Two-minute drill: Bengals-Falcons face off in Madrid, Tom Brady returns to Foxborough, another injury setback for Lamar Jackson and more

Week 8 in the NFL featured wild stat lines, crazy finishes and a scary situation in Detroit when All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell was rushed to the hospital after suffering a neck injury. Here is what to watch as we head into Week 9 and what stood out the most in the past week.

Bengals-Falcons square off in Madrid; Packers-Patriots meet in intriguing showdown

It was a lot more difficult than it should have been for the Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) in a hard-fought 43-36 overtime win over the 1-7 Tennessee Titans on Sunday, but quarterback Joe Burrow was sensational with 462 passing yards and six total touchdowns. The three interceptions will need to be cut back on going forward, but the league’s second-best scoring offense (29.4 PPG) was once again front and center heading into a meeting with the Atlanta Falcons (3-5) in just the second NFL game ever contested in Spain.

The Falcons, meanwhile, are coming off a 16-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5) in a game in which Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield failed to complete a pass and Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. threw four interceptions in the pouring rain. Considering Cincinnati allowed the lowly Titans to put up 36 points, this could be an opportunity for Penix to bounce back and for running back Bijan Robinson to take advantage of the Bengals’ 20th-ranked rushing defense (122.3 YPG).

Elsewhere, the Green Bay Packers (5-3) once again found a way to win with a one-dimensional offense when QB Jordan Love carried them to a 27-19 win over the Carolina Panthers (3-4) with no run game to support him. There is still some room to grow for this team with the impending return of star pass-rusher Micah Parsons in the coming weeks, but there needs to be some better balance offensively to fully take advantage.

While there will be some extra emotions in the booth as NFL on Fox analyst Tom Brady calls his first New England Patriots (5-3) game in Foxborough, the Patriots come in as winners of four of their last five as QB Drake Maye continues to overcome a turnover-prone start to the season with 11 TDs and only one interception in the last four games.

Buccaneers-Bears, Bills-Vikings face off in prime-time matchups

It has not been a flashy return for QB Baker Mayfield from a right thumb injury, but the Buccaneers have won both of those games and are right back in the thick of the NFC South race. However, while both of those games were against divisional opponents, a Sunday night clash with the surging Chicago Bears (6-2) will present a stiff challenge for a Tampa Bay team that ranks 26th in the league in percentage of TDs scored in the red zone (50%).

Along with some MVP-level play from QB Caleb Williams (24-of-34, 247 yards, one TD), All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons wasted no time making an impact in his first game since he was acquired by the Bears in a trade earlier in the week. He finished Monday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks (4-4) with six tackles (three solo), one sack, two tackles for loss, one pass defended and one QB hit as the Bears staked their claim as the NFC’s best through eight weeks.

The Buffalo Bills (6-1) are coming off a 36-10 beatdown against the depleted Baltimore Ravens (4-4) and head into Monday night’s road game against the previously unbeaten Minnesota Vikings (6-1). Although Minnesota has the league’s best scoring defense (13.3 PPG), the offense has been atrocious with 16 points or less in four of their seven games, which could serve Josh Allen and this explosive Bills offense well.

The Vikings went into Week 8 as the NFL’s only unbeaten team before falling, 19-15, to the Detroit Lions (5-2) in an NFC North battle. While QB Kyler Murray’s status for Monday night’s game against the Bills remains uncertain due to a sore hamstring, it was more of the same for a sluggish offense against the Lions and an area they must improve in to fully benefit from the stout defense.

Ravens are in trouble after latest Lamar Jackson injury

Making his return from a high left ankle sprain that kept him out for three games, the Ravens QB suffered a right thumb injury on the first play of the game against the Bills as rumors continue to swirl about that potentially being the last game he ever plays in a Ravens uniform with an astronomical $84.34M cap number for the 2028 unrestricted free agent.

If Jackson's injury was not enough, the Ravens' QB luck went from bad to worse as backup QB Tyler Huntley suffered a toe injury in the second quarter. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano only went 10-of-21 for 91 yards and one interception in relief, but he is set to start against the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) on Thursday night in a banged-up QB room.

Trade deadline quickly approaching

With the NFL trade deadline coming up on Nov. 10, expect several players to be on the move over the next week. That could especially be the case for the Indianapolis Colts (2-6), who have been active already and "are expected to make another 3-4 trades" before the deadline.

Although Philadelphia Eagles (2-6) RB Saquon Barkley says he has received some insurance from the front office that he will not be traded, it is worth monitoring what the Eagles do with the rest of their players ahead of what is sure to be a reset in the offseason.

From Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and Arizona Cardinals (3-5) edge Josh Sweat to Buccaneers edge Yaya Diaby, Los Angeles Chargers (0-7) edge Khalil Mack and Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen, there are a lot of viable options available heading into the trade deadline.