Now that it's November, the playoff picture is starting to emerge, and Week 8 featured a number of key divisional matchups that could have lasting effects on the rest of the season.
The Broncos and Steelers notched revenge wins over the Chiefs and Browns, respectively. The Lions asserted themselves in the uber-tough NFC North, while the Jaguars handed the Colts a potentially fatal blow in a season cratering toward disaster.
Let's examine some key storylines in Sunday's aftermath, including:
But first, we start with Lamar Jackson suffering a potential season-ending injury and where the Ravens go from here.
Ravens' season on the brink after Jackson injury
The Baltimore Ravens find themselves in quite the quandary.
Lamar Jackson's return was supposed to buoy a club coming off back-to-back division defeats. It lasted one play on Sunday in Buffalo.
Jackson's right thumb injury, which will require surgery, leaves the 4-4 Ravens floundering in the AFC North cellar before we hit Thanksgiving.
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter told reporters after their 36-10 loss to Buffalo that Jackson will be placed on injured reserve, knocking him out for at least four games and possibly the rest of the season.
"Potentially, but we'll see where it's at," Minter said.
Without the two-time MVP QB, the Ravens offense is clipped. Baltimore is 7-14 in games in which Jackson has not started since 2019, averaging 17.6 points. In 2026, they've scored six touchdowns in the 18 quarters Jackson has missed.
Jackson's latest injury shrouds his future in Baltimore. We'll have plenty of time to delve into the contract situation later. Right now, the focus is on how the Ravens survive.
It would be bad enough if Jackson were Baltimore's only QB injury. Backup Tyler Huntley exited Sunday's game with a toe injury and didn't return. ESPN on Sunday reported that Huntley suffered a possible turf toe injury and will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine how much time, if any, he could miss.
Undrafted rookie third-stringer Joe Fagnano battled against the Bills, but given the situation -- trying to keep up with Josh Allen on the road with no prep time -- he performed as expected, completing 10 of 21 for 91 yards with a pick and took three sacks.
The Ravens are in a rough spot, with a short week before Thursday night’s game against the rolling Jaguars. Even if Huntley doesn't miss much time, is it worth Baltimore trading for a QB ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline? Would shelling out more assets in a potentially lost season be worth it?
Let's rip through some of the options for Baltimore if they decide to go the trade route.
- **Tyson Bagent**: The Bears backup struggled in his last outing against Green Bay in Week 5 and was eventually benched for Case Keenum, but his familiarity with Declan Doyle would benefit Baltimore. Considered one of the league's better backups, Bagent could be a long-term play for the Ravens. I have my doubts about if the Bears would be willing to part with their backup QB, but it could help recoup some of the trade capital sent in the Jeffery Simmons move last week. The cost to pry him away could be prohibitive for a Ravens team on the brink.
- Jacoby Brissett: Recently benched in favor of Gardner Minshew in the Cardinals' stirring comeback win over Dallas on Sunday, Brissett has experience. While inconsistencies have plagued him this season in Arizona, he is a professional QB who could pick up the offense quickly.
- Shedeur Sanders: Cleveland has insisted that it has no intention of trading Sanders, but coach Todd Monken hasn't seemed to be in the former Colorado quarterback's corner at any point in the process. Sanders has his warts, but he could bring more pop to the Ravens offense than Huntley or Fagnano. The Browns shipped Joe Flacco to Cincinnati last year, so inter-division trades can't be ruled out. We know the Browns' brass will take a pick if it makes sense.
- Kirk Cousins: I don't think the Raiders would trade him at all while they're still in contention. If they did, the cost would probably be prohibitive. However, for the next week, any QB trade list should at least mention the veteran playing at a high level in front of No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Two non-trade options:
- Easton Stick: Currently on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad, Stick was in L.A. in 2024 with Minter, so at least there would be some familiarity.
- Jimmy Garoppolo: The veteran hasn't officially retired. If he wants a shot to play again, Baltimore could be his last best chance.
Cowboys collapse in stunning loss
Credit Gardner Minshew for bringing the Mania once again.
Credit Tyler Allgeier for gashing the Cowboys' defense and powering the Cards back in the game.
Credit Michael Wilson for continuing to do his Puka Nacua impression.
Credit the Cardinals defense for forcing field goals late and getting a three-and-out in overtime.
Credit Mike LaFluer's club for not quitting when quitting could have been easy. And credit the first-year coach for being willing to make a second-half QB change in the heat of the moment.
Credit the Cards.
But let's be real: This was an epic collapse, for which Dallas should be crushed.
Brian Schottenheimer's club held a 24-10 fourth-quarter lead before disintegrating like Walter Donovan drinking from the wrong chalice. "He chose poorly" could be the title of every Cowboys move.
On Sunday, a confluence of ineptitude caused Dallas to collapse at home in OT to drop to 3-5 on the season. The defense became a sieve in the fourth quarter and couldn't tackle. I understand that they had some injuries, but letting Allgeier look like Jim Brown is not a product of a few missing players. The secondary inexplicably got burned late when all the Cowboys needed to do was keep everything in front of them. Frankly, Arizona could have scored quicker in the fourth quarter if not for a few misses. The defensive breakdowns continue to perplex Dallas this season.
The offense also did its part in the collapse, stalling out inside the red zone early, then failing to get a first down after the Cardinals failed on the onside kick. An explosive offense should be able to move the chains to secure a victory.
Then there was the depressing three-and-out to begin overtime. Dallas got out-gained 467-261 yards on Sunday. That should not happen.
Despite the latest example of Schottenheimer's teams playing below their talent, Jerry Jones stuck by his coach after the game.
"That's not in my mind at this time," Jones said when asked about a potential coaching change, per ESPN.com. "... A lot of people let Brian down today, and so for whatever criticism we want to have of Brian, we can all get in line."
The line for blame in Dallas is long. It starts at the top.
Vikings QB problems can't be brushed aside
Brian Flores' defense had done the heavy lifting to build Minnesota's 6-0 start. But Sunday's divisional loss to the Lions showed they can't do it alone. Detroit went big and ran over the Vikings in the second half on Sunday, wearing down the high-flying Vikings D to the tune of 164 rushing yards after halftime. By the end, the defense was gassed and couldn't slow Jahmyr Gibbs and the Lions from grinding out the W.
If the Vikings offense had any semblance of consistency, the end-game scenario would have played out much differently. Kyler Murray continues to struggle with his consistency. Despite facing the worst passing defense in the NFL on Sunday, he couldn't keep the Vikings on the field. He sailed more than a few balls way too high, never seemed comfortable and rarely moved the chains. On nine third-down throws, he completed four; three went for first downs.
Murray connected on some deep shots and averaged 11.2 air yards per attempt, the second-highest of his career. But he also missed a host of shots. Per Next Gen Stats, on downfield attempts (10-plus air yards), Murray threw for a season-high 115 yards despite only completing 4-of-13 attempts (30.8%), his lowest downfield completion rate in a game since 2023 (min. 10 downfield attempts). The inability to keep the chains moving sits in stark contrast to the best offenses under Kevin O'Connell. We'll see if KOC pulls the plug and gives Carson Wentz a shot -- at least we know he'll force-feed Justin Jefferson -- if the struggles persist.
The J.J. McCarthy trade probably needed to happen, but the 2024 first-rounder looking like a different QB in New York while Murray struggles have to sting Minnesota.
With games against Buffalo (6-1), at Green Bay (5-3) and against San Francisco (6-1) in Mexico City up next, the Vikings must get more production from the QB position, or they'll see their once-strong NFC North lead evaporate.
EDITOR'S UPDATE: On Monday after publishing, Kevin O'Connell said Kyler Murray is dealing with hamstring tightness.
Is the Bucs' offense sustainable?
The monsoon in Tampa, Fla., dictated the run-heavy approach from Zac Robinson's offense, but even in pristine weather, the Bucs would have leaned on the ground game. The slop tipped the scales even harder, with Baker Mayfield attempting just three passes in the 16-0 win, all falling incomplete.
"We knew it was going to be a nasty day and what kind of conditions it was going to be," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. "We were worried about ball security and we took care of it other than the fumble in the end zone."
Bowles added: "I didn't say we were not going to throw the ball -- the conditions told (Robinson) that. You could see it. It's a downpour and the wind [was] blowing, you can kind of see the ball wasn't going anywhere."
Tampa became just the second team in the Super Bowl era to have zero completed passes in a single game, joining the 1974 Bills who did so in a win over the Jets, per NFL Research. Three of the four teams to not have a completion in a game since 1950 have gone on to win, including the Buccaneers on Sunday. They are the first team to win by 10+ points without completing a pass since the 1945 Steelers beat the Chicago Cardinals.
The ground game has gotten the Bucs back in the NFC South race. In Week 7, against Carolina, Tampa Bay rushed for 258 yards while Mayfield attempted just 11 passes, completing seven for 64 yards and a TD. Bucky Irving has been sensational, making defenders miss, and has the pop to turn those broken tackles into big runs. All 170 of Irving's rushing yards came after contact on Sunday, per Next Gen Stats.
One of the more inexplicable issues with the Bucs' early struggles, when they started 1-5, was the offensive line's play. The veteran crew missed far too many blocks and committed too many penalties. Over the last few weeks, they've gotten back on track by smashing defenses in the face. Tampa's rushing attack is absolutely replicable. I expect Irving to keep motoring through defenses, slithering through holes and ripping chunk gains.
That said, it's 2026. At some point Baker Mayfield will be asked to win a game through the air. With the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions on tap in Weeks 9 and 11, the Bucs will have to keep pace with higher-powered offenses. After thumping their two division rivals, Tampa is back on track in a moribund division. The Bucs feel like the most stable NFC South club as we head into the second half of the season.
Broncos take command in AFC West race
It's not pretty, but who cares when you stack a W?
Bo Nix earned his 15th career game-winning drive in Denver's 28-24 win over Kansas City on Sunday, breaking a tie with Dak Prescott for the most in a player's first three seasons since at least 1950, according to NFL Research.
The Broncos came back to win after trailing by 11 points in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs. It marked the third win in Nix's career in which they came back from a 10+ point fourth-quarter deficit to win, the most such wins in the NFL since 2024.
Conversely, Sunday marked the third game in Patrick Mahomes' career in which the Chiefs blew a 10+ point fourth-quarter lead, and the first since over five years ago, in Week 2, 2021 at the Ravens.
Harrison Butker's missed fourth-quarter field goal opened the door for Denver, and Nix immediately cashed in, hitting running back Jonah Coleman for a 51-yard catch-and-run to set up the go-ahead 5-yard TD. The 14-point fourth-quarter explosion came after Nix, and the offense once again struggled to stay on the field. Denver went three-and-out on three third-quarter drives. Entering the final frame, the home fans were frustrated. Then, boom! Big plays galore, and the Broncos not only escaped with a win but took control of the AFC West race.
The big plays included a massive goal-line stand by the Denver defense, which held the Chiefs out of the end zone in the game's final seconds after getting a first-and-goal at the 4. The sequence was aided by a K.C. false start, but a Denver D that once again missed too many tackles stood tall when needed, with Malcolm Roach taking down Mahomes for the game-ending sack.
"It was ball out or go home," pass rusher Que Robinson said of the dramatic finish, via The Denver Post. "And we weren't going home without that 'dub.' "
The loss stings K.C., who could have taken complete control of the division race with a sweep over the Broncos. Denver (6-2) has now won four straight, while the Chiefs (5-2) have lost back-to-back games after taking advantage of a soft early slate.
Reid's trust in Butker came back to bite him. According to the Next Gen Stats fourth-down decision guide, leading 24-21 and facing fourth-and-8 from the Broncos' 36-yard line with 2:36 remaining, a punt gave the Chiefs the highest win probability (74.3%), 1.8 percentage points ahead of going for it (72.5%), while a field goal attempt ranked last (71.5%). Reid elected to kick, Butker missed the 54-yard attempt, giving the ball back to the Broncos, who scored two plays later.
Sometimes analytics does suggest punting.
Week 8 Sunday spotlight
Burrow's stat line against the Titans: 38 of 48 (79.2%), 462 yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs, 115.5 passer rating; 3 rushes, 10 yards, TD
Burrow tied a career high with five touchdown passes on 462 passing yards (his third-highest total) and added a go-ahead rushing TD in overtime of the Bengals’ 43-36 victory over the Titans.
Burrow and Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin (against the New York Yankees in Week 1 of the 1951 season) are the only players in league history to have at least 450 passing yards, five touchdown passes and a rushing score in the same game, per NFL Research.
