The Lions may have had the week off, but many other teams were in action during some very meaningful games. Star performances were once again one of the main points of Week 8, and although not all of them led to a victory, they were all impressive. From blowouts to upsets, here's a recap of Week 8 of the 2006 NFL season.
Mixed Arsenal of Scoring Powers Ravens to Victory
The New Orleans Saints have been a feel-good story all season, but that doesn't mean that they would never lose in their home stadium again. After firing their offensive coordinator, the Baltimore Ravens came out firing against NO this weekend. The Ravens finally put up some points, although two of the touchdowns were defensive, to get a 35-22 win. Baltimore is now 5-2 and in good position to do some things in the playoffs.
Larry Johnson Back to Normal in Chiefs' Win
Kansas City somehow has put together a pretty good season considering the circumstances they've been under. Even without Trent Green taking the snaps, the Chiefs are now up to a 4-3 record after edging out the Seahawks. The fact that Seattle was even in this game is a shock. Without their starting quarterback and running back, Seattle came back and made things close, but Larry Johnson and his 4 touchdowns was just too much.
Brett Favre Having Fun As Packs Win Again
The Lions may end up being the lone cellar dweller in the NFC North this season. The Packers have some how been able to rattle off a few wins, and now are close to being at .500. Brett Favre led his team past the fading Cardinals to notch another "W" in the win column.
Vick's Passing Attack Too Much For Cincinnati
Who said anything about Mike Vick not being able to pass? In the last two weeks, the running quarterback has thrown for a total of 7 touchdowns and continues to impress his critics. The Lions are in for a handful when Atlanta comes to town as Vick not only can run, but now also pass to win games. That attack was shown on Sunday when Vick led the Falcons past the Bengals 29-27. Another big win for Atlanta as they are getting better each week.
Bears Completely Annihilate 49ers
There's not a doubt in my mind of who the league's best team is. After just 1 half of play, the Bears led San Francisco by a score of 41-0. In the NFL, that kind of play is just unbelievable. Chicago is going to be tough to beat, especially with not only a great defense, but now a killer offense as well.
Titans Beat Texans 28-22
Vince Young is finally coming into his own and even doing some of it on the ground. When the passing game isn't there, a player like Young can take off and get it done by rushing past defenders. The Titans may not be in position to get to the playoffs, but progress is being made.
Jaguars Upset Eagles With Garrard At Quarterback
A quarterback controversy may be brewing down in Jacksonville after David Garrard led the Jaguars to a surprising win over the Eagles. The reason it was so surprising is the fact that Garrard isn't the normal starter; that is, for the time being. Byron Leftwich didn't dress because of an "injury," but that didn't stop Jacksonville from getting a big win. Garrard may bet to start again after leading the Jags to victory, but time will tell on that matter.
Giants Cruise Past Buccaneers 17-3
There isn't anything shocking about the way the New York Football Giants are winning, but that doesn't mean anything as long as you have the lead at the end of the game. The G-men are already out to a decent record and have control of the NFC East after beating Tampa Bay this weekend.
LT Rumbles San Diego Past St. Louis
The city of St. Louis may not have been paying much attention to the Rams after the Cardinals won the World Series, and that's probably for the better. LaDainian Tomlinson had his best game of the season with a total of 183 yards rushing to get the Chargers a win.
Oakland Upsets Defending Super Bowl Champs
Just a few weeks ago some were prediction the Raiders to go winless. Now, two weeks later, they have two wins. They first beat one of the worse teams in the league last week, but made an actual statement in Week 8. Oakland beat the Steelers somehow even though they had almost no offense whatsoever. Things are getting ugly in Pittsburgh as the Steelers now fall to a dismal 2-5.
Manning & Wayne Combo Gets Indy Win in Shootout
The Denver defense was one of the best in the NFL when it came to stats. That is thrown out the window after Indianapolis came to town. The Colts and Broncos went back and forth all day, and in the end, went in favor of Peyton Manning. The Colts remain undefeated and are near the top of the NFL.
Jets Get Shorted By Officials in Loss to Browns
A bad ruling on a touchdown catch late in the game prevented the Jets from tying things up to possibly win their fifth game of the season. Chris Baker was pushed out of bounds near the endzone and didn't get the call. Plus, since the play wasn't reviewable, Cleveland caught the break and got the win.
Romo Debut As Starting QB Successful
Things for the Cowboys were under question when Tony Romo was announced to be the starting quarterback, but it turns out that was a great decision. After going down early 14-0 to Carolina, the Cowboys came back to score 35 unanswered. It was 25-point output in the fourth quarter that got Dallas the win and put them back on track.