Classes from NFL Week 8 blowouts: Taylor, Barkley, Kraft star

Sunday of Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season will not go down as a legendary day of soccer. After a 27-point blowout of the Vikings by the Chargers on Thursday evening, all however certainly one of Sunday’s video games had been determined by double digits, with the Jets-Bengals shootout because the lone exception. Including that Vikings-Chargers sport, 11 of the 12 video games we have seen up to now in Week 8 have been determined by 10 or extra factors. That 92% clip is the best for any week going again via 1990.

If the video games felt as in the event that they had been lacking one thing, they had been: beginning quarterbacks. Eight of the 24 groups which have performed up to now in Week 8 weren’t in a position to begin their most well-liked quarterback. Six of the seven 1 p.m. ET video games had not less than one backup QB taking the sector to begin. And Washington’s Marcus Mariota will change into the ninth backup to begin this week when he takes the sector on “Monday Night Football” towards the Chiefs. Football normally is not this easy, however groups beginning backup quarterbacks going through groups beginning their most well-liked quarterback went 1-5 this week, with Tyler Huntley’s victory towards the Bears because the outlier.

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You get the thought: It wasn’t a really enjoyable weekend of video games to debate. At the identical time, there have been nuggets and moments to get pleasure from, even when the video games weren’t very aggressive. Let’s discover and have a good time the enjoyable items from every of Sunday’s video games. A terrific efficiency? A cool play? A return to type? There’s not less than one takeaway to savor from all 11 matchups.

Let’s begin with maybe essentially the most dominant participant in soccer proper now …

Jump to:
TEN-IND | NYG-PHI | NYJ-CIN
DAL-DEN | CLE-NE | SF-HOU
TB-NO | BUF-CAR | CHI-BAL
MIA-ATL | GB-PIT

Jonathan Taylor goes for 3 touchdowns … once more

Ho-hum. Yes, the efficiency was towards a Titans staff with out star defensive deal with Jeffery Simmons, who may be the one cause folks outdoors of the Nashville space even activate Tennessee tape most weeks. But when you’ve 4 three-touchdown video games by the halfway level of the season and the remainder of the NFL has eight mixed, you are doing one thing proper.

After he torched the Titans for 174 scrimmage yards and three scores on simply 14 touches, Taylor could make the case that he is in the course of a historic stretch of soccer. He has scored 10 touchdowns over his previous 4 video games. That’s the primary time a participant has scored 10 or extra occasions over a four-game span since 2015, and Taylor is simply the fifteenth participant in NFL historical past to make it to 10 scores in 4 weeks of motion.

In addition to having 5 extra TDs than anyone else within the NFL (14), Taylor has recorded 3.9% of all of the league’s speeding yardage by operating backs this season (850). Since 2002, that is the sixth-highest fee recorded by any again via eight weeks. And a league-best 31% of his touches are turning into first downs or touchdowns.

More than the numbers, what actually signifies a particular season for me is seeing how a participant could make different NFL gamers look silly. Great backs having spectacular seasons, like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry a 12 months in the past, have a approach of creating the angles and calculations in different gamers’ heads go haywire. Defenders are in a panic earlier than they even get to the open area and soften down as soon as they do get there.

Watch Taylor’s 80-yard landing run from Sunday and also you see the Titans’ protection nearly panic as he breaks via the primary stage of defenders. The Colts’ offensive line — which has completed a wonderful job of blocking for Taylor throughout all types of various run ideas this season — had no downside making a gap on a pin/pull sweep, with star guard Quenton Nelson attending to the sting and driving cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. all the way in which to the sideline. But as soon as Taylor breaks into the open area, Tennessee’s defenders merely haven’t any hope.

Safety Xavier Woods begins transferring to a spot the place he thinks he’ll have a shot at pushing Taylor out of bounds, solely to search out that Taylor is about 3 yards previous that spot as soon as he will get there. Backside security Amani Hooker is the final hope, however even with Taylor slowed down by Woods’ deal with try, the Colts operating again is approach too quick and prevents Hooker from getting shut sufficient to aim a diving deal with.

And certain, the Titans’ protection is not going to terrify opposing offenses, however Taylor has been doing this all season. He made celebrity security Derwin James Jr. miss on the primary of his three touchdowns towards the Chargers final week after which broke down Tony Jefferson’s angle in the course of the sector on his third rating. Taylor additionally shook Brandon Jones to the bottom within the open area on his 68-yard run towards the Broncos. It’s one factor for a speedster like peak Tyreek Hill to do that to NFL defensive backs. Taylor is 35 kilos heavier than Hill!

Simply put, Taylor is the surest factor in soccer proper now.

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Saquon Barkley will get again on observe (earlier than getting injured)

There has by no means actually been a cause to assume one thing was lacking or missing in Barkley’s sport that was main the reigning Offensive Player of the Year to battle in 2025. While Barkley did not have a single 20-yard run earlier than Sunday, he did have a 47-yard landing catch towards Denver, so it was clear there wasn’t some challenge together with his explosiveness. The Eagles’ offensive line has been banged up and hasn’t been almost as dominant because it was in 2024, however the actual clarification was in all probability simply variance. Barkley ran extremely sizzling in 2024 and had possibly been somewhat unfortunate to not have the correct gap open up on the proper time up to now in 2025.

As it turned out, all it took was a sport towards his former employer, which has the league’s worst EPA per play towards designed runs this season, to get Barkley going. He racked up his first two explosive rushes of the season. The one that may stick to Eagles followers as hope that the actual Barkley is coming again is the 65-yarder on the opening possession of the sport.

The Eagles are operating duo right here, the place they’re hoping to get double-teams on the line of scrimmage, climb to the second stage and isolate Barkley one-on-one towards a defender. The line does an immaculate job of blocking this up towards an overmatched Giants entrance; Barkley has to resolve whether or not he needs to hit this into the open hole straight in entrance of his face or sneak out the again aspect to tackle security Tyler Nubin.

With Jordan Mailata sealing off Kayvon Thibodeaux and Landon Dickerson climbing to remove Darius Muasau, Barkley does not even want to handle a Giants defender till he will get to Nubin, who has had halfbacks run away from him for giant good points a number of occasions this season. It’s not a good battle. DeVonta Smith has his fingers as much as have a good time earlier than Barkley even makes it previous Nubin and hits midfield. This was the operating sport the Eagles anticipated to have in 2025 after every little thing they confirmed in 2024, not less than for one play.

Barkley then added a 28-yard run on a counter play later within the day, although that was his closing carry of the sport, as he felt a groin challenge begin to present up on the finish of the run. The three-time Pro Bowler stated after the win that he would have been in a position to come again in and play if the rating had been nearer. The Eagles had been seemingly smart to sit down their star again, particularly with Tank Bigsby additionally becoming a member of the 100-yard membership on 9 carries as Barkley’s major backup.

As a lot as this was about Barkley reestablishing his confidence, this may additionally have been about convincing the offensive line that it may be the identical dominant unit we noticed a 12 months in the past. Before Sunday, carries by Eagles backs had been anticipated to achieve a median of solely 3.5 yards per run by NFL Next Gen Stats’ mannequin, the third-worst mark within the league. Only the Texans and Browns had been worse. Last season, carries by Eagles operating backs had been anticipated to supply 4.2 yards per carry, which was ninth finest across the NFL.

The Eagles had been up at 4.0 anticipated yards per carry Sunday, their second-best single-game mark of the season. Amid widespread frustrations and issues in Philadelphia that the Eagles could not reestablish their id on offense after the loss to the Giants two weeks in the past, Nick Sirianni’s staff confirmed that it’s able to being nice in back-to-back video games. Last week towards the Vikings, Jalen Hurts and the passing sport led the way in which with large performs, averaging greater than 14 yards per cross try and throwing three landing passes.

This Sunday, Hurts handed for 4 extra scores however the operating sport carried the majority of the load. This was the second-best efficiency by EPA per snap on offense the Eagles have had since Sirianni took over, trailing solely the win over the Commanders within the NFC Championship Game final season. Suddenly, because the Eagles attain their bye week, they seem like hitting their stride on offense.

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Breece Hall has maybe his final nice sport for the Jets

We’ll see whether or not the Jets really do commerce Hall, who’s a free agent after the season and a draftee from the now-departed Joe Douglas regime. Sunday gave each side of a possible Hall commerce debate ammunition. Jets operating again Isaiah Davis has seemed explosive at occasions over his first 40 professional carries and on Sunday turned 12 touches into 109 yards, together with a 50-yard rush the place he ran via a Barrett Carter deal with try within the third quarter. Trading Hall would open up extra alternatives for gamers like Davis over the remainder of a season that is not going anyplace, and New York would have an opportunity to search out one other again or two subsequent offseason.

And but, on a day through which the Jets did not have Garrett Wilson or Josh Reynolds and had been beginning an embattled quarterback in Justin Fields (who had been publicly dismissed by his staff’s proprietor), it is not possible to think about this staff scoring 39 factors to win its first sport of the season with out Hall being the point of interest of the offense. Hall ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns earlier than throwing the 4-yard landing cross that gained the sport on a trick play.

I’m unsure there is a single Bengals defender who did not whiff on an try to deal with Hall at one level or one other throughout this sport. Cincinnati got here in with 81 missed tackles, 25 greater than some other staff within the league, and added to these totals Sunday. Hall ran away from Carter after which flew previous Jordan Battle for a 35-yard run within the third quarter. Geno Stone could not get him down on a 5-yard rating to finish that drive. With the Jets operating a dart learn idea, pulling a deal with and asking Fields to find out whether or not he would hand the ball to Hall or hold it himself, Hall outran edge rusher Shemar Stewart earlier than hitting DJ Turner with the basic Lamar Jackson sideline hesitation and scoring from 27 yards out. That bought New York again into the sport with 8:01 to go.

Jets coach Aaron Glenn additionally deserves credit score for being somewhat extra reasonable together with his sport administration after some ill-advised selections in all probability value his staff a win over the Broncos in London two weeks in the past. New York tried a fourth-and-1 early and did not get it, however Glenn did not shrink back from an aggressive name later within the sport. With the Jets happening by eight after that rating on the eight-minute mark, Glenn went for 2 — a choice supported by the information, as ESPN’s Seth Walder broke down right here. They (narrowly) made the 2-pointer on a cross to Davis, and when Hall threw a landing cross to Mason Taylor, the additional level gained the sport.

The Jets had been by no means going to be an excellent staff this season. They’re not going to be within the playoff hunt. Beating a Bengals staff that’s beginning Joe Flacco, cannot deal with and misplaced Trey Hendrickson through the sport to a hip damage is not proof that they are about to go on a successful streak. If it weren’t for Tyrod Taylor struggling a knee damage, Fields would have seemingly been on the bench, a spot he is nonetheless more likely to find yourself later this season.

For the Jets, although, this has to really feel like some form of proof of idea. They had been in a position to run the ball persistently and successfully, they usually even hit just a few large performs within the passing sport with out their star receiver. Their coach made what will need to have felt like an aggressive resolution on the sideline, and it labored. The protection allowed 38 factors with out Sauce Gardner on the sector, however it got here up with a three-and-out and bought the Bengals off the sector on downs on the ultimate two drives.

After every week when it felt as if the Jets had been basically giving up on 2025, they all of a sudden began on course. And possibly that encourages New York to carry onto Hall in any case.

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Guard Quinn Meinerz has a double stack

One week after the Broncos waited three quarters earlier than sparking to life on offense towards the Giants, they did not take as lengthy to get going towards the hapless Cowboys protection. After a tough interception on the opening drive, Bo Nix did nearly no matter he needed for the remainder of the day. The Broncos scored touchdowns on six of their subsequent eight significant drives, not often being threatened alongside the way in which. Rookie RJ Harvey had his finest sport as a professional, scoring three touchdowns.

Harvey bought some assist from his All-Pro guard on his 40-yard rating to open the landing floodgates. Meinerz is a wonderful run blocker, however I normally take into consideration his work at or across the line of scrimmage because the place the place he excels. I’d distinction that to somebody like Quenton Nelson, who has been unimaginable pulling and getting out in house to bury linebackers and defensive backs.

Well, issues are totally different now.

Meinerz will get issues began early by merely obliterating linebacker Shemar James, who had a goal on his again for many of the sport. But Meinerz then climbs to the third stage and sees security Alijah Clark, who tries to take the approaching hit on and will get pushed into the bottom. Clark in all probability wasn’t catching Harvey if he stayed upright, however the security wasn’t going anyplace as soon as he bumped into Meinerz. In a sport the place it felt as if each Broncos offensive participant had a giant day, Meinerz may need had the play of the afternoon.

I’ll throw in a single unfavourable right here: We missed out on a possible NFL report. Brandon Aubrey has arguably the strongest leg we have ever seen from an NFL kicker, having made 5 kicks from 60-plus yards over the previous two-plus seasons. It’s clear the Cowboys belief him to hit kicks from nearly anyplace in that vary, and former coach Mike McCarthy despatched him out for a 70-yarder final season, although the kick wasn’t shut.

That try got here in Carolina, although. The Cowboys had been enjoying in Denver on Sunday, the place the skinny air helps kicks journey farther and expands kickers’ ranges. The climate was heat, and the sector was in nice form. This was seemingly Aubrey’s solely probability to kick in the absolute best circumstances a mile excessive for a record-setting area aim for as many as eight years, given how the league’s scheduling course of works. He would possibly find yourself on a distinct staff or play a house sport in Mexico City, however this was our probability to see one thing actually spectacular. Could he have hit from 75 yards out?

We by no means bought a chance to search out out. The Cowboys had the ball on their very own 48-yard line with 22 seconds left within the second quarter, which might have been a 70-yard try with none extra yardage, however Dak Prescott threw a choose into protection to finish the half. After the break, the Cowboys had a fourth-and-6 on their very own 44-yard line, organising a possible attempt from 74 yards out. Coach Brian Schottenheimer opted to punt as an alternative, and there was by no means one other probability to get Aubrey in vary for a report try.

Aubrey maxed out with a 57-yard kick in pregame warmups, however he usually does not attempt to hit something from 60 or extra until it is a sport state of affairs. Maybe the previous soccer participant instructed Schottenheimer he could not hit from 70 or extra. But I certain would have appreciated to see Aubrey attempt.

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Myles Garrett has a five-sack day

This was a efficiency that makes you ponder whether Garrett may need wished that he had caught together with his offseason request to be traded. The protection gave Drake Maye some early bother, however the Browns’ offense misplaced Quinshon Judkins to a shoulder damage and could not do something to remain within the contest. And regardless of getting 5 sacks from Garrett for the primary time in his profession, the protection could not repeatedly decelerate Maye, who ultimately threw for 282 yards, had three landing passes and ran for 50 extra yards.

To be sincere, I’ve really seen extra unstoppable video games from Garrett this season. His sacks right here weren’t instantaneous wins off the road towards overmatched linemen, partly as a result of the Patriots had a transparent sport plan and tried to present their tackles assist. It simply did not work. There had been two sacks the place Garrett was chipped by a decent finish, bought up towards Will Campbell and easily teleported previous the Patriots’ rookie left deal with. Outside of a intentionally unblocked sack on a boot idea the place Maye appeared to assume he might outrun Garrett and discovered in any other case in painful style, Garrett needed to work for these sacks.

This was an amazing instance of simply how a lot Garrett or one other nice cross rusher can do to make life simpler for a secondary. While he wasn’t successful instantaneously and fully blowing up performs, the Browns star mainly restricted Maye to at least one learn or one look upfield. When Maye held the soccer or did not make an instantaneous resolution, his time was up and Garrett was in place to take him down.

As the sport wore on, the Patriots did an excellent job of pulling out all of the tips good offenses use to decelerate nice cross rushers. They ran at Garrett. They moved Maye round to alter the launch level and keep away from making their QB a sitting duck, with Maye going 5-of-6 for 92 yards outdoors the deal with field. (Without strain, Maye went 15-of-18 for 235 yards and three scores.) They learn Garrett to attempt to take him out of the play with out having to commit a blocker who in all probability wasn’t going to win. They additionally took benefit of the moments when Garrett was on the sideline, hitting a 39-yard landing cross to Kayshon Boutte with out Garrett on the sector.

Garrett was noticed slamming his helmet on the sideline in frustration through the sport. Afterward, he stated what what you might expect: “I would throw the whole performance away for the win.” I do not blame Garrett for taking what he was provided this offseason. And even when he hadn’t signed a brand new deal, I’m unsure the Browns had been going to maneuver a future Hall of Famer with two years left on his current contract this spring. It cannot be enjoyable to know, although, that somebody can have what most gamers would take into account the sport of a lifetime and nonetheless not be capable of spur the staff to not less than a detailed loss, not to mention a victory.

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Every younger Houston playmaker has not less than one large play

This was an impressively dominant efficiency by the Texans. Facing a 5-2 Niners staff, the Texans managed this sport from begin to end. Kyle Shanahan’s offense did not handle a primary down till the ultimate drive of the primary half and failed to maneuver the chains even as soon as on six of its 9 possessions. One week after his finest sport of the season, Christian McCaffrey was held to 25 speeding yards on eight carries, whereas many of the star again’s 43 receiving yards got here late within the fourth quarter with the 49ers trailing by double digits. The Texans did not let McCaffrey beat them, and no different 49ers participant was as much as the duty of taking on the sport.

Without prime again in Joe Mixon and their prime two veteran receivers in Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, the Texans wanted their younger offensive playmakers to step up. Mission completed. C.J. Stroud delivered his finest efficiency of the season, going 30-of-39 for 318 yards, two landing passes and an interception whereas including 30 speeding yards within the course of. Tight finish Dalton Schultz had solely 24 receiving yards, so the important thing runners and cross catchers for the Texans had been all gamers on rookie offers. And all of them had large performs.

That begins with Woody Marks, who has completed every little thing doable to persuade coaches that he needs to be the lead again in a rotation with Nick Chubb. Marks had a 50-yard scamper on a checkdown when the inexperienced 49ers linebackers thought they might come after Stroud as rushers, just for Marks to slide out uncovered for an enormous achieve. He additionally carried the ball 11 occasions for 62 yards, with the spotlight approaching a duo run within the fourth quarter, when Marks acknowledged that the 49ers had misplaced include outdoors and sprinted across the edge for 23 yards.

Receiver Xavier Hutchinson led the staff with 5 catches for 69 yards, together with a 30-yard rating within the fourth quarter. With the 49ers in single-high protection, he was just too quick for security Ji’Ayir Brown on his crossing route, operating away from Brown and deep security Malik Mustapha with out leaving any viable tackling alternatives earlier than hitting the top zone. The third-year professional additionally made a troublesome catch on a Stroud floater with nook Upton Stout in his face for an 18-yard completion. This was Hutchinson’s finest sport as a professional.

Second-round choose Jayden Higgins chipped in with 34 yards, together with a 12-yard landing towards a static 49ers protection in zone protection. The extra thrilling rookie may need been former Iowa State teammate Jaylin Noel, who turned 16 routes into 5 catches and 63 yards, together with a 44-yard catch within the second quarter. The Texans ran a basic quarters-beater to spring Noel, with Higgins operating a curl to occupy one security whereas Noel ran a deep put up behind him. Stroud’s throw did not give Mustapha any probability to catch up, and Noel got here away with one other large catch after racking up three 20-plus-yard completions final week.

This was one sport towards a 49ers protection completely torn aside by accidents, however it was additionally an necessary one for the Texans. Staying on observe to compete for a wild-card spot is essential, in fact, however their team-building mannequin has to evolve, too. Most of the strikes GM Nick Caserio made to remake the offensive line did not work this offseason. The Texans must pour extra assets into fixing issues up entrance in 2026. Plus, Stroud is due for an infinite increase after the season, and whereas the Texans might wait on that deal, groups usually signal their younger quarterbacks to long-term contracts the primary probability they get. On prime of that, Will Anderson Jr. can also be eligible to receives a commission after the 12 months.

While Collins is on among the best veteran offers in soccer, the Texans are going to want to make cutbacks and lower your expenses at some spots on their roster. The second and third wideout slots are apparent locations to focus on. It’s unclear whether or not Tank Dell will be capable of return to the shape he confirmed in 2023 and 2024, and gamers like Mixon and Schultz in all probability aren’t going to be again subsequent fall. The Texans will want a few of these younger cost-controlled gamers to hit to allow them to commit assets elsewhere within the years to return. Sunday was an indication that the children may be as much as the duty.

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The Saints cease the Bucs seven occasions from the 1-yard line

There aren’t going to be many highlights this season for the Saints, who are actually 1-7 and going through a visit to Los Angeles to face the Rams. Coach Kellen Moore determined to bench Spencer Rattler in the course of this sport for second-round choose Tyler Shough, who went 17-of-30 for simply 128 yards and an interception in his first prolonged NFL motion. Rattler hasn’t been excellent by any means, however he has made some absolutely perfect throws this season, even when they have not all the time ended up as completions. He might be not the long run in New Orleans, however Rattler has been essentially the most entertaining a part of Saints video games this 12 months.

The protection has been extra irritating than productive, however Sunday delivered what is going to seemingly be the unit’s most spectacular stand of the season. Facing a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line within the second quarter, the Saints stuffed Sean Tucker for no achieve, just for Carl Granderson to be flagged for offside. Fair sufficient. But New Orleans then got here up with 4 extra consecutive stops of Tucker and Rachaad White from the 1-yard line, delivering an enormous momentum-shifting cease in entrance of the house followers. Rattler threw a pick-six into the arms of Anthony Nelson two performs later, which introduced an finish to these vibes, however it was a enjoyable second for the diehards in New Orleans.

On the opening drive of the third quarter, the Bucs once more took the ball to the 1-yard line. This time, they realized their lesson — however it did not appear to assist. Baker Mayfield threw incomplete on first and third down, and in between, Tucker was stuffed once more for no achieve. Facing a fourth-and-goal (sure, nonetheless from the 1-yard line), Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles stored the religion together with his offense and was lastly rewarded, as Tucker fought via a deal with to attain a short-yardage landing for the Bucs.

The Saints had been near doing one thing no staff has completed in fairly some time. ESPN’s play-by-play knowledge goes again to 2007, and over that point, nobody has ever provide you with eight stops from the 1-yard line in a single sport, not to mention in a row. No staff had managed seven stops from the 1-yard line in the identical sport since 2013, when the Titans one way or the other stopped the Broncos, among the best offenses in NFL historical past. The Bucs aren’t fairly on that stage, particularly with all of their accidents up entrance, however the Saints needs to be pleased with how lengthy they held out earlier than lastly capitulating on fourth-and-goal. And provided that no different staff has greater than three stops from 1 yard out in a single sport this season, I might anticipate this to be one of the best goal-line efficiency of the 12 months.

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The Buffalo protection roars again to life

James Cook III ran all around the Panthers for 216 yards and two touchdowns, however I think coach Sean McDermott may need been happiest about what he noticed from his protection. With the Bills putting Taylor Rapp on injured reserve through the week and changing him with 34-year-old Jordan Poyer, a Bills protection that has been lacking starters all season was going through one other potential gap within the lineup. Things solely appeared to worsen when Ed Oliver went down with a biceps damage after 18 snaps, which might value the star defensive deal with vital time if it is a tear.

Instead, the Bills comfortably delivered their finest defensive efficiency of the season. While they performed from forward for many of the sport, the Bills’ cross rush sacked Andy Dalton seven occasions, with debuting lineman Michael Hoecht racking up 1.5 sacks and a team-high three fast quarterback pressures. Dalton was pressured on almost 44% of his dropbacks. And whereas Rico Dowdle nearly broke off one other lengthy rating on a 24-yard run within the first quarter, the Bills had been bailed out by a touchdown-saving deal with from rookie security Jordan Hancock, who was enjoying his first defensive snaps of the season. Two performs after the Dowdle run, the Bills bought the ball again when Greg Rousseau swatted the ball out of a scrambling Dalton’s fingers.

The takeaways in all probability made McDermott significantly delighted. The Bills pressured three turnovers towards the Panthers, with two strip-sacks of Dalton and an interception on a fast display by AJ Epenesa, who got here inside a yard of scoring on the return.

Last week, I wrote about how the Bills protection had relied closely on turnovers in 2023 and 2024 however hadn’t been in a position to piece collectively common takeaways in 2025. After 21 multi-takeaway video games over these two seasons, this was the primary time the Bills pressured a number of turnovers in a sport in 2025. Buffalo is 18-3 when it generates not less than two takaways over that span, and you may perceive how devastating it should be at hand an offense with Cook and Josh Allen brief fields.

We’ve seen bye weeks impress defenses up to now, with the 2024 Eagles because the quintessential and most up-to-date instance. I’m unsure that form of bounce is coming for the Bills, however this season-best displaying got here with totally different personnel. Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi returned from suspensions and made their presence felt up entrance. First-round choose Maxwell Hairston made his NFL debut and performed 25 snaps, permitting zero catches as the closest defender in protection. Hancock made a important play to save lots of a landing. And whereas Poyer in all probability is not the long-term answer at security provided that he wasn’t nice for the Dolphins final season and wasn’t on an lively roster till October, he is aware of the McDermott protection and the place to line up.

I’m not satisfied that the Bills have issues fully discovered on this aspect of the ball, however this was a promising return to type.

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Keaton Mitchell will get again within the combine at operating again

The Ravens additionally had a defensive return to type of their win over the Bears. While the 17-3 loss to the Rams in Week 6 may need felt like the start of their enhancements, a better have a look at that sport prompt that the Rams left lots of yards and potential scores on the sector with misses from Matthew Stafford. Like the Bills, the Ravens seemed a lot better after getting back from the bye, though they had been aided by bumbling operations and clock administration from Chicago on the finish of every half, costing the Bears 10 factors within the course of.

Instead, I need to have a look at the offensive aspect of the ball, the place I used to be heartened to see a younger participant appear to be he was lastly displaying indicators of his pre-injury type. Mitchell was a lightning bolt for the Ravens in 2023, turning 9 carries into 138 yards and a landing in his first sport with a rush try. The Ravens used Mitchell in a part-time function, with the previous East Carolina again averaging greater than 8 yards per carry throughout 47 rush makes an attempt.

Just because the Ravens appeared keen to develop Mitchell’s function, although, he tore his ACL in a December 2023 win over the Jaguars. The undrafted free agent missed the remainder of the season, and when the Ravens added Derrick Henry the next offseason, Mitchell’s path to common work disappeared. After lacking most of 2024, Mitchell managed 15 carries for 30 yards down the stretch, serving principally because the staff’s kick returner. He was a wholesome scratch early this season earlier than carrying the ball 3 times within the loss to the Texans.

On Sunday, although, Mitchell bought 4 carries and turned them into 43 yards. He took a pitch within the third quarter and made it across the edge for a 25-yard achieve, maxing out at 20.3 mph within the course of (per NFL Next Gen Stats). In the fourth quarter, the Ravens ran a bash learn idea and had quarterback Tyler Huntley hand the ball to Mitchell, who outran Daniel Hardy to the sideline and picked up 13 yards. Again, Mitchell topped out over 20 mph, which is not simple to do on such a brief run.

Mitchell is just not about to take over for Henry, however the Ravens want one thing to spark their run sport. Even earlier than Lamar Jackson went down together with his hamstring damage, the Ravens had been struggling for consistency on the bottom, regardless of some explosive runs. They’re twenty eighth within the league in success fee on carries by their operating backs, which means that they have been struggling to remain on schedule and hold the offense out of third-and-long conditions. Jackson’s sack fee had spiked earlier than his damage, and whereas Cooper Rush was operating a sub-2% sack fee earlier than he was benched for Huntley, that model of the offense wasn’t transferring the soccer.

Mitchell is extra of a house run hitter than a between-the-tackles runner, however he may need a viable function to play on this offense, particularly with Huntley working the QB run sport. The Ravens have to hold Henry recent for a possible postseason run, and whereas he scored twice on Sunday, the legendary again mustered solely 71 yards on 21 carries. The Ravens play the Dolphins in 4 days, and the brief week limits each the period of time Henry has to get well and the probabilities of Jackson returning to the lineup to face one of many league’s worst groups. A handful of Mitchell carries would make sense, and in the event that they appear to be what we noticed on Sunday, this might be a pleasant change of tempo for Todd Monken’s offense.

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Tua Tagovailoa quiets the critics, not less than for one week

Put your self in Tagovailoa’s sneakers. Your Dolphins are 1-6, and there have been widespread studies that coach Mike McDaniel — who helped take you to the subsequent stage as a quarterback — is on skinny ice. Your prime receiver, Tyreek Hill, is out for the 12 months. You’ve thrown six interceptions over the previous two video games, and whereas a few these picks towards the Chargers weren’t on you, it might be tougher to make that very same case for the three INTs towards the Browns. There’s not less than public conjecture that you would be benched or enjoying to your job in 2026. Oh, and while you awakened Sunday morning, your eye was unexpectedly swollen shut.

Does that sound like a recipe to your finest sport of the season?

Somehow, it was simply that. Facing the identical Falcons protection that slowed down Josh Allen and the Bills earlier this season, Tagovailoa delivered a classic efficiency. After a three-and-out on the opening drive, the Dolphins had just one extra of these the remainder of the way in which, a serious enchancment for a staff that had the fifth-highest three-and-out fee (28.2%) of any offense earlier than Week 8.

What was putting about Miami’s win is simply how the Dolphins attacked the Falcons with the cross. This sport plan would not have seemed misplaced for the 2023 Dolphins, even when there was much less expertise round Tagovailoa, Hill and Jaylen Waddle. That staff thrived by working off play-action, transferring linebackers and attacking the center of the sector with in-breaking routes.

Guess what occurred right here? Tagovailoa went 7-of-8 for 66 yards and a rating on play-action. On in-breaking routes, Tagovailoa was excellent, going 8-of-8 for 134 yards and two landing passes. He posted an ideal passer score on these throws. His finest cross of the day was a 43-yard landing to Waddle, on-time off a pretend pitch and completely weighted to present Waddle the flexibility to carry it in with out slowing down and create yards after the catch. The cross left Jessie Bates III, who left the sport late with an ankle damage, no probability of getting close to Waddle.

The Falcons may need missed linebacker Divine Deablo, who had been a worthwhile a part of their blitz packages earlier than struggling a fractured forearm final week. Atlanta had gone from being the worst-blitzing staff of the previous decade in 2024 to rating tenth in QBR allowed towards the blitz this season. But on Sunday, Tagovailoa went 8-of-12 for 114 yards and three landing passes versus rushes of 5 defenders or extra.

The different issue that made this a classic Tagovailoa efficiency? The timing. Owing each to the pace of the operation and an try to hold Tagovailoa from being hit, the Dolphins had been lightning-fast at getting the ball out of their quarterback’s hand when their offense was at its finest. Between 2022 and 2023, Tagovailoa’s common cross got here out after simply 2.46 seconds, the quickest fee of any QB within the NFL. Through seven weeks in 2025, with the offense somewhat slower and groups taking away Tagovailoa’s first reads extra usually, that determine had jumped to 2.67 seconds (to be honest, nonetheless fifth quickest).

In Week 8, although, Tagovailoa held the ball for a median of simply 2.37 seconds, comfortably his quickest of the season. The Falcons sacked Tagovailoa solely as soon as, and their 28.6% strain fee was under their season common. Were the Falcons curiously conservative in protection, or was this a reputable bounce-back from Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense? We’ll discover out extra towards the Ravens, who need to show that their return to type on protection is actual, on Thursday evening.

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Tucker Kraft ascends to the highest of the tight finish charts on nationwide tv

For years, we have questioned which of the younger Packers large receivers would get away and change into the offense’s prime goal. So most of the staff’s draft picks have flashed, however owing to accidents, inconsistency and what was a league-low cross fee in impartial sport scripts earlier than 2025, no person actually grabbed the job for themselves. Josh Jacobs even argued that the Packers wanted to accumulate a No. 1 wideout final offseason.

Well, one of many Packers’ younger cross catchers has emerged as a star — however it’s not one of many wideouts. It’s Kraft, who wasn’t even seen as the long run lead receiver at his place when GM Brian Gutekunst chosen him out of South Dakota State within the third spherical of the 2023 draft. The Packers had chosen Luke Musgrave one spherical earlier, and whereas these two completed neck-and-neck throughout their rookie seasons, Musgrave’s 66 receiving yards within the postseason helped draw consideration his approach. Heading into 2024, Musgrave seemed like he may be the extra featured receiver of the 2 within the Packers’ offense.

Since then, Kraft has taken over. Jordan Love accomplished 20 straight passes towards a hapless Steelers protection Sunday evening, and Kraft was his favourite goal. The third-year professional caught seven of the 9 targets thrown his path for 143 yards and two touchdowns. One of the 2 incompletions was a throw into the bottom by a pressured Love. Kraft dropped the opposite one, however when he is averaging greater than 20 yards per completion, the Packers will take care of one drop.

There simply aren’t many tight ends who’ve Kraft’s capacity to outmuscle defenders and run away from protection into the open area for lengthy completions or yards after catch. Kraft’s 59-yard achieve was a lob from a determined Love below strain, however he was in a position to outmaneuver DeShon Elliott for the soccer, then flip upfield and fend off a flailing Juan Thornhill for additional yardage. (Elliott appeared to undergo a critical knee damage on the finish of the play.) When the Packers picked struggling linebacker Patrick Queen on a throw to Kraft within the flat, the standout tight finish had the flexibility to chop away from Joey Porter Jr. on the sideline and get again inside for 13 extra yards.

Also, Kraft’s scores confirmed off totally different abilities. The first got here on a display the place Kraft had good blocking however nonetheless wanted to get previous Elliott and Cole Holcomb, neither of whom was in a position to carry Kraft down earlier than he crossed the aim line. On the opposite, Kraft gave the impression to be operating a selection route, the place he has the flexibility to interrupt inside or outdoors or quiet down towards zone protection. Here, he broke inside and ran away from Chuck Clark and Thornhill; neither bought shut sufficient to aim a deal with till it was too late, and Kraft scored from 24 yards out.

Kraft is in rarified firm amongst receivers. It’s one factor to steer all tight ends in yards per route run, as Kraft does via eight weeks. It’s one other to be up close to the league leaders at large receiver, too. There’s admittedly a giant drop-off from Jaxon Smith-Njigba (4.5 yards per route run) to Puka Nacua (3.5) after which to the remainder of the NFL pack, however Kraft is fourth amongst all cross catchers in YPRR at 2.8. That’s forward of superstars reminiscent of CeeDee Lamb, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Justin Jefferson.

Kraft is being thrown shorter passes than them, in fact, however Kraft has additionally change into a yards-after-catch star. Kraft is third amongst all receivers in yards after catch over expectation (YACOE) this season, trailing solely DK Metcalf and Bijan Robinson (NFL Next Gen Stats). The solely different tight finish in the identical ballpark is Oronde Gadsden II, who ranks fifteenth in YACOE. And whereas YACOE will be influenced by one lengthy catch, Kraft ranked fourth by this identical metric final season, trailing solely Ja’Marr Chase, Lamb and George Kittle. He had 131 yards after the catch in Sunday’s win, which NFL Next Gen Stats famous had been the third most by a decent finish in any sport because the begin of the 2016 season.

With Travis Kelce falling again to earth after years of elite manufacturing, there was a gap for prime tight finish in soccer. Brock Bowers inherited that function nearly by default final 12 months given his manufacturing as a rookie, however the knee damage hampering the Raiders’ star has restricted his output in 2025. Tyler Warren has been glorious, and Kittle is one of the best all-around tight finish within the sport, however I’m unsure I might argue for anyone in addition to Kraft as essentially the most impactful receiving tight finish within the NFL proper now.