Key events
TOUCHDOWN! Falcons 0-7 Dolphins 2:33, 1st quarter
De’Von Achane catches a short pass from Tua for a three-yard score. Relief for Miami fans as the Dolphins take a lead as they try in their effort to snap a three game losing streak.
TOUCHDOWN! Eagles 7-7 Giants 2:56, 1st quarter
The Giants respond. Cam Skattebo loves scoring against Philadelphia apparently. But I think Skattebo just loves scoring full stop. The rookie QB Jaxson Dart finds his rookie running back with an 18-yard strike for the touchdown. Game on!
Panthers 0-3 Bills 3:40, 1st quarter
On grizzled gunslinger watch Andy Dalton is enduring a rough start to this one. He scrambles to his right but is hunted down by Greg Rousseau who knocks him down. As he falls the ball comes loose with Christian Benford on hand to steal it for Buffalo. Coming off the bye the Bills will hope Josh Allen finds his spark after two successive losses. He is yet to do so going 3/7 for 38 yards. Early days though
TOUCHDOWN! Patriots 3-7 Browns 3:35 1st quarter
Rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel shoots a 18-yard strike to Harold Fannin Jr for the score. Not enough Harolds in sport, are there?
TOUCHDOWN! Bengals 10-0 Jets 5:35, 1st quarter
Maybe skip this post Jets fans. In their own half New York go for it on 4th and 1 and Breece Hall gets knocked back two yards. The Bengals are gifted excellent field position and Joe Flacco marches Cincinnati down field and he even nabs a rushing touchdown. Real head scratcher there. A winless season for the Jets might just be on the cards.
Ravens 0-3 Bears 6:50, 1st quarter
It’s good! Baltimore summon some much-needed might on defense with a great stop in the red zone. Rookie second-round pick Mike Green sacks Caleb Williams on third down to force a 32-yard field goal. Bend but don’t break at its finest.
TOUCHDOWN! Eagles 7-0 Giants 14:51, 1st quarter
Hmmmm remember that time I said it was tough to know how Philadelphia’s offense would perform? Well, about that. After an incomplete pass Saquon Barkley cracks open the big one in the NFC East with a 65-yard touchdown run. The running back has been the missing piece so far this season for Philadelphia so they will be delighted with that start.
Here we go! Lots of old faces in at QB tonight. A pair of 37-year-olds taking the field with Kirk Cousins back in for Atlanta and Andy Dalton subbing in for Carolina. Can the veterans get it done tonight?
Preamble
Good evening football fans, welcome to week eight of the NFL! By far my favourite week of the regular season as the clocks have spun back in the UK giving us a huge lineup of seven matches a whole hour early. What more could you ask for?
Here are the games starting at noon CST/1pm EST/5pm GMT (home teams listed first):
(3-3) Atlanta Falcons v Miami Dolphins (1-6)
(1-5) Baltimore Ravens v Chicago Bears (4-2)
(4-3) Carolina Panthers v Buffalo Bills (4-2)
(3-4) Cincinnati Bengals v New York Jets (0-7)
(2-4) Houston Texans v San Francisco 49ers (5-2)
(5-2) New England Patriots v Cleveland Browns (2-5)
(5-2) Philadelphia Eagles v New York Giants (2-5)
Some very intriguing matchups but it is a big shame Lamar Jackson won’t be suiting up for Baltimore tonight. Snoop Huntley will be deputising as they try and contend with a Chicago Bears team rampaging into town on a four-game winning streak.
Elsewhere top billing has to be over in the NFC East. The Giants whipped the Eagles a couple of weeks ago, thanks to a Cam Skattebo hat-trick, but endured a historic meltdown last week in Denver while Philadelphia finally found some offensive firepower to swat Minnesota aside. Expect a fast start from New York’s young guns to turn the page. For the Eagles it is tough to predict how the offense will look but the team have reportedly made a call on wide receiver AJ Brown’s future. He is staying put in Pennsylvania.
