Week 8 of the NFL season started off with a dud on Thursday night as the Miami Dolphins were shutout in an embarrassing performance against the Baltimore Ravens. The game saw Matt Moore throw two interceptions in an ugly effort. Controversies arose too after Joe Flacco was knocked out of the game on a head shot from Kiko Alonso, and Ndamukong Suh grabbed Ryan Mallett by the throat.
The rest of Week 8 will hopefully feature more competitive games and less drama. Here’s a look at 15 key questions for the rest of the Week 8 games.
1. Can the Patriots overcome the loss of Dont’a Hightower?
The Patriots got horrible news on Thursday when it was revealed that linebacker Dont’a Hightower would miss the remainder of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. Hightower is the leader of a defense that has not been good this season, and he is also the best player at arguably New England’s thinnest position. Just when Bill Belichick’s defense started looking like it might be shaping up over the past two games, there is now another major obstacle to overcome. The Chargers could give the Pats problems if they’re able to exploit the loss of Hightower.
2. Will DeShone Kizer make it through an entire game?
Kizer was benched in the first half of last Sunday’s game against the Titans after he threw interceptions on consecutive drives. That marked the second time in three weeks that Browns coach Hue Jackson pulled the rookie in the middle of a game. That didn’t stop Kizer from being named the starter again for Week 8. Cleveland has another tough game ahead against the 5-2 Vikings in London, so Kizer could conceivably struggle again. If he does, is Jackson prepared to bench the rookie for a third time this season? There’s no telling what that would do to Kizer’s confidence.
3. Are the Falcons capable of fixing their offensive issues?
The Falcons have lost three straight games and appear to be completely lost on offense. One week after they were shut out in the second half against the Dolphins and allowed Miami to overcome a 17-point deficit, Matt Ryan and company managed just seven points against the Patriots, who have been awful on defense. It appears the Falcons are struggling to duplicate their offensive production from 2016 after Kyle Shanahan left, and there are rumblings that players are unhappy with Steve Sarkisian’s system.
In Week 8, the Falcons will travel to face a Jets team that has been shockingly tough thus far in 2017. New York can be throw on, however, as they have allowed more than 230 yards passing per game. Sarkisian needs to come up with some creative play-calls. This would be a good week to start doing that.
4. Has Martavis Bryant played his last game in Pittsburgh?
The Steelers might be the best team in the AFC, but they are dealing with plenty of drama thanks to Martavis Bryant. The fourth-year receiver is unhappy with his role in the offense and has made it known that he wants to be traded. He’s not going to play against the Lions this weekend, as he has been benched for some critical comments he made about a rookie teammate on social media. Bryant has said he is done complaining about his situation publicly, but you have to wonder if the Steelers will try to trade him or just release him. There’s no sense entertaining a locker room distraction when you have a winning team.
5. Can the Broncos close the gap in the AFC West?
The Broncos will face a great test in Week 8 when they travel to Kansas City to face the AFC West-leading Chiefs. Following a 21-0 shutout at the hands of the Chargers, Trevor Siemian admitted he needs to play better going forward. Denver has scored just 10 points in the past two weeks combined, and its defense doesn’t look quite as good as the dominant one that led the team to a Super Bowl two years ago.
The Chiefs have been one of the better offensive teams in the league, so 10 points likely isn’t going to cut it for the Broncos on Monday night. A win would pull them to within a half-game of Kansas City for the AFC West lead. A loss would give the Chiefs a lot more breathing room.
6. Which Cam Newton will show up in Tampa?
Newton appeared to officially be “back” after he lit it up in back-to-back road wins over the Patriots and Lions in Weeks 4 and 5, but things have gone horribly for the Panthers’ offense since then. Over Carolina’s last two games (both losses), Newton has thrown five interceptions and just one touchdown. The Panthers managed only three points against the Bears last week.
If you saw how his press conference ended on Wednesday, you could tell how frustrated Newton is. Not having Greg Olsen has been a challenge, but the Panthers still have plenty of weapons with Kelvin Benjamin and rookie Christian McCaffrey. If Newton can’t make plays against a below-average Buccaneers defense, it will be time for fans in Carolina to worry.
7. Will the Browns or 49ers finally get a win?
The Browns and 49ers have played seven games each, and both teams are still in search of their first win. With Cleveland facing the Vikings in London and the Niners taking on the Eagles on the road, you have to wonder if or when either team will get into the win column.
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan has been going with rookie C.J. Beathard at quarterback over Brian Hoyer, which has resulted in some growing pains. Browns coach Hue Jackson can’t decide how many times he’s going to bench his own rookie, DeShone Kizer, in one season. Both teams are big underdogs in Week 8, and it would be a shocker if either pulled off the upset.
8. Can Alex Smith go another week without an interception?
Alex Smith is putting together an MVP-caliber season in Kansas City, and it still seems like hardly anyone has noticed. The 33-year-old has a passer rating of 120.5 and has thrown 15 touchdowns and no interceptions through seven games. Not bad for a game manager, huh?
The Chiefs traded up to draft Patrick Mahomes early in the first round of the NFL Draft, so Smith knows he is likely on borrowed time with the team. Rather than sulk about it, he has responded with his best season as a pro thus far. Things could get a bit tougher against the Broncos on Sunday, but Smith has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL all season, and there is faith in him to keep it going.
9. Has Amari Cooper finally shaken off his slow start?
Heading into last Thursday’s game against the Chiefs, Cooper had caught just 18 passes for 146 yards in six games. He also had only scored one touchdown. How did he respond to critics asking “what’s wrong with Cooper?” By catching 11 passes for 210 yards and two scores in a 31-30 win over Kansas City. Oakland’s offense is at its best when Cooper is making plays, but a tough test awaits against the Bills on Sunday. Derek Carr would love to make Cooper the focal point of the offense once again.
10. Are the Eagles the best team in football?
The Eagles are the only one-loss team in football, and they’re hosting the winless 49ers on Sunday. Carson Wentz has thrown 17 touchdown passes compared to just four interceptions and appears to have taken huge strides between his first and second NFL seasons. Philadelphia’s defense isn’t exactly the Legion of Boom, but the unit has been good enough to beat the Redskins twice and help the Eagles climb out to a nice early-season lead in the NFC East.
The Eagles have two tough games against the Broncos and Cowboys after they host the Niners. While Sunday’s game shouldn’t be a big challenge, great teams need to prove they can stay focused and not look too far ahead. This is a great chance for Doug Pederson’s team to do just that.
11. Is Deshaun Watson ready for the Seahawks on the road?
Watson has been extremely impressive in his five games as the Texans’ starting quarterback, and he has been nothing short of outstanding over the past three. The rookie has a passer rating of 101.1 on the year and has thrown 12 touchdowns compared to just two interceptions over his past three games. On Sunday, Watson will face his toughest test as a pro.
Seattle’s defense isn’t what it used to be, but it is still one of the better units in the league. The Seahawks are allowing fewer than 200 yards passing per game, and CenturyLink Field is known for being one of the most difficult places in the NFL to play. This will be a true test for Watson, who has already passed several of them. If the Texans can steal a win, the entire AFC will be put on notice.
12. Can Mitchell Trubisky complete enough passes to beat the Saints?
The Bears have managed to win their last two games despite Trubisky completing just 12 passes combined in the two contests. That likely won’t cut it against the Saints on Sunday. Chicago somehow managed a 17-3 win over the Panthers in Week 7 with Trubisky completing 4-of-7 passes for 107 yards. The Bears’ defense scored both of the touchdowns. Eventually, Trubisky is going to have to start making some throws.
New Orleans ranks fourth in the NFL this year in both yards and points per game and appears to be firing on all cylinders. In all likelihood, the Bears are going to have to ask Trubisky to be more than a game manager at the Superdome. It will be interesting to see if he’s up to the challenge.
13. How will the Bengals handle Joe Mixon’s public criticism?
Mixon rushed for 48 yards on seven carries in the first half of Cincinnati’s loss to the Steelers 29-14 last week, and the rookie was frustrated that his team abandoned the run after halftime. We know this because he told reporters the Bengals’ running backs were frustrated and asked, “If it worked in the first half, why not do it in the second?” The Bengals were only trailing 20-14 after the second quarter, so he had a good point.
However, Marvin Lewis didn’t appreciate Mixon airing out his grievances in public. The coach said during the week that Mixon should “show maturity just like everybody else.” Lewis could decide to give Mixon the squeaky wheel treatment against the Colts in Week 8, or he could put the rookie in the doghouse. Maybe it’ll be a little of both.
14. Do the Redskins regret signing Terrelle Pryor?
Pryor, one of the NFL’s best receivers in 2016, signed a one-year deal with Washington this past offseason, gambling that he’d have a big season, which would lead to a bigger contract. That strategy hasn’t paid off so far.
Pryor hasn’t been able to establish much chemistry with Kirk Cousins and is averaging just 37.2 yards receiving per game thus far. While Redskins coach Jay Gruden has expressed confidence in Pryor, 2016 first-round pick Josh Doctson is starting to get more involved and seems to have surpassed Pryor on the depth chart. Unless something changes in a hurry with Pryor, there’s a good chance that will continue going forward.
15. Is Matthew Stafford fully healthy coming out of the bye?
Stafford was clearly less than 100 percent healthy when he played through an ankle injury in Week 6, so the bye came at a perfect time for the Lions. After he threw just one interception in the first five games of the season, Stafford threw three in Detroit’s 52-38 loss to the Saints. He was clearly hobbled.
The Lions have a tough test at home on Sunday against the Steelers. They’ve had an extra week to prepare, and Stafford should be feeling a lot better than he was two weeks ago. That should help, though there’s not much the quarterback can do if Detroit’s defense allows another 52-point performance to its opponent.
