NFL Reactions: Week 8

An NFL Sunday that falls on Halloween can only mean one thing — a day filled with a grab bag of tricks and treats.

We saw the Buccaneers lose to a Saints team led by Trevor Siemian. We witnessed the Patriots pull of an upset win over the Chargers. We even got to see two divisional rivals battle it out into overtime as the Titans and Colts lit up the scoreboard all afternoon.

This often hair-raising holiday lived up to its billing and Sunday's action seemed to fit the day perfectly. Halloween is the one day a year when we can be someone else — a time when we can exist in disguise and step into a different, more powerful persona.

That said, the award for "Best Costume" in Week 8: the New York Jets.

Even the most hardened horror fans must've been in complete shock to see the Jets pull off an astounding 34-31 victory over the Bengals. Entering Week 8, Cincinnati was the top team in the AFC. On the other hand, the Jets were … well … not. They entered the game with just one win and without their starting quarterback in rookie Zach Wilson. Mike White made his first start and threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns. It sounds unbelievable, but it was as real as it gets. The Jets looked scary good, but it's not who they are.

After lifting my jaw from the floor, the outcome left me reflecting on what this game actually revealed. I know the Jets aren't going anywhere this year. They just don't have the talent to be a consistent offensive force. What was revealed, however, was that the Bengals might have been hiding behind a mask this whole time.

While sitting atop their conference, Bengals had many saying that they can be contenders for the postseason. Sunday's game exposed them. Cincinnati is certainly a team on the upswing, but it might not be there just yet. A game against the Jets with a backup quarterback at the helm is a game you need to have if you want to be taken seriously in this league — and they couldn't pull it off.

The parity of the NFL is often scary, and as fans, we get to live with the thrills and chills of it all.

Nonetheless, as Halloween and Week 8 creep to their end, let us remember that things are not always as they seem.

Sunday Takeaways

• On a day when the Jets soared, running back Michael Carter was the fuel. Carter finished as the team's leading rusher and leading receiver, rushing 15 times for 77 yards and a touchdown and adding nine catches for 95 yards. The rookie is continuing to flash his versatility and is one of the lone bright spots in an otherwise uninspiring group of offensive weapons.
• Michael Pittman was far and away Carson Wentz's favorite target against the Titans, catching 10 balls for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Pittman is finally showing that he can be a playmaker in the Colts' offense. The talented wideout has reached "must-start" status.
• The Eagles' backfield was a three-way split in Philadelphia's blowout win of Detroit, with Kenneth Gainwell recording 13 rushes while Boston Scott and Jordan Howard each rushed 12 times. Gainwell mustered just 27 yards while Scott and Howard scored two touchdowns, racking up 60 yards and 57 yards, respectively. While Miles Sanders misses time on injured reserve, it appears that Howard and Scott might be the preferred options in scoring position.
• Elijah Mitchell had himself a monster day, rushing 18 times for 137 yards and a score. The running back has a stranglehold on touches out of the backfield, with JaMycal Hasty only handling the ball five times. Jeff Wilson won't return for at least a few more weeks, so Mitchell should remain the 49ers' go-to guy on the ground.
• Darrell Henderson rushed for 90 yards and a score on 14 carries, adding a three-yard touchdown reception on his lone target. Henderson remains a key part of the Rams' offensive scheme and has now scored seven total touchdowns this season. Fantasy managers should view Henderson as a top option at the position due to his consistent threat to score in an efficient offense.
• Robert Woods started the year in underwhelming fashion, but the wideout has rewarded fantasy managers' patience in recent weeks. Woods found the end zone through the air and on the ground in a matchup against the beatable Houston defense. Coach Sean McVay is finally getting the best out of Woods as the reliable weapon we know him to be.
• Nick Chubb made his triumphant return to the field, but it was Week 7 darling D'Ernest Johnson who hit pay dirt in the loss to the Steelers. As expected, Chubb led the backfield, out-touching Johnson 16-4 on the ground. This should be the expectation while Kareem Hunt is on injured reserve, but the Browns clearly have trust in Johnson to handle carries in scoring position.
• A.J. Brown scored a touchdown for the second consecutive week in an overtime win over the Colts, recording a team-high 10 catches for 155 yards. His slow start to the season is behind him as he reestablishes himself as the Titans' best pass-catching option and a top-tier fantasy wide receiver. Brown is the Derrick Henry of the Tennessee passing attack.
• Keenan Allen paced the Chargers in receiving in a loss to the Patriots, catching six passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. Allen's score was only his second of the year, as he is a candidate for positive regression in that department. Fantasy managers have been less than impressed with Allen's fantasy output in 2021, but his usage Sunday should provide some hope as the season continues.
• Turns out a matchup against the lowly Jaguars is the perfect medicine for wide receivers. Both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett had great performances in a blowout win over Jacksonville. Lockett racked up 12 catches for 142 yards and Metcalf scored two touchdowns while totaling six catches for 43 yards. Following a Week 9 bye, the Seahawks will visit the Packers in a game which will need these two wideouts to ball out. The good news: Seattle might get Russell Wilson back for the showdown in Green Bay.

Injury Notes

• Jalen Reagor was carted to the locker room with an ankle injury in the Eagles' win over the Lions. If Reagor misses time, the Eagles will be without one of their top pass-catching options for a team that struggles moving the ball through the air.
• Damien Williams left in the first half of the Bears loss to the 49ers with a knee injury. Khalil Herbert filled in for Williams as the team's workhouse running back and figures to continue to operate in that role until David Montgomery returns from injured reserve.
• James Robinson exited the Jaguars loss to the Seahawks with an ankle injury. Carlos Hyde was the next man up but did nothing to inspire confidence in his ability to be a solid option out of the backfield. Hyde likely will be a popular waiver add in Week 9 if Robinson is sidelined, but fantasy managers should not expect much of a return on their potential investment.
• Sam Darnold exited in the fourth quarter of the Panthers' win over the Falcons due to a concussion suffered on a rush in the red zone. Should Darnold miss time, backup P.J. Walker will almost certainly take over as the starter in a Week 9 matchup against the Patriots. This would be likely mean a downgrade for the fantasy potential for Carolina's skill positions.
• Jameis Winston left with a knee injury in the first half of the Saints' win over the Buccaneers. He was carted to the locker room, but the severity of the injury is unknown. In his absence, backup Trevor Siemian completed 16 of 29 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. If Winston is sidelined in Week 9, it's possible that Siemian will remain the team's signal caller in a matchup with the Falcons' struggling defense.
• Rob Gronkowski exited the Buccaneers' loss to the Saints due to back spasms. He finished the game without a catch on one target near the goal line. Gronkowski will get some extra rest during the team's Week 9 bye and aim to return against Washington on Nov. 14.