A full 16-game slate is on tap this week. What makes Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season so interesting is that 10 of the matchups are of the interconference variety.
After two weeks, the NFC owned a 6-0 lead in the head-to-head standings. After seven weeks of action, the AFC now owns the upper hand, 20-13.
All three of this week's favored teams will face a club from the other conference.
3. Atlanta Falcons (at Titans)
A season ago, Arthur Smith's Falcons finished last in the woeful NFC South. Then again, none of the four teams in the division finished above .500 in 2022. If you include the champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers' home playoff disaster vs. the Cowboys, each of these clubs lost 10 games this past season.
So far, it's been a season of ups and downs for the Falcons. The team opened 2-0, dropped consecutive games to the Lions and Jaguars (the latter in London) and now has won two of its last three contests. The things that stand out the most so far with this club is that it's 2-0 vs. division foes and 3-2 within the conference.
Something else that's very noteworthy is that only the Browns and Ravens are allowing fewer total yards per game this season. That's quite the contrast from a year ago, when Smith's squad ranked 27th in total defense. Atlanta is also in the NFL's Top 10 vs. the run (8th) and the pass (7th). The Falcons have allowed just 12 offensive touchdowns in seven games, 11 of those through the air. That means just one via the ground.
The Titans return to action after a week off. Five of the team's eight offensive TDs have come via the ground. Three of those are courtesy of Derrick Henry. That Falcons defense faces a severe test this week at Nashville, regardless of Tennessee's disappointing 2-4 record.
2. Seattle Seahawks (vs. Browns)
After a very disappointing Week 1 home loss to the Rams, the Seahawks have bounced back to win four of their last five games. With the first-place San Francisco 49ers stumbling twice after a 5-0 start, Pete Carroll's club finds himself one-half game out of the top spot in the NFC West.
Offensively, the Seahawks have not been sharp in their past two outings. A 17-13 loss at Cincinnati was followed by last Sunday's lackadaisical 20-10 home win over the basement-dwelling Arizona Cardinals. Quarterback Geno Smith has been sloppy the past two weeks. There were zero touchdown passes and a pair of interceptions vs. the Bengals. Smith threw for two scores vs. the Cards but was picked off once and lost his first fumble of the season.
In their last two games, the Cleveland Browns proved they could survive a defensive battle and also prevail in a shootout. A 19-17 surprise of the 49ers was followed by a 39-38 victory at Indianapolis. Deshaun Watson started the game for Kevin Stefanski's team, but quarterback P.J. Walker, running back Kareem Hunt and defensive end Myles Garrett came up big in Sunday's comeback win.
The Browns will be in Seattle on Sunday. Cleveland's defense could be too much for Smith, especially if his recent turnover issues continue.
1. San Francisco 49ers (vs. Bengals)
Cue the "what's wrong with the 49ers" talk. After looking like the best team in the league and flexing their muscles on both sides of the ball, Kyle Shanahan's club has dropped two straight games after an impressive 5-0 start. The Niners scored exactly 17 points in setbacks to the Browns and Vikings, this after the team put 30-plus points on the board during its unbeaten start.
So, what is troubling the NFC West leaders? Quarterback Brock Purdy has not been super sharp the past few weeks. After not throwing an interception in the team's first five games, he's been picked off three times in two weeks. The kicking game has been erratic as rookie Jake Moody has missed on three of his last five field goal attempts.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the 49ers' performance has been the play of its supremely talented defense. It gave up a season-high 160 yards rushing in the two-point loss at Cleveland. On Monday night at Minnesota, coordinator Steve Wilks's unit surrendered a season-high 452 total yards, most of that through the air. Vikings' quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 378 yards and wasn't sacked in his team's 22-17 triumph.
The Cincinnati Bengals are in San Francisco on Sunday. Zac Taylor's club had last week off and is looking to build off two straight wins. Will the Niners' slide continue?
