By Lydia Jane Allison

NEW YORK — Oct. 29, 2024 — A full slate of 16 games in Week 8 produced the highest scoring week (777 points) and the most games within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter (13) since Week 2 of 2023 season (796 points, 13 games) and had nine games decided by seven-or-fewer points, including five featuring a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation. The 67 games decided by seven points or fewer and 57 games decided by six points or less are the most through Week 8 in NFL history.

Here’s a look at a few interesting storylines entering Week 9:

• Super Bowl LV rematch on Monday Night Football: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) visit the Kansas City Chiefs (7-0) on Monday (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN) as the Chiefs, the last remaining undefeated team, can become the sixth reigning Super Bowl champions to win each of their first eight games, joining the 2015 and 2019 New England Patriots, 2011 Green Bay Packers, 1998 Denver Broncos and 1990 San Francisco 49ers.
  • In Super Bowl LV, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, the Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs, 31-9, as Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes (two to Rob Gronkowski) and the Tampa Bay defense, under then-defensive coordinator and current head coach Todd Bowles, held Kansas City out of the end zone.
  • Kansas City has won 13 consecutive games, including the postseason, and can become the first team since the 2015 Carolina Panthers with a 14-game winning streak.
  • Last week, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the fastest player ever to reach 30,000 passing yards (103 games) and recorded his 96th win (including the postseason) as a starting quarterback since entering the NFL in 2017, the second-most wins, including the postseason, by a starting quarterback in his first eight seasons in NFL history, trailing only Tom Brady (100 wins).
  • Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce recorded his 75th career regular-season touchdown reception in Week 8 and surpassed Jason Witten (74 touchdown receptions) for the fifth-most touchdown receptions by a tight end in NFL history.
  • Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the NFL with 21 touchdown passes and ranks second with 2,189 passing yards, third with a 71.1 completion percentage and sixth with a 104.9 passer rating this season. The last quarterback to rank in the top three in touchdown passes, passing yards and completion percentage through Week 8 of a season was Alex Smith with Kansas City in 2017.
  • Mayfield can become the fourth player in NFL history with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes in four consecutive games within a single season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Steve Young (five straight games in 1998) and Peyton Manning (four in 2012) as well as Patrick Mahomes (four in 2018).

• Rookie quarterbacks on the road: Between Washington’s Jayden Daniels (six wins), Denver’s Bo Nix (five – the most-ever by a Broncos rookie), Chicago’s Caleb Williams (four) and New England’s Drake Maye (one), rookie quarterbacks have combined for 16 wins this season, the second-most by rookie quarterbacks in the first eight weeks of a season since 1950, trailing only 2012 (17).
  • Three Week 9 matchups can feature top-10 selections from the 2024 NFL Draft facing off:
    • Chicago [Caleb Williams (No. 1 overall) and Rome Odunze (No. 9)] at Arizona (Marvin Harrison Jr. (No 4)].
    • Washington [Jayden Daniels (No. 2)] at the New York Giants [Malik Nabers (No. 6)].
    • New England [Drake Maye (No. 3)] at Tennessee [JC Latham (No. 7)].
      
      
  • Denver Broncos (5-3) at Baltimore Ravens (5-3) (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Ravens enter Week 9 with the AFC’s top offense (30.3 points per game) while the Broncos rank third in the NFL in scoring defense (15 points per game allowed). It marks the first meeting between a team averaging 30-or-more points per game and a team allowing 15-or-fewer points per game in Week 9 or later since the Ravens (35.1 points per game) faced off against San Francisco (14.8 points per game allowed) on Dec. 1, 2019.
    • In Week 8, Bo Nix became the first Broncos rookie quarterback to win five games and with four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and a 124.2 passer rating, became the fourth rookie quarterback with at least three touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown and a passer rating of 120-or-higher in a game since 2000, joining Justin Herbert (Jan. 3, 2021), Cam Newton (Dec. 24, 2011) and Deshaun Watson (Oct. 1, 2017).
    • Baltimore enters Week 9 as one of four teams in NFL history to score at least 20 points and record at least 375 total yards in each of their first eight games of a season, joining the 2013 Denver Broncos, 2007 New England Patriots and 2000 St. Louis Rams.
    • Last week, Lamar Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 500 rushing yards in seven consecutive seasons, while Derrick Henry became the first player ever with a touchdown in each of his first eight games with a team.
  • Washington Commanders (6-2) at New York Giants (2-6) (1 p.m. ET, FOX): The Commanders, with Jayden Daniels, became the fourth team since 1950 to win six of their first eight games of a season with a rookie starting quarterback, joining the 2016 Dallas Cowboys, 2011 Cincinnati Bengals and 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers.
    • Last week, Daniels found wide receiver Noah Brown for a 52-yard game-winning touchdown pass as time expired, becoming the second rookie quarterback since 1970 to record a 50-yard game-winning touchdown pass as time expired, joining Cleveland’s Tim Couch in Week 8 of the 1999 season (56-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Johnson).
    • The Giants lead the NFL with 35 sacks this season, the most by a team in its first eight games since the 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars (35 sacks). On Sunday, they can become the fifth team in the past 20 seasons (2005-24) with at least four sacks in five consecutive games, joining the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles, 2015 Denver Broncos, 2014 Buffalo Bills and 2008 Dallas Cowboys.
  • Chicago Bears (4-3) at Arizona Cardinals (4-4) (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS): Chicago rookie quarterback Caleb Williams can become the second quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft to win five of his first eight career starts, joining Andrew Luck.
    • Arizona has won three of its past four games, with each win secured by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. Kicker Chad Ryland became the first kicker since Daniel Carlson (with Las Vegas in 2021) to record three game-winning field goals in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime in a four-game span.
• Division leaders with six wins in action: In addition to the NFC East-leading Washington Commanders (6-2), the Houston Texans (6-2) lead the AFC South and the Buffalo Bills (6-2) lead the AFC East, while the Detroit Lions (6-1) and Green Bay Packers (6-2) sit atop the NFC North ahead of their Week 9 matchup.
  • Houston Texans (6-2) at New York Jets (2-6) (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video): The Jets rank second in the NFL in pass defense (161.1 pass yards per game allowed) while the Texans rank third (164.3) this season. The last time two teams met in Week 9 or later that were each allowing fewer than 165 passing yards per game was Nov. 13, 2005 [Baltimore (163.9) at Jacksonville (162.2)].
    • Texans running back Joe Mixon rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown in Week 8 and became the first player in NFL history with 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in four of his first five games with a team.
  • Miami Dolphins (2-5) at Buffalo Bills (6-2) (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Since being named the Bills head coach in 2017, Sean McDermott has won 79 regular-season games and with a win on Sunday, can become the 13th head coach all-time to win 80 regular-season games in his first eight seasons. With nine games remaining this season, he has a chance to surpass Mike Holmgren (84) for the second-most regular-season wins by a head coach in his first eight seasons, trailing only George Seifert (98).
  • Detroit Lions (6-1) at Green Bay Packers (6-2) (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX): The Lions have scored 172 points in their past four games (Weeks 4, 6-8), the most points by a team in a four-game span since the 2019 Baltimore Ravens (172 points from Weeks 9-12).
    • Last week, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff became the third player in NFL history with a passer rating of 125-or-higher in four consecutive games (minimum 15 attempts per game), joining Russell Wilson (five straight games in 2015) and Ryan Tannehill (four in 2019).
    • Goff can become the fourth quarterback since 2000 with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 110-or-higher in six consecutive games, joining Aaron Rodgers (11 straight games in 2011), Tom Brady (six in 2010) and Patrick Mahomes (six in 2018).
    • Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney had his league-leading sixth interception last week and became the fifth player since 2000 with an interception in six of his team’s first eight games of a season, joining Corey Chavous (2003 with Minnesota), Trevon Diggs (2021 with Dallas), Doug Evans (2001 with Carolina) and Brian Russell (2003 with Minnesota).

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