NFL Week 8 grades from around the league
Running backs led the way Sunday. The winners of the Christian McCaffrey sweepstakes let the silver medalists know about it, capping another 49ers regular-season win over the Rams, while Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara and Tony Pollard led their teams to one-sided wins. Here are the Week 8 grades from around the NFL.
Davante Adams were right. But Green Bay cannot keep seeing its first-rounder-laden defense underperform. Josh Allen did what he wanted in the first half, finding Stefon Diggs for chunk plays and leading the Bills to a 24-7 lead. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry has even more to work with than Mike Pettine did; Green Bay (3-5) has both drafted and spent to fortify this defense. The unit, which could not contain Daniel Jones or Taylor Heinicke late, left a shorthanded offense trying to use the run game to erase the deficit. After three straight 13-win seasons, the Packers have slunk to an inexcusable place.
PACKERS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: at Lions (Sun.)
Von Miller was asking questions . The Bills (6-1) did not let Allen’s second-half slowdown affect a one-sided win. Their front seven created enough havoc to convince Matt LaFleur to keep turning to the run game. Greg Rousseau (five sacks) has already surpassed his rookie-year total, with Miller — whose bulldozing of Yosh Nijman led to a crucial fourth-down run stop — continuing to prove worth his latest big-ticket deal. Jordan Poyer’s injury concerns, with Micah Hyde already out of the picture. The Bills are on a rare level still; they need the playoffs to hurry up and begin.
BILLS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Jets (Sun.)
Sean McVay’s backfield combining for 45 rushing yards. A reconciliation with a post-Achilles-tear Cam Akers likely will not help much, and of the team’s O-line injuries, only left guard David Edwards can come back to assist. A perennially all-in team enduring a down year is untenable. The Lions own the Rams’ 2023 first-round pick, and Kupp will join Aaron Donald and Matthew Stafford in his 30s next season. Odell Beckham Jr.’s December timeline no longer works. Can trade-deadline artillery save the Rams?
RAMS GRADE: D-minus | NEXT: vs. Cardinals (Sun.)
Darius Slayton to come through. That and Tyler Lockett’s miscue near Seattle’s goal line powered a New York outfit that could not protect Daniel Jones. The Seahawks preyed on Giants backup right tackle Tyre Phillips during a five-sack outing — on a day in which Saquon Barkley (20 carries, 53 yards) averaged 2.7 yards per tote. Big Blue is down two O-line starters (left guard Ben Bredeson, right tackle Evan Neal); it showed. Still, the Giants are in excellent shape compared to preseason expectations.
GIANTS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: vs. Texans (Nov 13.)
Russell Wilson’s longtime go-to guy. Lockett both fumbled at his own 3-yard line and later dropped a surefire TD, but his double move on Adoree’ Jackson gave the Seahawks a fourth-quarter lead in what had been a defensive duel. While Lockett has never made a Pro Bowl as a receiver, he helped Wilson’s Hall of Fame-level ascent and is riding a streak of three straight 1,000-yard slates. On pace for a fourth, Lockett is a big piece of this stunning Smith season.
SEAHAWKS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Cardinals (Sun.)
Terrell Edmunds being fooled on Zach Pascal’s easy TD looked worse. The Eagles and Bills exposed a Steelers secondary that features Minkah Fitzpatrick and a host of low-cost veterans. The Steelers have no ex-first- or second-round picks or a $5 million-per-year player at corner. It showed Sunday, rendering the prospect of a Hurts-Kenny Pickett duel impossible.
STEELERS GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Saints (Sun.)
Jalen Reagor and JJ Arcega-Whiteside misses — from taking another big draft swing. Brown (658 yards) is on pace for by far his best season — on an Eagles team (7-0) without a glaring weakness.
EAGLES GRADE: A-plus | NEXT: at Texans (Thu.)
Devin McCourty — intercepted Zach Wilson twice. This process did not play out as the NFL hoped, with Belichick passing Halas against the Jets and not the Chicago icon’s team, but the game flow reminded me of so many Belichick games against his former employer. The ex-Browns coach and Jets DC’s 325 wins are 22 away from Don Shula’s record. That will likely be a mid-2020s storyline.
PATRIOTS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: vs. Colts (Sun.)
Zach Wilson outing leaves Jets in crisis
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The Jets (5-3) sacked Mac Jones six times and held the Patriots to one touchdown, but after Zach Wilson’s alarming Denver outing, expecting too much from the erratic quarterback against Belichick was foolish. Depending on your standards, the former No. 2 overall pick threw either two or three terrible INTs. No. 3, a fling into traffic that ended in McCourty’s arms, was particularly concerning. The Jets’ four-game win streak came without much from Wilson (and, inexcusably, without green pants or green jerseys ; we clearly have two crises engulfing this team). Wilson is still developing, but the Jets’ other roster improvements put Robert Saleh to a decision. The second-year QB is holding the team back.
JETS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: vs. Bills (Sun.)
a la Dwayne Rudd in 2002 , but the punishment did not fit the crime. Enforce this on the kickoff. The penalty marred the end to a shootout and led to P.J. Walker’s heave — 67.6 air yards, the longest in the Next Gen Stats era — joining the 2003 Saints’ “River City Relay” play (also minimized by a PAT miss) in what-if NFL lore.
PANTHERS GRADE: C-plus | NEXT: at Bengals (Sun.)
Caleb Huntley, an undrafted Ball State product recently on the practice squad, and journeyman Damiere Byrd delivered perhaps his signature NFL sequence Sunday. The explosive Huntley reached 91 rushing yards, while Byrd’s 47-yard catch-and-run TD certainly showed why teams keep buying low on the seventh-year wideout. The Falcons made no secret of their rebuild plan, with Matt Ryan and Deion Jones accounting for most of the team’s NFL-high $78 million in dead money. But do they need to circle around to being buyers at the trade deadline?
FALCONS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: vs. Chargers (Sun.)
Carson Wentz is not reclaiming his job. McLaurin, who has seen an injury force a Taylor Heinicke pairing for a second straight year, is helping change the equation for the Commanders. Playing in his hometown Indianapolis for the first time as a pro, McLaurin led a rescue effort that finished off a two-score comeback in the final five minutes. McLaurin’s 113-yard game included a 42-yard catch-and-run past ace Colts slot man Kenny Moore and a 50-50 grab over former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore. Heinicke leading an 89-yard march to KO, the Colts moved the Commanders to 4-4 and back in the mix in a jumbled NFC.
COMMANDERS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: vs. Vikings (Sun.)
Alex Smith lot, but the alternate reality in which an early-30s Luck leads the Colts (3-4-1) has tormented Reich and GM Chris Ballard’s tenures. Sam Ehlinger offered a bit more than Matt Ryan, as a Wentz-Ryan matchup (the presumed reason this game received a late-afternoon slot) became Heinicke-Ehlinger. But the first-time starter also lost a fumble. It is starting to look like Luck’s decision will be impossible for the Ballard-Reich regime to overcome.
COLTS GRADE: D | NEXT: at Patriots (Sun.)
Josh McDaniels’ squad may have cut off access to that path Sunday. In their first shutout loss since 2014, the Raiders (2-5) saw an offense that had gouged three straight opponents — including the Chiefs — faceplant. The Saints stalled Josh Jacobs’ contract-year climb, held Davante Adams to three receiving yards — despite missing Marshon Lattimore again — and bullied an overachieving Raiders O-line. Yeah, the much-hyped AFC West is looking similar to the fields Patrick Mahomes previously conquered.
RAIDERS GRADE: F | NEXT: at Jaguars (Sun.)
Jarvis Landry. The Saints have veterans flooding both lines and the secondary. Moving Kamara — whom the Bills called about — during his age-27 season would make less sense than a younger Panthers team dealing McCaffrey.
SAINTS GRADE: A-plus | NEXT: vs. Ravens (Mon.)
Robert Quinn. They are not a contender. But the Cowboys running this wild was still unexpected. Hopefully, the all-oranges going 0-2 this season does not send them permanently into the closet.
BEARS GRADE: D-minus | NEXT: vs. Dolphins (Sun.)
Jerry Jones doubled down on Elliott’s value postgame, but Pollard is set to join a stacked free agency running back contingent. The Cowboys (6-2) will be wise to lock down their 1-B back, but unless they move on from Elliott — an expensive 2023 task — authorizing another big backfield deal will be challenging.
COWBOYS GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: at Packers (Nov. 13)
Kyler Murray INTs sandwiched Greg Dortch’s punt-return blunder in a three-turnover second half, and a Cardinals game-tying drive attempt — only in play because of Greg Joseph’s PAT miss — saw two sacks derail it from becoming a threat. Average teams flood the NFC, making it too early to write the Cards off. But they are often a tough watch.
CARDINALS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: vs. Seahawks (Sun.)
least-discussed 6-1 team in modern NFL history. Kirk Cousins has not been statistically dominant, and he bombed in another national TV showcase. But the Vikes have stabilized their operation since the Philly letdown. Still smarting from his Arizona departure, Patrick Peterson came through with three pass breakups — including an end zone swat — and Za’Darius Smith’s three sacks upped his season total to 8.5 (tied with Matt Judon atop the league). Top 10 in neither total offense nor defense, the Vikings do not ooze Super Bowl appeal. But they are likely winning the NFC North. It might be time to start paying attention.
VIKINGS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Commanders (Sun.)
Ryan Tannehill’s unavailability forced the Titans to start a passer the Texans soon knew could not hurt them downfield. Malik Willis confirmed his raw prospect profile, throwing for 55 yards and an INT in Houston. Derrick Henry put aerial concerns on the back burner, carrying the Titans (5-2) with 219 rushing yards on 32 totes. He now has an NFL-record six 200-yard, two-TD games. Henry’s four such showings against the Texans alone would rank second all-time alongside Jim Brown. The Titans are extracting everything they can from Henry, whose workload (NFL-high 166 carries) warns of trouble ahead. But A.J. Brown’s exit and injuries to current cogs are limiting their passing game. Tennessee will need Tannehill next week.
TITANS GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: at Chiefs (Sun.)
Davis Mills nearly spoiled the 2021 Titans’ No. 1 seed hopes in Week 18 last season, the Texans amassed 51 yards in their first 11 drives. There is not much worth saying about the Texans (1-5-1) at this point. With Mills looking likely to give way to a better QB prospect next year, this is set up to be one of the longest-running rebuilds in recent history.
TEXANS GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Eagles (Thu.)
Tyreek Hill reshaping Dolphins’ passing attack
David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports
Although Mike McDaniel’s offense has made an impact in Tua Tagovailoa progressing from a passer whose long-range chops generated immense skepticism to the player the Dolphins are unleashing, Hill is the on-field variable. The historically talented deep threat’s 188-yard day — his fourth 160-yard outing as a Dolphin — increased his NFL receiving lead (961 — 197 more than anyone else). Hill’s final two catches also kept the Lions from a go-ahead drive. Jaylen Waddle’s emergence as a downfield target (9.8 yards per catch in 2021; 17.3 in ’22) was certainly Hill-assisted as well. Hill and Waddle totaled more than 200 yards on Tua passes that traveled at least 10 yards through the air, per Next Gen Stats.
DOLPHINS GRADE: B | NEXT: at Bears (Sun.)
Jeff Okudah, Aidan Hutchinson), Aaron Glenn’s troops rank last in points and yards allowed. After Dan Campbell canned his offensive coordinator ( Anthony Lynn) after one season, it appears Glenn will be a two-and-done in Detroit. Six-year contract aside, will Campbell?
LIONS GRADE: C-plus | NEXT: vs. Packers (Sun.)
Bradley Chubb) likely in the cards. But they at least paused their turmoil-filled season.
BRONCOS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: at Titans (Nov. 13)
Travis Etienne, and the ex-Clemson dynamo delivered in London. The Broncos could not contain Lawrence’s college teammate, who smoked the top-tier defense for 156 rushing yards. But the Jags could not overcome the Broncos (and their borderline-offensive uniform choice). Denver’s offense gave its defense some rare breathing room, but Lawrence’s two INTs — the second a K’Waun Williams pick ending a potential game-winning drive early — were the difference. The Jags (2-6) are still seeing too many mistakes from their prized QB prospect.
JAGUARS GRADE: C | NEXT: vs. Raiders (Sun.)
Mark Andrews for most of Thursday night, Lamar Jackson made it work. Fourth-round rookie Isaiah Likely justified the preseason hype he generated, displaying plus athleticism and leading the Ravens in receiving. With DeSean Jackson still ramping up, Devin Duvernay (Round 3, 2020) worked as Jackson’s lead wideout in Tampa. The Ravens (5-3) have not done enough to give Jackson a well-rounded aerial cast, but they have seen Duvernay make a third-year leap and identified a potential long-term Andrews sidekick in Likely. These two helping Jackson snap a mini-slump may be key in the long run.
RAVENS GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: at Saints (Mon.)
Shaq Mason healthy. Other teams are dealing with worse injury issues. Still, this division is bad enough Tampa Bay can recover.
BUCCANEERS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: vs. Rams (Sun.)
