NFL Week 8 Preview
As each NFL season continues to advance toward week 17, the scope of the average viewer tends to grow much more narrow. At this point in the year, the contenders have separated themselves from the masses. If one of those teams isn't playing, the game just isn't as appealing, and you really need two of them to draw a crowd. This week, there is plenty of filler in the schedule. There are really only a few games that stand out to me. Three to be exact. But those three all carry weight in the playoff picture, and they should entertain us all as well.
Eagles vs Bills
There have been few surprises bigger than the Bills. After winning just 6 games last season, they have a chance to match that total already this week. With their simple, old-school style, Buffalo has put themselves very much in the playoff picture through the first 6 games. While they may not have an impressive win so far, they have gone toe-to-toe with the Patriots. The Bills are the only team to hold New England under 30, and they have scored the most points against them with 16. They may not be a flashy team, but they play great defense, run the ball well, and get just enough production out of Josh Allen to win football games.
The Eagles, on the other hand, have been a completely different story. Just 2 years removed from their first Super Bowl victory, Philadelphia still has a good roster. Wentz is still a promising young passer. Howard and Saunders make a solid backfield tandem. The WR group looks good. The O-line is still functioning well. The defense is a little more sparse, but they still have talented players like Fletcher Cox and Malcolm Jenkins. They have a team capable of winning, but they just aren't getting it done. I'm not convinced that the Bills are a better team, but at the end of the day, the wins speak for themselves.
Bills win, 23-19
Panthers vs 49ers
For the past few years, the Panthers have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL. But ever since Cam Newton has been out of the lineup, that has changed. With Kyle Allen starting, Carolina is 4-0, and they have scored 34+ in 3 of those games. Now that has less to do with Allen and more to do with Christian McCaffery tearing up opposing defenses, but the 23-year-old QB has certainly done his part. Allen has yet to throw an interception, thrown 7 TD's, and put up a passer rating of 106.6. The defense has given up their fair share of points, but they have also done a great job taking the ball away, doing so 15 times already. This team is a lot better than most people realize.
The Panthers' biggest test so far will be coming this week, as they go on the road to face the undefeated 49ers. San Francisco's success starts with their incredible defense. Allowing a minuscule 223.5 yards and 10.7 points per game, only New England has been better at locking down offenses. That has allowed them to gain early leads, and from there they run the ball effectively, shut down opposing passing attacks, and coast to comfortable wins.
What the 49ers haven't done particularly well is throw the ball. Jimmy Garoppolo has looked pretty mediocre in 2019, and going against the Panthers who have also guarded the air really well, I'm not sure how much he will impact this game. I think both passers will struggle for all 60 minutes. Then it will come down to the ground game and turnover battle, and the Panthers have been just a bit better in both of those areas.
Panthers win, 19-16
Packers vs Chiefs
It's a real shame that Patrick Mahomes suffered an injury last Thursday. You never want to see a young star like that miss any time, and it is even worse that it happened right before Green Bay came to town. I don't think there is a single football fan in the world who wouldn't want to see Rodgers vs Mahomes on Sunday night. Unfortunately, that's not what we will get. However, this game is still one to look forward to.
In many ways, the Packers and Chiefs are not so different. Both have been much better on the defensive side of thing this year then what they are accustomed to. Both also have taking very good care of the football, giving away the ball just once per game on average. Both have also struggled to move the ball on the ground, gaining less than 4 yards per carry. What really makes both of these teams though is their ability to sling the ball with their incredibly gifted QB's. With the Chiefs missing Mahomes, they just won't quite be themselves. Andy Reid's scheming and the Arrowhead crowd will help shorten the gap between the two teams, but Green Bay will prevail.
Packers win, 27-22
