NFL gameday guide: Patrick Mahomes’ new weapon, Brock Purdy vs Dak Prescott, Daniel Jones pressure and Caleb Williams’ rise

DeAndre Hopkins is on his way to the Super Bowl champions, Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey missed practice this week due to jury duty, Bill Belichick has been taking shots at his New England Patriots successor and Aaron Rodgers was forced to deny he ate a bogey on live television… really. Welcome to a week in the NFL. 

Editor’s note…

A ‘rich got rich’ label – bizarrely – doesn’t quite apply to the Kansas City Chiefs, who addressed their injury-hit wide receiver room by pursuing a trade for three-time first-team All-Pro contested catch, route-running artist Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans this week amid their hunt for a historic third straight Super Bowl victory.

The Chiefs sit a perfect 6-0 as they prepare to take on the Las Vegas Raiders despite missing Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown and Isiah Pacheco on offense, and with Patrick Mahomes enduring his worst – statistical – start to an NFL season since taking over as starter in 2018. Andy Reid is finding ways to win behind a newly-re-signed Kareem Hunt and one of the league’s most efficient interior blocking schemes, as well as through the unwavering genius of Steve Spagnuolo and his Chiefs defense.

“I’ve done a lot, all the accolades that I can accomplish as far as personal [goals],” Hopkins said on Thursday. “So I think just playing meaningful football in January is what’s left on the list.”

Hopkins isn’t the player he once was, but he is enough to warrant a frightening optic of a scrambling Mahomes tossing the rock to one of the modern era’s great ball clamps. Tuning in immediately to the Chiefs offense is a tough ask for even the league’s best, but Hopkins is as qualified as anybody to meet Mahomes’ need for creativity beyond his primary route as he matches his quarterback’s off-script scrambling exploits. His arrival meanwhile eases the pressure on Xavier Worthy to expand his route tree beyond the conventional vertical threat that had been mapped out for him in his rookie year.

Asked if Hopkins would be ready to go Sunday, Reid replied: “Why wait, right?”

Let the games begin.

Jerod Mayo meanwhile created unwanted headlines in his first season as Patriots head coach as he called his team ‘soft’ following their defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, in response to which Belichick insisted he was “hurt for those guys” in a not-so-subtle dig at the approach of his replacement. Meow. Belichick is proving a hit in the media, stirring the Patriots pot he left behind, chopping up plays with his buddy Matt Patricia and enjoying a recharge knowing plenty of jobs could be about to open up come January.

Elsewhere in New York, Aaron Rodgers’ weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show generated more ground-breaking headlines as he addressed in-game footage seemingly depicting him picking and eating his own bogey on the bench: “I’ve never eaten my boogers. It’s a tough look to try to defend. That video is incriminating,” the four-time league MVP said.

His more pressing problems, though, are on the field, where the Jets are facing mounting pressure in the wake of firing their head coach Robert Saleh, acquiring Davante Adams in a trade and losing to a Russell Wilson-led Pittsburgh Steelers to fall to 2-5 during a season in which they had been projected to launch a push for a playoff run. Who do they play this week? Oh yeah – Mayo’s Patriots.

And in a chaotic AFC East the Miami Dolphins could also welcome the return of Tua Tagovailoa as their dearly-missed quarterback appeared in practice this week following his scary concussion earlier in the season. Miami’s offense has collapsed in his absence, with both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle complete non-factors for Mike McDaniel’s passing attack.

A hot-seat-riding Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is hoping to take advantage of the injury-hit San Francisco 49ers and their recent frailties, the Jameis Winston rollercoaster resumes when he starts for the Cleveland Browns against the Baltimore Ravens following injury to Deshaun Watson, while CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson are braced for fireworks in their latest match-up and Sunday also marks National Tight Ends Day… for all those who celebrate.

Subscribe to Inside the Huddle

What to watch in Week Eight

Sunday, 5pm – Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) @ Cincinnati Bengals (3-4): Saquon Barkley, along with a hefty dose of Derrick Henry, is reinvigorating the value of running backs in the NFL in 2024, with the Eagles and Ravens pair currently averaging more than 100 rushing yards per game and at least six yards per carry, a feat achieved by just four other players through a minimum of five games in NFL history. The former New York Giant is flourishing at a time of need for head coach Nick Sirianni, tormenting his old team with 176 yards and a touchdown on the ground in a 28-3 victory while sitting third in the NFL with 658 rushing yards through six games.

Trey Hendrickson meanwhile continues to prove himself among the NFL’s elite pass rushers as far-and-away the most important member of Lou Anarumo’s Cincinnati Bengals defense. The three-time Pro Bowlers is tied for fourth with seven sacks on the year and tied fourth with 20 quarterback pressures within a defense ranked down in 22nd in pressure rate and 22nd in total yards. At times you would fear for Cincinnati without him; he might be the most underrated pass rusher in the league.

Sunday, 8.25pm – Chicago Bears (4-2) @ Washington Commanders (5-2): The beauty of the Caleb Williams story is the evidence of him learning with every week, every game and every throw of his rookie season in the NFL; the Chicago Bears quarterback returns to action for the first time since offering the UK a first-hand insight into the out-of-structure magic fuelling his ascent as one of the most enthralling and gifted young play-callers in football. Bumps and teething issues will continue to come, but already there are flashes of the playmaking explosiveness that earned him the spot as the No 1 pick at the NFL Draft. Chicago have searched desperately for their long-term answer at quarterback, and they may have found it.

It had been shaping up perfectly as a collision of the No 1 and No 2 picks at the Draft, with Williams’ Bears primed to visit the Washington Commanders and the outstanding Jayden Daniels, who has out-performed not only his fellow rookie quarterbacks this season but most quarterbacks in the league. There is some uncertainty over whether Daniels will be ready to go in light of a recent shoulder injury, with Marcus Mariota in line to play should the Heisman Trophy winner be absent. Daniels currently leads all quarterbacks in EPA+CPOE composite (Expected Points Added combined with Completion Percentage Over Expected), and completion percentage, while ranking third in quarterback rating. He has also rushed for 372 yards so far this season, second only to Lamar Jackson, as part of a Washington running game ranked third in the NFL.​​

Sunday Night Football, 12.20am – Dallas Cowboys (3-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (3-4): The Cowboys defense remains a leaky mess against the run while ranking 32nd in rush EPA, 30th in rush success rate and 27th in average rushing yards allowed through six games, having also surrendered more than 180 yards on the ground in three games this season. Mike Zimmer’s unit has been suffering without Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence up front as they prepare to take on a 49ers offense that has seen its efficiency on early downs regress in comparison to this time last year in the absence of Christian McCaffrey, who is expected back over the second half of the season.

49ers running back Jordan Mason currently sits second in the league with 667 yards in the ground, behind only record-chasing Ravens star Derrick Henry. The Cowboys are meanwhile feeling the impact of their failure to acquire Henry in the offseason, ranking last in the league in rushing yards amid a debilitating lack of balance of offense that has contributed to their poor start to the campaign. Tensions are running high in Dallas after an expensive summer for Jerry Jones, while Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan are tasked with keeping their Super Bowl chase intact without both McCaffrey and now Brandon Aiyuk, who suffered a season-ending injury as San Francisco again came up second best against the Chiefs. Behold two storied franchises in desperate need of a statement victory in front of a primetime audience.

Monday Night Football, 12.15am – New York Giants (2-5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2): Daniel Jones watch is well and truly on for the Giants, no matter what ownership might say in defence of their former first-round pick quarterback, who is running out of time – prolonged time – to prove himself as a long-term solution to Big Blue’s pursuit of long-forgotten contention. A beat-down at the hands of Saquon Barkley having let him slip away in the summer might prove a damning final straw when all is said and done for the Giants. Jones is 23rd in EPA/play among quarterbacks this season having completed 150 of 240 passes (62.5 per cent) for 1,442 yards and just six touchdowns to four interceptions across New York’s 2-5 start, with the Giants offense ranked 23rd in passing and 24th in dropback EPA. Dare we say Drew Lock time might be approaching. On a more positive note, Dexter Lawrence leads the NFL with nine sacks despite facing the highest double-team rate in the league; he is unstoppable.

And the last thing a confidence-lacking quarterback needs is a road encounter with TJ Watt and a Pittsburgh Steelers defense ranked eight in yards, second in scoring and fifth in EPA/play. The Steelers limited the New York Jets to just 54 rushing yards while intercepting Rodgers twice in last week’s victory. Running back Najee Harris is meanwhile coming off an impressive two-game tear across which he averaged six yards per carry while breaking 100 yards and finding the end zone against both the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders to help continue Pittsburgh’s winning start to the campaign. Russell Wilson is primed to make his second straight start after finishing 16 of 29 for 264 yards and two touchdowns in place of Justin Fields against the Jets.

Around the league

• It was reported on Wednesday that the Chiefs are acquiring DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans in exchange for a fifth-round pick that could turn into a fourth-round pick.
• Former No 1 overall pick Bryce Young will start at quarterback for the Carolina Panthers for the first time since being benched ahead of Week Three as Andy Dalton deals with a sprained thumb suffered during a car accident on Tuesday; the Panthers face the Denver Broncos.
• Recently-fired New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh was pictured working with the Green Bay Packers in practice this week alongside long-time friend head coach Matt LaFleur, who was Saleh’s best man at his wedding.
• Running back Alvin Kamara signed a new two-year $24.5m extension with the New Orleans.

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin was placed on injured reserve after suffering an ankle injury that will require surgery; fellow Bucs receiver Mike Evans is also expected to be out for at least three weeks with a hamstring injury.
• Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa practised for the first time this week since suffering a concussion that resulted in him being placed on injured reserve.
• 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is set to miss the remainder of the season after tests showed he suffered a torn ACL and MCL against the Chiefs.
• Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is set to be suspended for two games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, having served a four-game suspension for a gambling violation last season.

Who said what?

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on new wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins: “He’s a good, veteran player and has seen just about everything over 12 years, and he’s a good space player so he has a very good understanding how to work in space at the same time. He’s a tough match-up because of his size, arm length, big body that knows how to play in that low-post area very well.”

Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill on the return of Tua Tagovailoa: “I missed the dude, bro. Me and him connected on a few deep shots today. I missed that. I told him I got to take him and his wife to dinner because I missed him so much.”

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on his return from concussion: “I appreciate your concern, I really do. I love this game and I love it to the death of me. That’s it.”

Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp on trade rumours: “It is that time of the year, there’s going to be rumours. I let that stuff, as much as I can, be in the background. I have a job to do here, and I take a lot of pride in giving everything I can for the guys in this building in being able to step on the field knowing I have prepared the best I can.”

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers speaking on The Pat McAfee Show: “The power of belief is a snowball that can start in an avalanche, and I think that’s what we need. It starts with me. I’ve got to bring the right energy every single day, and especially on game day. I feel like we’ve been loose, we’ve been having good practices, but for whatever reason there’s been a bit of tightness on game day, and I think that’s got to start with me. I need to be a great leader.”

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo on his side’s loss to the Jaguars at Wembley: “I felt like we just went out there and played soft. We’re playing soft at the moment. Now in saying that, do I think we have the guys in there that can turn this ship around? One hundred per cent. But that comes through hard work and getting better each and every day.”

Ravens running back Derrick Henry on NBA star Anthony Edwards suggesting he could tackle him: “He’s crazy. I mean, everybody’s got an imagination. We got to set up a training camp where basketball players come out here and put these pads on and see if they really can get through it.”

The stats

• Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has the chance to become the second quarterback ever to post at least 40 rushing yards in each of his team’s first eight games of a season alongside Michael Vick.
• Victory on Sunday would see Patrick Mahomes overtake Peyton Manning (80) and Ben Roethlisberger (10) for the third-most regular-season wins by a quarterback in his first eight seasons in NFL history behind only Tom Brady (86) and Russell Wilson (86).
• Lions quarterback Jared Goff has the chance to become the first quarterback in NFL history to record a passer rating of 140-or-higher in four consecutive games when Detroit take on the Titans.
• Bears quarterback Caleb Williams can become the third rookie quarterback in NFL history to post a passer-rating of 120-or-higher in three straight games behind Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson.
• A touchdown pass against the Eagles on Sunday would see Joe Burrow leapfrog Johnny Unitas, Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson for the fourth-most touchdown passes by a player in his first 60 games in NFL history.
• Raiders rookie Brock Bowers needs 23 receiving yards to become the third tight end in history to reach 500 receiving yards in his first eight career games behind Mike Ditka and Kyle Pitts.

Essential reading

Can Purdy keep the 49ers’ Super Bowl dream alive?

Brock Purdy accidentally became important at work. Mr Irrelevant has never been more relevant to a San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl window that could well hinge on the outcome of his fairy-tale story.

Rarely, perhaps never, has a quarterback been drafted into the NFL greeted by fewer expectations and yet burdened with as much scrutiny. The Purdy discourse is about to rear its unjust head once more as the Niners hobble through one of their stickiest patches under Kyle Shanahan; by way of his own staggering early success he is about to be blinded by an overpowering spotlight, with which, though, comes an opportunity to do something special.

Is the Watson era over in Cleveland? ‘$230m deal has been a disaster’

The Cleveland Browns would be better served ‘cutting their losses’ by parting with quarterback Deshaun Watson following his season-ending injury, believe Sky Sports NFL‘s Neil Reynolds and Jeff Reinebold.

Watson was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign on Monday after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during Sunday’s loss at home to the Cincinnati Bengals.

NFL Fantasy Football: Pearsall back for 49ers after being shot

Watch the Philadelphia Eagles at the Cincinnati Bengals from 5pm Sunday live on Sky Sports NFL, followed by Caleb Williams’ Chicago Bears against the Washington Commanders as the 2024 NFL season reaches Week Eight on the road to Super Bowl LIX; Also stream with NOW.