New England Patriots: 3 Week 8 NFL matchups that will deliver a thrill
The New England Patriots (3-4) taking on the Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) in a Week 8 battle that will certainly challenge Bill Belichick and his team coming off a 54-13 whipping of those lowly New York Jets.
Yes, it was just the Jets, but Mac Jones and the offense looked good and seem to be finding some chemistry which starts with the offensive line.
The New England Patriots could get back in the playoff hunt with a win
The Patriots are still without Trent Brown, but they have found some stability the last couple of games. By giving Jones time to throw and opening lanes for Damien Harris, who has rushed for over 100 yards the last two games, the offense have found a nice balance of rushing and passing the ball.
On defense, the Patriots are suddenly thin in the secondary, so they will have to ramp up the pash rush attack to keep a quarterback like Justin Herbert on his toes. The good news for the secondary is that they should have Devin McCourty on the field as they will try to pull off a Halloween upset to get back to the .500 mark.
If the Patriots can do that and gain momentum, they will be back in the mix for the playoffs and perhaps even challenge the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East. Win or lose on Sunday, here are three other NFL matchups to watch that could either improve the Patriots position in the playoff race or keep them in the mix if they lose.
Miami Dolphins (1-6) vs Buffalo Bills (4-2)
This was an AFC East showdown circled on the calendar before the season started, but the Dolphins haven’t lived up to expectations, even after beating the Patriots in Week 1.
Since then, the Dolphins are 0-6 and look like a complete disaster, which should lead to an uncompetitive game against the high-powered Bills who are coming off a bye week. But there is something about this game that smells Halloween upset.
Miami is coming into this game as -14.5 underdogs, but these AFC East battles always find a way of being close games. Yes, Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense will be a challenge for Brian Flores and his defense and Tua Tagovailoa going up against that Bills’ defense seems like a complete mismatch, but any given Sunday in the NFL is at play and Buffalo could come into this game overlooking the Dolphins.
From a New England Patriots perspective, a Bills unexpected loss would keep them in the AFC East race even with a loss to the Chargers.
Tennessee Titans (5-2) vs Indianapolis Colts (3-4)
This should be a good game in Week 8 as the Indianapolis Colts are a victory away from salvaging their 2021 NFL season.
Mike Vrabel and his Titans are proving to be a powerhouse in the AFC as running back Derek Henry continues to run through and over opponents. But some injury concerns for the Titans could make the +2.5 favorites ripe for the taking.
Heading into this Week 8 AFC South battle, the Titans have some key players listed as questionable, including wide receiver Julio Jones, linebackers Bud Dupree and Harold Landry and defensive back Amani Hooker. Even if they play, the momentum is on the side of the Colts who have won back-to-back games after starting the season at 0-3.
If you are a Patriots fan, root for the Colts here. Both teams are future opponents on the schedule, so the Patriots can take care of the head-to-head matchup, but a Titans loss brings them back down to the pack a little.
Also, as far as the NFL Trade Deadline goes, Pats fans may want to keep an eye on Colts running back Marlon Mack who has been involved in trade rumors since before the start of the season.
Cleveland Browns (4-3) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)
This classic AFC North battle is just entertaining period.
The Browns are -4.5 favorites in this game, but this should be a game the Steelers find a way to win, even with the return of Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield and running back Nick Chubb.
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Along with a good defense, veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is starting to find his groove, so the Steelers offense should be able to muster up enough offense to overcome a Browns’ defense that could be without Jadeveon Clowney and cornerback Denzel Ward Jr.
From a Patriots perspective, seeing what happens with Odell Beckham Jr. is more intriguing than the end results of the game. If the targets continue to be low, the veteran receiver could be a name to watch at the NFL Trade Deadline.