NFL Sunday Week 8 Games Ranked By Watchability

Each week this season, OutKick will get you primed for an NFL Sunday on the couch by telling you which games deserve the most attention. For Week 8, here we go...

NFL Games Worth Watching From Opening Kick Until Final Whistle

Main storyline: As a Dolphins fans, this pains me. But this is easily the best of the early afternoon games. The Jets are desperate to prove that they belong and beating the Patriots is a major step towards that goal. But this also feels like the perfect spot for them to fail miserably, like the Jets usually do.

Main Storyline: OutKick's Armando Salguero wrote a detailed piece on why this is the Game of the Week, which you can read here.

Main storyline: This feels like a game that should matter. Aaron Rodgers vs. Josh Allen. What a matchup! But the Packers stink. And the Bills are 12-point favorites.

Games To Flip To During Commercials Of Better Games

Main Storyline: Kirk Cousins is better than you think. Hopefully if I say that enough, people will believe it. I've long been a defender of Cousins and with a 5-1 start, it will make seem less insane. So, I'm pulling for the Vikes in this one.

Main storyline: Christian McCaffrey will likely get his first full compliment of snaps against as a 49er, and the fact that it will come against the team who almost traded for him makes it better. The 49ers are a legitimate threat to win the NFC and they need to beat the defensing NFC West champs to cement that idea.

I Guess It's OK If This Game Shows Up On NFL RedZone

Main Storyline: This game will probably being since both of these offenses are terrible. But the Cowboys need to keep pace with the undefeated Eagles and the Bears somehow have a chance to win the NFC North. They won't, but it's fun that they're in the conversation.

Main Storyline: The battle of PA is usually enjoyable to watch, but the Steelers stink. The Eagles might actually be good, but I'm still not sold on Jalen Hurts. The Steelers defense can be good and I think Mike Tomlin will have some things in store for Hurts. Don't be surprised if this game ends up closer than you think.

If You're A Fan Of These Teams, I Guess You Might Care. But I Don't.

My level of apathy for the Sunday slate in Week 8 is fully borne out in this tier. The majority of the games, frankly, I just don't care all that much about. Thank God for NFL RedZone.

Main Storyline: This is only in this tier because you're forced to watch it if you're up early enough. There is nothing interesting about this game. Russell Wilson is a disaster. The Jaguars were fun for 2.5 games and then they turned back into the Jaguars.

Main Storyline: Miami should win this game easily, but as a Dolphins fan, I know nothing comes easily for them. This actually could be a fun game, since both teams have good athletes. But, as the tier implies, you probably have to be a fan to care.

Main Storyline: There are a lot of Saints and Raiders fans across the USA, so there is probably some interest in this game. Just not from me.

Main Storyline: The Colts have turned the reins over to Sam Ehlinger, which is interesting if you like below average quarterbacks. I don't and this this game is not one that I'll be paying much attention to on Sunday.

If These Games Show Up On My TV, I'm Punting It Off My Back Deck

Main Storyline: Technically, this game somehow matters for the NFC South because the division is so bad. The current starting quarterbacks are Tom Brady ... and then Andy Dalton, Marcus Mariota and PJ Walker. Yikes. The Panthers are in the midst of a complete fire sale and the Falcons run the ball more than almost every team in the league -- excluding the Bears -- and don't even give their fun players like Kyle Pitts or Drake London many opportunities to do anything. There is almost nothing appealing about this football game.

Main Storyline: The only thing worse than the NFC South? The AFC South. The division continues to provide at least one team in this section every week, usually multiple. At some point, can we just fold that division up?

Written by
Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.