On Football provides an in-depth analysis of the key themes in the NFL week by week.
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This past Sunday marked a significant moment for Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, and Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.
Both the Eagles (5-2) and the Bills (6-2) secured comfortable double-digit victories on the road, while the Commanders (6-2) pulled off a last-second miracle. All three teams demonstrated their abilities in challenging matchups.
The Eagles had previously bounced back with two wins after a bye week, following a disappointing loss to Tampa Bay in Week 4. However, the atmosphere in Philadelphia was filled with skepticism. Criticism of Hurts and coach Nick Sirianni grew louder, as fans braced themselves for what they thought would be a 2-4 team heading into Cincinnati instead of 4-2.
After Joe Burrow initiated a lengthy opening touchdown drive for the Bengals that took over ten minutes, Eagles fans at home and in bars unleashed their displeasure with boos. However, the defense, managed by Vic Fangio, regained its composure. Hurts, along with Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith, took control of the game.
Hurts connected with Smith on a flawless 45-yard touchdown pass and added three rushing touchdowns of his own, leading Philadelphia to a decisive 37-17 victory over Cincinnati. He amassed 236 passing yards and recorded a passer rating of 132.5, marking his third consecutive game with a rating above 119.
Despite recent wins against the Browns and a blowout against the Giants, the Eagles still lacked respect from pundits. Although the Bengals hold a losing record at 3-5, this game showcased a strong performance.
“I think today was a great team win, a great showing as a team,” Hurts said. “When you play like that on defense and you’re able to stop an offense capable of playing at a high level and with the star players that they have, that’s a great job.”
Next week, the Eagles are set to host Jacksonville (2-6) and former head coach Doug Pederson, followed by an NFC East clash with Washington (6-2) in Philadelphia on Thursday night, November 14.
The Bills, similarly, have often faced criticism regarding the strength of their competition. Entering their game against Seattle, they had accumulated five wins against teams with a combined record of 10-23, while their two losses were against stronger opponents.
Against a Seahawks team that had recently earned a notable victory in Atlanta and was leading the NFC West, the Bills came out firing, ultimately securing a 31-10 win.
Allen completed 283 passing yards and tossed two touchdowns, bouncing back from his first interception of the season. He initiated the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keon Coleman, and the Bills dominated the entire game against Seattle (4-4).
“I think you look at it from all three phases — everybody went out there, knew their job, and executed at a high level — offense, defense, special teams,” Allen remarked. “Still got a lot to clean up.”
The Bills now enjoy a comfortable 3.5-game lead in the AFC East. Next, they will host Miami (2-5) and then visit Indianapolis (4-4) before facing the two-time Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs (7-0), on November 17—a matchup that’ll provide another chance to silence critics.
Daniels faced uncertainty about his availability due to a rib injury when he played against Chicago, yet he still managed to throw a stunning 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown on the final play, clinching an 18-15 win.
Scrambling for nearly 13 seconds, he released a deep pass that was deflected backward into the arms of Noah Brown for the dramatic victory.
In the sixth meeting this season of rookie quarterbacks selected first and second overall in the draft, Daniels outperformed top pick Caleb Williams. He accumulated 326 passing yards, a touchdown, and added 52 rushing yards. Conversely, Williams finished with only 10 completions out of 24 attempts for 131 yards for the Bears (5-3). Daniels exhibited why he is considered a frontrunner for the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
“We’re blessed to have 5 leading this team,” Brown stated about Daniels. “The things he can do are special — even that last play. Keeping his composure, fighting hard to get the ball off, and delivering a great throw. I wouldn’t want to play with anyone else at quarterback. I’m glad to have him.”
On the contrary, one team struggled to make a positive impact in Week 8. Despite Aaron Rodgers’ presence in New York, the Jets (2-6) continued to falter, losing a close contest to the struggling Patriots, 25-22, after blowing a 22-17 lead in the last three minutes.
With five consecutive losses under their belt—three following the firing of coach Robert Saleh and his replacement by Jeff Ulbrich—the outlook for the Jets seems grim.
“This is a moment of darkness, and we understand that the outside world is going to get really loud right now,” Ulbrich acknowledged. “But the only thing I know in life is that when it gets dark and hard, you work and you point the finger at yourself and figure out what you can do better as an individual. If we do that collectively, which I believe we will, that’s your only opportunity to dig yourself out of this.”
For the Jets, recovery may feel insurmountable at this point. Conversely, the Eagles, Bills, and Commanders are currently positioned for greater success, along with several other clubs in the league.
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