3 Storylines to Watch in Week 8 of the NFL Season
Week 8 of the NFL regular season kicked off on a Thursday, and there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the other games.
SportsGrid looks into some storylines worth following.
NFL Week 8 Content: Super Bowl Power Rankings | 3 Underrated Week 8 Favorites | 3 Overrated Week 8 Favorites | NFL MVP Power Rankings | NFC Power Rankings | AFC Power Rankings | AFC Playoff Picture | NFC Playoff Picture
1. Are Either the Steelers or Jaguars Contenders in the AFC?
One of the more intriguing matchups in Week 8 belongs to the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Steelers have typically looked like they’ve been on life support in the opening half of games, yet their defense has played strongly and led them to a 4-2 record through Week 7. On the other hand, after a slow start, the Jacksonville Jaguars have won four in a row and led the AFC South at 5-2. The Jaguars’ offense will be a stern test for the Steelers’ defense in this matchup. In addition, can the Steelers find any way to crack the Jacksonville defensive front? The line heading into the weekend has this as a field goal game, meaning it’s expected that this will be a closely contested affair. Which of these teams proves to be a real contender on Sunday?
2. Rookie Quarterbacks Collide in Carolina
It’s been a tale of opposites in the young careers of Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. Young was the first overall pick by the Carolina Panthers, while Stroud was the second quarterback off the board to the Texans. Young hasn’t had an ideal start to his career, but we’re not willing to write him off because he’s playing in front of a make-shift offensive line, and we know his talent. Stroud has surprised a lot of people and is thriving through the first seven weeks with the Houston Texans. The Texans have stayed in the playoff hunt in the AFC, and although that might not last, it looks like they’ve found their franchise quarterback. The spotlight will be on both of these young signal-callers in Week 8. With how quickly the pundits change their narratives, this matchup must hold much weight for the rest of the year if one side performs exponentially better.
3. Can the 49ers Recover After Back-to-Back Losses?
It’s strange to consider because of the hype surrounding the San Francisco 49ers this season, but they’ve lost two straight games. Their work won’t get any easier for them in Week 8 when they play host to the Cincinnati Bengals coming off a bye. Not only are the 49ers in a mini-rut, but they also look to be starting Sam Darnold at quarterback in this matchup because Brock Purdy is in concussion protocol. Keep an eye on this quarterback situation ahead of the game kicking off. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow looked healthier heading into the bye, and that’s promising news for a Cincinnati group having Super Bowl or bust aspirations. The 49ers can get after the quarterback, though, which means Burrow must prove he can be mobile.
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
