7 NFL games to watch in Week 8 with Jaguars on a bye

With the Jaguars on their bye, here are seven teams to root for in Week 8.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars on their bye week, which Week 8 NFL matchups should we be keeping our eyes on?

The Jaguars are 4-3 on the season and will enter Sunday’s games as the seventh seed in the AFC playoff picture.

So naturally, the games that will have our attention are the ones that impact the playoff standings, along with the race for the AFC South title.

Here is where the Jaguars sit in each of those standings and which teams are closest to them.

AFC Playoff StandingsIndianapolis Colts (6-1)New England Patriots (5-2)Denver Broncos (5-2)Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)Buffalo Bills (4-2)LA Chargers (5-3)Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3)

Just outside the playoff standings are the Kansas City Chiefs at 4-3. The Jaguars have the tie-breaker over Kansas City, having won the head-to-head matchup.

The Chargers have already played this week, beating Minnesota by a score of 37-10.

AFC South StandingsIndianapolis Colts (6-1)Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3)Houston Texans (2-4)Tennessee Titans (1-6)

Considering that we aren’t quite to the halfway point in the 2025 NFL season and only a game or two separates most teams, really, anyone ahead of the Jaguars in the current playoff standings is a team to root against this week.

Games to watch in Week 8 with the Jaguars on their bye weekBrowns at PatriotsBills at PanthersSan Francisco at HoustonDallas at DenverTennessee at IndianapolisGreen Bay at PittsburghWashington at Kansas City

Teams to root for this week: Browns, Panthers, 49ers, Cowboys, Titans, Packers, Commanders

The more games that the teams listed above can win this week, the better off the Jaguars will be.