Week 8 Takeaways for the 2025 NFL Season
Apparently, this week was called “bye-mageddon”. I knew a bunch of teams were off this week, but the name was news to me. Even with fewer games on the schedule, I expected more competitive contests than what we saw. Only one matchup finished as a one-score game, and things got so out of hand that we saw five different backups enter at QB for victorious teams without injuries. Cleveland suffered a blowout despite a legendary 5-sack day from Myles Garrett, and Aaron Rodgers watched his teammates implode against his old team. I try to sift through everything in my week 8 takeaways for the 2025 NFL season!
TNF: Chargers Stomp Vikings By Dominating Line of Scrimmage
Going into this game, I jokingly called it the “Battle of the Broken Lines”, as both Minnesota and the LA Chargers were dealing with numerous offensive line absences. The Bolts got a nice boost though: RT-turned-LT Joe Alt returned from his ankle injury after a 3-game absence. Justin Herbert, the most-hit QB in the league, still ran often, but he did so to gain chunk yardage. He wasn’t always fleeing from pressure and only took 1 sack. That was good, as he faced pressure on a blitz from Josh Metellus blitz and threw a near-pick-six to CB Isaiah Rodgers. The officials wrongly overturned it to an incomplete pass, and LA got rolling.
Herbert (18/25, 227 yards, 3 TDs, INT; 7/62 rushing) picked apart an overaggressive Vikings defense. WR Ladd McConkey (6/88/1) was the primary beneficiary, but rookie TE Oronde Gadsden II (5/77/1) had a second consecutive strong output. On the ground, RB Kimani Vidal (23/117) did a great job replacing LA’s stable of injured backs. We’ve been high on him at this site since his 2023 bowl game breakout, and it was fun to see him shine. He excelled just as much as a pass blocker, which HC Jim Harbaugh probably loved more than his running. The only real blemish was that K Cameron Dicker missed his 1st kick of the season.
Minnesota’s offense, in contrast, was a train wreck. The issues started and ended up front. RB Aaron Jones returned from injury, but he and Jordan Mason combined for just 18 rushing yards. Another lineman, LT Christian Darrisaw, left with a knee injury during the game and did not return. That left Minnesota with two backup tackles, and it showed. Poor QB Carson Wentz (15/27, 44 yards, TD, INT) took yet another beating. I wouldn’t be putting up with this for a veteran minimum salary. He aggravated his injured left shoulder and also hurt his right wrist. The pressure did not relent, and Wentz suffered 5 sacks.
Only WR Justin Jefferson (7/74) did anything on offense for the Vikings. The team’s only TD came after LA committed successive penalties to make things easier. Much credit belongs to the Bolts defense. They shielded their secondary with a ferocious pass rush, led by Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulto. This was the defense that led LAC to a 3-0 start, and it led them to a 37-10 victory here. Perhaps this game got them back on track! Minnesota has a bigger problem: JJ McCarthy could return next week, but how can you subject him to the abuse Wentz has experienced? No QB can survive in this situation, and it’s dooming the Vikings.
Jets Get First Win on Historically Bad Day for Bengals Defense
Before anyone asks: no, I’m not giving the Jets any credit for this. This is 100% on the Bengals, who effectively just eliminated themselves by losing to an 0-7 team. QB Joe Flacco (21/34, 223 yards, 2 TDs; 2/14/1 rushing) was once again good. WR Ja’Marr Chase (12/91) was himself, and Tee Higgins caught a 44-yard TD. Even the running backs, Chase Brown (12/73/1) and Samaje Perine (9/94/1) had really nice days. The fact of the matter is that this defense is one of the biggest abominations in the history of football. I’d like to say that I’m exaggerating, but let’s just look at the facts: 38 points should never be a losing score.
The Jets spent most of this week deflecting questions about their QB situation. Justin Fields, who the owner publicly blasted this week, only got the start because Tyrod Taylor was hurt. Against this defense, Fields (21/32, 244 yards, TD; 11/31 rushing) had a fine game (without WR Garrett Wilson!) because he faced zero pressure the second DE Trey Hendrickson left after aggravating his hip injury. The true disaster was Cincy’s run defense. New York ran for 254 yards, their most in a game since 2021, and 2 TDs at an incredible 6.9 YPC. RBs Breece Hall (18/133/2; 2/14 receiving) and Isaiah Davis (7/65; 5/44 receiving) morphed into superstars.
Those two ran hard, but they saw gaping holes every play. Even when they didn’t run through a chasm, missed tackles by the Bengals’ linebackers and secondary sprung them for big gains. When Cincinnati punted the ball up 38-32, you knew they were in trouble. The go-ahead score was painful: a 4-yard pass by Hall, not Fields, to TE Mason Taylor (5/34/1), who grabbed an underthrown ball that CB DJ Turner never turned around to see. I’ve heard rumors that DC Al Golden is a candidate for the Penn State head coaching job. I seriously hope that’s untrue. This is who the team fired Lou Anarumo for. Anarumo’s Colts are 7-1.
In Golden’s defense though, without Hendrickson, what talent does he have to work with? First-round DE Shemar Stewart has been a predictable bust. Their other high-pick defenders aren’t any better. This game was an easy opportunity to return to .500 and keep pace with the Steelers, but how can you take this team seriously? Joe Burrow returning won’t help. Burrow himself knows the agony of losing despite posting a ton of points. As we’ve seen, even this week, Flacco has been excellent. At 3-5, after a loss to a previously winless team, playoffs aren’t really a thought. Coach Zac Taylor might even find himself on the hot seat.
With my rant complete, let’s try to offer NYJ some kind words. First, it’s nice that nobody will go winless in the NFL this year. Nobody has done it since the 2016 Browns, and their misery has been well-documented. HC Aaron Glenn did a good job blocking out the noise, and his team had plenty of energy. As I’ve already stated that I don’t think this really had much to do with New York though, I want to shift to something more important. The Jets won this game in honor of legend Nick Mangold, who lost his battle to kidney disease on Sunday morning. This is a tragedy, and I wish his family nothing but the best. Rest in peace.
Ravens, Dolphins Snap Losing Streaks in Strong Fashion
Two teams that definitely needed wins were the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins. The former needed to keep their season alive until QB Lamar Jackson returns, while the latter just had to get the stench of losing out of their crumbling organization. Both delivered. Baltimore, led by Tyler Huntley instead of Cooper Rush this time, took it to Chicago to snap their 4-game win streak. Huntley (17/22, 186 yards, TD; 8/53 rushing) was far more efficient than Rush and also added a ground element. That helped RB Derrick Henry (21/71/2) get going as well. You wonder where the Ravens would be if Huntley started weeks ago.
The bigger story may be the defense though. That unit, battered and maligned, really held Chicago in check. While they surrendered too many yards (372 to be exact), they did not break. The Bears did not hit 100 rushing yards, and they had to settle for 3 FGs instead of scoring TDs. Baltimore didn’t trail from the second quarter onward and pulled away after a key INT by CB Nate Wiggins. By pulling off this 30-16 win, the Ravens won their first game without Jackson. Better yet, every other AFC North team lost, so at 2-5, all hope is not extinguished. Jackson is expected to return next week for a suddenly key game against…
…the Dolphins, who came in as losers of 3 in a row. Their past 3 games went down in an ugly manner, demanding an upset win on the road against Atlanta. QB Tua Tagovailoa woke up on game day with a swollen eye (likely conjunctivitis), making that an even less likely proposition. Maybe a lack of an eye made him think less and play free, because this turned out to be his best game of the year. Tagovailoa (20/26, 205 yards, 4 TDs) was accurate and decisive, carving up the Falcons’ improved defense. Four different players caught TDs, but WR Jaylen Waddle (5/99/1) was his go-to man. Perhaps more surprisingly, the defense showed up too.
Atlanta started backup Kirk Cousins in place of an injured Michael Penix, but he barely threw the ball in the first half. Cousins (21/31, 173 yards) was fine, but he had no help. WR Drake London missed the game with an injury, and coach Raheem Morris seemed to have no clue what to do when the Dolphins shut down their rushing attack. RB Bijan Robinson (9/25; 3/23 receiving) was a nonfactor and lost a crucial fumble. Yet Morris didn’t switch to the passing game until it was too late. All of that added up to a 34-10 Miami win, which they badly needed. A victory over Baltimore on Thursday would really make things interesting.
Saints Bench Rattler for Shough, Which Blows Up in Their Faces
We knew this day would come. Saints QB Spencer Rattler had a solid start to the year despite a lack of wins, but his last two games have been filled with turnovers. Against the Buccaneers this week, rookie HC Kellen Moore had enough. Rattler (15/21, 136 yards, INT, FUM) had some nice moments, but his pick six and lost fumble were too much. Moore benched him after halftime and inserted 2nd-round rookie Tyler Shough, his hand-picked QB. I’m not entirely sure what the team expected, but Shough did not provide any sort of spark. He threw an INT after only a few plays, though it was just as much on WR Chris Olave (8/63).
Blaming Shough (17/30, 128 yards, INT) entirely would be unfair. The same challenges faced by Rattler also befell shuck: a lack of any running game (48 yards total), a young offensive line that’s struggling to jell, and a lackluster receiving corps. Shough’s numbers don’t look good despite the inclusion of garbage-time production, and he produced 0 points across all of his drives. Maybe you could chalk that up to a rookie signal caller needing some seasoning, but the 7-year college player is actually older than Rattler. It’s much harder to say that Shough is simply raw because of all the playing experience he possesses.
What is Moore to do here? He refused to commit to a starter for next week’s game, and that makes sense. In a 23-3 home drubbing, more had to go wrong than just the QBs. Rattler’s decision-making suggests that he probably isn’t the QB of the future, but nobody can tell for sure with his current supporting cast. Similarly, evaluating Shough here is nearly impossible. The Saints are likely to go with Shough sooner than later because Moore picked him. I question whether he’s truly a better option than Rattler. If this season continues on its current trajectory, both QBs could be replaced with a very high draft pick next April.
Eagles Claim Revenge over Giants, Who Lose More than the Game
Possibly still licking their wounds after their stunning blowout loss to the Giants a couple of weeks ago, the Eagles hosted the G-Men with a singular mission: payback. New York played to a first-quarter tie thanks to a missed 58-yard FG by Eagles K Jake Elliott and a TD catch by RB Cam Skattebo. Pretty much nothing went right for the Giants after that. QB Jaxson Dart (14/24, 193 yards, TD, rush TD) wasn’t terrible, but he took 5 sacks due to a ferocious pass rush. It should be noted that DT Jalen Carter, who missed the previous matchup, played in this game and had one of those sacks while wreaking constant havoc.
Philly had a much better offensive game this time as well. QB Jalen Hurts (15/20, 179 yards, 4 TDs) was superb. This may be his best 2-week throwing stretch in his entire career, and this game, he did it without injured WR AJ Brown. TE Dallas Goedert scored twice (happy National TE Day!), but WR DeVonta Smith (6/84) once again led the pass catchers. The running game was completely unstoppable, with Saquon Barkley (14/150/1; 4/24/1 receiving) finally having his breakout game of 2025. When he tweaked his hamstring, Tank Bigsby (9/104) came in and did just as well in the 38-20 rout. That wasn’t the worst of it for NYG.
In the second quarter, on an incomplete pass, an Eagle landed on Skattebo, and he went down with a brutal ankle injury. The joint was dislocated, and his fracture needed surgery that same night. It’s hard to overstate how much of a downer this is for Giants fans. Dart has received much praise, but it’s actually Skattebo who has energized the team. His bowling ball-style running brought life to the G-Men, and he’s the guy people wanted to see. Now he’ll be on the shelf for the rest of the year, and we can only hope that he recovers well and is back for 2026. Finding a silver lining for this situation is proving to be nearly impossible.