Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown admits his high‑ankle sprain from the season‑opening 13‑10 loss to Seattle is still bothering him, despite being activated off IR 12 days ago. In Week 6 against the Jets he caught three passes for 27 yards on 10 targets and dropped three, and against Chicago he had three receptions for 48 yards but missed a 45‑yard catch. Coach Mike Vrabel’s offense has struggled to find a role for Brown, and former Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel calls him a "non‑factor". The Patriots still rank ninth in passing yards after seven weeks, but Brown’s lingering injury raises doubts about his impact.
The Buffalo Bills, fresh off a bye‑week win and now 5‑1, sit just a game‑and‑a‑half ahead of the Patriots in the AFC East and are tied with the Chiefs for the conference lead. A Mahomes interception could hand Buffalo the top AFC seed, though Kansas City holds the tiebreaker thanks to a better conference record. Week 8 matchups—including a crucial battle with the Ravens—offer the Bills a chance to solidify their lead and boost their strength‑of‑victory, while other AFC games could swing tiebreakers in Buffalo’s favor ahead of a Thanksgiving showdown with the Chiefs.
The Buffalo Bills, fresh off a bye‑week win, sit tied with the Chiefs at 5‑1 and are just an interception away from the AFC No. 1 seed. A game‑and‑a‑half lead over the Patriots puts them in prime position to clinch the AFC East, while a victory over Baltimore this weekend could improve their conference record and set up a decisive Thanksgiving clash with Kansas City. The post also outlines key AFC matchups that could affect Buffalo’s playoff tiebreakers, highlighting the Titans‑Bengals, Colts‑Jaguars, and Steelers‑Browns games as beneficial if the underdogs win.
Seattle has held opposing wide receivers to 642 yards in seven games, a problem for Rome Odunze before Chicago’s Monday night trip.
The Buffalo Bills resume practice after their bye, welcoming back key players ahead of a Week 8 showdown with the Baltimore Ravens, who are expected to have Lamar Jackson back after a high‑ankle sprain. Injured veterans D.J. Moore, Tyrell Shavers, Ed Oliver and Dalton Kincaid hit the field, while cornerback Tre’Davious White returns from the practice squad. The team also opens a 21‑day window for Shavers, who tore his ACL in the Wild‑Card win. Coach Joe Brady faces pressure to resolve lingering issues, and starting right tackle Spencer Brown’s availability remains uncertain. The outlook includes trade‑deadline buzz and a boost in the NFL power rankings.
Here's what we know about Matthew Golden's status for Week 8.
The Baltimore Ravens are poised to bring franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson back from a Week 4 ankle injury for the Sunday matchup against the Buffalo Bills. CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz says Jackson participated fully in Wednesday practice, handling first‑time work, and NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirms Jackson feels 100% and wants to return at his “old, effective, superstar self.” With the Ravens sitting 4‑3 and slipping to the AFC North bottom, his return could be pivotal in a crucial 1 p.m. ET game at Highmark Stadium on Nov. 1.
Tonight’s Week 8 NFL action kicks off with Thursday Night Football as the Carolina Panthers travel to Green Bay to face the Packers at 8:15 PM ET on Prime Video (Amazon Prime required). Sunday’s slate includes the Eagles vs. Commanders at 8:20 PM NBC, while Monday Night Football pits the Bears against the Seahawks. The article also lists all Sunday matchups—Ravens @ Bills, Titans @ Bengals, and more—plus streaming tips for NFL+, NFL RedZone, and free‑antenna viewing.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is set to return Sunday against the Buffalo Bills after missing weeks 5‑7 with an ankle injury. Coach Jesse Minter pushes back on the idea that Jackson alone will rescue the team, emphasizing that every staff member and player must step up. The Ravens have gone 1‑2 without him and recently fell 35‑13 to the Cincinnati Bengals, becoming the first squad in 76 years to lose by 20 after leading by 13 at halftime. With Tyler Huntley struggling and several players listed as questionable, Minter stresses a collective effort over a single hero.
Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown opens up about a lingering back injury that required heavy medication—jokingly likening the dosage to “enough drugs to sedate a small elephant.” After playing through the pain in a 37‑34 OT win over the Rams and a 33‑30 victory against the Raiders, Brown logged 88% of the offense’s snaps this season. Now, fresh from the Week 7 bye, he aims to bolster the Bills against a struggling Ravens team that’s endured consecutive second‑half collapses, while Lamar Jackson looks set to return.
Buffalo Rumblings unveils APEX (Actual Passing vs. Expectation), a new NFL metric that rates each pass‑game against the quality of defenses faced. By comparing a quarterback’s EPA per dropback to the baseline EPA allowed by that defense, APEX reveals when a "good" EPA figure is actually under‑performing and vice‑versa. After seven weeks, the Bills lead the rankings, while Miami’s 1‑5 record looks harsher than its 18th‑place APEX suggests. Notable shifts include Houston’s C.J. Stroud slipping to 14th in APEX and the Cardinals rising to 21st despite a low EPA rank. The metric aims to give a fairer snapshot of pass‑game effectiveness across the season.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson returns to full practice on Wednesday, marking his first complete workout since a high‑ankle sprain in Week 4. After missing two games and a limited stint last week, Jackson was initially listed as questionable for the Bengals game but was ruled out, and his upgraded status now hints at a possible return for the Ravens’ Week 8 showdown with the Buffalo Bills. The Wednesday injury report shows Jackson full, alongside TE Mark Andrews and OLB Trey Hendrickson, while several defenders remain limited or out. The Bills, also coming off a bye, are wrestling with their own injuries, notably right tackle Spencer Brown.
Buffalo eyes the AFC’s top seed as they host the 4-3 Ravens at New Highmark Stadium on Sunday. With Lamar Jackson expected back, Baltimore’s defense—ranked 29th in completion percentage allowed and 26th in yards per attempt—has struggled to limit big plays, giving up the third‑highest rate of throws with three‑yard separation. Josh Allen is the Bills’ key weapon, thriving against zone defenses and boasting league‑leading EPA and multiple fourth‑quarter comebacks. Meanwhile, cornerback Christian Benford shines against tight end Brock Bowers, while safety C.J. Gardner‑Johnson’s disciplinary issues and poor grades raise concerns. The preview highlights Bills players trending up or down ahead of the pivotal matchup.
The Minnesota Vikings sit at 6-0, yet their offense is anemic, ranking 23rd with just 20.8 points per game—virtually unchanged from a 26th‑ranked 2025 season. Coach Kevin O’Connell acknowledges the need for more scoring, noting that quarterback Kyler Murray has shown flashes (a TD to Justin Jefferson) but hasn’t become the “elevator” talent expected. Despite a top‑tier defense and special teams, the Vikings struggle to capitalize on field position, and the run‑pass balance remains a work in progress. Upcoming matchups against the Lions (Week 8) and Bills (Week 9) will test whether the team can break out of its offensive slump before its unbeaten run fizzles.
After a bye, the Buffalo Bills aim for a third straight win on Oct. 29 against the Baltimore Ravens at New Highmark Stadium, improving to 6‑1. While quarterback Josh Allen will take on Lamar Jackson, offensive coordinator Joe Brady admits the team isn’t satisfied despite an NFL‑best 32.8 points per game. He points to defensive woes—allowing 28.5 points and 386.8 yards per game, the league’s third‑most and second‑most respectively—and nine turnovers. The Bills’ recent 33‑30 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders highlighted Allen’s 23‑of‑33, 2 TD effort and James Cook’s 95 rushing yards, but key players like Dalton Kincaid, DJ Moore and Ed Oliver remain questionable.
Lamar Jackson returns to full practice on Oct. 29 after missing three games with a high‑ankle sprain, putting the Ravens’ offense back on track ahead of their Week 8 road clash with the Buffalo Bills. While Jackson is listed as a full participant, defensive linchpins safety Kyle Hamilton and linebacker Roquan Smith skipped Wednesday’s session, alongside guard Olaivavega Ioane (knee) and veteran Calais Campbell (rest). Baltimore went 1‑2 without Jackson, including a loss to the Bengals, and he had logged 967 yards, six TDs and one INT before the injury. Jackson’s game status will be confirmed later in the week.
During the Bills’ Week 7 bye, quarterback Josh Allen steps away from the gridiron to enjoy a beach getaway with wife Hailee Steinfeld and newborn daughter Harper. The 30‑year‑old calls watching his daughter grow “the coolest thing ever,” noting the break lets him focus on family instead of football. Allen says fatherhood has made him softer and more emotional, and he watched far less NFL action this week, prioritizing "dad duty" over the usual game prep.
Bills right tackle Spencer Brown opened up about the back injury he suffered in Week 5 against the Rams and the aggressive pain‑management protocol that kept him on the field for the Las Vegas Raiders game. He joked he took “enough drugs to sedate a small elephant,” a treatment cleared by the NFL, and said coach Joe Brady trusts him to be ready whenever. Brown missed Wednesday’s practice, remains questionable for the upcoming Ravens matchup, and the Bills could turn to Tylan Grable if the issue lingers. The team aims to protect its 5‑1 record heading into the AFC North clash at Highmark Stadium.
Seven weeks into the 2026 NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams remain an enigma. After a surprising loss to the 49ers on an international road trip, they fell to playoff‑bound foes Denver, Buffalo and Arizona, while their only wins came against a battered Giants, an injury‑hit Eagles squad and a struggling Raiders team. Injuries have shuffled the quarterback room from Jaxson Dart to Jameis Winston to JJ McCarthy, and key playmakers have missed time. With a daunting stretch looming – Green Bay before Thanksgiving, then the Chiefs, 49ers, Cowboys and Seahawks – the Rams' true identity won’t emerge until the season’s final stretch, possibly after the bye week brings back players like Myles Garrett and Davante Adams.
The Buffalo Bills are evaluating the health of WR DJ Moore and DT Ed Oliver after they missed the last two games before the Week 7 bye. Both practiced at a limited level Wednesday, with Moore still rehabbing a left shoulder injury sustained in Week 2 and aggravated against New England, and Oliver nursing a knee issue from the same game. The team’s injury report lists six other players with limited participation, but none of the designations guarantee Sunday’s matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Final statuses will be released Friday.
ESPN projects the Buffalo Bills have a 78% chance to clinch the AFC East title as of Oct. 28, 2026, reflecting their strong early-season performance and quarterback Josh Allen’s playmaking. The Bills sit ahead of the New England Patriots, though the division race remains tight. ESPN notes the forecast can shift due to injuries or unexpected results, emphasizing that consistent play against divisional foes will be key to turning the projection into a championship.
The Baltimore Ravens sign veteran offensive guard Michael Jordan—no relation to the basketball legend—just days before facing Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Week 8. The Ohio State product, drafted by the Bengals in 2019, has played 78 NFL games with 49 starts for teams including the Panthers and Patriots. His quirky name sparks a flood of social‑media jokes and memes, with fans joking about “the GOAT” and “another ring.” While the signing may not overhaul the line, the buzz adds extra intrigue to the Ravens‑Bills showdown on Oct. 28, 2026.
The Buffalo Bills return to practice on Wednesday, but offensive lineman Spencer Brown remains out with a lingering back injury despite a bye-week rest. Several players have limited drills, including CB Dee Alford (ankle), OLB Bradley Chubb (chest/thumb), TE Dalton Kincaid (chest), WR DJ Moore (shoulder), DL Ed Oliver (knee), OLB TJ Parker (knee) and DL T.J. Sanders (shoulder). Wide receiver Tyrell Shavers, cleared from the PUP list after ACL surgery, now has until the week before Thanksgiving to rejoin the roster. G Ar’maj Reed‑Adams practices fully, while CB Christian Benford, ILB Terrel Bernard, WR Keon Coleman, DL Landon Jackson and WR Josh Palmer are off the injury list. The Ravens also report Lamar Jackson’s high‑ankle sprain as he prepares to face Buffalo this weekend.
Buffalo Rumblings examines Colts safety Cam Bynum as a potential trade target before the NFL deadline on Nov. 10. The 28‑year‑old, a former 4th‑round pick who has logged over 5,000 snaps and 137 tackles in 2023, now earns $10 M in 2026 with a projected cost of a 2027 early Round 3 pick – possibly a fourth‑round if the Colts budge. Bynum’s durability (only three missed games) and 8.8% missed‑tackle rate make him a strong candidate to replace a suspended C.J. Gardner‑Johnson in Buffalo’s secondary. The article weighs his solid tackling, ball skills from his cornerback days, and modest coverage concerns against the draft‑pick price, suggesting a fourth‑round offer could be worthwhile.
Wednesday’s NFL roster moves see the 49ers trade a 2027 fourth‑round pick to the Colts for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, while also releasing DB Jack Jones. The Bills elevate WR Tyrell Shavers from the PUP list, and the Commanders add WR Van Jefferson, place Terry McLaurin on IR, and return DT Jer’Zhan Newton from IR. The Chiefs bring K Justin Tucker to the practice squad and bring DT Omarr Norman‑Lott back from PUP. Notable practice‑squad signings include TE Carsen Ryan (Browns), WR Zay Jones (Cardinals), and RB Jaydon Blue (Eagles).