NFL Week 8 roundtable: Cowboys-Broncos, Aaron Rodgers meets Packers, Eagles upset alert
Will the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles suffer unexpected losses on Sunday?
This season has seen even more strange things happen. The Bills are returning from a bye and will take on veteran backup quarterback Andy Dalton and the Carolina Panthers, but Buffalo has been out of rhythm recently, having suffered two consecutive losses before Week 8. The Eagles made a strong comeback in Minnesota last week, but are without A.J. Brown and will face a New York Giants team that defeated them two weeks ago.
Our NFL writers Jeff Howe, Mike Sando, and Zac Keefer discuss this and other Week 8 matchups, including the Dallas Cowboys vs. Denver Broncos, pitting the league’s best offensive and defensive teams against each other. The Kansas City Chiefs will also be discussed and whether they have regained their offensive magic.
Read more below.
Sunday’s Cowboys vs. Broncos matchup should be interesting. The Broncos have arguably the league’s best defense. The Cowboys’ offense is arguably the league’s best.
What’s the biggest difference?
Kiefer: The Broncos performed a miracle on Sunday, scoring 33 points in the fourth quarter to stun the Giants. How will they respond? While their defense is still one of the league’s best—they allow the most sacks in the NFL—it’s not as good as it was in 2024, and this is coming after a game in which they allowed a season-high 32 points. Javonte Williams is also contributing. The former Bronco is having a stellar career year with the Cowboys, rushing for over 115 yards in two games and gaining 66 yards against the Jets. I expect Dallas to win this close matchup.
Sando: The Cowboys’ defensive improvement over the last three games is a key factor. Can Dallas maintain that momentum? This will be a key factor throughout the season. Dallas ranked 32nd in defensive EPA per game from Week 1 to Week 4. The Cowboys have ranked 14th since then. Yes, opponents matter, and that’s a factor. But I think there’s still room for improvement.
Howe: I think it depends on turnovers. The Cowboys aren’t committing many turnovers, and the Broncos are struggling to force them. If that trend continues, I’d favor the Cowboys. Otherwise, the Trend Buster would be a big boost for the Broncos. And, as Sandow pointed out, who are the real Cowboys on defense? Bo Nix can’t struggle and keep up with Dak Prescott, and those 33-point fourth quarters don’t grow on trees. They survived with one quarterback, but it would be foolish for the Broncos to think they can wake up in the second half.
This week, we face two quarterback dilemmas: the Jets (against the Bengals) and the Dolphins (against the Falcons). Is selecting Tyrod Taylor ultimately the right decision for the Jets? Did the Dolphins make the right decision by retaining Tua Tagovailoa? Is it even right for these struggling teams?
Kiefer: The short answer is no. Both teams are struggling badly right now. Tyrod Taylor has failed to save the season as much as Quinn Evers is saving the show in Miami. I find the Dolphins more interesting because this team has fallen apart over the past 16 months, going from an AFC contender to a complete rebuild. With Mike McDaniels’ position secured—though not by much right now—a win helps quiet the noise for a few days. The real dilemma will be what Miami’s new staff does with Tagovailoa in the offseason, as his 2026 salary cap is over $50 million.
Sando: The Dolphins need to stick with Tagovailoa right now because they’re trying to save as much as they can with him. I’d wait until the end of the season before considering Zach Wilson, who’s third on the depth chart, but if this season is completely ruined, they should evaluate him in game situations. The Jets’ situation is ridiculous because Justin Fields played only six games as the Steelers’ starter last season. What did the team get when they signed him to that $20 million-per-year deal? Theoretically, Tyrod Taylor could increase their chances of winning another game, but that doesn’t mean anything.
Howe: Quarterbacks don’t matter to the Jets. There’s not enough support for any player to thrive. As for the Dolphins, they’ll stick with Tagovailoa until 2026—and more realistically, until 2027, unless they’re comfortable spending a lot of money due to his contract. They should probably consider Evers at some point, but it’s too early. Furthermore, when I looked at last season’s stats, the Mike McDaniels-led Dolphins were scoring about 14 more points per game with Tagovailoa on the field than with their backup quarterback. Say what you will about Tagovailoa, but what’s going on with their backup quarterback development plan?