As the halfway point of the season arrives, the two-time defending Super Bowl champions are still the lone undefeated team. The Chiefs will end the weekend by attempting to get to 8-0.
Along the way, there will be plenty of interesting games. He’s a quick look at each one, along with a fact or two that I found interesting — and that you might, too.
And, yes, this is the third week of the preview column. What do you think of it? If you have any ideas or comments or generalized insults, let me know at florio@profootballtalk.com.
3-4 Cowboys at 5-3 Falcons (-3), Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox (Adam Amin and Greg Olsen)
It’s a Mike Zimmer and Kirk Cousins reunion. They spent four years together in Minnesota. There was friction. There was underachievement. There was a single playoff appearance. There was one viral moment of pushing and shoving that carried something more than celebration.
Zimmer’s defense has allowed a whopping 37.3 points per game in four losses, and only 16.3 points per game in three wins.
For Cousins, he’s 3-3 in games against teams other than Tampa Bay, with six touchdown passes and six interceptions.
A Dallas loss would give them five on the year — that’s the total number they had in each of the three prior seasons.
5-3 Broncos at 5-3 Ravens (-9), Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS (Jim Nantz and Tony Romo)
Lamar Jackson is good to go after missing two days of practice, with back and knee injuries. The Ravens had their five-game winning streak end in Cleveland last Sunday. They’ve added receiver Diontae Johnson via trade; some would say they should be looking to add players in the secondary.
Denver has fattened up its record against teams with a combined record of 11-29. They’ll face the 5-3 Ravens, 7-0 Chiefs, and 5-3 Falcons over the next three weeks.
Last weekend, Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix set the franchise rookie record with five wins. He had 284 passing yards and four total touchdowns in a 28-14 win over the Panthers.
2-5 Dolphins at 6-2 Bills (-6), Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS (Kevin Harlan and Trent Green)
A win by Buffalo would complete the sweep of Miami and, barring an epic collapse, nail down the division.
Josh Allen is 12-2 against the Dolphins; Tua Tagovailoa has won only one of eight against the Bills.
The Bills have a three-game winning streak; the Dolphins have lost five of six.
2-6 Saints (-7.5) at 1-7 Panthers, Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS (Tom McCarthy and Jay Feely)
After a 2-0 start, the Saints have lost six in a row. The last four have happened by double digits.
They’ll get quarterback Derek Carr back in the lineup; he has missed three games with an oblique injury.
Bryce Young gets another start for the woeful Panthers, who are 4-12 against the Saints since the start of the 2017 season.
2-6 Raiders at 3-5 Bengals (-7), Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox (Kevin Kugler and Daryl Johnston)
These teams last met in the 2021 playoffs, a wild-card game the Raiders nearly won.
Las Vegas has lost four in a row, its longest losing streak since moving to Nevada. They haven’t lost five straight since 2018.
The Bengals are 0-4 at home this season. Quarterback Joe Burrow thinks it’s “doable” to win seven of the next nine — even though they’ve lost five of the first eight.
4-3 Chargers (-1.5) at 2-6 Browns, Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS (Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta)
Jim Harbaugh returns to Ohio, with a team not nearly as dominant as his Wolverines had been. And with Jameis Winston at quarterback, the Browns have gotten a lift.
The L.A. defense is getting it done; they’re giving up 13 points per game and have yet to surrender more than 20. Rookie receiver Ladd McConkey had a breakout game in Week 8, with a pair of touchdowns and 111 receiving yards.
Against the Ravens, the Browns scored more than 20 points for the first time this season, while also ending a five-game losing streak.
6-2 Commanders (-3.5) at 2-6 Giants, Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox (Chris Myers and Mark Sanchez)
The Giants would have beaten the Commanders in Week 2, if they only had a kicker. The Commanders did that day, getting seven field goals from Austin Seibert in a 21-18 win.
The Commanders have a chance to start 7-2 for the first time since 1996. That year, Washington opened 7-1 but lost six of the next eight and missed the playoffs. It was their final season at RFK Stadium.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones still has no touchdowns at home this season. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass at MetLife Stadium since Week 17 of the 2022 season. He’s the first NFL quarterback since 1950 to lose six straight home games and not throw a touchdown pass in any of them.
2-6 Patriots at 1-6 Titans (-3.5), Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, Fox (Jason Benetti and Mark Schlereth)
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is questionable after suffering a concussion in the Week 8 win over the Jets. If Maye can’t go, it will be Jacoby Brissett, backed up by Joe Milton III.
Titans quarterback Will Levis is also questionable, with a lingering shoulder injury. They’ve been outscored in their last two losses 86-24.
4-3 Bears at 4-4 Cardinals (-1.5), Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS (Ian Eagle and Charles Davis)
These are the only two teams remaining for the original NFL, which launched in 1920.
The Bears will try to keep one loss from becoming two, following the Hail Mary debacle that cost them a win over the Commanders. The Bears also will attempt to win on the road for the first time this season.
The Cardinals have won three of four, two straight with walk-off field goals. Rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has 411 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
2-6 Jaguars at 5-2 Eagles (-7.5), Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS (Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, and Jason McCourty)
Doug Pederson returns to face the team he took to a Super Bowl win seven years ago. It’s Pederson’s second game in Philly since being fired after the 2020 season; in 2022, the Jaguars lost to the Eagles, 29-21.
The Jaguars have allowed 30 or more points in three of the last four games, and in four of the last six.
The Eagles have won three in a row, with four touchdowns scored in each of their last two games. They continue to be undefeated (4-0) when receiver A.J. Brown plays.
6-1 Lions (-3.5) at 6-2 Packers, Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox (Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady)
The Lions have won five in a row, with 25 touchdowns and only 20 incomplete passes. This week, Detroit plays outdoors for the first time all season.
The Packers have won four in a row. Quarterback Jordan Love is questionable with a groin injury. His availability is expected to be a game-time decision.
Green Bay has won two in a row with walk-off field goals, both from new kicker Brandon McManus.
3-4 Rams (-1.5) at 4-4 Seahawks, Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox (Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma)
The Rams have won two in a row; their Week 8 upset of the Vikings ended talk of a Cooper Kupp trade.
Seattle has been consistently inconsistent. They won three to start the season. Then, they lost three. Then, they won by 20 points on the road in Atlanta. Then, they lost by 21 at home to the Bills.
Receiver Puka Nacua suffered a knee injury in practice on Thursday. He’s questionable for the game.
4-4 Colts at 5-2 Vikings (-5), Sunday 8:25 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock (Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth)
Two years ago, these teams played an epic late-season Saturday game. The Colts led at halftime, 33-0. The Vikings won in overtime, 39-36.
The Colts are the first team ever to have each of their first eight games of the season decided by six points or fewer.
Joe Flacco starts for Anthony Richardson, who was benched after a Week 8 loss to the Texans. The Vikings have lost two in a row after starting 5-0.
4-4 Buccaneers at 7-0 Chiefs (-8.5), Monday 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC (Joe Buck and Troy Aikman)
It’s a Super Bowl LV rematch. The Bucs have lost two in a row and three out of four. The Chiefs haven’t lost since Christmas Day, 2023.
Patrick Mahomes has eight touchdown passes and nine interceptions. That ties him for the most interceptions in the league. He has thrown at least one in every game.
