Here’s the key to victory for all 30 NFL teams that are playing this weekend.
Week 8 is shaping up to be a great one in the NFL, and it got off to a great start with a fun game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night. Here is the key to victory for the remaining 30 teams set to play this weekend.
Cincinnati Bengals: Slow Down Saquon Barkley
Opponent: Vs. Eagles
The Philadelphia offense goes as Saquon Barkley goes. If they can shut him down and limit his big plays, they’ll have success forcing Jalen Hurts to beat them through the air.
Philadelphia Eagles: Force The Ball Out Quickly
Opponent: @ Bengals
Joe Burrow has been slicing and dicing defenses this year when given time to throw. The Eagles have struggled at times to pressure the quarterback, and they need to pressure Burrow.
Baltimore Ravens: Don't Turn The Ball Over
Opponent: @ Browns
The Ravens are significantly better than the Browns, and the only way this game stays close is if the Ravens turn the ball over. Take care of the ball, and this should be a blowout.
Cleveland Browns: Find Some Explosive Plays
Opponent: @ Ravens
Jameis Winston is in at quarterback. Hopefully, he will be able to find some explosive plays against a suspect Ravens secondary, as that will be the only way they can stay in the game.
Tennessee Titans: Force The Lions To Be One-Dimensional
Opponent: @ Lions
The Lions are hurting defenses both on the ground and through the air. If you can’t make them one dimensional, they will go up and down the field on you. The Titans have to eliminate the run game early and make Detroit a dropback passing team.
Detroit Lions: Stay Healthy
Opponent: Vs. Tennessee
The Titans will not be able to play with the Lions. They’ve already lost superstar Aidan Hutchinson to injury, likely for the season. Just stay healthy, and they’ll roll Tennessee and continue to be the favorites in the NFC.
Arizona Cardinals: Pressure Tua Tagovailoa
Opponent: @ Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa is expected to make his return to the NFL after his scary concussion in Week 2. I can’t imagine he will want to stand in the pocket and take a bunch of hits, so getting pressure on him will make him uncomfortable.
Miami Dolphins: Protect Tua Tagovailoa
Opponent: Vs. Cardinals
On the flip side, the Dolphins need to make Tua Tagovailoa comfortable in the pocket so he can get the ball in the hands of their playmakers. When given time to throw, Tua is deadly.
New York Jets: Get Off To A Quick Start
Opponent: @ Patriots
The vibes around the New York Jets are not good, and they need a convincing win. If they let the Patriots stick around, the pressure is only going to ratchet up on them. A quick start could lead to a blowout.
New England Patriots: Stop The Run
Opponent: Vs. Jets
The Patriots might be the worst team in the league, and a big part of that is a run defense that is much worse than last year’s. If they can make the Jets one-dimensional, they can take advantage of subpar pass protection to pressure Aaron Rodgers.
Atlanta Falcons: Get Kyle Pitts Involved
Opponent: @ Buccaneers
On paper, given the fact that safety Antoine Winfield Jr. likes to hang out around the line of scrimmage, the Buccaneers don’t have anyone that should be able to match up with Kyle Pitts. If they can get the tight end involved, that will make the offense signficantly more dangerous.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Spread The Ball Around
Opponent: Vs. Falcons
Baker Mayfield will be without his top two weapons, as Chris Godwin is out for the year and Mike Evans will miss some time with a hamstring injury. It will take more than one or two players to make up for their production, and he will need to get plenty of players involved.
Green Bay Packers; Avoid A Letdown
Opponent: @ Jaguars
The Packers had a huge win at home last week against the Texans. Now, they need to make sure they’re ready to play for an early kick in a half-empty stadium in Jacksonville. They can’t afford to lose a game to a weak opponent, as the Lions are likely to win their game.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Force Jordan Love Into Mistakes
Opponent: Vs. Packers
Jordan Love has put up huge numbers this year, but he’s also been turnover prone. Forcing him into mistakes could keep them in the game and give their offense some short fields.
Indianapolis Colts: Stop The Run
Opponent: @ Texans
The Texans passing game is not very good right now, as injuries to the offensive line and Nico Collins have left CJ Stroud struggling. Stop the run, make the Texans one-dimensional, and they will have a great day on defense.
Houston Texans: Use Play-Action Effectively
Opponent: @ Colts
The Texans are struggling in the drop-back passing game right now. So, if they can run the ball a little, they should use play action to get CJ Stroud some easier throws and hopefully slow down the pass rush.
New Orleans Saints: Find Some Rhythm On Offense
Opponent: @ Chargers
Sinc the injury to Derek Carr, the Saints offense, with Spencer Rattler under center, has lacked any sort of momentum in terms of consistently moving the ball. Find a way to get Rattler some early completions, and get this offense building confidence as the game goes on.
Los Angeles Chargers: Finish Drives In The Red Zone With Touchdowns
Opponent: Vs. Saints
Last week, the Chargers moved the ball against the Cardinals, but settled for a whopping five field goals and no touchdowns. Turn some of those drives into touchdowns, and they will be just fine.
Buffalo Bills: Get Off To A Quick Start
Opponent: @ Seahawks
The Bills have been slow starters multiple times this year, and the will be susceptible to another slow start due to traveling across the country. The Seahawks are a lot better than the Titans, and unlike in that game, they may not be able to overcome a slow start.
Seattle Seahawks: Force A Josh Allen Turnover
Opponent: Vs. Bills
Long criticized for being turnover-prone, Josh Allen doesn’t have a single turnover this year. The margin of error for the Bills offense is pretty small, and if they can force a turnover or two, that could swing the game.
Carolina Panthers: Make Bryce Young Comfortable
Opponent: @ Broncos
Andy Dalton is out due to a car accident, meaning Bryce Young will get his first start since Week 2. Young was terrible to start the year, but has looked a bit better in mop-up duty. They need to get him comfortable early on and build some confidence if they want to be competitive.
Denver Broncos: Keep It Simple
Opponent: Vs. Panthers
The Panthers are really bad, and they have a long road trip. The Broncos need to stay patient and let their talent win out. The Panthers shouldn’t be able to play with them for four quarters.
Kansas City Chiefs: Find Some Explosive Plays
Opponent: @ Raiders
It wasn’t that long ago when the Chiefs were the most explosive offense in the NFL. The unit has been a far cry from that the last two years, but they need to start finding explosive plays down the field. A poor Raiders secondary should provide a good opportunity to do just that.
Las Vegas Raiders: Get A Big Game From Maxx Crosby
Opponent: Vs. Chiefs
The biggest weakness for the Chiefs may be their offensive tackles. Maxx Crosby is the best player on the Raiders by a large margin, and he could dominate either tackle for Kansas City, giving Patrick Mahomes headaches all game long.
Chicago Bears: Commit To The Run Game
Opponent: @ Commanders
The Bears offense is so much better when they’re getting under center and running the ball to set up play-action opportunities to Caleb Williams Don’t get pass-happy, and they should score plenty of points against a suspect Washington defense.
Washington Commanders: Stop The Run
Opponent: Vs. Bears
On the flip-side, the Commanders need to make the Bears one-dimensional. Chicago has not been good on obvious passing downs this year, and Washington needs to get the Bears into those situations.
Dallas Cowboys: Find A Secondary Target In The Passing Game
Opponent: @ 49ers
Right now, defenses are able to key in on CeeDee Lamb because they don’t fear any other Cowboys skill players. They have to find a reliable second option to help free up one of the game’s best receivers.
San Francisco 49ers: Get Back To Their Identity
Opponent: @ Dallas
The Dallas run defense is awful, and the 49ers built this great run of success around running the ball. Get back to what this team is built around, run the ball, and wear down a soft Dallas front.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Keep George Pickens Rolling
Opponent: Vs. Giants
Russell Wilson helped unleash George Pickens in Wilson’s first start in Pittsburgh. That made the Steelers offense look so much better Keeping Pickens engaged and playing with effort is so crucial to Pittsburgh’s success. Target him early and often.
New York Giants: Dominate The Line Of Scrimmage On Defense
Opponent: @ Steelers
The New York Giants are a bad football team, but their defensive front is as good as any in the league. The Pittsburgh offensive line has been suspect at times, and Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns could have big games. If they do, they can certainly upset the Steelers.