NFL Week 8 Highlights: Browns stun Ravens with Winston, Lions' dominant win, Eagles flying high

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27/10/2024 21h16

### Week 8 NFL Recap: Browns Upset Ravens, Lions Dominate Titans, Eagles Surge Past Bengals

**Browns Find Spark with Winston, Overcome Ravens**

In a crucial Week 8 matchup, the Cleveland Browns found new life with Jameis Winston at quarterback, leading them to a stunning 29-26 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Being the 39th starting quarterback for the Browns since 1999, Winston delivered an inspiring performance, completing 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards and three touchdowns. With strong protection from a nearly intact offensive line, Winston only faced pressure on 11 of his 43 dropbacks. His confident passing revitalized the Browns' offense, engaging key players like Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, and Cedric Tillman, who made seven catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns. This marks the first time since 2022 that a Browns quarterback has achieved over 300 passing yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in a game. More importantly, it raises questions about Deshaun Watson's future with the team.

The Ravens' performance, while statistically solid, was marred by critical mistakes. Lamar Jackson threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns, also contributing 335 total yards. Despite Derrick Henry's decent average of 6.6 yards per carry, the Ravens fell short due to missed opportunities and errors in execution. Rashod Bateman's dropped pass and Kyle Hamilton's missed interception were particularly costly, as was the defense's struggle against Tillman. The Ravens converted just 20% of their third-down attempts, a lapse that will weigh heavily as the postseason approaches.

**Lions Overwhelm Titans with Spectacular Plays**

Detroit Lions showed why they are a growing contender this season with a crushing 52-14 win over the Tennessee Titans. Detroit's offense sparked early with explosive drives, including a 70-yard touchdown run by Jahmyr Gibbs, and continued their dominance with three significant return plays. Khalil Dorsey's 72-yard kickoff return and Kalif Raymond's punt returns, including a 90-yard touchdown, epitomized the Lions' efficiency. This special teams performance contributed to Detroit’s overwhelming 262 return yards, the most in a game since at least 2018. Despite limited input required from QB Jared Goff, who threw three touchdown passes on just 15 attempts, Detroit demonstrated their prowess across all phases of the game.

The Titans, despite a strong start, succumbed to their own mistakes. Mason Rudolph directed the offense well initially, but turnovers and blunders on special teams and defense facilitated a Lions scoring spree of 38 unanswered points. Calvin Ridley's 143 yards on 10 catches went unnoticed in a game marred by widespread errors from Tennessee. The Titans’ collapse likely means they will be looking to trade key players as the deadline approaches.

**Eagles Continue Winning Streak with Defense and Balanced Offense**

The Philadelphia Eagles kept their momentum going with a third consecutive win, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 34-17. The Bengals started strong, amassing 175 yards in the first quarter, but failed to maintain their lead. The Eagles' defense tightened, forcing a key fourth-down stop and securing two turnovers in the third quarter. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson's interception and Zack Baun's forced fumble were pivotal in halting the Bengals, demonstrating the Eagles' best defensive showing of the season.

Offensively, Jalen Hurts led the charge with a multi-faceted performance, throwing for a score and running in three touchdowns. The Eagles managed to overcome the absence of three offensive starters, with contributions from DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, and Grant Calcaterra. Saquon Barkley added significant yardage in the second half, helping Philadelphia score more points after halftime than they had in four full games this season. The Eagles' ability to adapt and dominate late is a promising sign for their playoff ambitions.

In conclusion, Week 8 of the NFL season provided fans with thrilling performances and significant shifts, with the Browns, Lions, and Eagles making substantial impacts.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

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