Week 8 Scores

Doug Martin

Buccaneers over Vikings 36-17

Bears over Panthers 23-22

Browns over Chargers 7-6

Lions over Seahawks 28-24

Packers over Jaguars 24-15

Dolphins over Jets 30-9

Falcons over Eagles 30-17

Steelers over Redskins 27-12

Patriots over Rams 45-7

Colts over Titans 19-13 (OT)

Raiders over Chiefs 26-16

Giants over Cowboys 29-24

Broncos over Saints 34-14

49ers over Cardinals 24-3

Best Pictures (Week 8)

NFLR Videos: Arian Foster

In our first highlight video released to the public, The NFL Report brings the many great runs of the star rusher Arian Foster. The Texans running back is the undisputed number one running back in the NFL, and it will be interesting to see how he finishes his already accomplished season.

Fantasy Football: Running Backs (Week 8)

Alfred Morris (Washington Post)

1. Arian Foster: Houston's number one running back is the undisputed number one fantasy player at his position. His speed, elusiveness, and power makes him an intimidating force on the field. Entering Houston's Week 8 bye, Foster has yet to score less than fourteen points for his fantasy owners in a given week. The road that lies ahead is an easy one for this star running back, and you can count on him to consistently rake in double digit points.
(Stats: 659 rushing yards, 10 total TDs, 127 fantasy points)

2. Ray Rice: Though he is not quite as consistent as Foster, Ray Rice has the ability to alter fantasy football games. With only two games under the ten point mark, Rice averages 14.3 fantasy points per game, which puts him at number two in the league. Though he does not have any receiving touchdowns this season, Rice's receiving skills adds a whole other dimension to his game.
(Stats: 524 rushing yards, 5 total TDs, 100 fantasy points)

3. Adrian Peterson: Even an ACL tear can't keep Adrian Peterson from dominating the league. His 13.1 points per game puts him at fifth in the league, but yardage has not been a problem for this star. Though he only has four rushing touchdowns, the 775 rushing yards is a positive sign for the future.
(Stats: 775 rushing yards, 4 total TDs, 92 fantasy points)

4. Alfred Morris: RGIII isn't the only offensive star in Washington. In the first seven weeks of Morris' 2012 season, he has scored five rushing touchdown, giving him an average of 13.3 fantasy points per game. His consistent play makes him the perfect running back for those who wish to succeed in their fantasy football leagues.
(Stats: 658 rushing yards, 5 total TDs, 93 fantasy points)

5. Jamaal Charles: A slow start to his comeback season left many fantasy owners wondering why they spent so much for this struggling rusher. Then, in Week 3, Charles turned into the old Jamaal Charles, rushing for 233 yards and 1 touchdown. Since that game, Charles has been consistently gaining great yardage, and his Week 7 bye should make him well rested for the road ahead.
(Stats: 591 rushing yards, 3 total TDs, 81 fantasy points)

Week 8 Predictions

     Its about time Chris Johnson! Tennessee's speedy running back, the same one who rushed for 2,000 yards several years ago, started off his 2012 campaign very poorly. Though he had his flashes of brilliance, Johnson was unable to score a rushing touchdown, no matter how many yards he gained. Then, in Week 7, Johnson exploded against the Bills defense, rushing for 195 yards and two touchdowns. However, Johnson's extraordinary play was not the only headline we gained from Week 7. Football fans finally got a taste of Houston's dominance in the AFC. The Texans overpowered a very good Ravens team, with a final score of 43-13. Last but not least, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has returned to MVP stature. His six touchdowns against Houston two weeks prior was the beginning of it all, and St. Louis had a difficult time of stopping him as well. Week 8's schedule is not the best we've seen so far, but like always, Sunday's action will be worth tuning in to.

Trent Richardson (USP)

Game to Watch: Falcons @ Eagles: After a bye week kept them from play last Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons are undefeated entering Week 8. Unfortunately for Atlanta fans, their return will not be an easy one. Tomorrow, this high powered offense will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles, a team whose start to the 2012 season has not been exceptional, but they are still a decent enough team to take down Atlanta at home. Apart from his last game, Matt Ryan has increased the quality of his play from last season, so far passing for 1,756 yards, 14 touchdowns, and a passer rating just below 99. His wide receiver corp, consisting of Roddy White, Julio Jones, and Tony Gonzalez, has provided him with many opportunities to gain big yardage. On the contrary, Philadelphia's quarterback Michael Vick has been struggling since his MVP nomination two years ago. Vick has had extreme difficulty maintaing possession, with a whopping fourteen turnovers (8 interceptions, 6 fumbles) through Week 8.  His number two wide receiver in Jeremy Maclin appears to be fully recovered from a hip injury, and along side DeSean Jackson, this corp has the potential to be lethal. Atlanta's defense has the edge over Philly's, but the fact that Atlanta is playing on the road hurts their chances at an undefeated season.
Falcons over Eagles 31-17


Stand Out Performance: QB Peyton Manning: Since his return to the NFL this past season, Peyton Manning has proven he has enough left in the tank. Denver stands atop the AFC West, and their quarterback is the main reason why. Within the past three games, Manning has thrown for 3 touchdowns and over 300 passing yards in each contest. Manning's two favorite targets are Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, neither one appearing to have the athletic edge over the other. His Week 8 opponent will be the struggling Saints defense, where the secondary found in Louisiana has been unable to stop the pass. The Saints defense averages exactly two passing touchdowns a game, along with 319 yards allowed per game. The hot streak seen by Peyton Manning is bound to continue when Denver takes on the Saints at home, and fantasy owners should be more than willing to start this star.
Peyton Manning: 400 passing yards, 4 TDs


Player to Watch: RB Chris Johnson: Fans knew there was trouble after Chris Johnson's first game of the 2012 season, where this once shining star rushed for just 4 yards against New England. The following week he added just 17 yards, and the week after that was 24. Then, Johnson surprised everyone by rushing for 100 hundred yards against the Houston Texans. This performance excited fantasy owners everywhere, but once again he del short with 0 fantasy points the following week. Finally, Johnson was able to put together two very good games back to back, one against Pittsburgh, the other against Buffalo. Last week on the road against Buffalo was by far his best outing of the year. His statistics consisted of 195 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns, where one of his scores was an 83 yard run. This roller coaster ride of a season appears to be at its apex, the question is, how long will it last?


Week 8 Predictions:

Buccaneers over Vikings

Bears over Panthers

Chargers over Browns

Seahawks over Lions

Packers over Jaguars

Jets over Dolphins

Falcons over Eagles

Steelers over Redskins

Patriots over Rams

Colts over Titans

Raiders over Chiefs

Giants over Cowboys

Broncos over Saints

49ers over Cardinals (OT)

Last Week: 11-1

2012 Season: 61-40 (60%)

Fantasy Football: Quarterbacks (Week 8)

David Welker/Getty Images

1. Drew Brees: Even with a BYE week under his belt, Drew Brees, according to ESPN's standard scoring system, has the third most fantasy points as of Week 8. Unlike Rodgers and RGII whom are both ahead of him, Brees has yet to post single digit fantasy points. His average of 24.2 points per game is unprecedented, and with Jimmy Graham returning as a healthy starter, make sure your starting this guy for the next 10 games.
(Stats: 2,097 passing yards, 19 total TDs, 145 fantasy points)

2. Robert Griffin III: After seven weeks of football, there is no longer any dispute of who the better rookie quarterback is after their first season; Andrew Luck or RGIII. Griffin has been extraordinary in fantasy football, making all of his fantasy owners happy each and every Sunday. However, the only reason he did not earn the number one spot over Brees is his injury concern. Like any quarterback who enjoys running from the pocket, there is always a huge fantasy risk for their owners.
(Stats: 1,601 passing yards, 13 total TDs, 158 fantasy points)

3. Aaron Rodgers: Many were somewhat disappointed by Rodgers after flopping in his first three games. Then he picked up from where he left off last season, throwing for six touchdowns against the elite Houston defense. He proved the 38 fantasy point game was no fluke by throwing for three more touchdowns against St. Louis. Rodgers may have started off modestly, but he has finally hit his stride.
(Stats: 1,979 passing yards, 19 total TDs, 155 fantasy points)

4. Tom Brady: Similar to our number one quarterback (Drew Brees), Tom Brady has yet to fall beneath the ten point mark in a specific week. His numbers are not quite off the charts, but consistency is a large part of his fantasy value.
(Stats: 2,104 passing yards, 14 total TDs, 134 fantasy points)

5. Matt Ryan: After a hot start to his 2012 season, Ryan's stats have gradually decreased since Week 4, and his 8 fantasy points last Sunday against Oakland hurts his stock. However, Ryan has one of the most talented receiving corps in the league surrounding him, so a stellar performance against Philly next week would not be a surprise.
(Stats: 1,756 passing yards, 15 total TDs, 118 fantasy points)

Best Pictures (Week 7)

Perry Knots/NFL

Stephan Savoia/AP Photo

Michael Keating/AP Photo

Dave Einsel/AP Photo

Bill Wippert/AP Photo

Perry Knots

Ric Tapia/NFL

Week 7 Predictions

     It is now the seventh week of football, and just one undefeated team remains. Houston was demolished by Aaron Rodgers (six touchdowns) and the Packers AT HOME. Now that Atlanta has a bye week, they will stay undefeated up until Week 8. Week 7 marks the return of two big names for the first time this season. First is reigning Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs, who is expected to play Sunday against Houston. Second is Jonathan Vilma, who has been activated from the PUP list, and will be vital for New Orleans success. Tomorrow has several highly anticipated games to go along with the return of these big names, and The NFL Report will fill you in on everything you need to know.


Game to Watch: Ravens at Texans: As I mentioned before, Houston is coming off of a devastating loss to a struggling Packer squad, and will look to redeem themselves. Running back Arian Foster has been unstoppable in 2012, with 7 rushing touchdowns in his first 6 games. Baltimore's defense lost two key players, linebacker Ray Lewis and cornerback Lardarius Webb, and may struggle without these two leaders. However, the return of Suggs adds a whole new dimension to their game, and hopefully he can start off his 2012 season with a bang. On the hand, we have Ray Rice, all star running back, going up against an even more talented defense. Rice has not been equal to Foster in terms of consistency, but he is also coming off of a two touchdown performance against Dallas. The difference maker in this game will be the quality of passing for both sides. Matt Schaub and Joe Flacco are having very similar seasons, with the edge likey going to Flacco. This makes up for a very good game on Sunday, and it will be expected that Houston can pull out a tough win at home.
Texans over Ravens: 24-21


Stand Out Performance: QB Eli Manning: Eli Manning has been outshined by the other Manning in the family so far this season, but he is still putting up impressive numbers. Victor Cruz has been extroidanry so far, and is Manning's number one wide receiver in 2012. However, it will be expected that the Washington double teams this star. Luckily, receiver Hakeem Nicks' knee injury is improving, and hopefully he will be ready to go by tomorrow's game. The Redskins defense has struggled when defending their end zone, allowing the most passing yards and passing touchdowns in the NFL. Eli has proven he can pick apart struggling defenses, and this NFC North matchup should not be any different.
Eli Manning: 390 passing yards, 4 passing TDs


Player to Watch: LB Terrell Suggs: Pro Bowl linebacker terrell Suggs could not have chosen a better time to return. As Baltimore goes up against the playoff contenders known as the Houston Texans, this defense will rely heavily on Suggs' leadership. The loss of Ray Lewis is a devastating blow, but his presence proved to be not as important as expected when he missed several games in 2011. Keep in mind though, Suggs was unstoppable at that point in time, and it will be interesting to see how well the award winner can play after a serious injury. Arian Foster will be a difficult test for Suggs and his injury but if he is 90% or above, the Texans may need to change their offensive game plan for Sunday.
Terrell Suggs: 2 total tackles


Week 7 Predictions:

Bills over Titans (OT)

Cowboys over Cowboys

Houston over Ravens

Colts over Browns

Vikings over Cardinals

Giants over Redskins

Packers over Rams

Saints over Buccaneers (OT)

Patriots over Jets

Raiders over Jaguars

Steelers over Bengals

Bears over Lions

Last Week: 6-7

2012 Season: 50-39 (56%)

Best Pictures (Week 6)

Week 6 Predictions

     Entering Week 6, Green Bay finds themselves with a losing record, a rare occurrence since Aaron Rodgers took the reigns as head quarterback. However, Rodgers has been sub-par throughout the 2012 season ( 4 interceptions compared to his 6 in 2011). Their 2-3 record will be put to the test when they face Houston on the road, a highly talented team who has yet to lose this season. Surprisingly, this game has not been named game of the week, which is awarded to the NFC Championship rematch; New York at San Francisco. Both teams have changed since their famous match-up last January. There is a lot in store for Sunday's action, and The NFL Report has got you covered.

JJ Watt (Tony Gutierrez/AP PHoto)

Game to Watch: Giants @ 49ers: After an upsetting loss to Minnesota on the road, San Francisco has been mowing through defenses as well as restricting opposing offenses to few points on the scoreboard. Before the loss to Minnesota, the 49ers defeated two other playoff contenders in the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. As they face off against the New York Giants in Week 6, San Francisco enters the game with a chip on their shoulder. Last year's NFC Championship game ended in the most dramatic fashion; a game winning kick. As we all know, New York went on to win the Super Bowl, and some of their luck has rubbed off into the 2012 season. They have not played like champions since their win on the grand stage. Two losses, one to Dallas, the other to Philadelphia, create a record of 3-2, a mark that still keeps them in contention for the NFC North title. The offense has thrived so far, ranking third in passing yards and second in total offense. However, the momentum of San Francisco should make it a decisive win at home against the new found rivals.
49ers over Giants 27-10


Stand Out Performance: WR AJ Green: Sophomore wide receiver AJ Green proved his rookie season was not a fluke, surviving the 2nd year curse. Green and Dalton have a tangible chemistry on the field, which is why this star wide receiver is succeeding in 2012. In each of his last four games, Green has scored one touchdown, two of games in which he surpassed the 100 yard receiving mark. His Week 6 matchup is against the Cleveland Browns, a team who ranked 26th in receiving yards allowed and 28th in receiving touchdowns. Green is bound to be successful in handing his fantasy owners large portions of fantasy points in Week 6. Be sure to start this up and coming star.
AJ Green: 130 receiving yards, 2 TDs


Player to Watch: QB Alex Smith: Who would have thought Alex Smith would be the most well rounded passer in the league after five weeks of football. Smith has a league leading passer rating of 108.7, and though he has not thrown the same number of passes as Drew Brees or Tom Brady, Smith's numbers have improved substantially. The success of Alex Smith has led to a greater success from his team overall. Since 2009, Smith's interception number has gradually decreased, reaching five by 2011. As of today, that number stands at 1, and the New York's pass rush might prove as a challenge for this former first round pick.
Alex Smith: 180 passing yards, 1 passing TD, 1 rushing TD


Week 6 Predictions:

Falcons over Raiders

Ravens over Cowboys

Bengals over Browns (OT)

Rams over Dolphins

Jets over Colts

Eagles over Lions

Buccaneers over Chiefs

Cardinals over Bills

Seahawks over Patriots

49ers over Giants

Vikings over Redskins

Texans over Packers

Broncos over Chargers

Last Week: 10-3

2012 Season: 44-32 (58%)

Best Pictures (Week 5)

Week 5 Sunday Headlines

     In this weeks wrap-up of Sunday's events, the amount of content to write about was not as vast as in several weeks prior. There were few upsets, not that many outstanding performances, and above all, just a boring week of football. What am I saying, every week is a great week for football. Without further ado here are the three best story lines from Sunday's action.

Alex Smith

1. Brady survives a late Denver comeback: Entering Foxborough's game, Brady seemed like the ultimate favorite over Payton Manning and the Denver Broncos. Throughout the first half, New England was not exactly flawless, but were able to put points on the board. With just four minutes left in the third quarter, New England was up 31-7, and many presumed the game was all but over. Then, Manning completed a two yard pass to Eric Decker, making it a seventeen point game. Nearly half a quarter went by before Manning returned to the red zone, completing a pass to Brandon Stokley, a ten point game with six minutes left. Then, in Denver's territory, running back Stevan Ridley fumbled the ball, handing back the ball to Manning and the Broncos. Denver had no problems marching up the field until they reached the 14 yard line. Then, Willis McGhee mimicked Ridley by coughing up the football, sealing the deal for New England. Brady out played Manning in one of the greatest quarterback series of all time.

2. RGIII leaves with an injury: With 6:12 left on the clock against a very talented Falcons team, RGIII went down with a head injury. There were two criticisms involving the loss of RGIII, one blaming the defender, the other blaming RGIIIs own coach. First, it appeared that the Falcons defender hit the opposing team's quarterback very late in the play. Even if Griffin was yet to be ruled down, the nature of the hit was extremely unnecessary, such that he could have easily put two hands on him and the play would have ended. Secondly, the NFL is criticizing head coach Mike Shanahan for not providing enough information on the seriousness of Griffin's state. The league is reviewing Shanahan's behavior, but it has been provided that RGIII will be expected to play next week against Minnesota.

3. Luck upsets the Pack: At one point in this afternoon's game, Luck and the Colts found themselves down to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers by a grand total of 18 points. Then, over the course of one full quarter, Indianapolis scored 19 unanswered points, giving the Colts a one point lead. However, the lead did not last very long, and soon, the Packers were up 27-21. Then, with 0:35 left on the clock, Luck found Reggie Wayne for a late touchdown, and Rodgers had little time to work with. However, Rodgers completed three quick passes, setting up Mason Crosby for a 51 yard field goal attempt. Unfortunately, Crosby hooked the field goal wide left, giving Luck the first comeback win of his career.

Week 5 Predictions

     Two undefeated teams remain in the NFL after Thursday night's upset. Arizona entered the game 4-0 before having to face the St. Louis Rams, a team the Cardinals thought little of. However, the Rams defensive line was able to knock Kolb to the ground multiple times, too many for him to get in a groove. We also witnessed star wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald drop several passes, something rare to be seen from this freak of nature. Entering Sunday, we have the quarterback match-up between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, a rivalry that has lasted for over a decade. The game of the week between New England and Denver is a highlight of our weekend, and hopefully Week 5 lives up to the hype.

Darren Sproles (Streeter Lecka)

Game to Watch: Broncos @ Patriots: For the first time since Payton Manning's neck surgery, we will see two all time greats square off against each other. Their last match up ended with a final tally of 31-28 in favor of New England, and, similar to most of their games, it came down to the wire. Though 8 games have finished within a touchdown or less, between these two quarterbacks, Tom Brady leads the series 8-4. Denver is coming off of a dominant win over the Oakland Raiders, improving Denver's overall record to 2-2. The main problem for the Broncos has been their extremely rigorous schedule. Houston, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, New England have all been opponents within the first 5 weeks. New England on the other hand did not start 2012 the way they would have liked at 1-2, but a 51 point game over a decent Buffalo defense sets them up perfectly for tomorrow. Brady has not been able to put the same amount of points on the board as he did in 2012, but otherwise, his statistics are almost identical through four weeks. Sunday should not be much of a defensive battle, but Peyton Manning historically has flustered in Foxborough, therefore the Patriots are tomorrow's favorites.
Patriots over Broncos 31-20


Stand Out Performance: Matt Ryan: The quarterback out of Boston College has finally lived up to his first round potential. Atlanta has managed to find success since the 2008 draft, but never in such a dominant fashion as we have seen this year. Ryan has posted MVP like numbers, passing for 1,162 yards with 12 total touchdowns. By far his most outstanding statistic falls under the passer rating category, where Ryan has thrown for a rating above 100 in each of his past four games. His flawless season has allowed Atlanta to start undefeated at 4-0, taking advantage of New Orleans' struggles. Next up in the schedule for Atlanta is RGIII and the Redskins, a large obstacle in the Falcons quest for perfection. Although Washington's offense has done well, the defense has been absolutely atrocious, allowing the most passing touchdowns (11) and the second most passing yards (326.2). Even if Atlanta is unable to come out on top, Atlanta's quarterback will have a heck of a game.
Matt Ryan: 325 yards, 3 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD


Player to Watch: RB Fred Jackson: After a fractured fibula kept him from playing in almost half of the 2011 season, Fred Jackson suffered yet another injury in Week 1. His return against the Patriots last Sunday was not all that glamorous, and the fact that he will be facing a very good run defense in San Francisco does not help. However, Buffalo does not want to give Spiller many carries due to his own injury, therefore they are handing off the ball to their original starter. If Jackson is able to do well, Buffalo will have the best running tandem in the National Football League. His success would help this franchise reach the playoffs once again, and San Francisco is the first step in doing so.
Fred Jackson: 75 rushing yards, 1 receiving TD


Week 5 Predictions:

Bengals over Dolphins

Packers over Colts

Ravens over Chiefs (OT)

Giants over Browns

Steelers over Eagles

Falcons over Redskins

Panthers over Seahawks

Bears over Jaguars

Vikings over Titans

Patriots over Broncos

49ers over Bills

Saints over Chargers

Texans over Jets

Last Week: 9-6

2012 Season: 34-29 (54%)

The NFL Report: Important Announcement

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Best Pictures (Week 4)

Paul Spinelli

Paul Sancya/AP Photo

Stephen Morton

Ric Tapia/NFL

Matt York/AP Photo