The NFL Roundup 2019: Week 8

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

Ah, Week 8 in the NFL, a time of year that serves as the unofficial midway point of the season and that’s critical for a lot of struggling teams. Because a loss at this point in the year, could make or break their playoff chances and the ones that have some fight left in them will give it their all this weekend to try and turn it around, and that’s really what we are going to focus on today; some of the underdogs featured in this weekend’s slate of games. Because failure here, means that we likely won’t be giving them much thought in the weeks to come as the playoff race begins. So, without further ado, let’s talk about those teams on the bubble and preview some of the incredible games that await us this weekend.   
 
Will the Chicago offense finally get into gear this weekend?
Make no mistake about it, the Chicago Bears stink on offense. They don’t run the ball; their quarterbacks are struggling under center and the end result has been a far more disappointing season than the Bears would like. But every week is a new opportunity to change things up in the NFL, which means there’s a distinct possibility that Chicago could wow us all with a solid offensive showing, but will they? Honestly, I don’t know. Because it’s likely that Mitch Trubisky is going to start and well, he’s struggling to read defenses right now and execute plays. So, if the kid can settle down and exercise a little patience under center, then the Bears have a chance. But if Mitch gets skittish, it’s going to be a long day for Chicago fans.
 
Did the rest of the Denver Broncos receive the message John Elway sent their way?
Make no mistake about it, the Emmanuel Sanders trade had deeper meaning beyond getting some value for a talented wide receiver in the midst of a lost season. This was in fact, a message from John Elway that he’s ready to move on from players that don’t produce or go hard and while that’s fine to send that particular message, the only question that remains, is whether or not the team received it loud and clear. And the only way to find that out, is to carefully watch how this team performs on Sunday against the Colts. Because if we see better execution on the field, or a win for that matter, then we will know that these guys understand that better is expected of them. But if this game is another unmitigated disaster for Denver, don’t be surprised to see Elway make another trade deadline deal, and clean house when the season comes to an end.
 
Will either of the winless teams secure their first victory of the season this weekend?
It’s been a rough year for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins because, they’ve yet to win a game in 2019. But the odds dictate that they should win at least one game somewhere down the line this season, which begs the question, will that happen in Week 8? Well when it comes to the Bengals, probably not. Because their run defense is awful and they’re facing the Rams who have a solid run game and a magnificent offense in general. And as for the Dolphins, well they are a solid maybe. Because Pittsburgh is having its struggles too, and Miami did put up a bit of a fight against the Bills last week. So, if the Steelers aren’t well prepared this week, the Dolphins might finally enjoy their first victory of the season. But don’t be surprised if both teams flounder and let their winless streak continue because neither squad, is all that good.

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The Most Fascinating Games to Watch This Weekend 

Carolina Panthers (4-2) at San Francisco 49ers (6-0)
Levi’s Stadium – Santa Clara, CA
Sunday, October 27, 2019 – 4:05 p.m. EST – FOX 

You always have to love when a particular game has the makings of an instant classic on paper and this one meets that criteria. Because the Carolina Panthers are playing incredible football right now with Kyle Allen in place in of Cam Newton and they’ll be squaring off against a Niners squad that is the best they’ve been in years, and they’re still working to get better, as evidenced by their trade for WR Emmanuel Sanders. Which means we can expect the Niners to take to the air and often now that Jimmy G has some serious weapons to play with. But the Panthers are no slouch on offense either, and if they’re not attacking the San Francisco secondary, they’ll offer up a heavy dose of the run game. So, expect some big plays and some lead changes in this one, along with an epic finish, the kind of captivating football that can indeed end up as a classic if everything goes right.

Oakland Raiders (3-3) at Houston Texans (4-3)
NRG Stadium – Houston, TX
Sunday, October 27, 2019 – 4:25 p.m. EST – CBS 

​Truth be told, I am a sucker for games that feature teams that are on the bubble, simply because they tend to fight harder when their season is in limbo and that’s precisely what this game features. For the Raiders could go either way at this point, and know they’re fighting for their playoff lives, so I expect them to bring their A-game to Houston to battle it out with another team that’s on the bubble. Because the Texans are also in that good, but not great position at 4-3, and they’re likely frustrated and furious over their loss to the Colts last week. Which means they too will bring their best to the field in this matchup and I fully expect this one to be a knockdown, drag it out battle between two teams who want to be viewed as world class. 

Sunday Night Football
Green Bay Packers (6-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)
Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City, MO
8:20 p.m. EST – NBC 

​Truthfully, I think I would be more excited for this game if we knew for certain that Patrick Mahomes might take the field in this one, but that’s still up in the air at the moment and that’s okay. Because while this game might not be a quarterbacking duel when all is said and done, it has the makings of a great game. Because the Kansas City defense finally came to life in Denver last week, and they’re going to try and build upon their successes there by coming after Aaron Rodgers, all in the hopes of slowing down his powerhouse offense. And let’s be honest, Rodgers doesn’t take kindly to defenses that attack him all night long, meaning he is going to unleash the deep ball when they blitz, and while I expect Green Bay to win this one, I don’t think Kansas City is going to go down without a fight and that’s going to be quite the treat for the fans when all is said and done.