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Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season was full of low-scoring close contests and high-scoring blowouts, keeping things interesting in our Week 9 NFL Power Rankings. While only five teams heading into Sunday Night Football hit the 30-point mark, the Detroit Lions led the way with their 52-point outburst.
Come along as we provide in-depth analysis every week on how each team fared in the NFL, important stats/takeaways from each contest, and storylines to follow heading into the following games. Here's ClutchPoints' latest NFL Power Rankings.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (no change)
While they did keep their undefeated record alive this season, the Kansas City Chiefs struggled more than expected against the two-win Las Vegas Raiders. A third-quarter, goal-line stand by the Kansas City defense ended up being the difference-maker in Kansas City’s 27-20 win, coming on the heels of a Patrick Mahomes interception deep in Chiefs territory.
Mahomes wasn’t all that strong in their win, passing for 262 yards, two touchdowns, and that interception, but he did heavily target Travis Kelce (10/90/1) on National Tight Ends Day.
2. Detroit Lions (no change)
A 52-point showing made their Week 8 matchup with the Tennessee Titans a walk in the park, as the Detroit Lions put up quarters of 14, 21, and 17 points in their win.
Jared Goff produced one of the funnier stat lines this season, going 12/15 for 85 yards and three touchdowns connecting with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, and Brock Wright for scores. Jahmyr Gibbs had an electric 70-yard touchdown run, and David Montgomery threw a touchdown to Sam LaPorta to help turn this game into a blowout.
3. Washington Commanders (+1)
Going all week with uncertainty at quarterback, the Washington Commanders were very happy to have rookie QB Jayden Daniels back in their lineup. Leading a low-scoring game through the first three quarters, the Commanders needed a miraculous, game-winning Hail Mary to go their way – and it did.
A;FK;JD;KJF;LAKEJFLKJVAL;KEJL;JF;EFJ;LFAKJ
JAYDEN DANIELS HAIL MARY! @COMMANDERS WIN! pic.twitter.com/BsQ0Z84Rko
— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2024
Connecting with Noah Brown on the final play of the game, the Commanders pulled a lucky rabbit out of a hat at just the right time, as they comfortably sit atop the NFC East with a 6-2 and undefeated home record.
4. Buffalo Bills (+3)
Traveling west to face the Seattle Seahawks in a game many expected to be a shootout, the Buffalo Bills were the only team to match those expectations in their 31-10 win. With James Cook finding the end zone twice on his way to 111 yards rushing, the Bills offense score at least seven points in all four quarters.
Josh Allen connected with Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid for scores, while the defense forced three fumbles, intercepted Geno Smith once and kept the high-powered Seattle offense in check all game.
5. Green Bay Packers (+3)
An injury to Jordan Love cloudies the Week 8 win for the Green Bay Packers, as they held on late over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Having suffered a groin injury early on in the game, Love toughed it out in the warm Jacksonville weather before leaving the game for good in the second half.
Josh Jacobs scored twice and was the biggest reason why Green Bay won, and Malik Willis helped lead this team down the field under two minutes to set them up for the game-winning field goal.
6. Houston Texans (+3)
Joe Mixon continued his strong start with the Houston Texans, setting some NFL history along the way in their Week 8 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Becoming the first NFL player in history to rush for 100+ yards and a touchdown in his first four of five games with a team, Mixon racked up 134 all-purpose yards (102 rushing) in the win.
C.J. Stroud had a bounce back game after last week’s debacle, throwing for 285 yards and connecting with Tank Dell for a score. The injury status of Stefon Diggs is still up in the air after the veteran wideout left the Week 8 game with a non-contact, right knee injury.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1)
In their first game sans Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the passing attack for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers provided a glimpse into an outlook for the rest of the season. Baker Mayfield connected with Cade Otton for two touchdowns, while Rachaad White and Bucky Irving helped lead the way on the ground.
But it was the defense that couldn’t help out the offense, allowing Kirk Cousins to throw for four TDs. While leading in most team stat categories, the Buccaneers just couldn’t get it done, slipping a bit in our Week 9 NFL Power Rankings.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (+3)
It was a very comfortable Week 8 for the Philadelphia Eagles, as their 27-point second half helped them pull away from the Cincinnati Bengals, 37-17. While Jalen Hurts only threw for 236 yards and a score, he found the end zone three times on the ground.
DeVonta Smith hauled in a 45-yard pass from Hurts for a score, and A.J. Brown contributed five catches for 84 yards in the win.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (+1)
A defensive, low-scoring battle was perfectly fine with the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they did enough to hold off the New York Giants in their Monday Night Football matchup. The biggest highlight came off of a returned punt for a score by Calvin Austin, which speaks to how little offense there was.
It was fairly quiet across the board for the offense, as a sure-fire touchdown for George Pickens was wiped away after he tapped one foot twice but did not get another body part down. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren split the backfield as has been the case the past few weeks, and Russell Wilson (278 yards) was good enough but unspectacular.
10. Minnesota Vikings (-7)
It was an opening to Week 8 that many want to forget for the Minnesota Vikings, as they traveled west to face the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. Coming off their first loss of the season to the Lions, Sam Darnold and the offense were looking to get back on track in a favorable road matchup.
Instead, a late collapse combined with a six-point second half doomed the Vikings, dropping them to 5-2 now on the year. The biggest loss from this game was star left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who suffered a knee injury that has big-time ramifications for the rest of the season for Minnesota.
11. Baltimore Ravens (-6)
A scoreless first quarter and the inability to get Derrick Henry going (11/73/1) doomed the Baltimore Ravens in their Week 8 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. While Lamar Jackson contributed more through the air (289 passing yards) than on the ground (46 rushing yards), Baltimore’s last-second drive died on the CLE 24 with time running out, making them one of the biggest fallers in our Week 9 NFL Power Rankings.
12. Denver Broncos (+5)
It’s safe to say that rookie quarterback Bo Nix has shown things no other rookie QB has so far this year, as he continues to impress with the Denver Broncos. Throwing for 284 yards and three scores, as well as rushing for a touchdown, Nix brings a two-dimensional approach to the QB position for Denver, something they have been missing for a long time.
Nix found Adam Trautman, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Nate Adkins for scores, and the defense forced Bryce Young into two interceptions and two sacks in the win.
13. Atlanta Falcons (+5)
A four-touchdown performance from Kirk Cousins helped lead the Falcons to a Week 8 win over the Buccaneers. Connecting with Darnell Mooney, Kyle Pitts (x2), and Bijan Robinson for scores, Cousins continues his hot streak of play.
With the injuries suffered by the Buccaneers, the NFC South field is wide open, and it’s safe to say that the Falcons might have the inside track moving forward.
14. San Francisco 49ers (-1)
A 21-point third quarter was all the San Francisco 49ers needed to hold off the pesky Dallas Cowboys, although a late Dallas rally did put the 49ers on the ropes more than necessary. On National Tight End Day, George Kittle represented the position well, hauling in six passes for 128 yards and a score.
Running back Jordan Mason suffered another shoulder injury, his second of the year, and did not see the field in the second half for San Francisco. Instead, Isaac Guerendo earned the backfield work, taking 14 carries for 85 yards and a score, helping the 49ers climb up a spot in our Week 9 NFL Power Rankings.
15. Los Angeles Chargers (-1)
It wasn’t a pretty game by any means, but the Los Angeles Chargers used their strong defense to slow down the New Orleans Saints and earn their fourth win of the year, 26-8. Justin Herbert had one of his strongest games of the year, connecting with Ladd McConkey for two scores on his way to throwing for 279 yards.
16. Chicago Bears (-1)
On the wrong end of a Hail Mary, the upset-minded Bears let a golden opportunity fall through their hands in their Week 8 road loss to the Commanders. Having struggled all game, the Bears relied on D’Andre Swift (18/129/1) to get back into the game, but it wasn’t enough.
After being down 9-0 heading into halftime, it took until their third drive of the second half to put points on the board. A 56-yard run from Swift helped jumpstart the offense, and a late Roschon Johnson score put them up 15-12, but they left 25 seconds too much on the board.
17. Arizona Cardinals (+5)
It’s possible that the years-long joke of Kyler Murray’s play declining once a new Call of Duty game comes out can finally be put to bed, especially after his 307-yard, two-TD performance. Murray connected with Marvin Harrison Jr. on a sweet-looking score, and injury fill-in Chad Ryland knocked through a game-winning field goal to help the Arizona Cardinals get back to .500 and climb up our Week 9 NFL Power Rankings.
18. Seattle Seahawks (-6)
The Seahawks' Week 8 home loss to the Bills was a rough showing. The offense failed to get anything moving down field in their 21-point loss. The loss of DK Metcalf was big for the passing attack, as Smith was unable to move the ball like he usually does.
A Zach Charbonnet rushing TD wasn’t close to being enough to get Seattle back into this game, as they now sit at 4-4 on the year.
19. Los Angeles Rams (+4)
The win for the Rams over the Vikings was an unexpected way to start Week 8, but welcoming back both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua from injuries was exactly what the offense needed. With Nacua leading the way in yardage (106), Kupp found the end zone and played a big role in helping get the Rams their third win of the year.
20. Dallas Cowboys (-4)
Things continue to not go the way of the Cowboys, who came up just short against the 49ers even after their 14-point fourth quarter. CeeDee Lamb scored both touchdowns for Dallas in the final quarter, as he (13/146/2) and Dak Prescott (243 yards, two TDs, two INTs) were on the same page on both scoring drives.
Running back Rico Dowdle missed Sunday’s matchup with an illness he came down with before the game, giving Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook the looks out of the backfield, leading to a very inefficient running game.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (-2)
Not having Tee Higgins in their Week 8 matchup really hurt the Bengals, who kept their game with the Eagles close in the first half but were blown out in the second. Joe Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase for his lone passing touchdown on the day, as the offense failed to put up 300 total yards in their loss.
22. Miami Dolphins (+2)
Miami happily welcomed back Tua Tagovailoa, who took his first snaps since suffering a concussion in week two. The offense looked so much more fluid than in previous weeks, as Tagovailoa was able to re-establish his connection with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
But allowing Arizona to put up 21 points in the second half sealed the deal for a home loss for Miami, who did climb in our Week 9 NFL Power Rankings because of Tagovailoa's return but will need to regroup next week against the Bills.
23. Indianapolis Colts (-2)
Anthony Richardson’s dreadful 2024 season continues, as his 10/32, 175-yard performance leaves a lot left to be desired. While Jonathan Taylor made his return after his ankle injury and rushed for 105 yards, this offense (outside of Josh Downs) mightily struggled against the Texans.
24. New Orleans Saints (-4)
The QB debacle continues to show its ugly head for the Saints, as both Jake Haener and rookie Spencer Rattler saw time in their Week 8 loss to the Chargers. An eight-point performance, which included a first-quarter safety, was made possible by five sacks, while Haener and Rattler combined for only 21 receptions on 41 attempts.
25. New England Patriots (+3)
Having lost rookie quarterback Drake Maye to a head injury, the New England Patriots held on late to earn their second win of the year. Their win over the New York Jets was led by Rhamondre Stevenson, who rushed for two TDs on his way to 65 total yards.
26. New York Giants (-1)
The offensively-challenged Giants looked no better in their Week 8 matchup than in previous weeks, as Daniel Jones struggled once again. Not even Malik Nabers could help this team right the ship, even though a late score from Tyrone Tracy Jr. helped keep the game close.
Tracy left the game early with a head injury after hitting his head hard on the field in the second half. Before leading, Tracy added 145 yards and a score, which basically was the only offense that this team had.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars (no change )
A close loss to the Packers might be enough to help keep Doug Pederson’s job, but that certainly doesn’t mean his seat isn’t warm.
A strong second-half scoring performance helped get the Jaguars back into their Week 8 matchup with Green Bay, but a faltering defense allowed Malik Willis to lead a last-minute drive that resulted in former Jaguars kicker Brandon McManus kicking the game-winning field goal.
28. New York Jets (-2)
Another week, another avoidable performance from Aaron Rodgers and the Jets, who now join the Patriots at 2-6 on the year. While most offensive categories in this game were led by the Jets, they were unable to mount anything substantial points-wise.
Rodgers found Tyler Conklin and Xavier Gipson for scores, but Breece Hall’s 89 total yards speaks volumes about the issues that this offense has as a unit.
29. Cleveland Browns (+2)
It was the Jameis Winston show for the Browns, as he stepped in and led a huge upset win over the Ravens, 29-24. Connecting with Cedric Tillman for two of his three passing touchdowns, Winston threw for 334 yards and didn’t throw an interception in the win.
Jameis Winston when trailing vs the Ravens:
🔸 13/17
🔸 192 passing yards
🔸 3 TDs | 0 INTs
🔸 152.5 passer rating pic.twitter.com/uPklbAZ04m— PFF (@PFF) October 27, 2024
A 23-point second half made the difference for the Browns, as they did just enough to slow down the high-powered Baltimore offense.
30. Las Vegas Raiders (-1)
It was a surprisingly competitive game for the Raiders in their Week 8 loss to the Chiefs, as their 27-20 defeat ended up being closer than expected. Two touchdowns from Gardner Minshew, one each to Jakobi Meyers and DJ Turner, led the scoring offensively, while Brock Bowers (5/58) led the way in receiving.
31. Tennessee Titans (-1)
Tony Pollard (20 carries, 94 yards) and Calvin Ridley (10/143) are the only bright spots for the Titans, who were blown out by 38 points in their loss to the Lions. With Mason Rudolph under center again, the former Steelers QB threw two interceptions and connected on fewer than 60 percent of his passes.
32. Carolina Panthers (no change)
The Carolina Panthers became the Bryce Young show again, as Andy Dalton was ruled out due to a thumb injury suffered in a car accident this past week. Things did not come out any better for Young in Carolina’s loss to the Broncos, as he threw two picks and was sacked twice.
Having connected with Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette for touchdowns, Young does have some positive takeaways to take out of this game. But things are still not going well for Carolina, as the Panthers remain in the basement of our Week 9 NFL Power Rankings.
