NFL week eight preview: Five key talking points including Green Bay Packers vs Denver Broncos and and another London showdown
Bryant returns for the Cowboys, battle of the No 1 draft picks in Indianapolis and Big Ben is bak for the Pittsburgh Steelers
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Your support makes all the difference.Five teams are unbeaten heading into Week 8 for the first time in NFL history, but one perfect start is certain to end when the Green Bay Packers take on the Denver Broncos. Week 8 also features a clash between the number one picks from 2011 and 2012, the return of two star players and a game in London for consecutive Sunday’s.
Packers meet Broncos in a clash of the unbeaten teams
Five unbeaten teams remain and two of them meet on Sunday night as the Denver Broncos host the Green Bay Packers.
Denver’s defence has papered over the cracks of Peyton Manning’s offence. The Broncos defence ranks first in yards allowed per game (281.3) and sacks (26) and fourth in interceptions (nine). The offence is responsible for 39 percent of Denver’s points, showing just how large the contribution from defence and special teams has been.
Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers and a sturdy defence have propelled the Packers to a 6-0 start. Rodgers is having another MVP-calibre season and the Packers’ 16.8 points conceded per game leads the league.
Something must give in the standout game of Week 8.
London is treated to an NFL game in back-to-back weeks
The NFL continues to take the International Series one step further each year and on Sunday Wembley Stadium will host its second NFL game in consecutive Sunday’s for the first time.
Last week’s game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills will be a tough act to follow for the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, who conclude the 2015 International Series. Blake Bortles’ last-ditch touchdown to Allen Hurns capped the best game Wembley Stadium has witnessed.
Neither the Chiefs or the Lions will be concerned about that, though. Both teams will be focussed on earning a much-needed win. The Chiefs recovered from five straight losses by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday for just their second win of the season, while Detroit’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday leaves them at 1-6.
Bryant expected to return for the Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys’ Week 1 game against the New York Giants was a bittersweet one.
They won thanks to Jason Witten’s last-ditch touchdown, but All-Pro receiver Dez Bryant broke a bone in his right foot and hasn’t featured since.
So Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones’ comments that Bryant is “on target to play” in Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks is welcome news for a team that is 1-4 since Bryant’s injury.
Battle of the number one overall picks in Indianapolis
In 2011 Cam Newton was taken with the first pick of the draft. A year later it was Andrew Luck’s turn to receive such honours.
The two square off for the first time on Monday night in what promises to be an exciting matchup. Newton’s Carolina Panthers are unbeaten while Luck has endured an uncharacteristic season with the 3-4 Indianapolis Colts.
Newton and Luck have certainly proven themselves worthy of their number one overall selections. Newton has been to two Pro Bowl’s and was the Rookie of the Year in 2011. Luck has three Pro Bowl appearances and has taken the Colts to the postseason in each of his three seasons.
This season has been Luck’s worst in the league, his accuracy at just 56.2 percent and his interceptions already at nine. Meanwhile, Newton is earning praise for leading a team with few offensive stars to a 6-0 start. A rivalry to follow the Brady-Manning one? It’s possible.
Steelers boosted by Roethlisberger’s return
Ben Roethlisberger was a full participant in Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practice, a sure sign that he will play on Sunday for the first time since Week 3.
Roethlisberger has recovered from a sprained MCL sustained against the St. Louis Rams in time for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers have lost two games in Roethlisberger’s absence and have started both Michael Vick and Landry Jones at quarterback.
Victory for the Bengals would likely seal the AFC North for Marvin Lewis’s unbeaten team, but the task becomes considerably more difficult with Big Ben’s return.
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