There’s just one game remaining in Week 8’s Sunday game slate, as the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Green Bay Packers on “Sunday Night Football” — the first time Aaron Rodgers faces his former franchise.
It was an … interesting slate of games, absolutely ripe with lopsided showings, with Jets-Bengals actually offering the most enticing action of the day, taking it down to the wire as running back Breece Hall threw — yes, threw — the game-winning touchdown to rookie tight end Mason Taylor for the 39-38 lead.
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New York’s offense came alive in the fourth quarter following a week of criticism aimed at quarterback Justin Fields, with Hall responsible for all three of the touchdowns scored in that span, including two rushing touchdowns. The team’s first win of the season on the very day it was announced that Jets legend Nick Mango died at the age of 41 following complications from kidney disease.
The Cowboys’ showdown against the Broncos seemed as though it could be the medicine to cure the after Denver scored 33 points in the fourth quarter to sneak by the Giants in Week 7 and Dallas was coming off a 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders. However, Dallas’ defense was no match for Sean Payton, who orchestrated a perfect game plan, steamrolling the Cowboys with 426 yards of offense. Second-year QB Bo Nix continued his hot streak, having thrown for 526 passing yards, 6 passing touchdowns, 1 interception, adding another two scores on the ground over the past two weeks.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more from Week 8’s early and afternoon Sunday game slates.
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Kate Magdziuk
The Cowboys pulled Dak Prescott from the game early after it was clear they wouldn’t mount a comeback, and the Broncos followed suit on their following drive, sending in backup QB Jarrett Stidham in place of Bo Nix.
Nix had an outstanding day, going 19-of-29 for 247 passing yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. The offense posted 427 net yards, including 180 yards on the ground, while the defense picked off Prescott twice before things got ugly.
Kate Magdziuk
With just under seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter, 2024 sixth-round pick Joe Milton has entered the game in relief of Dak Prescott, as the Broncos hold a 27-point lead.
Wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens exited the game as well.
In his first drive at quarterback, he finds WR Jalen Tolbert for a 35-yard touchdown, cutting the lead to just … 20 points with under five minutes to go.
His first career passing touchdown came with the New England Patriots, who drafted him prior to trading him to the Cowboys this offseason — a 48-yarder to Kayshon Boutte, who’s having a breakout campaign in 2025.
Kate Magdziuk
That’s a third touchdown of the day for Broncos rookie RJ Harvey!
The Broncos offense continues to dominate in both the passing and running games, with 418 total net offensive yards, including 171 on the ground, despite being down in the time of possession battle.
With a successful extra point attempt from Brandon Aubrey, Denver leads 44-17 with 7:14 in the fourth quarter.
Kate Magdziuk
The Dallas Cowboys can’t catch a break, as Dak Prescott throws his second interception of the game straight into the arms of second-year linebacker Dondrea Tillman, who returns it for 38 yards.
Kate Magdziuk
The Broncos got into range thanks to this beauty of a deep ball, connecting with WR Courtland Sutton for a 39-yard gain.
Then, Nix found Franklin for the pair’s second touchdown of the day. He and rookie RB R.J. Harvey each have themselves two touchdowns in Week 8, as the Broncos lead the Cowboys 38-17 in the fourth quarter.
Kate Magdziuk
Holy smokes, Jonathan Taylor. He officially has his third touchdown of the day — two rushing and one receiving.
That makes this Game No. 3 with three-plus touchdowns this season, with at least 86 scrimmage yards in every outing this year and at least one touchdown in all but two.
For those keeping track, adding in the wild touchdown grab from Michael Pittman Jr. and the 10-yard throw to Josh Downs, that’s also three passing touchdowns for Daniel Jones today.
Kate Magdziuk
In case you were wondering how the day is going for the Saints, who made a change at quarterback in the third quarter, here’s a list of the team’s drives so far this game:
Kate Magdziuk
Kate Magdziuk
The Denver Broncos are now without their top cornerback, ruling out star cornerback Patrick Surtain II with a shoulder injury, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.
Kate Magdziuk
Holy arm, Daniel Jones! He finds WR Alec Pierce deep for a 50-yard gain, setting up a 10-yard passing touchdown from Jones to Josh Downs just two plays later.
That now marks back-to-back games with a score for Downs, returning from a one-game absence due to a concussion, having had a 6-42-1 performance in Week 6.
Kate Magdziuk
Taylor’s second touchdown of the day is an 80-yard run to the house.
One more would mark his fourth outing this season with three-plus scores in a single game.
Kate Magdziuk
Not all “interceptions” should count against the quarterback. The ending to Tyler Shough’s first drive of the game in Week 8 is a perfect example of why.
It wasn’t a perfectly placed ball, but it was good enough, hitting WR Chris Olave in the hands before Bucs safety Antoine Winfield stripped the ball away and ran it straight to the end zone — his second interception of the day.
The refs called the play dead after the interception, ruling Winfield down by contact, but man, it is a brutal end to Shough’s opening drive of the game.
Kate Magdziuk
It appears that the Saints’ Spencer Rattler experiment is over, as the team replaced him with second-round rookie Tyler Shough on the team’s second offensive possession coming out of halftime.
It does not appear that Rattler has sustained any injury.
Rattler had gone 15-of-21 for 136 passing yards and a pick-6, taking three sacks and losing a fumble as the Buccaneers extended their lead to 14 points with a 55-yard field goal from Chase McLaughlin.
Shough, now 26 years old, was selected with the 40th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He logged 42 starts in college — 12 with Oregon, 15 with Texas Tech and 12 with Louisville ahead of his drafting, throwing for 7,820 passing yards, 59 touchdowns and 23 interceptions over his seven-year collegiate career.
Kate Magdziuk
Dak Prescott was picked off by Broncos rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron, attempting to get Brandon Aubrey in position to attempt a field goal ahead of halftime.
Regardless, it was going to be a long field goal attempt … but Aubrey gets the benefit of the doubt in most cases, currently holding the NFL record for most 60-plus yard field goals with five.
The Broncos lead the Cowboys 27-10 at the half.
Kate Magdziuk
It’s Bo Nix’s second passing touchdown of the day, taking advantage of the ability to take a deep shot coming off an offsides penalty. Nix launches it deep toward rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant for a 24-yard grab to follow up the 25-yard pass he threw to Troy Franklin earlier. It was an absolutely perfect dime straight to the end zone for Nix’s 13th touchdown pass of the season
Counting Week 7’s wild comeback against the New York Giants, Nix now has four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns over his last four quarters of football.
Kate Magdziuk
Criss Partee
Tampa Bay running back Sean Tucker runs it in from 1 yard out for the TD on fourth d. Tucker has 33 rushing yards in the game.
Kate Magdziuk
Broncos second-round rookie running back RJ Harvey is enjoying himself a breakout outing, scoring his first career rushing touchdown and following it up with a second one just two drives later, punching it along the goalline on a direct snap.
Bo Nix & Co. then attempted a 2-point conversion, which was unsuccessful, though the Broncos maintain a 10-point lead with just 3:47 to go in the first half.
Harvey’s first rushing touchdown of the game came in the first quarter, where he exploded for a 40-yard score.
Kate Magdziuk
Who doesn’t love a good revenge game?
The Dallas Cowboys signed RB Javonte Williams as a free agent in the offseason, and he wound up scoring a first-half touchdown against his former team.
Williams’ second NFL season ended early after suffering a knee injury with the Denver Broncos and never seemed to get back on track … until he found the Cowboys as a free agent in 2025. In eight games with Dallas, Williams has now exceeded his previous career-best rushing touchdown total (4) while averaging a career-high 5.3 yards per carry.
Criss Partee
Heading into halftime, Tampa Bay feels like its lead should be bigger, after having a scoop and score fumble recovery by Antoine Winfield Jr. called back with no one hearing a whistle blown to stop the play.
The Buccaneers forced the Saints into three turnovers in the first half yet failed to capitalize fully, posting just seven first-half points. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was 6 of 9 for 50 yards passing in the first half.
New Orleans was able to move the ball, but got in their own way with the three turnovers. Spencer Rattler was 14 of 18 for 126 yards but had one interception in the first half. The Saints trail the Bucs at halftime of this NFC South matchup, 7-3.