Week 8 perhaps was one of the most thrilling set of games we’ve seen so far this NFL season, with plenty of contests coming down to the wire.
Sunday also saw the Kansas City Chiefs continue their unbeaten start to the season and other Super Bowl contenders continue to roll. It also saw playoff hopefuls slip up against teams they might normally expect to beat.
Notably, it was a big day for players in the tight end position on what was ‘National Tight End Day’ around the league. Across all of Sunday’s games, tight ends had 177 catches, the most in NFL history on a single day by the position, per the NFL. They also had 16 touchdowns which was the most ever on ‘National Tight End Day.’
Here are the main storylines from Sunday’s action:
Jayden Daniels throws last-second, game-winning Hail Mary touchdown
Sunday saw the top two picks in this year’s NFL Draft – No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears and No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders – face off against one another with fans being offered an opportunity to see what the future of the league could hold.
And although Sunday’s game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, wasn’t filled with offensive fireworks, there was a thrilling ending befitting of the talent on show.
Despite both enjoying excellent starts to their rookie campaigns, both Williams and Daniels struggled to find the endzone on Sunday. Washington held a 12-point lead midway through the third quarter with all points coming through the leg of Austin Seibert.
But two rushing touchdowns – a 56-yarder by D’Andre Swift and one from one-yard by Roschon Johnson – meant Chicago held a three-point advantage with just 25 seconds remaining.
In the Commanders’ final drive, Daniels was able to direct the ball to Washington’s 48-yard line with two seconds remaining. And in the most dramatic of finishes, the rookie phenom’s heaved pass towards the endzone was tipped by a huddle of players right into the waiting hands of Noah Brown for a 52-yard walk-off Hail Mary touchdown and 18-15 victory for the Commanders.
The touchdown catch caused wild celebrations on the Washington sideline, with players running onto the field and even head coach Dan Quinn jumping around in jubilation.
Daniels admitted afterwards that he didn’t even know the ball had been caught by Brown until he “heard people screaming.”
Despite being questionable about whether he’d be able to play on Sunday with a rib injury, it was another memorable moment in Daniels’ amazing rookie season so far as he made even more history.
The 52-yard touchdown was the second-longest, game-winning touchdown pass as time expired by a rookie in NFL history, per the NFL, only beaten by Tim Couch’s 56-yard TD throw to Kevin Johnson in 1999.
The final throw of Sunday’s game also took him past 300 passing yards, meaning Daniels became the third rookie since 1950 with at least 300 yards passing, 50 yards rushing and zero interceptions thrown in a game alongside Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert.
Afterwards, Brown paid tribute to his quarterback’s impact on the team.
“Man, we’re blessed to have (No.) 5 leading this team,” Brown told reporters. “The things he can do are special, even that last play, keeping his composure and fighting like hell to get the ball off, and threw a hell of a ball. I wouldn’t want to play with any other quarterback, I’m glad to have him.”
For Chicago, it was a disappointing end to the game and one which saw one their starting defenders issue an apology for his actions in the final play of the game.
Videos on social media showed Tyrique Stevenson taunting Commanders fans while the Hail Mary play was underway, with the 24-year-old ending up tipping the ball into Brown’s hands for the touchdown.
Afterwards, he apologized for his actions in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: “To Chicago and teammates my apologies for lack of awareness and focus …. The game ain’t over until zeros hit the clock. Can’t take anything for granted. Notes taken, improvement will happen.”
Late drama throughout Sunday
The early slate of games in Week 8 didn’t disappoint in terms of drama, with six of the eight contests coming down to the wire – and all decided by five points or fewer.
There were two huge upsets along the way, with the lowly Cleveland Browns stunning the Baltimore Ravens 29-24 and the New England Patriots ending a six-game losing streak to beat Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.
The Browns, led by Jameis Winston following the season-ending injury to Deshaun Watson, scored more than 20 points for the first time this season, with Winston throwing three touchdowns passes.
Cleveland capitalized on an off-day for the Ravens, who had won five straight but struggled to finish drives and make their quality count.
On the final play of the game, Lamar Jackson attempted a miracle Hail Mary, but it fell incomplete as the Browns collected a famous win.
In New England, the Patriots also recorded a big win as they toppled the star-studded Jets 25-22 at Gillette Stadium.
It wasn’t smooth sailing for New England though, with rookie quarterback Drake Maye suffering a concussion in the first half. But back-up Jacoby Brissett stepped in admirably to lead the offense admirably.
In particular, the veteran QB converted two important third-and-longs on the game-winning drive to set up a one-yard touchdown run from Rhamondre Stevenson. Stevenson had two scores on the day, while Maye had one with his legs before he left the game.
Despite their very different aspirations this season – New England is rebuilding with a young core and the Jets have playoff goals – both now have a record of 2-6.
Afterwards, Rodgers spoke about feeling “frustration” and says the team is “underachieving.”
Elsewhere, there were game-winning field goals as time expired for the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals as they overcame the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins – who had starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa return from the injured reserve list following last month’s concussion – respectively.
Niners pile more misery on Cowboys
It is one of the most storied rivalries in NFL history and Sunday Night Football between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys didn’t disappoint.
Both teams came into Week 8’s clash needing a victory to kick-start their seasons and it was the 49ers who eventually did so, winning 30-24 at Levi’s Stadium.
San Francisco largely controlled the game through the running attack, finishing with 223 yards on the ground compared to 56 for Dallas.
Rookie Isaac Guerendo had 85 rushing yards and a touchdown off 14 carries, while quarterback Brock Purdy added 56 yards of his own on the ground as well as a score.
Purdy was also characteristically accurate through the air, completing 18-of-26 passes for 260 yards, with his sole throwing touchdown going to George Kittle.
Kittle had a big day himself on ‘National Tight End Day,’ finishing the game with six catches for 128 yards. He caught his 500th career reception during the game, joining the likes of Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens, Roger Craig and Dwight Clark to do so for the 49ers.
The defense also starred in Sunday’s game, intercepting Dak Prescott twice and slowing down the Cowboys offense.
More importantly though, it’s a win which brings the Niners back to .500 on the season as they look to get their injury-plighted year back on track.
Afterwards, San Francisco star linebacker Fred Warner spoke to the importance of the win for his team.
“We can be whoever we want,” Warner said. “Honestly, I think it’s, after the bye, it’s 0-0. We’re at .500 right now. I think we’re a game back from being first in the division … but we have everything ahead of us.”
For the Cowboys, they fall to 3-4 on the season with questions surrounding the future of many elements of the team.
They had taken a seven-point lead on Sunday through a one-yard touchdown run from Ezekiel Elliot and a field goal from Brandon Aubrey, but 24 unanswered points from San Francisco saw the home team take control.
Two fourth-quarter TD passes to CeeDee lamb did reduce the deficit for Dallas, but the Niners were able to run out the clock and seal the win.
After the defeat, Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy said his team was “disappointed,” while quarterback Prescott said the squad still holds high hopes.
“We know what it takes in this league,” Prescott told reporters. “You got hot, you get rolling, that’s all you’re looking to do. That’s my point, that this is frustrating but nobody is giving up.
“Nobody is shook, as you can say, from where we’re at. We just got to focus up, get ready to go on the road and got another good team coming up and do whatever we can do to make sure we come out with a victory. Get even. Then worry about after that after this next road game.”