The NFL regular season reaches its midpoint with zero undefeated teams remaining after the Minnesota Vikings dropped their first game of the year, while the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers hold the top spots in their respective conferences.
Buffalo Bills Secure AFC Summit While Baltimore Ravens Lose Lamar Jackson Again
In the American Football Conference, the Buffalo Bills solidified their position at the summit with a 36-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Buffalo improved to a 6-1 record behind strong performances from Josh Allen and Cook III. The Ravens dropped to 4-4 on the season after playing without Lamar Jackson, who exited the lineup once more.
Behind the Bills, the Denver Broncos climbed to second place in the AFC at 6-2 by staging a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24. Denver secured the win with a defensive stand on the goal line in the final seconds. Kansas City dropped to 5-2 despite 321 yds and 3 td from Mahomes, alongside 128 yds receiving from E. Johnson. Johnson.
The Pittsburgh Steelers also moved to 6-2 following a 27-6 win against the Cleveland Browns, who fell to 5-3. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots improved to 5-3 by overcoming a deficit to beat the Miami Dolphins 24-19.
San Francisco 49ers Share NFC Lead as Minnesota Vikings Suffer First Loss
In the National Conference, the Minnesota Vikings lost their unblemished record, falling 19-15 in a tight divisional matchup against the Detroit Lions. The defeat dropped Minnesota to 6-1, allowing the San Francisco 49ers to claim a share of the NFC lead while on a bye week.
The Detroit Lions improved to 5-2 with their hard-fought victory over Minnesota. In another clash at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers advanced to 5-3 by defeating the Carolina Panthers 27-19. Packers quarterback Love posted another strong outing, while teammate Watson sustained a cracked rib during the contest. Watson was taken to the hospital before returning to the stadium and re-entering the game for the final plays.
The severe weather forced both teams to rely heavily on the ground game, resulting in the Buccaneers securing a victory without completing a single pass—a feat not accomplished since the Buffalo Bills achieved it in 1974.
Week 8 Results Across the League
The eighth week of regular season play featured several other tight contests and overtime finishes:
- Green Bay Packers 27, Carolina Panthers 19
- Minnesota Vikings 15, Detroit Lions 19
- Cleveland Browns 6, Pittsburgh Steelers 27
- Baltimore Ravens 10, Buffalo Bills 36
- Tennessee Titans 36, Cincinnati Bengals 43 (OT)
- Arizona Cardinals 33, Dallas Cowboys 30 (OT)
- Indianapolis Colts 7, Jacksonville Jaguars 42
- Las Vegas Raiders 38, New York Jets 33
- Atlanta Falcons 0, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16
- Los Angeles Chargers 9, Los Angeles Rams 24
- Kansas City Chiefs 24, Denver Broncos 28
- New England Patriots 24, Miami Dolphins 19
- Philadelphia Eagles 10, Washington Commanders 27
- Chicago Bears vs. Seattle Seahawks (scheduled for tonight)
The Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, and San Francisco 49ers observed their bye weeks during Week 8.
Upcoming Schedule and Midseason Approaching
Teams return to the field for Week 9 action as the regular season crosses its midway point, with division races tightening across both conferences following the elimination of the league’s last unbeaten records.
