What to Look For Week 8 NFL -MeanGene "The Sports Machine" Sports Kings Podcast

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NFL ENTERS WEEK 8 AS 2018 SEASON APPROACHES MIDPOINT

As the season approaches the halfway point, the standings remain tight throughout the league as teams close out the month of October. Entering Week 8, there are 18 teams with a .500 or better winning percentage and 14 clubs with a winning record. Since 1990, 297 of the league’s 336 playoff teams (88 percent) had a winning record through seven games.

Through the first seven weeks of the season, 25 teams have at least three wins. Five teams – KANSAS CITY (6-1), the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (5-2), the LOS ANGELES RAMS (7-0), NEW ENGLAND (5-2) and NEW ORLEANS (5-1) – have at least five wins this season. Since 1990, when the current 12-team playoff format was adopted, 80 percent (205 of 256) of the previous teams to start 5-2 or better advanced to the postseason, including eight of the nine teams to begin the season 5-2 or better in 2017.

The Rams, who are 7-0 for the first time since 1985, lead the league in point differential (+107), rank third averaging 33.6 points per game and fourth in points allowed per game (18.3). Los Angeles running back TODD GURLEY, who scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) in Week 7, leads the NFL with 14 touchdowns this season and is the third different player in NFL history with at least 14 touchdowns in his team's first seven games to start a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM BROWN (15 in 1958) and PRIEST HOLMES (14 in 2002 and 14 in 2004). Defensively, Rams defensive tackle AARON DONALD leads the league with eight sacks and is one of three players in the NFL with at least 10 tackles for loss in 2018 (10).

On Sunday Night Football, a rematch of the 2017 NFC Divisional Playoff game between the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS and MINNESOTA VIKINGS takes center stage at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis (8:20 PM ET, NBC). In that contest, former Vikings quarterback CASE KEENUM connected on a 61-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver STEFON DIGGS as time expired in the fourth quarter, giving Minnesota a 29-24 victory and punching a ticket to the NFC Championship Game. Saints quarterback DREW BREES leads the NFL with a 77.3 completion percentage (170 completions in 220 attempts) and a 121.6 passer rating, and has 13 touchdown passes without an interception this season. Vikings quarterback KIRK COUSINS ranks third in the NFL with 2,162 passing yards and fifth with a 70.0 completion percentage (210 of 300), joining Atlanta’s MATT RYAN as the only quarterbacks with at least 2,000 passing yards and a 70+ completion percentage this season.

 

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