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We’ve reached the halfway mark of the NFL season. As Week 8 comes to a close, it’s time to take a look at what’s been going on around the league thus far and what we can expect in the weeks to come.
The Bucs Need to Help Brady
When the season started, no one watching the NFL could’ve predicted that Atlanta would be first place in the NFC South, with Tampa Bay trailing behind them at 3-5. Brady, widely recognized as the NFL's greatest all-time player, has looked frustrated all year and is yet to have a breakthrough game to get back to his normal pace.
The offense looks confused, and Brady and his receivers can’t seem to get on the same page. Brady isn’t known for being mobile in the pocket, so he needs his playmakers to find ways to get open and develop chemistry with their quarterback. Another piece of the puzzle is keeping Brady protected.
If the offense line can’t keep the pocket from collapsing, Tampa Bay is going to have a hard time moving the ball up the field. The Buccaneers need to figure out how to get in sync quickly if they want to stay alive in the playoff race.
Cincinnati Misses Ja’Marr Chase
Monday Night Football was a tough watch for Bengals fans. Quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked five times in the outing against the Cleveland Browns and missed his favorite receiver, Ja’Marr Chase, who is out for 4-6 weeks with a hip injury.
Without Chase, Cincinnati struggled to generate points on offense, putting up only 13 points. Nothing seemed to go the Bengals’ way on Monday as Burrow surrendered a fumble and kicker Evan McPherson missed a key field goal toward the end of the first half. With their loss, the Bengals now sit at 4-4, as a middle-of-the-road team in the NFL.
Chase is undoubtedly the best playmaker on Cincinnati’s roster, and his absence was keenly felt this week. The Bengals’ offense relies on him to jump-start their drives, so they’ll need to find some other answers while he recovers to take some pressure off of Joe Burrow.
Quarterback Turbulence for the Jets
Sunday’s matchup against the Patriots was the biggest game for the Jets in years. At a packed MetLife Stadium, New York squared up against New England, their long-time division rival, who have historically dominated the games between the two teams.
This was a huge opportunity for the Jets to finally assert themselves as a top team in the AFC East and a contender in the NFL. The result?
A deflated performance from Zach Wilson, New York’s young QB. Wilson displayed very poor decision-making, carelessly tossing away three interceptions right into the arms of the Patriot’s defense. While the Jets’ defenders held strong, poor quarterback play was lethal enough to cut New York’s win streak short.
Wilson’s performance raised questions about his future with the Jets, but coach Robert Saleh is sticking with his QB1. While he conceded that Wilson has to play better, Saleh asserted that he has total confidence in the young play caller. Jets fans should follow Saleh’s lead and resist hitting the panic button too soon.
Despite Wilson having a bad game, the Jets are still 5-3 and are serious playoff contenders. It's true, you can't win in the NFL with bad decion-making under center, but if Wilson can step up and consistently protect the football, the Jets can rebound and continue their newly discovered winning ways.
The Eagles Could Go Undefeated
Philadelphia looks unstoppable right now. Jalen Hurts and his squad are tearing through every team they play, and their remaining schedule doesn’t look too intimidating.
The biggest threat they’ll face is their final game against the Dallas Cowboys, who they’ve already beaten this year by a score of 26-17. The Cowboys defense is stout, but Philly’s offense is better.
Wideout A.J. Brown is demolishing double teams, Jalen Hurts is making all the right plays, and the Eagles’ defensive core is holding strong. Philadelphia is on a roll, and it doesn’t look like they’re slowing down anytime soon. They're playing like the best team in the NFL, so watch for them to go undefeated during the regular season.
