Week 8 brings a loaded NFL slate, with Ravens at Bills, Vikings at Lions, Browns at Steelers, Chiefs at Broncos and Bears at Seahawks headlining. Even the less glamorous games, Falcons at Buccaneers and Colts at Jaguars, carry real weight for divisional standings.
ESPN's Ben Solak uses his weekly column to lay out seven uncertain topics, things that might prove true but will take a few games to confirm. This week he argues the Chiefs should trade for a receiver, makes a case for Jared Goff as a sleeper MVP candidate, and backs Kevin Stefanski for Coach of the Year.
The Chiefs' struggles are central to the argument. Kansas City scored just three points against the Seahawks on Sunday night, only the second time in Patrick Mahomes' career his team has been held to three or fewer points. The offense recorded its fewest first downs, 11, in 153 Mahomes starts. Injuries piled up, with both starting tackles and two of three starting receivers unavailable, and Josh Simmons has been out all season.
The bigger picture is troubling for Kansas City. Rashee Rice has missed 27 of the 43 games he could have played since the start of the 2024 season due to injury or suspension. Xavier Worthy, a first-round receiver, remains unusable on most downfield routes. Solak argues the Chiefs were dramatically outmanned in Seattle, but their availability problems suggest a deeper issue that a trade may be needed to solve.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing