NFL Week 8 winners, losers: Broncos defense stands tall; Cowboys defense flops again

Gardner Minshew, quarterback, Arizona Cardinals. Minshew might not be a star, but he might not be somebody you want starting over 17 games; you could certainly do a lot worse as a backup. Minshew came off the bench and helped engineer a second-half comeback for the Cardinals in a 33-30 overtime win against the Dallas Cowboys. He threw three touchdowns in the win. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running game. The Buccaneers were 0-for-3 passing the football. They won, 16-0, over the Atlanta Falcons in a huge NFC South game, and it was the running back duo of Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell who drove the offense. Both players topped the 100-yard mark, with Irving rushing for 170 yards and Gainwell rushing for 140 yards. 

Denver Broncos defense. The Broncos defense was not perfect in its 28-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, but it made the plays it needed to make when it needed to make them. None were bigger than a game-ending, goal-line stand to secure the win. 

Drake Maye, quarterback, New England Patriots. Yes, it was only the Miami Dolphins. Yes, it was bad to be losing by 10 points at halftime. But given the injuries the Patriots are dealing with on offense, and how inconsistent Maye has been at times this season, seeing him lead a comeback with an undermanned group is an encouraging sign for the Patriots. 

NFL Week 8 losers

Michael Penix Jr., quarterback, Atlanta Falcons. Yes, it was in miserable weather. But the Falcons lost 16-0 to a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that did not complete a single pass. Zero passes. None. How does that happen? Throwing four interceptions is a big part of it. 

New York Jets. It is draft-pick watching season for the Jets. The only difference this season for Jets fans is they get to watch their draft stock, as well as the draft stock of the Cowboys and Colts. 

Jared Verse, edge, Cleveland Browns. If you are going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk. Verse, nor his teammates, walked the walk on Sunday. After talking a big game all week, Verse had just one tackle in a 27-6 loss to the Steelers. Verse has just 11 tackles and no sacks in eight games this season. 

Indianapolis Colts. Management has clearly given up on this season, and now it seems like the remaining players might not be far behind. They were not even remotely competitive on Sunday afternoon against the Jaguars. They are now 2-6 on the season and 3-14 in their past 17 games going back to the 2025 season. 

Dallas Cowboys defense. Awful. Just awful. Owner Jerry Jones might not be ready to make any coaching changes, but he has to change something. This team is now 3-5, has not held any team to under 20 points this season, and could not hold a 14-point lead against the Gardner Minshew.

Andy Reid, head coach, Kansas City Chiefs. Trying a 54-yard field goal, in the rain, with a kicker that you obviously do not trust at the moment, in a three-point game with just over two minutes to play is a massive risk. It backfired. Harrison Butker badly missed the kick, the Broncos took over at midfield, and easily drove down the field for the go-ahead touchdown. The Chiefs then getting down to the one-yard line, on second down, with a timeout remaining, and not being able to get in the end zone is also a tough look. 

Los Angeles Chargers offense. The Chargers are now 0-7 following their 24-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, and the offense remains a mess. They have not scored a touchdown since the third quarter of their Week 5 game against the Broncos, having now gone nine consecutive quarters without a touchdown. Quarterback Justin Herbert was intercepted two more times on Sunday, giving him 10 interceptions for the season with just five touchdown passes.