Will Washington echo the sentiments of their defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, and play like they’re tired of losing when the Philadelphia Eagles show up on Sunday?
Who will win the battle of New York: the Jets or the Giants?
Will the Carolina Panthers finally get their first win of the season?
Can the San Francisco 49ers stop the bleeding, and end a two-game losing skid, with Cincinnati standing in their way – and a just-out-of-concussion-protocol Brock Purdy in the lineup?
Who folds between a pair of four-win teams in Seattle: the Seahawks or the Cleveland Browns?
These and a lot of other questions will be answered this weekend, as the National Football League’s week eight is upon us.
Actually, it’s already started. The Buffalo Bills held off Tampa Bay, 24-18, on Thursday night.
But here’s the rest of the NFL’s weekend schedule, all times in Central Standard time, and previews alongside. After that, the weekly picks by the TFB staff.
Sunday’s games
L.A. Rams (3-4) at Dallas (4-2), noon, FOX (Cowboys riding 10-game home winning streak as Rams’ Stafford visits his hometown team)
Minnesota (3-4) at Green Bay (2-4), noon, FOX (Vikings try to continue their recent surge while Packers look to break out of their slump)
Atlanta (4-3) at Tennessee (2-4), noon, CBS (Returning to Music City after 10 years with the Titans is weird for Falcons coach Arthur Smith)
New Orleans (3-4) at Indianapolis (3-4), noon, FOX (Colts face another stingy defense as Saints make a rare trip to Indianapolis)
New England (2-5) at Miami (5-2), noon, CBS (Unbeaten in 4 starts vs. Patriots, Dolphins’ Tagovailoa brings NFL’s top offense into latest matchup)
New York Jets (3-3) at New York Giants (2-5), noon, CBS (Giants’ Barkley struggled in his regular-season game against the Jets, but he liked the rivalry)
Jacksonville (5-2) at Pittsburgh (4-2) noon, CBS (Jaguars head to Pittsburgh to face Steelers with a chance to cement their status as an AFC contender)
Philadelphia (6-1) at Washington (3-4), noon, FOX (With Hurts playing through pain, Eagles could put pressure on Howell when they visit the Commanders)
Houston (3-3) at Carolina (0-6), noon, FOX (Childhood friends and top 2 draft picks Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud square off as Panthers host Texans)
Cleveland (4-2) at Seattle (4-2), 3:05 p.m., FOX (This week is about more than just throwback uniforms as the Seahawks host the Browns)
Kansas City (6-1) at Denver (2-5), 3:25 p.m., CBS (Short-handed Broncos try to snap 16-game skid to Chiefs and hand Mahomes 1st road loss in AFC West)
Baltimore (5-2) at Arizona (1-6), 3:25 p.m., CBS
Cincinnati (3-3) at San Francisco (5-2), 3:25 p.m., CBS (Brock Purdy cleared to start for the 49ers when they try to snap a 2-game skid against the Bengals)
Chicago at L.A. Chargers, 7:20 p.m., NBC (Bears rookie Tyson Bagent could have encore performance against Chargers’ suspect pass defense)
Monday’s game
Las Vegas (3-4) at Detroit (5-2), 7:15 p.m., ABC (Lions and Raiders are both looking to bounce back from bad losses on Monday night)
Staff picks
Well, the ol’ NFL has fooled us a few times this year – so much, in fact, that people who are normally very good at picking the outcomes of the games (yours truly) are having a horrible season doing so.
Seven members of our staff – my correspondent / wife Jenna Lucas, associate editor Clayton Fletcher, videographer Jacob Lucas (my son, but it’s not nepotism; he does great work), correspondents Shelby Thompson Molandes and Mitchell Molandes, and photographer Alex Nabor – are all attempting to hit on the correct outcomes of every single NFL game each week. And if that wasn’t pressure enough, we’ve added my daughter, a college student who’s very adept at this, to the mix.
Here’s the situation: we suck.
Or at least, we have. We’re almost half-way through the season, and Ashtyn, to no one’s surprise, has the best record (59-34), along with Clayton, also at 59-34. Alex is right behind (58-35). Jacob and Mitchell are tied, each with a 56-39 record. Shelby and I are each 51-42, and Jenna’s coming in from the back, a 50-43 mark.
Hopefully we can all do better this week. And here we go.
We had unanimously picked Buffalo over Tampa Bay on Thursday, I should mention first. This weekend’s games:
L.A. Rams at Dallas: The Cowboys are at home at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, a place that I’ve been a BUNCH, covering different things over the years, way more than any other major stadium. When I say Dallas is at home there, I mean it: the Cowboys have won their last 10 games at AT&T. And they’re also 7-3 the last 10 years when they’re coming off an open date, as they are this week. That’s trouble for the Rams. The pick: All of us have taken Dallas EXCEPT Clayton, so the official pick is 7-1, in the Cowboys’ favor.
Minnesota at Green Bay: Everybody kicks around Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. I’m not sure why. It’s like a national pastime. In the meantime, he’s second in the NFL in touchdown passes this year (16; Josh Allen of the Bills has 17), and third in yards (2,057, behind Allen and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa). I watched him chew up the 49ers’ defense, probably the NFL’s best, for over 400 total yards last week. The pick: Five of us, including me, took the Vikings; Clayton, Jenna and Ashtyn took Green Bay, so a 5-3 split in the Vikings’ favor.
Atlanta at Tennessee: Is it just me, or does it seem like the Falcons are on the road way more than they’re at home? Speaking of home, Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith was the Titans’ offensive coordinator before he was the Falcons’ head coach. What will Titans’ running back Derrick Henry do now that he has been told he won’t be traded? Not certain, but Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is out. The pick: An even 4-4 split.
New Orleans at Indianapolis: One might think that the Colts would be in better hands with an experienced quarterback like Garner Minshew getting the start – rookie Anthony Richardson is gone for the year after shoulder surgery. Minshew is a good quarterback, but he’s turned the ball over eight times in the last two games. The pick here: another 4-4 split.
New England at Miami: All of us were shocked last week (obviously, because we all picked the Bills) when the Patriots rose up and defeated Buffalo for their second win of the season. The pick: we’ll all be shocked again later if they beat Miami, because we all picked the Dolphins (8-0).
New York Jets at New York Giants: Technically, this is a Giants “home game,” but the teams obviously play at the same stadium. That would really be weird to be in the visitors’ locker room for a day. The pick: Ashtyn and Clayton took the Giants; I almost called them the “hapless” Giants. The rest of us took the Jets, and they might be “hapless,” too, but someone’s gotta win it. This is a 6-2 split.
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh: As I write this, Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence is questionable for this game. That’s a huge factor, obviously. The pick (which I made, based on him in the lineup): 7-1, with Jenna taking Pittsburgh, and the rest of us backing the Jaguars.
Philadelphia at Washington: The Commanders (hard to say, just an awkward name) had a come-to-Jesus meeting in public this week when defensive lineman Jonathan Allen basically called out the entire franchise for losing. They’re 3-4. A Washington win here wouldn’t totally shock me, but…the pick: Philadelphia, unanimously (8-0).
Houston at Carolina: The Texans look to have made two great draft picks in quarterback C.J. Stroud and linebacker Will Anderson. But I think they’re all playing over their heads. Carolina has had some bad luck this year. I think this one day, the Panthers get it done. The pick: Fletch and I took the Panthers, everyone else took Houston, so a 6-2 split.
Cleveland at Seattle: Home field advantage is big in football, especially in college football, but the Seahawks have it down. It’s a difficult place to play. I personally don’t think Cleveland can overcome it – even WITH the help of officiating. The pick: 5-3, with Jacob, Mitchell and Shelby taking Cleveland, and the rest of us taking the Seahawks.
Kansas City at Denver: Um, no. The pick: KC, unanimously (8-0).
Baltimore at Arizona: Here’s a stat for you: Lamar Jackson is 16-1 against NFC teams. Let that sink in. He’ll be 17-1 by the end of the day Sunday. The pick: Baltimore, unanimously (8-0).
Cincinnati at San Francisco: Much as it pains me to say it, I think the loss of Deebo Samuel to a shoulder injury for another week and an unhealthy left tackle Trent Williams equal a third straight loss for the Niners. The pick: 6-2, with Mitchell and I taking the Bengals.
Chicago at L.A. Chargers: I would say Chargers in a rout, but the numbers don’t back that. Tyson Bagent, however, is starting instead of Justin Fields at quarterback for the Bears. The pick: everyone took the Chargers except Jenna, so 7-1 in their favor.
Las Vegas at Detroit: The Raiders get quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo back for this one, and the Lions come off an embarrassing performance (a 38-6 loss) at Baltimore. What does that mean? Well, hopefully a good game. But…the pick: Detroit, unanimously (8-0).
