3 must-see NFL games in Week 8
Week 8's slate of NFL games features key divisional tilts, a potential shootout in prime time and the earliest ever kickoff: 9:30 a.m. ET (2:30 p.m. local time in London, England). Set your alarm, put on a pot of coffee and settle in for more than 14 hours of nearly continuous NFL action. What a time to be alive!
Let's take a look at this week's most intriguing matchups:
Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals
4:05 p.m. ET, FOX
This battle of 5-1 teams in the desert could go a long way in proving whether these two combatants are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The Eagles are winning despite injuries on the offensive line and uneven play from quarterback Nick Foles, while the Cardinals are getting it done despite key losses on defense and at quarterback.
Both teams know they can't afford a loss despite their hot starts. The Eagles are locked in a battle with the surprising Dallas Cowboys for control of the NFC East, while the Cardinals are seeking to preserve their head start on the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers in the cutthroat NFC West.
Look for both teams to put up points in this game. The Eagles defense seemed to click before a Week 7 bye, shutting out the New York Giants, but the Cardinals' wide receiver trio of Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown, plus the damage running back Andre Ellington can do in the passing game, should provide quarterback Carson Palmer with all the ammunition he needs to stretch his opponents until they break.
On the other side, Eagles running back LeSean McCoy finally found some running lanes against the Giants and cruised past 100 yards rushing for the first time all year. Foles is still turning the ball over far too often, but he's a threat to throw multiple touchdowns every week. Look for Eagles tight end Zach Ertz to feature in this contest - he shredded the Cardinals for 68 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 win last season.
Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers
1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
The reigning Super Bowl champions enter Week 8 in a position they haven't been in for two years: losers of back-to-back games. This will be the third meeting in as many years for these two teams, with the Seahawks winning all three (including a narrow 12-7 victory on the road to open their 2013 campaign).
Russell Wilson became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 last week, but special teams trick plays were the Seahawks' undoing against the St. Louis Rams in Week 7. Will Panthers coach Ron Rivera live up to his "Riverboat Ron" nickname and dial up some trickery this week in an attempt to keep Wilson off the field?
The Panthers are also reeling from a tough loss last weekend, spotting the Green Bay Packers a 28-0 lead and never looking like they had a chance of slowing down Aaron Rodgers and company. The Panthers lead the shockingly weak NFC South at 3-3-1, but their defense is but a shell of what it was a season ago.
The Seahawks and Panthers combined to go 25-7 last season. Barring a tie, one of these two teams will head to Week 9 with a losing record.
Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints
8:30 p.m. ET, NBC
To call this game a must-win for the 2-4 Saints isn't completely accurate. If the Panthers beat the Seahawks on Sunday afternoon, the Saints will enter their prime time battle knowing a loss will still leave them within one game of the NFC South lead.
Nonetheless, this is a game Drew Brees and company know they must compete in if they fancy themselves Super Bowl contenders. The Packers may be the hottest team in the league, coming off a 38-17 dismantling of the Panthers, so they should represent an excellent litmus test for the Saints.
Las Vegas expects this contest to be the week's highest scoring and it's hard to argue. This has all the makings of a classic shootout. The weapons both quarterbacks have in their arsenal are mouth-watering. Who do the Saints have on defense who can stop Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb? Likewise, how can the Packers expect to slow down Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston?
The difference in this one could be the location. The Saints are a different team at home, and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome will be rocking on Sunday night.