NFL Analysis

10/27/24

10 min read

Biggest Winners, Losers From 2024 NFL Week 8

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs with the ball as Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat (98)chases during the first quarter at Northwest Stadium. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images.

Sunday was the day of big upsets around the NFL. We had multiple AFC teams lose despite being more than a touchdown favorite. We also saw several blowouts and a few games come down to the final play.

Which players stood out the most? And what coaches left a lot to be desired? Here are the biggest winners and losers coming out of Week 8:

Honorable Mentions:

Winner: Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals

Loser: Brian Callahan, HC, Tennessee Titans

Winner: James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills

Loser: Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts

⬆️Winner: Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

One of the keys to being a successful quarterback in the NFL is getting your teammates to believe in you. You have to earn the trust and respect of the players around you, and no matter how poor the odds may seem, you can deliver.

This is the trait Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow have that allows them to separate themselves from the pack.

Jayden Daniels is quickly entering that conversation after delivering an improbable win against the Bears in Week 8. There were some real concerns that Daniels couldn't play after leaving in Week 7 with an oblique injury. He only practiced for one day, and his status going into the afternoon was in doubt.

However, Daniels gutted it out, and the Commanders held the lead for most of the game. However, Caleb Williams and the Bears scored a touchdown and a 2-point conversion with less than 30 seconds left in the game to take a three-point lead. And then, magic happened.

Daniels got enough yardage in the next few plays, allowing a realistic Hail Mary chance. After scrambling around for what seemed like an eternity, Daniels threw a pass 60 yards in the air that was deflected into the hands of a wide-open Noah Brown in the end zone.

It was one of the most improbable Hail Mary attempts that you will ever see, and the touchdown allowed the Commanders to steal a win that they had no business winning.

The Commanders are real threats now in the NFC and have a one-game lead over the Eagles in the NFC East. Washington fans need to start believing that this could be their year with this special player under center.


Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images.

⬆️Winner: Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

Today is National Tight End Day, as I’m sure you have heard relentlessly all afternoon. However, it was nice to see Kyle Pitts have one of the best performances of his career. After back-to-back poor seasons in Atlanta, Pitts is finally starting to get back to the level we saw from him as a rookie.

Pitts scored two touchdowns in the first half, with the first score coming on a key fourth-and-5 in the first half. It was a physical route by Pitts that created separation and resulted in an easy score for the former first-round pick.

Later in the half, Pitts got wide open on a crossing route and got into the end zone. That play nearly didn’t count, as Pitts had the ball stripped out of his hands at the exact moment that he crossed the line. Still, he recorded 91 yards, and this was his first multi-touchdown game in the NFL. His 91 yards were the most he’s had in a single game since his rookie year.

Pitts is averaging over 14 yards per reception this season, and it feels like the Falcons are finally figuring out how to use their star tight end. If he can continue to play anywhere near this level, the Falcons will be awfully difficult to deal with once they get to the postseason.

Pitts is healthy again and is finally starting to remind everyone why he was a top-five pick back in the 2021 NFL Draft.


Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) celebrates after a catch against Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (14) during the first half of an NFL football game.

⬆️Winner: Cedric Tillman, WR, Cleveland Browns

One of the many reasons the Browns traded away Amari Cooper was to give some of their young receivers more work. Cooper is entering the final year of his contract, and it seemed very unlikely that he would return to Cleveland for his 11th NFL season.

One of those players who has seen an uptick in snaps now that Cooper is in Buffalo is Cedric Tillman, a third-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft. Prior to Week 7, Tillman had just 233 receiving yards in 20 career games. He had the best game of his career in Week 7, catching eight passes for 81 yards. But his true breakout performance occurred in Week 8, as he was the difference-maker in the Ravens-Browns contest.

Tillman was the Browns' leading receiver on Sunday, catching seven of eight targets for 99 yards. He caught two touchdowns on Sunday, which is incredible, considering he had never scored a touchdown in his career.

The best play that he made was the winning touchdown, putting the Browns ahead by five with less than a minute remaining. Tillman outran the safety on the over route, making for an easy pitch-and-catch from Jameis Winston.

Tillman’s development will be one to watch for the Browns moving forward, as they will need to revamp their offense this offseason. Considering how well he’s played in the last two games, the Cooper trade is already looking like a big win for Cleveland.


Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs for a touchdown against Tennessee Titans during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024.

⬆️Winner: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

The Lions are a machine. They scored 52 points on Sunday, and it didn’t seem difficult for them at all. Jared Goff had just 52 net passing yards but threw three touchdowns and was replaced in the fourth quarter by Hendon Hooker for the second time in three weeks after the Lions took a massive lead.

However, the real star for the Lions today was Jahmyr Gibbs, who again had a long touchdown that sparked the offense early. Gibbs racked up 127 rushing yards on just 11 carries, averaging 11.5 yards per rush. Gibbs has now played 24 regular season games, and this is the first time he’s averaged more than 10 yards per carry. This is the eighth time that he’s averaged at least 6.0 yards per carry, as he remains one of the most explosive running backs in the league.

Gibbs has scored seven touchdowns in seven games and is averaging well over 100 yards per scrimmage each week. There are only a handful of running backs in the league that can put up those numbers, but none of them are splitting work with a player as talented and as productive as David Montgomery.

The Lions are the league’s top offense, and a big reason why is that they have a superstar running back who is a threat to score anytime he touches the ball. Given that we’ve already seen Gibbs play 24 games (not including the postseason), it’s time that we start having a conversation about him being the league's best running back.


New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) exits the field after being defeated by the New England Patriots in the second half at Gillette Stadium. David Butler II-Imagn Images.

⬇️Loser: The New York Jets

The New York Jets had to win today if they wanted to make a run to the playoffs.

After a terrible second half against the Steelers on Sunday Night Football, this was the bounce-back game that the Jets desperately needed. They got a break before halftime, with Drake Maye leaving the game after a head injury, and he did not return. Unfortunately, it did not matter, as the Jets couldn’t stop either quarterback.

The Jets lead by five with less than 3:00 minutes remaining. But Jacoby Brissett led the Patriots on a game-winning touchdown drive that covered 70 yards in 2:35. No one on defense could step up and make a play, and that’s been the story of that unit all season long.

The shame of it all was that Aaron Rodgers played well, averaging more than 8.0 yards per attempt against the Patriots. He was sacked just once and did not throw an interception, but miscues killed the Jets.

Greg Zuerlein missed a field goal and an extra point, and the Jets chased those four points all game long. That’s been a recurring theme for the Jets, and now their season is essentially over at 2-6. This was a team with a ton of hype going into the year.

Now, they aren’t even relevant heading into Halloween. Yikes.


Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo
Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo looks on from the sideline in the second quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Cincinnati Bengals.

⬇️Loser: Lou Anarumo, DC, Cincinnati Bengals

It sure seemed like the Cincinnati Bengals fixed their defense during the last few weeks. After a few rough weeks to start the season, the Bengals allowed a combined 21 points in their last two games. In retrospect, you can probably chalk that up to playing Daniel Jones, Deshaun Watson, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Against a real offense with a good quarterback, the Bengals showed their true colors again. Cincinnati held the ball for almost the entire first quarter, but it allowed 37 points in the final three quarters against the Eagles. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo had no answer for Jalen Hurts, who averaged 11.8 yards per attempt through the air in Week 8. Worse yet, Hurts scored three rushing touchdowns as Cincinnati couldn’t get a stop in short yardage.

The Bengals have allowed 24 or more points in five of their last seven games and 37 or more points three times (Commanders, Ravens, Eagles). They just don’t have any answer for mobile quarterbacks, and their lack of speed on defense is eye-opening. There isn't a lot of creativity on defense, and Anarumo is relying a lot on his talent to win individual matchups. But in games like this, where they're overmatched talent-wise, they never stood a chance.

The Bengals will play several good offenses in the upcoming weeks, but with a record of 3-5, things are starting to slip away fast. They need more from their veteran defensive coordinator, and so far, he has not delivered.


Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) prepares to pass the ball in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images.

⬇️Loser: bryce young, QB, Carolina panthers

If you were hoping the time off would help Bryce Young, think again. The former No. 1 pick from the 2023 NFL Draft was benched after just two games to start the season but made his return in Week 8 against the Broncos.

The game started off well for Young as he threw a touchdown to rookie receiver Xavier Legette. He hit him on a beautiful slant in the red zone to take a 7-0 lead against Denver. From that point on, the Panthers did next to nothing on offense. They scored just one more time, late in the fourth quarter when the game was already decided.

Young turned the ball over twice, including an interception that was well behind his receiver. He did complete a high percentage of his passes, but averaged only 6.1 yards per attempt with a lot of those yards coming in garbage time. It was an underwhelming performance and just another reminder that the Panthers will be in the quarterback market in 2025.

The Panthers might decide to start Young for the remainder of the 2024 season, but it's not because it's earned. It's hard to imagine him being a starter anywhere next year after another rough outing.


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