Quick fantasy recaps for Sunday, Week 8 of the NFL’s 2022 season.
London - Denver 21, Jacksonville 17
The London game was better than expected, considering there was some rain. Russell Wilson was able to start and threw for 252 yards and one touchdown to Jerry Jeudy (6-63, TD) while Greg Dulcich (4-87) and K.J. Hamler (2-52) also contributed. The backfield was split between Latavius Murray ((14-46, TD) and Melvin Gordon (9-29, TD) and Gordon added three catches for 23 yards. It was no explosion of offense, but Wilson led a game-winning drive in the final three minutes. The Broncos (whew) rise to 3-5 and head onto their bye.
The Jaguars traded away James Robinson and apparently are going to be okay. The Jaguars may have lost, but it had nothing to do with Travis Etienne who ran for 156 yards and a score on 24 carries and caught three passes for six yards. He picked up chunks of yardage and was about the only thing that worked well for the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence only managed 133 passing yards and one score against two interceptions. Evan Engram (4-55, TD) caught the only score and Christian Kirk (3-40) was the next-best receiver. The passing game just never pulled their weight, while Etienne looked all-world each time he touched the ball. The Jags fall to 2-6 and host the Raiders for Week 9.
Chicago 29, Dallas 49
This matchup produced a lot more points than expected. Justin Fields passed for 151 yards and two scores though Darnell Mooney (5-70) never reached the end zone. N’Keal Harry (2-24, TD) and Cole Kmet (2-11, TD) logged touchdowns with minimal yardage. Khalil Herbert (16-99, TD) and David Montgomery (15-53) also added three catches for 23 yards. They only lost one fumble but it turned into a 36-yard touchdown for the Cowboys’ defense. The Bears drew to within 23-28 in the third quarter but the Cowboy continued to score. They drop to 2-5 and host the Dolphins on Sunday.
This was the first time that the Cowboys offense resembled the 2021 version that led the league in scoring. Dak Prescott threw for 250 yards and two scores plus ran in a touchdown on his five rushes for 34 yards. CeeDee Lamb (5-77, TD) and Dalton Schultz (6-74) finally looked more like they were expected. Ezekiel Elliott was out and Tony Pollard could only manage 131 yards and three touchdowns on his 14 carries. Jerry Jones immediately said Elliott would resume his role as the primary rusher as soon as he was healthy. He said it because he needed to say it. Pollard looked great. He looked like… Elliott a few years ago. The 6-2 Cowboys head onto their bye.
Miami 31, Detroit 27
This was a game that fantasy football loved. The Dolphins were down 17-27 at the half but the Lions never came back out after halftime and the Fins took the win. Tua Tagovailoa threw for a healthy 382 yards and three touchdowns while all the right players had great performances – Tyreek Hill (12-188), Jaylen Waddle (8-106), and Mike Gesicki (3-38, TD). Raheem Mostert remains the new workhorse with 14 runs for 64 yards. The passing game just gets more and more dangerous with Tagovailoa playing at the next level thanks to his talented wideouts. The win sends the 5-3 Dolphins to Chicago this Sunday.
The Lions’ offense played well, just not well enough thanks to their always-soft defense. Jared Goff passed for 321 yards and one score. T.J. Hockenson (3-80) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (7-69) delivered for fantasy owners while Kalif Raymond (3-76) will make it tough if DJ Chark ever returns. The return of D’Andre Swift netted just five runs for six yards but added five receptions for 27 yards and one touchdown. Jamaal Williams (10-53, 2 TD) remains the best fantasy play in the backfield and even added three catches for 23 yards. The 1-6 Lions can score plenty of points, just not quite as many as their opponents. They host the Packers on Sunday.
Arizona 26, Minnesota 34
Entertaining matchup that was close throughout. Kyler Murray threw for 326 yards and three scores but had two interceptions. DeAndre Hopkins (12-159) TD) not only immediately returned to form last week, but his touchdown was a one-hander sure to make all highlight reels. Ronald Moore (7-92, TD) also showed up big and Zach Ertz (4-34, TD) also turned in a touchdown. Murray led the rushers with just 36 yards. Eno Benjamin was held to only 22 yards on nine carries trying to replace James Conner. The Cardinals were in this one but just came up short. They fall to 3-5 and host the Seahawks this weekend.
The Vikings came around in the second half and Kirk Cousins ended with 232 passing yards and two touchdowns, plus he ran in a score. Justin Jefferson was held in check until late in the game and finished with a respectable 98 yards on six receptions. Adam Thielen (6-67) was the only other notable receiver. The scores ended up with K.J. Osborn (2-8, TD) and Johnny Mundt (1-1, TD). Dalvin Cook (20-111, TD) added five catches for 30 yards for a solid fantasy game. The 6-1 Vikings won their fifth game in a row and play at the Commanders this week.
Las Vegas 0, New Orleans 24
The Raiders finally won in Week 7 while scoring 38 points on the Texans. On Sunday, they reversed any progress experiencing their first shutout in nearly eight years. All Raider fantasy stars flopped. They just did not show up. Derek Carr passed for 100 yards and one interception. They eventually gave up and let Jarrett Stidham finish the game. Josh Jacobs ran for 43 yards and caught two passes for 11 yards. The most draw-dropping of all was that the Saints were without CB Marshon Lattimore. And yet, Davante Adams caught one pass for three yards. Mack Hollins (7-64) and Frank Moreau (6-31) were the only notable Raiders. The Raiders laid an egg and looked like they had decided beforehand to make this the one trash game for the year. They fall to 2-5 and play in Jacksonville on Sunday.
The Saints’ defense made this one easy. Alvin Kamara made it a runaway beatdown. He gained 62 yards on 18 rushes with one touchdown and added nine catches for 96 yards and two more scores as the leading receiver. Andy Dalton passed for 229 yards and those two touchdowns with Chris Olave (5-52) as the only receiver with more than 40 yards. The Saints led 17-0 at half and coasted to a shutout win. The 3-5 Saints face the Ravens next Monday night.
New England 22, NY Jets 17
The Patriots took the win mostly thanks to a sluggish Jets offense that lost the ball on three interceptions. Even with better field position, the Pats had to rely on five field goals and only one touchdown. Rhamondre Stevenson ran for 71 yards on 16 carries but was also the leading receiver with 72 yards on seven receptions. Jakobi Meyers (9-60, TD) caught the lone touchdown, but no other receiver gained over 25 yards. Damien Harris ran for 37 yards on 11 carries and remains involved but less effective. Davante Parker left injured but Jones locked onto either Stevenson or Meyers and they combined for 20 targets. The 4-4 Patriots host the Colts on Sunday.
The loss of Breece Hall may be even worse than feared. The Jets backfield wasn’t nearly as effective between Michael Carter (7-26) and James Robinson (5-17). That forced Zach Wilson to throw 41 times and his production was about double his previous games. He totaled 355 passing yards but tossed three interceptions. Garrett Wilson (6-115) had his first big game with Wilson at quarterback and the lack of rushing success could signal more productive days for the rookie. Tyler Conklin (6-79, 2 TD) had been on the decline but turned in a season-best performance. The loss was disappointing and looked as if so much of the previous progress this year took a big step backward. The loss drops the Jets to 5-3 and they host the Bills this week.
Pittsburgh 13, Philadelphia 35
Not much of a surprise here. The Steelers’ only touchdown came on a trick play when Chase Claypool threw a touchdown to fullback Derek Watt. Kenny Pickett passed for 191 yards and an interception with 37 yards on seven runs. Pat Freiermuth (4-57) and Claypool (4-45) were the top receivers while Diontae Johnson (5-35) is quickly losing fantasy value. The backfield is being split between Najee Harris (8-32) and Jaylen Warren (6-50), with Harris (6-26) as the main receiving back. The Steelers were never really in this from the second quarter. They drop to 2-6 and head onto their bye.
The Eagles continue their perfect season with Jalen Hurts throwing for 285 yards and four touchdowns that were split between A.J. Brown (6-156, 3 TD) and Zach Pascal (2-57, TD). Dallas Goedert caught six passes for 64 yards but DeVonta Smith (5-23) didn’t join in the fun much. Miles Sanders ran for 78 yards and a score on just nine rushes. This home game was even easier than expected and could be repeated in Week 9 when the 7-0 Eagles play in Houston on Thursday.
Derrick Henry 17, Houston 10
This game was literally Derrick Henry vs. the Texans – and the Texans lost. Henry already logged two 200-yard games the last times he faced Houston and now makes it three. Henry ran for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. Dontrell Hilliard added eight runs for 83 yards, while the Texans were just happy to not have to tackle Henry on the play. This was a win for the debut of Malik Willis, but he only completed 6-of-10 passes for 55 yards and an interception. But when King Henry gets into high gear, that’s all you need to win. The 5-2 Henrys Titans head to Kansas City for Week 9.
The Texans’ lone touchdown was with only 17 seconds left and all it did was salvage Dameon Pierce’s fantasy day with a touchdown catch on his three receptions for 16 yards. He also ran for just 35 yards on 15 carries. Davis Mills threw for 152 yards and the one touchdown but a big chunk of that came on the 44-yard completion to Brandin Cooks (4-73) with only 44 seconds left to play. The Texans have never passed well this year, and by now, even the rushing effort with Dameon Pierce is struggling. The loss drops them to 1-5-1 and they have to face the Eagles on Thursday night where they really hope the Eagles just try to mail in the win.
Washington 17, Indianapolis 16
The Colts led this 16-7 with only five minutes to play but the Commanders came back and ruined Sam Ehlinger’s debut for the Colts. Taylor Heinicke passed for 279 yards and one touchdown with Terry McLaurin (6-113) and Antonio Gibson (7-58, TD) as the top receivers. Heinicke was the leading rusher with 29 yards and a touchdown on six runs while Brian Robinson (8-20) and Gibson (7-19) couldn’t generate much on the ground. Heinicke led them on an 89-yard drive for the final winning score that he ran in himself. The rushing offense needs to improve quickly but at least Terry McLaurin is coming back to life. The 4-4 Commanders host the Vikings on Sunday.
The debut of Sam Ehlinger was almost a win and while he didn’t throw a touchdown, he passed for 201 yards and no interceptions. And he connected mainly with the wideouts Michael Pittman (7-53), Alec Pierce (3-65), and Parris Campbell (2-43). He wasn’t looking to dump off to a running back or tight end. Jonathan Taylor ran for 76 yards on 16 carries but had no receptions and continues to search for that high-octane form of 2021. The loss drops the Colts to 3-4-1 and they play at the Patriots for Week 9.
San Francisco 31, LA Rams 14
The 49ers won this matchup 24-9 in Week 4 in San Francisco, so nothing has really changed.
The Rams’ woes continue, and the unthinkable happened – Cooper Kupp limped off the field and did not return. Matt Stafford only threw for 187 yards and one score with Cooper (8-79, TD) and Allen Robinson (5-54) as the only receivers with more than 15 yards. The backfield remains a mess, with Darrell Henderson (4-16), Malcolm Brown (5-10), and Ronnie Rivers (8-21) equally ineffective. At least none of them got tired. Kyren Williams remains on injured reserve but could be back this week or next. But it’s highly unlikely anyone can lift this backfield out of weekly mediocrity. The Super Bowl Champ reeling 3-4 Rams head to Tampa Bay for Week 9.
The 49ers trailed 7-14 in the second quarter, but it was all 49ers in the second half. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns, but Christian McCaffrey ran 18 times for 94 yards and a touchdown, caught eight passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, and passed once on a 34-yard completion with Brandon Aiyuk for a touchdown. It was the first time a player had scored a touchdown in all three ways since 2005, when Ladanian Tomlinson produced the hat trick. Aiyuk ended with 81 yards on six catches and even George Kittle scored on his three catches for 39 yards. The 49ers looked in sync and rolled over the Rams in a road game. They rise to 4-4 and head onto their bye.
NY Giants 13, Seattle 27
The Giants fell back to earth. These teams traded wins and were tied three different times. Entering the fourth quarter, the Giants tied the score 13-13, but then the Seahawks peeled off two unanswered touchdowns to take the win. Daniel Jones passed for 176 yards, but no scores and only ran for 20 yards on six carries. Saquon Barkley was limited to only 53 yards on 20 carries but scored once. He only gained nine yards on three receptions for one of his worst games. The Giants were hurt by two muffed punts by Richie James and both were recovered by the Seahawks. When Barkley is contained, the lackluster passing becomes even more problematic. The 6-2 Giants head onto their bye.
The Seahawks didn’t do anything special besides falling on two muffed punts. Geno Smith passed for 212 yards and two scores between Tyler Lockett (5-63) and DK Metcalf (6-55, TD) even though both were questionable to play and Metcalf never practiced during the week. No other receiver gained more than 33 yards. Kenneth Walker (18-51, TD) was held in check for most of the game but peeled off a 16-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He only caught one pass for a one-yard gain. His score was impressive, bouncing the run to the other side and evading several tacklers. The win brings the Seahawks up to 5-3 and they continue to lead the NFC West. They travel to Arizona for Week 9.
Green Bay 17, Buffalo 27
On the plus, the Packers beat the 10.5 point spread. Aaron Rodgers only passed for 203 yards and two scores with one interception while the best receivers were Romeo Doubs (4-62, TD) and, uh, checking spelling, Samori Toure (1-37, TD). The Packers clearly came to Buffalo with the intention to run the ball and they had success, Aaron Jones gained 143 yards on 20 carries while AJ Dillon covered 54 yards on his ten runs. The Packers ran the ball better, improved their passing in the second half and played good defense but only after the Bills led 24-7 at the half. The loss drops the Packers to 3-5.
The Bills plowed over the Packers for the first half but then did little for the final two quarters. Josh Allen threw two interceptions including one near the Packers goal line. He ended with only 218 yards and two scores and tacked on 49 yards on his six runs. Stefon Diggs (6-108, TD) was the only receiver with more than two catches or 41 yards. Devin Singletary ran for 67 yards on 14 carries and caught a 16-yard pass but James Cook gained 35 yards on five rushes and added a 41-yard reception. The 6-1 Bills was nearly unstoppable in the first half and then put the game on cruise control. They head to New York to face the Jets.
GAME-O-THE-WEEK: Carolina 34, Atlanta 37 Overtime
This one is going to leave a mark. At least for D.J. Moore and Eddy Pineiro. D’Onta Foreman blew up with 26 carries for 118 yards and three scores. P.J. Walker passed for 317 yards and one touchdown to D.J. Moore (6-152, TD) with 24 seconds left to play that won the game that tied the game. Terrace Marshall also had a big day with 87 yards on four catches but it still wasn’t as good as Moore who caught the winning touchdown.
These teams alternated scoring eight consecutive times and the Falcons took a 34-28 lead with 36 seconds left to play. Down six points and with 23 seconds left to play, Moore caught a 62-yard touchdown and, in his happiness, tore off his helmet in the excitement. That’s a 15-yard penalty and moved back the 47-yard extra point attempt by Eddy Pineiro that went left by a matter of inches. Kicked 15 yards farther up the field? Not a problem.
They went into overtime where the Falcons won the coin toss, and six plays later threw an interception that the Panthers returned to the ATL-20 yard line. They eventually kicked a 32-yard field goal to win the game but Pineiro missed again. So the Falcons drive to the CAR-23 yard line where Younghoe Koo kicked the field goal that won the game that would have gone to the Panthers had Moore just not taken off his helmet that caused the penalty that caused the missed kick that caused the… well, you get the picture.
Marcus Mariota threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns between Kyle Pitts (5-80, TD and yes, that Kyle Pitts), Damiere Byrd (3-67, TD), and Tyler Allgeier (3-46, TD) while Drake London only gained 31 yards on four catches. Allgeier also ran for 39 yards on 14 carries while Caleb Huntley gained 91 yards on 16 rushes. The Panthers fall to 2-6 and head to Cincinnati for this week where they assumedly will keep their helmets on. The 4-4 Falcons now, improbably, are alone in first place in the NFC South.
