4
3. Chiefs | +2 11. Packers | +1 19. Steelers | -2 27. Jets | +5
4. Seahawks | -1 12. Ravens | +16 20. Vikings | -1 28. Saints | -2
5. Rams | -1 13. Chargers | +2 21. Cowboys | -3 29. Browns | -4
6. Bills | N/C 14. Bears | -3 22. Commanders | -1 30. Cardinals | -3
7. Broncos | +3 15. 49ers | -2 23. Dolphins | +8 31. Raiders | -2
8. Eagles | N/C 16. Jaguars | -2 24. Falcons | -4 32. Titans | -2

N/C: No Change

Biggest Risers: Ravens 28 → 12 | Dolphins 31 → 23 | Texans 24 → 17

Biggest Fallers: Falcons 20 → 24 | Giants 22 → 26 | Browns 25 → 29