The Maryland Miracle won the weekend, with the Commanders topping the Bears in a battle of top draft picks, but it was a pair of losses that shake up my rankings this week. The Vikings and Ravens suffered disappointing defeats, leaving openings for the Texans and Packers to slide up. 

The Chiefs and Lions, meanwhile, continue to hold firm to the top spots. And there’s something brewing at the bottom of the Top 10, with the Bills and Eagles showing that they could be teams to reckon with in the second half. 

Here’s my Top 10 for Week 8 of the 2024 season.

1. Kansas City Chiefs
Last week: 1

Andy Reid’s squad lacks the flash of some of his previous championship teams, but it keeps stacking wins against quality competition. Led by a disruptive defense that creates turnovers and splash plays, the Chiefs can rely on Chris Jones & Co. to make enough game-changing plays to sustain the squad until Patrick Mahomes regains his MVP form. Considering the Chiefs have raced out to a 7-0 start without No. 15 playing his best ball, the rest of the league should pay close attention to how the defending champs are getting it done without relying extensively on the quarterback to make it happen each week. 

2. Detroit Lions
Last week: 2

Dan Campbell’s team specializes in punching opponents in the mouth behind a dominant offensive line and destructive defensive front. Though Detroit’s dynamic skill players routinely grab the headlines, the blue-collar frontline players set the tone for a team built on grit and toughness. With the Lions’ trench play capable of masking some inconsistencies on the perimeter, the NFC’s top team looks like a formidable title contender.

3. Houston Texans
Last week: 7

Joe Mixon’s re-emergence as a high-end back has elevated an offense sputtering without Nico Collins in the lineup. Mixon has four 100-yard games in five starts, flashing the strength, power and explosiveness that earned him Pro Bowl honors in 2021. As the Texans rely on a balanced offense to take the load off C.J. Stroud and complement an opportunistic defensive unit that suffocates opponents, Mixon’s production as the No. 1 back is critical to the team’s strong start. 

4. Green Bay Packers
Last week: 6

Malik Willis does not look like the same QB prospect who flamed out in Tennessee as a third-round pick. The third-year pro filled in admirably for Jordan Love (groin injury) as an emergency sub in Week 8 with a strong second-half culminating in a game-winning drive. Given the Packers’ turnover-obsessed defense and adaptable offense, Matt LaFleur has a team that can win in various ways. 

5. Washington Commanders
Last week: 5

The legend of Jayden Daniels continues to grow, with the Hail Mary cementing his superhero status. The dynamic dual-threat can single-handedly carry the Commanders to a win with or without his supporting cast playing up to par. As Dan Quinn continues to tweak the defensive lineup and tactics to maximize his personnel, the Commanders can rest easy knowing No. 5 can throw on his cape and rescue them from any situation. 

6. Minnesota Vikings
Last week: 3

Back-to-back losses have led to some concerns over the Vikings’ ultra-aggressive pressure tactics. The defense has given up too many big plays in crucial moments due to blown assignments or misaligned defenders. Though DC Brian Flores has dialed back the pressure to balance out his approach, the defense needs to get back on track before the rest of the division leaves the Vikings in the dust. 

7. Baltimore Ravens
Last week: 4

A disappointing loss to a bitter division rival raises concerns over Baltimore’s defensive performance. The secondary is surrendering big plays at an alarming rate, with the pass rush unable to mask the inconsistent coverage. Though John Harbaugh has made some lineup changes and added a mentor to help DC Zachary Orr fix the problems, the Ravens defense could keep them from challenging the heavyweights in the AFC. 

8. Pittsburgh Steelers
Last week: 8

A win over the New York Giants on Monday night would keep the Steelers in the hunt as a dark-horse contender. As Russell Wilson gets more comfortable running the offense as the new QB1, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith could expand the playbook to add more diversity to a unit that has relied on a ground-and-pound approach in the first half of the season. 

9. Buffalo Bills
Last week: 9

Don’t look now, but the Bills are becoming the juggernaut that some envisioned when Josh Allen stepped onto the scene. The MVP candidate challenges defenses with his unique talents as a dual-threat playmaker on the perimeter. Whether throwing lasers to an unheralded cast of pass-catchers or rumbling between the tackles on designed QB runs, the 6-foot-5, 237-pounder is an unstoppable force with the ball in his hands. 

10. Philadelphia Eagles
Last week: Not in Top 10

It has taken the Eagles a little longer than expected to find their identity, but the Jalen Hurts–Saquon Barkley combination has helped the team get back to its roots as a grind-it-out squad with big-play potential. The duo’s physicality and dominance as runners set the tone for an offense at its best when pushing opponents around at the point of attack. With the defense rounding into form under Vic Fangio, the Eagles again look like a potential title contender. 

Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the “Moving the Sticks” podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.

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Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson apologized after video posted on social media showed him taunting Washington Commanders fans seconds before he and his teammates gave up a Hail Mary touchdown with time expired to lose to the Commanders 18-15 on Sunday. 

Video posted on social media showed Stevenson pointing toward the stands and raising his arms in the air with his back to the play when the ball was snapped. He was late to get to the play and missed the chance to prevent Zach Ertz from tipping the ball up for Noah Brown to catch in the end zone.

“It comes down to that last play and we’ve practiced that play a hundred times since we’ve been here,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “I’ll have to look at what the execution was on that, but we have a body on a body, boxing guys out like basketball at the very end. We have one guy at the rim that knocks the ball down. We’ve got a tip guy that goes behind the pile. I’ve got to look at it and detail it out and make sure we’re better next time.”

Stevenson later apologized on social media for his actions, saying “improvement will happen.”

The Bears, who were coming off their bye, had their winning streak ended at three. They had just gone ahead with 25 seconds left on Roschon Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run. 

“When you lose a game like that, that’s a tough one to swallow,” Eberflus said. “Was excited how they battled back to have a chance to win that game. It’s important to look at that, too.” 

Stevenson made seven tackles and had one pass defensed earlier in the game. He struggled in coverage as Chicago allowed Jayden Daniels to throw for 326 yards.

There were plenty of problems before the Hail Mary, including Caleb Williams fumbling an exchange with offensive lineman Doug Kramer earlier in the fourth quarter. Williams also at one point took a sack to knock the Bears out of field goal range and went 10 of 24 passing, his fewest completions of his young NFL career.

“I’ve got to be better,” Williams said. “I’ve got to get the ball out of my hands. I’ve got to throw it out of bounds in that situation. The toughest part about the job is you want to go out and make plays and do special things, but you also have to understand that’s the play.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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The New York Jets made some major changes to try to jumpstart a once-promising season that was heading downhill.

Robert Saleh was fired as coach after a 2-3 start, interim coach Jeff Ulbrich changed offensive play callers and the Jets acquired Davante Adams to reunite him with Aaron Rodgers.

New York is somehow in even worse shape now.

The Jets lost 25-22 on Sunday to a New England team that had lost six straight and was forced to bring in Jacoby Brissett, the quarterback during the Patriots‘ 1-4 start. Brissett, playing after rookie Drake Maye was sidelined with a concussion, led New England to its first home win in more than a year.

And helped send New York to its fifth straight loss — and third in a row under Ulbrich. The Jets are now tied with the Patriots for last place in the AFC East.

“This is a moment of darkness, and we understand that the outside world is going to get really loud right now,” Ulbrich said.

Added Rodgers: “Yeah, I’ve been in the darkness. You’ve got to go in there, make peace with it.”

Greg Zuerlein missed two kicks — a field goal and an extra point — and the Jets burned through all three first-half timeouts in the first quarter, two of them 44 seconds apart on the same drive.

“On one of them, we were lagging out of the huddle, one I was trying to get the protection right,” said Rodgers, who threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns. “One I felt like we could have gotten off, but it was fine to take it there. Our operation was a little slow at times.”

New York used a timeout after an incomplete pass where Rodgers looked for Garrett Wilson. That timeout would have been handy during the Jets’ final drive that began from their own 30-yard line with 22 seconds remaining.

Another clock mishap occurred when New York drew a delay of game while lining up for a 2-point conversion after Braelon Allen rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 2:57 remaining. From the 7, Rodgers completed a pass to the 5 and the attempt failed.

“We’ve got to be better from an operations standpoint, just overall, and that’s every single player, every single coach. That’s Aaron. That’s all of us,” Ulbrich said.

Zuerlein missed an extra-point try in the first quarter, then was wide left on his 44-yard field goal attempt that would have enabled the Jets to pad their 16-14 lead in the fourth quarter. The veteran has missed six field goals this season.

Ulbrich insisted he didn’t regret sticking with Zuerlein despite his recent misses.

“We’ve got to take a hard look at everything that we do, everything,” Ulbrich said. “It’s not just on Greg, it’s on all of us. We’ll do that this week.”

Haason Reddick’s debut after a lengthy holdout didn’t provide an immediate lift to New York’s defense.

The Jets allowed a Patriots offense that struggled mightily during Brissett’s five-game run as the starting quarterback to reach the end zone twice during the second half. On the winning drive, the Jets allowed the Patriots to convert a third-and-10 as cornerback Sauce Gardner was defending on the 34-yard pass play that moved the ball to the Jets 9-yard line.

“The NFL is hard. It’s hard to win. Harder when you make it difficult on yourself,” Rodgers said.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is hopeful Callum McGregor will be fit for Saturday’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Aberdeen after his captain sat out the 3-0 win over Motherwell. (Scotsman), external

Manager Neil Critchley says Hearts intend to extend the contract of James Wilson after the teenage striker came off the bench to score a late equaliser in the Edinburgh derby against Hibernian at Easter Road. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Ross Graham, Craig Sibbald, Ross Docherty and Louis Moult will remain absent as Dundee United host Motherwell on Wednesday, confirms manager Jim Goodwin. (The Courier), external

Rangers manager Philippe Clement admits he is not sure if Tom Lawrence or John Souttar will have recovered from injuries to face Aberdeen on Wednesday after the pair missed the 2-1 home victory over St Mirren. (Daily Record), external

A group of Rangers fans continue criticism over uncertainty at board level with a banner at Sunday’s win over St Mirren reading, “your ineptitude is destroying our club, time for fans to force change”. (Scottish Sun), external

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