NFL overreactions/underreactions: Week 8

As the halfway point of the 2024 NFL season approaches, plenty of excitement brought about juicy talking points.

Here are some storylines after Week 8’s action and how some CommRadio members feel about them.

Underreaction: The Colts need to have a long look at Anthony Richardson

This stat line says it all: 2-of-13 for 81 yards and a touchdown.

That was how Richardson began Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans, but 69 of those 81 yards came on a long touchdown to Josh Downs.

It was a play that emphasized his talent coming out of Florida, but Richardson has struggled to complete basic passes this season, and this trend continued against Houston.

Richardson, who finished 10-of-32 for 175 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Texans, said he had to check out for a play due to fatigue, which must be demoralizing for the locker room.

Joe Flacco will start the rest of the season and has shown he can still play at a high level when called on.

Flacco threw for 168 yards and two passing scores in relief of an injured Richardson against the Pittsburgh Steelers and 359 yards and four touchdown passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

There is still time to fix Richardson, but he must learn from Flacco, especially concerning pocket passing, and adjust accordingly. - Owen Klein

Underreaction: The Eagles are real contenders

Most of the talk in regards to the NFC East division this season has been about the success of the Washington Commanders and the struggles of the Dallas Cowboys.

While these talking points are certainly justified, the Philadelphia Eagles have quietly reached a 5-2 record.

The Eagles have won three straight games, the last two in blowout fashion. They most recently defeated the Cincinnati Bengals by 20 points.

After a somewhat concerning start, Jalen Hurts has found his footing in recent weeks. Hurts has zero turnovers during the current win streak and scored four touchdowns last weekend.

While the Eagles’ offense has looked good recently, there was never any denying the firepower they have. The main concern for Philadelphia was always their defense.

In the last three games, the Eagles have held opposing offenses to less than twenty points. In these games, opponents are averaging just over 200 yards of total offense.

Saquon Barkley has continued to tear up the stat sheet being a threat both on the ground and through the air. After Week 7, Barkley has almost 900 yards of offense this season so far.

Barkley’s success tied with the star wide receiver duo of A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith has made Philadelphia a real threat in all stages of offense.

Although they are in second place right now in their division, the Eagles are only a 0.5 game back of first place and have looked to have hit their stride in recent weeks. - Alex Harkins

Overreaction: Jameis Winston is the new Joe Flacco

The script writes itself. Jameis Winston spent years as a backup. He toiled away in New Orleans honing his craft and preparing for another chance in the NFL. He now has it and a chance to save the city of Cleveland. A chance to revive to Cleveland Browns.

Do you know who that reminds me of? One Joe Flacco. The similarities are there. Both spent years on the bench. Both came in after a season-ending injury to Deshaun Watson. The Browns dealt with devastating injuries to key players all throughout the season in both years. This was their second chance.

There is just one small problem. The key difference in the situation between those two seasons is the record of the team. The Browns were 7-4 before Flacco took over last year. At the time Winston was announced as the starter, they were 1-6. Flacco had a team with the potential to make the playoffs and was at least in the picture at the time. Winston on the other hand, was given the keys to a car with a faulty engine and worn-out tires.

The Browns are already behind the rest of the field. They already traded away their best wide receiver, Amari Cooper, and Myles Garrett may be next. Cleveland is gearing up for their favorite annual event, the NFL Draft.

The magic of Flacco was that the Browns made the playoffs against all odds. Winston will have his moments but ultimately fail to match him. - Nathan Johns

Overreaction: Commanders will win the NFC East

The Commanders have played out of their minds this season. Yet realistically, expectations should be tempered for them going forward this year.

As it stands, the team is first in the NFC East division and boasts a 6-2 record. They have a difficult schedule remaining, as they still have to face the Steelers, the Falcons, and both the Eagles and Cowboys twice.

Jayden Daniels seems like a bonafide star in the NFL, and the Commanders’ defense has been impeccable. Dan Quinn has led this team tremendously in his first head coaching gig since the Falcons fired him mid-year in 2020.

Nonetheless, the Eagles have been playing their best football of the season as of late, and have the playoff experience and pedigree to maintain their success throughout the remainder of the year.

The Commanders are an all-around young team. They do have some veteran experience, but the majority of this team has never sniffed the playoffs. They’ve finished last in the division each of the past two seasons, and have only made the playoffs once in the past nine years (that being a Wild Card loss in the pandemic season).

I trust in either the experienced Eagles or Cowboys to eventually overtake them. The reasoning for this sentiment mostly lies in the fact that the Commanders have yet to play each of these teams two times, which will be a prime opportunity for them to be leapfrogged in the standings.

It’s up to the Commanders to prove me wrong. - Dominick Pizzelanti

Owen Klein is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ojk5092@psu.edu.

Alex Harkins is a second-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email arh6278@psu.edu.

Nathan Johns is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jzn5275@psu.edu.

Dominick Pizzelanti is a second-year dual majoring in broadcast journalism and Spanish. To contact him, email dqp5565@psu.edu.