NFL: Week 8 Preview
By Noah Mason
Noah Mason gives us his weekly look at the NFL matchups ahead of a busy Week 8. Despite there not being a marquee matchup, there remains plenty of interesting games to analyse.
Broncos Ride Towards Cowboys
The Denver Broncos will head down to Dallas to take on the Cowboys off the back of their very impressive comeback against the New York Giants. In the Broncos’ game last week, they failed to score in the first three quarters but finished with 33 in the fourth quarter, helping them secure a win in New York. Critics have begun to question Bo Nix’s ability to lead this Denver team to be realistic Super Bowl contenders. Still, I think his performance last Sunday was enough evidence to suggest he has the correct attributes to fulfil that role. In the Cowboys’ last matchup, they ran riot against the Washington Commanders in a 44-22 win for America’s Team. Dak Prescott looked poised and accurate in the pocket against Washington, two words that are becoming synonymous with his quarterback play lately.
Denver will be looking to start faster against Dallas than they have in a lot of games this season, often having to rely on a fourth-quarter resurgence from the offense. A key matchup to watch in this fixture is the trench battle, as the Broncos’ dominant defensive line could wreak havoc on the Cowboys’ relatively poor offensive line. I would be watching Nik Bonito in particular, as he is the true definition of a game wrecker if not stifled correctly. His get-off speed often makes offensive tackles feel like they are trying to block an orange ghost. This will be an incredibly tough fixture for the Cowboys if they are unable to give Dak some time in the pocket.
The Dallas Cowboys may be the most underrated team in America right now. I don’t believe anyone is viewing this team as anything more than a good prime-time watch because of their electric offense. I think they are far more than that. Losing Micah Parsons right at the start of the season put a wet blanket over the whole franchise, and one they are only beginning to dry from now. Their offense is beyond good. It’s scary. One of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league, throwing balls to Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, is a terrifying prospect for defensive backs. Unfortunately, this week for Dallas, the Broncos’ cornerbacks happen to be scary in their own right (Riley Moss and Patrick Surtain II). I expect Dallas to put on a show this weekend and win in a high-scoring affair.
Can The Eagles Strike Back?
The Eagles will take on the Giants this Sunday, hoping to strike revenge on a Giants team that beat them relatively comfortably just two weeks ago. The Eagles managed to scrape by a Vikings team that was fielding their backup QB last week in a one-score game. I think it will take more than that result for any non-Philadelphia-based analyst to say this Eagles team is back on track; however, it is most definitely a good result. The Giants, as mentioned previously, lost in heartbreaking fashion against the Denver Broncos last Sunday.
One person who came out of the last round of fixtures shining was Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts. He had over 250 yards passing combined with three passing touchdowns against a good Minnesota defense. This performance may help to relieve the pressure he was facing due to the Eagles’ recent struggles. You have to feel a little bad for Jalen, as when things are going well, it is the O-line or Saquon Barkley getting the accolades; however, as soon as the team struggles, Jalen finds himself under tremendous scrutiny. With his recent good performance against the Vikings, Eagles fans will hope this is the catalyst for a winning run.
If the Eagles are going to beat the Giants, they are going to need to stop one man in particular. Brian Burns. Mr Burns leads the league in sacks this season, and he has definitely been playing excellently (insert Mr Burns’ voice). On a serious note, this Giants defensive line is immense. As if stopping Brian Burns isn’t hard enough, you have to worry about Dexter Lawrence and Abdul Carter. If there is an offensive line that can hold up, it would be the Eagles, who are equally outstanding on the other side of the line. This game will be won or lost in the trenches, and I will back the Giants to do the double over the Eagles.
Potential Upset in Houston?
The San Francisco 49ers head to Texas to play the Houston Texans in what should be an intriguing matchup. The Texans were not at their best last week after a tough outing against the Seahawks. They will be hoping for a better showing against a flying 49ers team, who beat a very decent Falcons team last week.
The 49ers have been playing great football despite losing their star quarterback, Brock Purdy, due to turf toe a few weeks prior. This good form is due to the success of key pillars in a Kyle Shanahan offense: elite blocking and great running back play. Christian McCaffrey, who was ruled out for the entirety of the 2024 season, was immense last week, picking up 124 yards rushing with two touchdowns to go with it. He is on for a record-breaking season, but not in the way that you might assume. He is on course for the first-ever 1,000/1,000-yard season (1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving). Mac Jones, who has stepped in for the aforementioned Brock Purdy, has been good enough to keep the chains moving in the right direction for San Francisco metaphorically and literally.
The Texans, on the other hand, are having a rough time to start their 2025 campaign. I am a big fan of C.J. Stroud and still think he is the future of this Texan side. Having said this, he has been really struggling this year. I don’t believe the offensive woes all land at his feet, as the offensive line seemingly couldn’t block someone on Twitter at the moment. DeMeco Ryans, the Texans’ head coach, is going up against his former team and will be looking to get one over his old mentor. I believe he will be able to. The Texan defense is still one of the best in the NFL, and I think Ryans will find creative ways to confuse backup quarterback Mac Jones and beat them in a low-scoring affair.
Bills To Bounce Back?
The Buffalo Bills will be hoping to snap a two-game losing streak against the Carolina Panthers in Buffalo this Sunday. This may not be an easy task, however, as the Panthers have won three of their last four and currently have a winning record, for the first time in forever. The Panthers will be without their quarterback, however, as Bryce Young has not been practising this week.
The star of the Panthers’ offense isn’t the quarterback – it’s Rico Dowdle. Last season, Rico Dowdle struggled behind a bad Cowboys offensive line, but this season, playing for the Panthers, he has been a revelation. Having only broken into the side due to a Chuba Hubbard injury, no one expected much from the Cowboys castaway. How wrong we were. One man’s trash is most definitely another man’s gold, as Rico has run for over 200 yards in two of the first three games he has started this season. Ridiculous. Having said this, the Panthers’ offense did slow down against the Jets, with them scoring over 27 points in each of the two games prior but only mustering 13 against the Jets.
The Bills can’t be feeling too optimistic about their Super Bowl aspirations currently, as they looked very poor against the Falcons last weekend. The typically superb offense has been spluttering recently, as even last year’s MVP Josh Allen hasn’t looked his normal self as of late. Josh threw two terrible interceptions against the Falcons and they would prove costly in their 24-14 defeat. Another problem the Bills will face is stopping the run, as Bijan Robinson cut through their defense last week like a hot knife through butter. Having said this, the Bills are still a fantastic team, and I do expect their offense to bounce back and Josh Allen to have a terrific game. For this reason, I believe the Bills will steady the ship with a home win against Carolina.
Noah Mason
NFL/CFB Writer
Noah is an aspiring journalist who shares some interesting takes on this great game, whether it be College or the NFL. Born and based in London, but developed a love for American Football in the States, follow Noah on Twitter @NoahMas59721174