Week 8 delivered blowouts, first wins, and momentum shifts across the league. Every game mattered.
Key Games & Scores
- Los Angeles Chargers 37, Minnesota Vikings 10 — The Chargers came out strong Thursday night, dominating the Vikings at home and setting the tone for the week.
- Buffalo Bills 40, Carolina Panthers 9 — Buffalo got back on track with a rout of Carolina, led by a dominant rushing performance and a stifling defense.
- New York Jets 39, Cincinnati Bengals 38 — The Jets finally got their first win of the season in dramatic fashion, rallying late to edge the Bengals.
- Denver Broncos 44, Dallas Cowboys 24 — Denver exploded offensively and defensively to destroy Dallas, marking another big step forward.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23, New Orleans Saints 3 — The Bucs’ defense pitched a shut-down effort and the offense did just enough to bury the Saints.
- Indianapolis Colts 38, Tennessee Titans 14 — Indianapolis continued their surge, with standout rushing from Jonathan Taylor, dominating Tennessee.
Storylines & Takeaways
- No more undefeated teams? With multiple big wins and no perfect records left, the league balance feels even more pronounced.
- First wins matter. The Jets breaking through for their first win injects belief into a season that looked bleak.
- Offense meeting defense. Teams like Buffalo, Denver and Tampa Bay showed both sides of the ball can dominate on the same day.
- Rushing game is king. Jonathan Taylor’s performance, plus Buffalo’s run dominance, shows that controlling time and the ground game still wins.
- Blowouts becoming the norm. Many Week 8 games weren’t close. A few tight ones might loom, but this week had statement-type scores.
- Momentum heading into second half. Teams that won big now have breathing room; those who were blown out have urgent fixes to make.