The 2018 NFL season is halfway over following Week 8, and the true contenders are emerging. The Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints lead the NFC ahead of their big matchup this weekend. Meanwhile, in the AFC, Pittsburgh, New England, Houston, and Kansas City moved ahead in their respective divisions while the Jacksonville Jaguars continue to disappoint.

Here is a look at Week 8:

Highs

sean mcvay

3. Los Angeles Rams remain unbeaten

The Rams have a long history with the Green Bay Packers, but most fans don’t know it. The two teams faced each other in several critical games in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as a critical playoff game in January 2002. For many Rams fans, this game was a true test for the team. Green Bay entered the game as healthy as its been all season. The Packers even had a slight majority of fans at what should have been a Rams home game.

In the end, Los Angeles still clawed its way to victory to ensure the franchise’s first 8-0 start since 1969. The offense struggled early and the defense got burned several times by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Yet the mark of a good team is that it will find ways to win those close games, and the Rams did that with the 29-27 victory over the Packers. Next up – a battle of the titans next Sunday at the New Orleans Saints. Speaking of the Saints …

Saints

2. Saints earn a little vengeance

The Saints exited the 2017 playoffs in dramatic fashion on a desperate last second touchdown pass from Case Keenum to Stefon Diggs. New Orleans entered the rematch with the Minnesota Vikings with two opportunities. A win would keep pace with the Rams for home field advantage in the playoffs and also pin the Minnesota Vikings knee-deep in the playoff race. Surprisingly, it was the Saints' defense that made it all happen in a 30-20 victory.

The Vikings led 13-10 and were driving late in the second quarter when the Saints forced a Kirk Cousins turnover. Seconds later, New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara dove in the endzone to put the Saints ahead 17-13. Later, New Orleans sealed the game with P.J. Williams’s 45-yard interception return for a touchdown. It capped off a 30-20 victory for the 7-1 Saints.

The NFC appears to be a two-horse race between the Rams and Saints right now. This weekend’s clash between the two teams in New Orleans might just be the game of the year.

Deshaun Watson

1. Rise of the Texans

I was one of many to pencil in the Texans as a serious contender this season. When the team opened up the season with three straight losses, I thought I made a bad call. However, since that third loss, Houston has steadily performed better on the field. This past Thursday, the Texans gave their best performance of the season in a 42-23 shelling of the Miami Dolphins.

Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 16 of 20 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns, and Texans running backs combined for 188 yards rushing. The Houston offense has steadily gotten better in the last few weeks, and if this progression continues, the Texans will be a problem late in the season.

Lows

Hue Jackson, Browns
Orlando Ramirez/USA TODAY Sports

3. Embarrassment in Cleveland

The Cleveland Browns suffered a 33-18 loss to the archrival Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Less than 24 hours later, head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley were unemployed, and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was put in charge of the team on an interim basis.

This has been a long time coming for a Browns team that should probably be 6-2 or 5-3 at this point in the season, given their actual on-field performances. Instead, poor game-planning and execution led to several late-game failures indicative of poor coaching and leadership across the board. Right now, these firings look like a low, but if the Browns do this right, this could become one of the most important events in the team’s long history.

Joe Flacco
ClutchPoints

2. Will the real Baltimore Ravens please stand up?

The Baltimore Ravens have been a mystery since their most recent Super Bowl win, and this season is no different. They looked dominant in wins over the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers, but they lost at Cleveland and looked hapless against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. What is the real issue with the Ravens? What’s holding them back from consistency? Is John Harbaugh getting stale in Baltimore?

Jaguars
Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

1. A tough weekend for Jacksonville

One of the things stressed to all military personnel when visiting foreign countries is that we need to represent our country with class and dignity. It was something I worked hard to do during my years of service, and I don’t think it’s wrong to expect any American to do the same. Over the weekend, four Jacksonville Jaguars were arrested for “failing to pay their tab,” according to CBS News.

The Jaguars’ Barry Church later stated that this was a “misunderstanding.” Honestly, that doesn’t matter. Thousands of Americans travel overseas every day and never get into trouble. This never should have happened. These four players represent the NFL, the sport, and our country when they go overseas. Getting arrested over a tab should have never happened, especially on foreign soil.

A day later, the Jaguars dropped to 3-5 after a 24-18 loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Jaguars were once considered to be a serious threat in the AFC, but now they are fighting for their playoff lives only halfway through the season.