Key takeaways and analysis from Week 8 in the NFL

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.

Zach Wilson ain't it

The Jets sitting at 5-3 halfway through the season really should be reason for celebration. In some respects, it is. After a tough first year on the job, Robert Saleh finally has this team headed back in the right direction.

But it's difficult to feel too good about the future of the organization when its young quarterback, selected No. 2 overall in 2021, is this bad in his second season. Wilson has been a disaster.

Sunday's loss to the Patriots, despite what ended up being some respectable counting stats, is the latest in a long line of maddening games from the Jets signal-caller. One mind-boggling decision after another saw Wilson serve up three of the worst interceptions you will see all year, including whatever this was.

If you want to write it off as one game against a good defense, go for it. This is nothing new, though. Wilson has impressive arm talent and is a good athlete for the quarterback position. That's why he was the No. 2 overall pick. But at this early stage of his career, his game completely falls apart under duress. PFF's breakdown of his performance when kept clean and when under pressure heading into this week was almost unbelievable.

The Jets are all-in on Wilson as an investment, so he'll be given every opportunity to figure things out. And nobody is suggesting they give up on him entirely - at least not yet. But with so many critical elements of his game currently below NFL standards, he faces a mountain of a climb to become a reliable starter, let alone the superstar New York thought it was getting.

And that all makes things especially complicated for the Jets this season. Sticking it out with your young quarterback, hoping he can work through his early struggles, is almost certainly the way to go with the future in mind. But what if that costs you a chance at returning to the postseason for the first time since 2010?

The Jets probably aren't going to Mike White or Joe Flacco any time soon, so it's up to the rest of the roster to overcome a reckless young quarterback. That's a lot to ask.

And the rest of the 2021 QBs?

Focusing on Wilson's shortcomings is in no way meant to overlook the struggles of other sophomore quarterbacks. The rest of the first-round bunch hasn't been quite as advertised, either.

Nobody was going to judge Trevor Lawrence for a tough rookie campaign when it was Urban Meyer running the show in Jacksonville. But after a strong start in Year 2 under Doug Pederson, it's been another largely disappointing season for the former Clemson standout. The poise and flashes of brilliance with big-time throws probably give him the clearest path to reaching his potential, but the Jaguars were surely expecting more by this point. The Lawrence-led passing game was a complete non-factor in Sunday's loss to the Broncos.

Justin Fields is an interesting case in that anyone looking at raw stats could probably go ahead and draw some dire conclusions on where he's at as a passer. There's plenty of work to be done, no doubt, but the production itself doesn't quite tell the story here. After so stubbornly asking him to be a drop-back quarterback and refusing to feature his athletic ability, the Bears have finally begun to run the kind of offense that could streamline his development. As we saw in last week's win over the Patriots and Sunday's loss to the Cowboys, there's still a lot to like about Fields.

Mac Jones had the best rookie season of the entire group, but he somehow could be at risk of being the first one to lose his job. Bill Belichick seemingly flirted with the idea of sticking with rookie fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe by benching Jones early in his return from an ankle injury last week. When the Alabama product was named the starter Sunday against the Jets, the results weren't all that inspiring. Strange as it would be for the Patriots to move on so soon, maybe Belichick just isn't a believer in Mac.

Trey Lance is a complete unknown. This was supposed to be his breakout year, finally earning the 49ers' starting job after a redshirt rookie campaign, but a Week 2 injury ended his season before it could truly begin. After not playing in his last year at North Dakota State, that makes it three consecutive years of next to no game action. Talented as he may be, that's not ideal for a young quarterback's development.

The early returns on this star-studded quarterback class confirm that none of us (NFL franchises included) know anything about the draft. A year and a half after a supremely talented group of passers made the jump to the professional level, with five being selected in the first 15 picks, it's no sure thing that any of their teams have found a quarterback of the future.

Pollard over Zeke?

Tony Pollard is the best running back in Dallas.

If that wasn't already clear heading into this week - with Pollard averaging an electric 5.6 yards per carry over his first seven games and Ezekiel Elliott held to a rather pedestrian mark of 4.1 - it has to be by now.

The fourth-year back was outstanding in his opportunity to start in place of an injured Elliott on Sunday against the Bears, taking 14 carries for 131 yards (9.4 average) and three touchdowns en route to a 49-29 win. His explosiveness and an ability to create extra yards after contact - two areas in which Elliott has been increasingly lacking with age - make him the kind of big-play threat that can take the Cowboys' offense to another level.

This isn't even really a debate for the objective observer. Most teams in the league would take what they see with their own eyes, not to mention what every advanced metric is telling them, and give Pollard the lead job. It should be that simple. But this is the Cowboys we're talking about, so we also have to factor in the owner.

And if you think that Jerry Jones couldn't possibly mess this one up, think again. In fact, he'll happily tell you as much himself. Jones said during his postgame media availability that Pollard's standout performance will have no impact on Elliott's role when he returns from injury.

"There's no argument. Zeke's ability to punish, Zeke's ability to deliver it … what he does for us in pass protection, and frankly Zeke's ability to make big plays are there," Jones said. "We're going to go as Zeke goes."

Maybe Cowboys coaches find the perfect formula for getting Pollard more involved while also keeping Jerry satisfied with Zeke's role. It's not like Elliott is completely useless and needs to be phased out entirely. Jones' point about pass protection, at least, was valid.

But for him to make such a definitive statement in support of Elliott as the workhorse running back in the wake of Pollard's coming out party all but confirms that any significant change will be incredibly difficult for the coaching staff to make. This is the most powerful owner in the game and one who's extremely involved on the football side of the organization. Elliott has always been his guy, and he wants him leading the offense.

Mike McCarthy is going to be the one getting clowned by the sports world if the Cowboys' offense falters in the playoffs. If they go down handing the ball to Elliott 20 times a game, though, the blame should be directed a whole lot higher in the organization.

WR trades paying off

An exploding wide receiver market was by far the most notable trend of this past offseason. Despite the recent influx of pro-ready studs available in the draft, teams were happy to not only part with early picks but also dish out $20-million-plus extensions as a means of trading for established stars.

The results have been exceptional.

Philadelphia sending first- and third-round picks to the Titans for A.J. Brown has been arguably the steal of the year. He's taken the next step in establishing himself as one of the league's premier wideouts, and his arrival has gone a long way in aiding the development of Jalen Hurts. He was a big-play machine in Sunday's blowout win over the Steelers, recording six catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns in leading the Eagles to a 7-0 start.

Tyreek Hill has been every bit as valuable for the Dolphins, easily justifying both the haul of draft picks they traded and his record-breaking extension. Hill remains arguably the NFL's most unstoppable weapon despite the downgrade at quarterback. After posting 12 catches for 188 yards in a win over the Lions, he's now sitting at 69 receptions and 961 yards through eight games. That puts him on a 17-game pace of 2,042 yards, which would break Calvin Johnson's single-season record.

The Raiders have been a disappointment, but they'll have no complaints about trading first- and second-round picks in the 2022 draft for Davante Adams. Not only has the production been there, but his presence alone is consistently keeping defenses out of stacked boxes. The success they've enjoyed in the run game likely wouldn't have been possible without Adams.

And finally, albeit to a lesser extent, the Cardinals have got to be thrilled with their move for Marquise Brown. The former Ravens wideout was quick to re-establish his connection with Kyler Murray, performing as Arizona's best playmaker before going down with a foot injury in Week 6. He'll form an outstanding duo with DeAndre Hopkins when he gets healthy.

Draft picks will always have value - that's how you want to do the majority of your team building. But when you can fill a position of need with a proven star who still has plenty left in the tank, and you don't have to give up multiple first-rounders to do it, the decision shouldn't be too difficult.

Trade names to watch

You've already heard all the names most likely to be available at Tuesday's trade deadline. Let's wager a guess that Sunday's results could lead to another team or two making the action a little more interesting.

As some would-be contenders desperately search for weapons to save their offenses, and a few ultra-aggressive teams lurk around looking to make a splash, keep an eye on Raiders tight end Darren Waller. The fact that he signed an extension the day before the regular season might make him a surprise candidate, but it should be noted that the new deal - structured almost entirely around base salary - is extremely tradable.

Waller has missed the better part of the last three games due to a hamstring injury. Aside from a bizarre shutout against the Saints (more on that later), the Raiders' offense has continued to perform at a high level anyway. Moving Waller's salary would potentially make it easier for Las Vegas to justify re-signing breakout running back Josh Jacobs and re-upping Foster Moreau as the new starter at tight end. Green Bay and Tampa Bay may be realistic landing spots, and so too could Miami if we want to get really spicy. A Day 2 pick would make sense for all, including the Raiders, who are now essentially cooked at 2-5.

The other name that may be worth watching at the deadline is DeForest Buckner. Like Waller, there have yet to be any reports connecting him to trade speculation. But benching Matt Ryan for Sam Ehlinger, as deserving as it may have been, was a clear sign that the Colts are more than happy to take some extra losses this season - like Sunday's defeat to the Commanders. In what world are you not following that up by making expensive veterans available for premium picks?

If the Colts are smart, nobody will be off limits. You can bet teams are at least calling about Buckner, who's one of the league's premier interior pass-rushers. A trade would allow Indy to completely dump the two years and $40 million that remains on his contract, taking on no dead money next season. If the Rams were really in on Brian Burns to bolster their pass rush, reportedly making a substantial offer to the Panthers, who's to say they wouldn't pivot to Buckner, perhaps for a future first-round pick?

Quick slants

First-place Falcons?!

Yes, you read that right. The 4-4 Falcons sit atop the NFC South after sneaking past the Panthers in one of the wildest games of the year. This says more about the state of the NFC South than it does the Falcons because this team undoubtedly has a long way to go. But things finally appear to be headed in the right direction after four years of toiling in irrelevance. If they can get even close to a playoff spot with this roster, it's reasonable to expect that Arthur Smith's coaching staff could do some great things with another offseason or two to add more talent.

Don't count the Saints out, though

Speaking of the NFC South, a division that nobody appears capable of running away with, the Saints remain firmly in the mix. And after a 24-0 shutout win over the Raiders, perhaps we should be considering them among the favorites. It was a disaster start, to be sure, with the defense shouldering most of the blame. But putting the clamps on a Raiders offense that entered this week ranked third in scoring (27.2 PPG) may be a sign that the defense is starting to figure it out. If that unit can return to the level we've come to expect under Dennis Allen, and they can start to get some of their key players healthy, even Andy Dalton could take the Saints to the playoffs.

Raiders join the mix as sellers

After a three-game stretch that included their first two wins of the season, in addition to a tightly contested loss on the road against the Chiefs, it seemed like the Raiders might be far better than their record would suggest. As it turns out, that was a little optimistic. Now 2-5 and coming off an embarrassing shutout in New Orleans, this is a team that should be approaching Tuesday's trade deadline willing to listen to offers for just about everyone. That assumes that Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler trust their jobs won't depend on how the rest of this season goes. Considering the enormous step back in Year 1 of their leadership, though, perhaps we shouldn't be so sure.

McCaffrey does it all

That's exactly why you trade all those picks. Christian McCaffrey offered a glimpse into the immense value he could provide for Kyle Shanahan's offense, torching the Rams for 94 yards and a touchdown on the ground, 55 yards and a touchdown as a receiver, and even throwing a 34-yard score for the LaDainian Tomlinson-esque trifecta. He was by far the best playmaker on the field for either team in a convincing win over Los Angeles. And he's probably only getting started. This offense is going to be a nightmare to defend when Deebo Samuel gets healthy and McCaffrey is fully immersed in the system.

Celebration flags gotta go

Going back to that Panthers-Falcons madness for a second, is it really too much to ask that the NFL allow for a little fun? Just the slightest bit? Carolina appeared to have the game won with 12 seconds to play in regulation when P.J. Walker found D.J. Moore on an incredible Hail Mary touchdown. Convert the extra point, and it would be the Panthers in first place in the NFC South. Except Moore drew a 15-yard penalty for taking his helmet off while celebrating the miraculous score, making the PAT a much more difficult 48-yard attempt. Eddy Pineiro missed the potential game-winning try, effectively sending the game to OT, and you know the rest. Sure, it's a rule. But do we really need to be in the business of penalizing fun? Who wants this?

Vikings keep rolling

Minnesota has to be the quietest 6-1 team we've ever seen. It feels like nobody is talking about how consistently the Vikings have gotten it done throughout the first half of the season, and yet they currently hold the NFC's No. 2 seed. Perhaps flying under the radar is due in part to the easy schedule they've faced along the way - there just haven't been any statement wins since Week 1 over the Packers. We'll get to see what this team is really about over the next few games. After a road meeting with the Commanders next week, the Vikings head to Buffalo and then return home to face the Cowboys.

Stat of the week