NFL Week 8 aftershocks: Should 49ers' Brock Purdy have played in Week 8?

Will Levis is a franchise QB

Several quarterback-needy teams may be kicking themselves for allowing Levis — the former Kentucky star — to drop out of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Titans selected him with the No. 33 overall pick — a move that looks to be a resounding success in its early stages. 

In his first start in the NFL, Levis completed 19-of-29 (66%) passes for 238 yards and threw for four touchdowns and zero interceptions. The rookie QB seems to have already developed a strong on-field connection with DeAndre Hopkins, who torched the Falcons for 128 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Levis' impressive debut should earn him the starting quarterback job over veteran Ryan Tannehill, who sat in Week 8 because of an ankle injury and has underperformed this season. The 35-year-old has thrown just two touchdowns on 158 attempts, a benchmark Levis reached on 19 tries.  

The Jaguars are Super Bowl contenders

A new dark-horse Super Bowl contender has emerged in the AFC. 

The Jaguars have often been considered an afterthought at the top of their conference, with juggernauts like the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens hogging the spotlight. Yet Jacksonville is 6-2, which is tied for the best record in the AFC and for its franchise-best start to a season. (In 1999, the Jaguars began 6-2 en route to winning 14 games.)

No NFL team is hotter than the Jaguars, who've won five straight and boast a 4-0 record on the road. With three divison games on tap against AFC South teams — none of which are above .500 — Jacksonville should feel great about its post-bye schedule.    

The Steelers must find a new OC

Pittsburgh's offensive ineptitude reached a new low in Week 8. 

The Steelers began the game with four straight punts and lost quarterback Kenny Pickett to a rib injury late in the second quarter. Mitch Trubisky didn't fare much better in relief, completing 15-of-27 passes for 138 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Following Sunday's 20-10 loss, the Steelers have gone 55 straight games without amassing 400 yards on offense. Matt Canada deserves much of the blame for this undesirable feat, having assumed the offensive coordinator position in 2021.

At 4-3, the Steelers have somehow found a way to win games despite ranking within the bottom five of nearly every team offensive metric. Firing Canada has been discussed endlessly by Steelers fans and media. It's time for the Steelers to jettison the OC.