NFL Week 8: 5 issues we preferred and did not like, together with huge Jordan Love, C.J. Stroud video games

I wish to say the NFL at all times delivers, however this week put that to the last word check. Just one recreation was determined by a single possession, the fewest in a single week since Week 14, 1970. There have been 9 wins by not less than 18 factors, tied most ever in a single week in response to CBS Sports activities analysis.

However, oh, that one-possession recreation. Jets 39, Bengals 38. Simply 5 days after his group’s proprietor fired photographs at him, Justin Fields led three fourth-quarter scoring drives to safe an amazing comeback. Aaron Glenn acquired his first profession win as coach. Breece Corridor, held out of the top zone all season and topic of commerce rumors, scored twice on the bottom and threw the game-winning landing to Mason Taylor. Sure, threw!

After the sport, Fields detailed how emotional of every week it was for him, how he was crying on the ground of his closet. You’ll be able to say loads of negatives concerning the Jets, however you may’t say they do not care.

Good for Justin Fields. Good for Aaron Glenn. Good for the Jets. Here is what else was good this week.

5 issues we preferred in Week 8

1. Jordan Love places on a present, exhibits he is rising up

A lot of the discourse surrounding the Steelers vs. Packers “Sunday Night time Soccer” matchup revolved round Aaron Rodgers dealing with Inexperienced Bay, the place he spent the primary 18 years of his profession, for the primary time.

Then the man who needed to wait behind him earlier than in the end succeeding him stole the present. Jordan Love performed considered one of his most interesting video games as a professional: 29 for 37 for 360 passing yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and no sacks. His 0.52 anticipated factors added per dropback was the best mark of any begin in his profession. Not solely had been his numbers wonderful throughout the board, however his play mirrored that of a maturing quarterback, one who’s combining his immense arm expertise along with his capacity to maintain issues on schedule.

At one level, Love accomplished 20 straight passes in a row, making the Pittsburgh protection look hopeless. You’ll be able to watch (or relive) all 20 right here, however let’s spotlight two. First, this absolute magnificence to Christian Watson:

This can be a trick shot throw, those solely a handful of quarterbacks could make. Off-platform, on the transfer, deep downfield … highlight-reel stuff by way of and thru. Love has at all times made these throws (or not less than tried to make these throws). And the way about this one to Romeo Doubs?

However what we actually like is that Love is prepared to eat his greens — make the throws that are not so thrilling however are those that maintain the offense shifting. On throws 10 yards or fewer downfield, Love went 23-for-29, the 23 completions his third-most in a recreation in his profession. His most got here in Week 4 in opposition to the Cowboys: 28-for-31. These are surgical numbers.

This exhibits Love’s largest space of development this 12 months. He can make these trick shot throws, however he does not need to.

Jordan Love	This season	Earlier profession finest
Comp pct	70.9%	64.2%
Turnover-worthy throw fee	1.4%	3.3%
Explosive play fee	11%	10.6%
Off-target fee	7.5%	10.6%
Anticipated factors added per play	0.26	0.12

He is extra correct and extra cautious with the ball whereas nonetheless producing huge performs. That’s an unimaginable formulation. Along with his huge Sunday night time, Love is second in EPA per play this season, solely behind Daniel Jones. Love is a reputable MVP candidate, and Week 8 confirmed his maturation on an enormous stage.

It additionally helps that …

2. Tucker Kraft is all the pieces you may need in a decent finish

Tucker Kraft is a hero to tight ends in every single place, not solely as a result of he is actually good, however as a result of he saved Nationwide Tight Ends Day with a seven-catch, 143-yard, two-touchdown recreation in opposition to the Steelers.

And, after all, this …

 Kraft had 128 of his 143 yards after the catch, and he produced some quotes to associate with it talking to SportsCenter:

• “Each time I contact the ball I need to drive the whole protection to run after me.”
• “I wanna create excessive disruption on the opposite facet of the soccer.”
• “The very first thing I do is I simply attempt to get ugly with my off-hand weapon, and get north-south as violent as I presumably can.”

A decent finish by way of and thru. However do not simply take my phrase for it. Have a look at the place Kraft has caught his passes this 12 months:

He can win deep. He can win intermediate. He can win quick. Nobody desires to sort out him. He is a prepared blocker. What a enjoyable, good participant.

3. C.J. Stroud does not give in to dangerous habits

Down their finest offensive weapon and coming off a brief week and a depressing offensive efficiency, the Texans‘ offense may have gone within the improper route once more in opposition to the 49ers. As an alternative, C.J. Stroud performed considered one of his finest video games in current reminiscence to get Houston proper again into the win column.

One in all Stroud’s largest flaws is his tendency to retreat backwards out of muddy pockets, making dangerous performs worse. Final 12 months, solely Aidan O’Connell, Anthony Richardson and Bo Nix averaged extra yards misplaced per sack. This 12 months, he’s lifeless final within the class at 9.3 yards misplaced per sack.

However Sunday, he did not take a sack and, notably, escaped successfully just a few occasions.

Second, we preferred how Stroud and the Texans’ offense operated cleanly and totally on time, one thing that is been a serious wrestle behind the offensive line. Stroud confronted strain on simply 23.8% of his dropbacks, the sixth-lowest fee in his profession, and wasn’t sacked for simply the second time up to now two seasons.

Stroud took what was accessible, going an unimaginable 25 for 26 on throws 10 yards or fewer downfield. The 96.2% completion proportion is the best on these throws by any participant (min. 25 makes an attempt) in a recreation since Tom Brady in 2021. When Stroud did let it fly, he reminded us of his expertise in that division, too.

The Texans clearly recognized an space (quick throws) they wished to select on in opposition to a banged-up 49ers protection. The end result was their finest win of the 12 months.

4. Let’s give Broncos‘ and Colts‘ offensive traces some love

The Broncos ran for a season-high 179 yards in opposition to the Cowboys, and the Colts ran for 164 yards, second-most this season, in opposition to the Titans. Neither Dallas nor Tennessee will probably be confused with the ’85 Bears, however these are spectacular totals. Let’s check out two of the week’s finest runs. As an alternative of watching RJ Harvey and Jonathan Taylor, watch Quinn Meinerz (No. 77) and Tanor Bortolini (No. 60) on these performs.

Indianapolis guard Quenton Nelson is PFF’s top-graded run-blocking guard within the NFL. Meinerz is fourth. Bortolini is the No. 3-ranked middle. The Broncos are PFF’s top-graded go blocking unit. The Colts are fourth in each go blocking and run blocking. These are wonderful items.

5. Ravens cease the run … lastly

Talking of operating the ball, the Ravens are in the end doing a greater job stopping it. Baltimore restricted a Bears offense that had proven reputable enchancment operating the ball to simply 96 yards on the bottom. Two weeks earlier, they restricted the Rams to 74 dashing yards. Of their first 5 video games, they’d allowed over 146 dashing yards per recreation.

Security Alohi Gilman, acquired from the Chargers, has been an enormous addition. Roquan Smith had arguably his finest recreation of the 12 months, and the Ravens will hope he ascends because the 12 months goes on, simply as he did final 12 months. Lamar Jackson’s impending return is useful, however the Ravens’ protection had to enhance for that to matter. Over the previous two video games, it has carried out simply that.

Oh, and the Steelers, Bengals and Browns all misplaced on Sunday, that means Baltimore, even at 2-5, is simply two video games out of first within the win column within the AFC North. The Ravens have one of many best schedules remaining. I am simply saying …

5 issues we did not like in Week 8

1. Does anybody know when ahead progress ends?

There is a litany of officiating points dealing with the NFL, however the thought of “ahead progress” reared its ugly head a number of occasions in Week 8.

My colleague John Breech runs by way of all of it succinctly.

Simply an absolute joke. Jalen Hurts is kind of actually pushing his physique and the ball ahead. If that is not ahead progress, what on Earth is?! The tush push is already not possible to defend and even tougher to officiate. The Eagles cannot get each single benefit. CBS Sports activities senior NFL insider Jonathan Jones wrote that the Tush Push is likely to be lifeless due to this precise play.

There have been two different important ahead progress points I counted: J.Okay. Dobbins was apparently stopped on the 1-yard line, and Olamide Zaccheaus‘ ahead progress was one way or the other stopped — regardless that he had actually simply reeled within the go — earlier than he acquired stripped by Marlon Humphrey.

Gamers have to have the ability to battle for yards. In the event that they do, they need to be penalized for the potential miscues that include that.

2. The Atlanta Falcons

There was a lot hope, it appeared, for the Atlanta Falcons after a 24-14 win over the Payments in Week 6. Since then, they’ve misplaced to the 49ers and the Dolphins.

This week was particularly damning. Kirk Cousins, in for the injured Michael Penix Jr., managed a paltry 173 passing yards. Bijan Robinson fumbled the ball with out being touched.

However the protection was one way or the other the most important letdown. One week after a dismal 31-6 loss to the Browns, the Dolphins had their second-best passing success fee and third-best dashing success fee this season. Tua Tagovailoa was sacked simply as soon as. And this was a Falcons protection that has been excellent all season!

The Falcons have now misplaced 34-10 to the Dolphins and 30-0 to the Panthers. Yikes. 

3. Caleb Williams‘ and the Bears’ lack of situational consciousness

Do you ever yell in useless on the TV, unable to stop a participant from doing one thing dangerous? I’m not Bears fan, nor am I a “yells at TV” man, however Caleb Williams virtually turned me into the latter. This play, with beneath 57 seconds left within the first half, was the offender.

I’ll by no means fake to have the ability to make this play or run this quick, but it surely looks like Williams may have gotten out of bounds right here, proper?

Issues solely acquired worse from there. After Chicago took its second timeout, Williams accomplished to Zaccheaus in bounds for five yards. Then, beneath duress, he dedicated intentional grounding. The Bears had to make use of their third timeout to stop a 10-second runoff. After a 9-yard completion to Colston Loveland, Cairo Santos — whose profession lengthy is 55 yards and who was coming back from damage — missed a 57-yard area objective.

Late within the recreation, down 30-16, Williams accomplished a 42-yarder to DJ Moore all the way down to the Baltimore 3. Once more, he did not get out of bounds.

The Bears, with no timeouts and in an entire frenzy, then went incompletion, full go in need of the top zone, quarterback sneak stopped quick, incompletion.

It virtually made me yell on the TV. Nearly.

4. Cam Skattebo’s damage

Each single damage stinks and is a reminder of simply how touch-and-go issues within the NFL might be. However Cam Skattebo’s dislocated ankle is a serious, main bummer. The Giants aren’t a very good group, however led by Skattebo and Jaxson Dart, they had been one thing they have not been in a very long time: enjoyable.

Skattebo, who had rapidly endeared himself to Giants followers and the NFL as an entire along with his arduous operating type and rambunctious angle, issued an announcement saying it is “just the start of [his] journey,” and he is proper. Sadly, it is a robust finish what had been a superb starting.

5. The Steelers’ uniforms

Actually? With all eyes on Rodgers in opposition to his former group, he has to put on this?