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Sports News

NFL Week 8 – What To Look Forward to From This Week’s Matchups

Credit: iStock

Mohamed Bughrara

Baltimore Ravens (5-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5), Ravens win 27-22

The Buccaneers’ bright first half suddenly vanished as the club returned to their 2022 norm, enabling the Baltimore Ravens to accomplish everything they wished for offensively. It probably doesn’t help that Tampa Bay couldn’t find any offensive consistency in the last three quarters. The Buccaneers fell to 3-5 after suffering their fifth defeat in six games, falling 27-22 at home to the Baltimore Ravens.

On Thursday night, both teams sustained serious injuries. The Ravens were without receivers Rashod Bateman (foot) and Mark Andrews (shoulder) for the first three quarters and running back Gus Edwards (hamstring) for the fourth. During the second half, the Buccaneers lost linebacker Shaquil Barrett. According to NFL Media, Barrett is believed to have suffered a torn Achilles.

This was definitely a statement game by Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to the rest of the league. Watch for the Ravens to climb back atop the AFC powerhouses.

Panthers (2-5) at Falcons (3-4), 1 p.m:

It’s difficult to envision a bigger upset in this NFL season than what the Panthers did last Sunday, demolishing Tom Brady and the Bucs 21-3 with third-string quarterback P.J. Walker at the helm, an interim coach in charge, and just days after trading their finest player, RB Christian McCaffrey.

Atlanta isn’t constructed to come back from a 21-0 hole, like it faced when it played Cincinnati. It must avoid getting into a hole and preventing P.J. Walker from having a game like he had versus Tampa Bay.