The Buffalo Bills are giving quarterback Josh Allen every chance to prove his fitness to play in Sunday's clash against fellow division leaders Minnesota Vikings despite an elbow concern.

Allen was listed as questionable for the game on the injury report, while the Bills opted not to elevate third-string QB Matt Barkley to the active roster.

The MVP candidate, who has led Buffalo's offense with 2,403 passing yards for 19 touchdowns along with 392 rushing yards and four other scores on the ground this season, was limited at Friday practice having picked up the elbow injury late in Sunday's loss to the New York Jets.

Allen has only participated in one day of practice this week, having sat out on Wednesday and Thursday but Bills head coach Sean McDermott remained bullish.

"We are literally in an hour-to-hour situation here just looking at how he's going to progress through the day," McDermott told reporters on Friday.

"As he goes through these different tests, medically, making sure that he's able to check the boxes in a progression to where we can see if we can proceed through the course of the day here."

ESPN has reported that Allen's specific concern is an ulnar collateral ligament, related to nerves, in his right elbow. Allen missed four games in the 2018 season with a similar injury to the same arm.

Case Keenum is Allen's back-up QB and he has spoken about being prepared to play if required this week.

"At the end of the day, Josh needs to be Josh, if he's able to play," McDermott added. "And if Case plays, then Case needs to be Case and run the offense."

The Bills are 6-2 and atop the AFC East division, while the Vikings are 7-1 and clear on top of the NFC North on the back of a six-game winning run.

Buffalo lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 42-36 in overtime in the divisional playoffs last season.

The Buffalo Bills have officially listed quarterback Josh Allen as questionable for Sunday's key game against the Minnesota Vikings as the midseason MVP candidate continues to manage a sprained right elbow.

Allen was termed a limited participant in Friday's practice after sitting out the previous two days with an injury he picked up in Buffalo's 20-17 loss to the New York Jets last weekend.

The five-year veteran did not leave that contest but had his most ineffective performance of the season, completing just 18 of 34 passes for 205 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions and a 46.8 passer rating.

"We are literally in an hour-to-hour situation here," Bills coach Sean McDermott said of Allen on Friday.

"We're just looking at how he's going to progress through the day, and as he goes through these different tests, medically, making sure he's able to check the boxes in a progression to where we can see if we can proceed through the course of the day here."

McDermott was then asked what Allen will need to show the coaching staff in order to be cleared for the clash against the 7-1 Vikings.

"That's probably getting too far down the road at this point or into the weeds."

If Allen ends up inactive, journeyman Case Keenum would direct a Bills offense that ranks second in the NFL in total yards per game.

Keenum made a pair of starts for the Cleveland Browns in 2021 and won both while compiling 375 passing yards with three touchdowns, one interception and a 95.3 rating.

Allen sat out four games with a similar issue in his elbow as a rookie in 2018 but has not missed a game since, having started Buffalo's past 69 games including the postseason.

We are somehow already at Week 10 in the NFL season, all wondering where the time actually does go.

Two of the shining lights of the campaign face off in Buffalo as the Bills host the Minnesota Vikings.

History will be made in Munich as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the Seattle Seahawks in the first-ever regular season NFL game played in Germany, while the San Francisco 49ers will look to continue their return to winning ways against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Stats Perform takes a closer look at the numbers behind some of Sunday's NFL clashes.

Minnesota Vikings (7-1) @ Buffalo Bills (6-2)

The Vikings have played eight games at Highmark Stadium and have held the Bills to 23 points or fewer in each one, which is the longest streak of allowing 23 points or fewer by a visiting team in the stadium's history.

Minnesota have won six straight games, all by eight points or fewer, tied for the second-longest streak of one-possession wins in NFL history, behind a seven-game streak by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020.

T.J. Hockenson boasted nine catches on his Vikings debut last week, tying the Bills' Keith McKeller (October 18, 1987) for the most receptions by a tight end on debut with a team in the Super Bowl era.

The Bills have allowed 21 points or fewer in 12 straight regular-season games, the longest streak in franchise history and the second longest by any NFL team over the last 15 seasons (Baltimore Ravens, 13 straight from 2019-20).

Buffalo are allowing just 4.6 points per game in the second half this year. No NFL team has allowed fewer than 5.0 points per game in the second half over a full season since the Carolina Panthers in 1996 (3.5).

Seattle Seahawks (6-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)

It should be a great experience in Bavaria, but the Bucs are 0-3 in games played outside the United States (all in London), having been outscored 96-51 in those games. The Seahawks, meanwhile, are 2-0 outside the U.S. (one in Toronto, one in London), outscoring their opponents, 77-20.

Pete Carroll is in his 17th season as an NFL head coach and has had at least six wins in each campaign. The only other coach to have six or more wins in each of his first 17 seasons was Don Shula, who did so in all 33 seasons of his career.

Kenneth Walker III is the first NFL rookie to rush for a touchdown and have his team win in each of his first four career starts since Robert Edwards for the New England Patriots in 1998.

Tom Brady has thrown at least 40 passes with no interceptions in seven consecutive starts. No other QB in NFL history has done that in more than four straight starts.

The Bucs have rushed for 75 or fewer yards in eight straight games, the second-longest streak in the Super Bowl wera behind a nine-game streak by the Cardinals from 1991-92.

Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (4-4)

The Chargers are looking to win their sixth-straight game against the 49ers, which would make them the first team to do so since the Seahawks (nine games from 2014 to 2018).

Justin Herbert was not sacked in the Chargers' recent win against the Atlanta Falcons. The Chargers have allowed the fewest sacks in the league this season (10), and have not allowed 10 or fewer sacks through eight games since the 2008 season (also 10).

Through 40 career starts, Herbert has played a part in 90 touchdowns (82 passing, eight rushing). Only Patrick Mahomes (107), Dan Marino (95) and Kurt Warner (91) accounted for more scores in their first 40 starts.

San Francisco's last five games have all been decided by at least 14 points (3-2 record). They have not had six consecutive such games since an eight-game streak in 1999.

Christian McCaffrey threw for, rushed for and caught a touchdown in San Francisco's win over the Rams. He was the first player to do so since the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson completed the feat in Week 6 of the 2005 season.

Elsewhere...

The Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) will need a plan to deal with Chiefs (6-2) QB Mahomes, who attempted 68 passes (completing 43) in last week's win over the Tennessee Titans, both of which set single-game team records. The only player to attempt more passes in a win in the NFL since 1950 was Drew Bledsoe with 70 in Week 11 of the 1994 season.

Former Chief Tyreek Hill has 1104 receiving yards this season for the Miami Dolphins (6-3), the most by any player through his team's first nine games in the Super Bowl era. Prior to this year, there had only been 11 times a Dolphins receiver recorded 1100 yards in an entire season, and Hill will look to add to those against the Cleveland Browns (3-5).

Last week was Cooper Kupp's 20th career game with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2017. The only other players with more than 15 such games in that span are Davante Adams (19) and Hill (18), and the Los Angeles Rams (3-5) will need their star to step up again against the Arizona Cardinals (3-6).

Aaron Rodgers' passer rating is at 89.0 this season after posting 111.9 in 2021. The decrease of 22.9 is the largest by a Green Bay Packers quarterback (min. five games played) since Bart Starr from 1966 to 1967 (105.0 to 64.4). With a record of 3-6, the Packers will hope he can improve that against the Dallas Cowboys (6-2).

Buffalo Bills backup quarterback Case Keenum is prepared to play after Josh Allen failed to practice again on Thursday ahead of Sunday's game against the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Wednesday that Allen was "day-to-day" as he battles a right elbow injury sustained late in Sunday's 20-17 loss to the New York Jets.

ESPN has reported that Allen is dealing with an ulnar collateral ligament issue in his elbow, which saw him miss four games in 2018.

Allen was present at practice on Thursday and wore a sleeve on his right elbow, but did not participate.

Keenum would start against the Vikings if Allen, who has a 64.1 per cent completion rate for 2403 passing yards with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season, is unavailable.

"I'm doing the same thing I do every week, I prepare to play every week, every day, every period, every practice, every meeting," Keenum told reporters.

"It's the same, just got a few more reps today. I feel great, feel great with the communication, the mindset of the team with [offensive coordinator Ken] Dorsey and the communication from Sean everybody and taking it a day at a time.

"I've been in all situations. Played a lot without any practice, know how to do that, step into the middle of the game. I've practiced some and then played, I've practiced very little and played. I've literally been in any situation you could probably think of throughout the week."

Keenum, 34, is a former Vikings quarterback who has plenty of NFL experience, having started 64 regular-season games.

The Bills traded for Keenum in March from the Cleveland Browns, having started two games in the 2021 season for a 2-0 record.

The New York Jets do not need Zach Wilson to be their "Superman", head coach Robert Saleh said, after they bounced back from their quarterback's Week 8 horror show to stun the Buffalo Bills in Week 9.

Saleh's Jets welcomed the Bills to MetLife Stadium on Sunday having suffered a 22-17 loss to the New England Patriots a week prior, one in which 2021 second overall pick Wilson threw three terrible interceptions.

Yet against sterner opposition he made no such mistakes, the Jets leaning on their run game and a tremendous effort from their defense to claim a shock 20-17 win.

The win means the Jets are 6-3, just half a game back of the Bills in an ultra-competitive AFC East. New York sit second behind Buffalo, with the Jets owning a tiebreaking win over the 6-3 Miami Dolphins. The Patriots are very much still in the mix at 5-4.

Asked about Wilson's low-key performance, which saw him complete 72 per cent of his passes for 154 yards, a touchdown and zero interceptions, Saleh told Peter King for Football Morning in America: "He had a great throwaway. One of the great things about Zach is how he takes coaching.

"We told him: 'Trust that throwing the ball away is a positive play.' We're not asking Zach to be our Superman yet.

"One day we will. And there will be times we need him to be, but now's not that time."

In the immediate future for the Jets is an extremely imposing run of games. They have a bye in Week 10 but then visit New England before hosting an improving Chicago Bears team and then heading back on the road to face the 7-1 Minnesota Vikings and the Bills.

Saleh added of that stretch: "Every game's a championship game. Like today, Buffalo's incredibly well-coached. Incredibly talented. The quarterback's ridiculous.

"We can’t let the narrative of this Goliath coming into our building be the story, and we won't in the coming weeks either."

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen calmed fears over an arm injury suffered during Sunday's shock 20-17 defeat to the New York Jets.

Allen, who had been considered a leading contender for the MVP award, appeared to be in pain towards the end of the game as he grabbed his right elbow.

It seemed to have stemmed from Allen being sacked by Jets rusher Bryce Hall in one of the last plays of the game at MetLife Stadium.

Afterwards, however, Allen was fairly relaxed about his condition even if he acknowledged he did receive a knock.

"There's some slight pain," he said. "I'll get through it."

Generally, though, Allen's demeanour in the post-game press conference was by no means upbeat.

Defeat saw the Bills lose two games in a row after beginning the season with six wins on the bounce, and Allen's own performance came under intense scrutiny.

It has even been suggested his display was poor enough to take him out of the MVP running after the 26-year-old was 18-of-34 for 205 yards – a season low – and two interceptions.

Allen was also sacked five times, and he seemingly believed responsibility for the defeat was on him.

"It's tough to win in this league when you're playing a good team and your quarterback plays like s***.

"[I] made some bad decisions tonight that really hurt our team. [There's] a lot to learn from, lot to grow from.

"But that's not the standard we hold ourselves to, that's not the ball we play. Lots to look at, lots to learn from."

The 6-2 Bills remain top of the AFC East despite the defeat and will hope to avoid a third consecutive loss when they face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Aaron Rodgers lost a fifth straight game for just the second time in his NFL career as the Green Bay Packers were upset again by NFC North rivals the Detroit Lions.

The Packers are enduring a torrid season and fell to 3-6 with this latest 15-9 defeat on Sunday.

Green Bay had not previously lost five in a row since 2008 – Rodgers' first year as a starter – but there is no sign of their misery ending any time soon.

Rodgers, previously so dominant in division matchups, threw three interceptions in a game for only the fifth time in his career and for the first time against NFC North opponents.

Two of those came with the game still scoreless, giving the lowly Lions a foothold they fought hard to protect.

Detroit had traded T.J. Hockenson within the division to the Minnesota Vikings at the deadline, but that void was filled by a pair of career-first touchdown catches from tight ends.

Shane Zylstra – elevated from the practice squad on Saturday alongside wide receiver brother Brandon – got the Lions on the board with his first catch of the year, while rookie James Mitchell's score at the start of the fourth quarter ultimately proved decisive.

Bills loss leaves AFC East in the balance

The fourth of Rodgers' five successive defeats had come against the Buffalo Bills last week, but Josh Allen was also on the end of a shock loss on Sunday as the New York Jets blew the AFC wide open. Despite two rushing TDs, Allen was every bit as hapless as Rodgers through the air as he threw two interceptions in the Jets' tense 20-17 win.

With the Bills 6-2 and the Jets 6-3, the AFC East is among the year's closest fought divisions, with the Miami Dolphins just about improving to 6-3 by fending off the Chicago Bears 35-32. Justin Fields kept the Bears in touch, throwing three TD passes and rushing for 178 yards – a Super Bowl era record among quarterbacks. His stunning 61-yard TD run was the longest of his career.

Mixon makes hay with Bengals' first five-TD game

There was no late drama in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers, which was dominated by running back Joe Mixon. He rushed for four TDs and had five total scores – also catching a Joe Burrow pass. It was just the ninth five-plus-TD game of the Super Bowl era – and the first by a Bengal – and set up a 42-21 victory.

After a busy NFL trade deadline, the focus is back on the field this weekend.

Josh Allen faces Zach Wilson as the New York Jets confront a major test of their defense against the soaraway Buffalo Bills, while the Los Angeles Rams will look to keep up their remarkable record against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Could Derrick Henry have another monumental game in him after last week's big effort, and after he dispelled worries about a foot problem?

Stats Perform has taken a look at the numbers ahead of Sunday's games, beginning with the travails of the Brady bunch.

Los Angeles Rams (3-4) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)

The Buccaneers are on the slide, and the Rams are just about the nightmare opponents this weekend, judging by recent games between the teams.

Including Los Angeles' win in last season's Divisional Round, the Rams are 9-1 in their last 10 games against the Bucs, and that includes a 5-0 streak in Tampa.

This game is big for both, and for the Bucs it offers a chance to halt a losing sequence of three. They were beaten 27-22 by the Baltimore last week and are on their longest single-season losing run since a dismal four-game run in the 2019 season.

It remains to be seen whether Tom Brady can get them out of this mess. Brady threw for 325 yards and zero interceptions in last week's loss to Baltimore. Across his stellar career, he is 54-7 when throwing 300 yards and no interceptions, but this season he is 1-2 in such games.

Brady might fancy the job against a Rams team who have scored 14 or fewer points and lost by double-digits four times already this season, including last time out in a 31-14 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Rival quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 187 yards last week on 33 attempts. His team are 2-9 in games where Stafford has thrown the ball at least 30 times and finished with fewer than 200 passing yards.

Buffalo Bills (6-1) at New York Jets (5-3)

The Buffalo Bills are 6-1 for the first time since 1993, the season they last made it through to the Super Bowl. This weekend they go after a fifth win in a row after getting the better of the Green Bay Packers last time out.

What's more, they have strung together a four-game winning streak in road games against the Jets, second only in franchise history to a seven-game streak from 1987 to 1993.

The Bills have outscored this season's opponents by 105 points (203-98) so far, the widest differential in the NFL.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen has urged the Jets to show patience with his struggling counterpart Zach Wilson, who has completed just 54.9 per cent of passes this season, the second-worst rate in the NFL heading into Week 9. Wilson has thrown for 1,048 yards across five games, with three touchdowns and five interceptions, compared to Allen's 2,198 yards for 19 TDs and six interceptions from seven games.

Stefon Diggs has at least 100 yards and a receiving touchdown in three straight games, the longest streak of the Bills wide receiver's career and tied for the longest streak in team history with Elbert Dubenion (1964). The last NFL player with a longer streak was Adam Thielen in 2018 (five). How Diggs fares against Jets rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner will be a factor.

The Jets have already topped last season's four wins, but they are 8-30 against divisional opponents since 2016, the worst record in the NFL.

Tennessee Titans (5-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)

What does Titans running back Henry have in store for an encore? Henry last week recorded his sixth career 200-yard rushing game, with 219 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans, tying Adrian Peterson and O.J. Simpson for the most all-time. All other active players have combined for just four such games.

The Chiefs will be wary of that threat, and will look to their own WR, JuJu Smith-Schuster, to make his own impact. After failing to reach 90 yards or find the endzone in his first five games this season, Smith-Schuster now has back-to-back games with at least 100 yards and a touchdown. He had not had such a game since Week 8, 2019 and now has eight such games in his career.

The Titans have won four straight regular season matchups with the Chiefs but lost in the 2020 AFC Championship Game in Kansas City.

Their respective 5-2 records this season disguise the fact each of those wins has been relatively close. The Titans and Vikings have only won by single digits this season. Only five teams in NFL history have seen such a streak reach six games – the 2020 Chiefs, 1997 Vikings, 1994 Giants, 1988 Saints and 1986 Giants. Of those, only the Chiefs' streak reached seven.

Elsewhere...

The Miami Dolphins (5-3) will be looking for a fourth consecutive road win against the Chicago Bears (3-5), which would make the Dolphins the first AFC team since the conference came into being in 1970 to have such a streak in Chicago. Miami's Tyreek Hill has gone 52 consecutive receptions without a receiving touchdown. That accounts for the longest streak of his career, nearly doubling his previous career-long streak (27, twice).

Memories of a record-setting 2014 game between the Carolina Panthers and the Bengals will be stoked when the teams meet in Cincinnati on Sunday. The last time these teams met at the home of the Bengals it finished in a 37-37 tie, and entering Week 9 in 2022 that remains the highest-scoring tie in an NFL game since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970.

The New England Patriots are 4-4 for the fifth time in the Bill Belichick era (since 2000) as they approach a home game against the Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1). The other four times the Patriots started 4-4 under Belichick, they made the playoffs three times (2001, 2005, 2021) and missed the playoffs once (2002). Between the regular season and playoffs, Belichick owns an 18-9 career record against the Colts, with only Don Shula (36 wins as coach of the Dolphins from 1970 to 1995) having achieved more such wins.

The Buffalo Bills would be "crazy" to rule out a move for free agent Odell Beckham Jr., says general manager Brandon Beane.

Beckham Jr.'s future has been the subject of speculation, with the wide receiver still without a franchise after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the Los Angeles Rams' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

The 29-year-old looks unlikely to sign for the Rams after he hit out at the franchise for offering him the "lowest of low" contracts last month, and Buffalo has been touted as an alternative destination.

Beane believes the opportunity to sign the three-time Pro Bowler upon his return to fitness would certainly be worthy of closer examination.

"OBJ's a heck of a talent," Beane told reporters on Wednesday. "You know where he was drafted, obviously he had the great catch and he might have been the MVP of that Super Bowl, does he not tear the ACL. 

"He's a heck of a player, everyone in this room knows who OBJ is. You know me, if we think he can help this team, we'd be crazy not to at least look into it."

The Bills moved to 6-1 for the season with an impressive 27-17 win against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Beckham Jr. was clearly impressed by Buffalo's performance in that game, tweeting "damn Buffalo" alongside a saluting emoji after they raced to a 24-7 half-time advantage, adding further fuel to speculation he could join the AFC East leaders.

The Buffalo Bills have traded for Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines, striking a last-minute deal on the NFL's trade deadline day.

On Monday, it was widely reported that several teams were interested in a move for Hines, with the Colts heading into the second half of the season with a disappointing 3-4-1 record.

Buffalo then confirmed the trade in the final minutes before Tuesday's deadline, adding another offensive weapon for quarterback Josh Allen following a stellar start that has them top of the AFC with a 6-1 record.

In exchange, they have sent running back Zack Moss — a third-round pick in the 2020 draft — and a conditional 2023 sixth-round pick to the Colts.

A fourth-round pick in 2018, Hines has so far tallied 1,205 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, as well as 235 receptions on 300 targets for 1,725 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in his career.

Last season, Hines turned 15 of his 40 receptions into a first down while averaging seven yards after the catch per reception, and it is his receiving upside that the Bills will be looking to consistently harness as they aim to atone for the playoff heartbreak of the previous two seasons and end their wait for a first Super Bowl title.

Aaron Rodgers warned "nobody feels sorry for us" and the Green Bay Packers must "take a beat" after the Buffalo Bills consigned them to a fourth consecutive defeat.

The Packers slipped to 3-5 with a 27-17 loss to the Bills at Highmark Stadium on Sunday.

Stefon Diggs took six catches for 108 yards, scoring a 26-yard touchdown as Green Bay's miserable run continued.

Rodgers had some harsh words for his team-mates on the Pat McAfee Show last week, stating: "Guys who are making too many mistakes shouldn't be playing, you know. Gotta start cutting some reps, and maybe guys who aren't playing, give them a chance."

The straight-talking quarterback says the Packers must find a way to stop the rot, with the Minnesota Vikings looking like running away with the NFC North at 6-1.

"Nobody feels sorry for us, and we've got to find a way to get one win," he said. "I feel like if we can just get one, then the whole momentum changes."

The Bills charged into a 24-7 half-time lead but were restricted to only three points in the second half. 

Rodgers says Green Bay's first-half display was not good enough, but he took heart from their play in the second half.

He added: "We felt like the Packers again. I felt like, for whatever reason, we didn't have the confidence for a few weeks and weren't playing with a lot of energy, weren't amped up before the game, so I liked the way we felt before the game.

"Maybe it's not football, maybe it was being counted out, maybe it was this environment, but that's encouraging. But the play in the first half wasn't very encouraging."

The Packers lost Christian Watson to concussion early on, while De'Vondre Campbell departed with a knee injury and Quay Walker was ejected in the first half for shoving a member of the Bills staff.

The Buffalo Bills advanced their record to 6-1 as star wide receiver Stefon Diggs ignited his side's air attack in a 27-17 victory against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Bills quarterback and MVP favourite Josh Allen ended up completing only 13 passes in the win, but that did not stop Diggs from enjoying a big day.

After a one-yard touchdown pass from Allen to tight end Dawson Knox gave the Bills a 7-0 lead at quarter-time, they doubled that advantage with the first play of the second quarter when Allen found Diggs streaking down the sideline with a 26-yard bullet.

Diggs helped the Bills add another three points in the final seconds of the first half when his 53-yard catch deep down the center of the field set up a field goal to make it 24-7 at the long break.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was determined to make a game of it, and he ended up completing touchdown passes to rookies Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure to trim the margin to 10 points with six minutes remaining.

But after two fourth-quarter interceptions from Allen, the Bills safely navigated the closing stages with a run-heavy, clock-chewing attack.

Allen completed 13-of-25 passes for 218 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and nearly half of his total production went to Diggs, who collected six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown.

Both teams ran the ball well, with Devin Singletary (67 yards), James Cook (35 yards) and Allen (50 yards) combining for 152 yards for the Bills, while the Packers, led by Aaron Jones (143 yards on 20 carries), racked up 208 rushing yards.

The big boys are back in Week 8 as the NFL season edges its way closer to the playoffs.

The Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings all return after a bye week, as do the defending champion Los Angeles Rams, who will look to increase the pressure on the San Francisco 49ers.

The Eagles are aiming to maintain their 100 per cent record when the Pittsburgh Steelers come to town, while the Bills host Aaron Rodgers and his wobbling Green Bay Packers.

Stats Perform has taken a look at the numbers ahead of Sunday's games, starting in the city of brotherly love.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5) @ Philadelphia Eagles (6-0)

It promises to be a tricky trip for Pittsburgh, as the Eagles own a nine-game winning streak at home against them, a streak that started in 1966 (Pittsburgh's last win there was Week 6, 1965). It is the Eagles' longest home winning streak against a single opponent in franchise history.

The Steelers lost 16-10 at the Miami Dolphins last week, and are averaging just 15.3 points per game, the second fewest in the NFL (Denver Broncos, 14.3). The last time they finished in the bottom two of the NFL in scoring was 1969 (15.6 points per game, second worst).

The Eagles have held a lead of at least 14 points in each of their six games this season. The last team to do so in seven straight games to begin the season was the 2007 Patriots (eight straight).

Philadelphia have won Jalen Hurts' last nine starts, tied for the longest quarterback win streak in franchise history with Carson Wentz (2017), Donovan McNabb (2003) and Norm Van Brocklin (1960). The Eagles were 6-10 in Hurts' first 16 career starts in the NFL.

San Francisco 49ers (3-4) @ Los Angeles Rams (3-3)

Including a 24-9 home win in Week 4, the 49ers have won seven straight regular-season games against Los Angeles, their second-longest streak against the Rams all-time (17 straight from December 1990 to December 1998). However, the Rams beat the 49ers in last season's NFC Championship Game at SoFi Stadium.

San Francisco lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 44-23, at home last week. It was the first time they have lost back-to-back games by at least 14 points since Weeks 9-10 in 2020. They followed those games up with a 23-20 win against the Rams in Los Angeles.

Last week, Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 303 yards, the 11th game in his career with at least 300 yards. The 49ers won the first seven of those games but are just 1-3 in the last four. The only win in that span came on the road against the Rams in Week 18 last season.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford is 1-6 in his regular season career against the 49ers, his worst record against any NFC opponent. He has thrown four touchdown passes and five interceptions in his three games against them since joining the Rams, losing each one.

Green Bay Packers (3-4) @ Buffalo Bills (5-1)

The Packers have won their last four home games against the Bills, but are 0-6 all-time in Buffalo, most recently losing a 21-13 game there in Week 15, 2014. The Bills are the only active franchise the Packers have never beaten on the road.

Green Bay lost 23-21 to the Washington Commanders last week, and have lost three straight games for the first time since Weeks 11-13 in 2018. They have not lost four straight since Weeks 8-11 in 2016. The last time they lost four of their first seven games was in 2006 (also 3-4).

The Bills are coming off their bye week following a 24-20 win in Kansas City in Week 6. Since the Bills' last Super Bowl appearance in 1993, they have begun a season 5-1 four times – 1995, 2008, 2019, and this year.

Buffalo's offense has faced a blitz on 35.3 per cent of its passing plays this season, the fourth highest in the league. The Packers have faced a blitz just 20.2 per cent of the time, second lowest in the league (Miami, 18.2). The Bills have blitzed opponents just 12.9 per cent of the time, the lowest in the league.

Elsewhere…

Dak Prescott should face the Chicago Bears (3-4) after making his return in the Dallas Cowboys' (5-2) win over the Detroit Lions last week, moving his career record as a starter to 54-33 (.621). Since 2016. The Cowboys are 9-8 when Prescott does not start (.530) while averaging almost 60 total yards fewer per game when he is not the starter (382.3 with, 322.9 without).

The New York Jets (5-2) enter their clash with the New England Patriots (3-4) with a chance to break their current 12-game losing streak against them, which dates back to the 2016 season. With a loss, the streak would match Denver's 13-game losing streak to Kansas City as the longest active one in the NFL.

Saquon Barkley (110 rushing yards) and Daniel Jones (107) each ran for over 100 yards last week, the third time a New York Giants (6-1) duo has eclipsed that mark. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw did so in Week 14, 2010 and Week 16, 2007. The only other team with such a duo this season was the New Orleans Saints in Week 5 against the Giants' opponents for Week 8, the Seattle Seahawks (4-3).

The Tennessee Titans (4-2) own a four-game win streak after a 19-10 win at home against the Indianapolis Colts. This is the Titans' sixth-straight season with a winning streak of at least four games, and it could go to five with a win at the Houston Texans (1-4-1).

One day after he made comments critical of his teammates, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said that nobody told him they had a problem with his assessment.

During his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Rodgers had harsh words for some teammates.

"Guys are making too many mistakes shouldn’t be playing, you know," he said. "Gotta start cutting some reps, and maybe guys who aren’t playing, give them a chance."

On Wednesday, Rodgers did not back down from those comments amid criticism of the message it sent within the camp.

"I don’t understand why people have a problem with things that are truthful," Rodgers said. "I’m calling things the way I see it. People don’t think I need to air that stuff out, that's their opinion. But I’m doing what I think is in the best interest of our guys, and I've tried a lot of different things from a leadership standpoint this year, and I was just relating my personal feeling on the situation.

"I didn’t call anybody out by name. I think we all need to be on the details, and that includes me."

Rodgers said his comments should not come as a surprise since it was nothing he has not shared behind closed doors inside team headquarters at Lambeau Field.

"If one of those guys has a problem with it, I'm right here, and I'd love to have a conversation," Rodgers said. "I enjoy those conversations. I enjoy any type of conflict like that because I know the resolution on the other side is going to make us a better unit, a better friendship, a better cohesion on the field."

Rodgers has also been criticised for making the feedback public rather than keeping it internal. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur did not have an issue with Rodgers’ approach.

"Sometimes the truth hurts," LaFleur said. "I don’t think he publicly called out individuals, I don’t believe, I didn’t sit there and listen to the whole thing, so I just think that you have to get to the root of the truth."

Rodgers and the Packers are heavy underdogs heading into Sunday's road matchup against the Buffalo Bills as they try to avoid the team's first four-game losing streak since 2016.

There is no such thing as a sure thing in sport, and certainly not in fantasy football.

Every week, expected stars underperform while big-time contributors come out of nowhere.

But for this week's fantasy picks, Stats Perform has dug through the data to identify four offensive players and a defense that represent extremely strong bets for productive fantasy performances in Week 8.

If any of these selections disappoint, don't blame us!

Quarterback: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins @ Detroit Lions

The Lions defense finally showed some fight last week against the Dallas Cowboys, but they still represent a favourable matchup for the Dolphins and Tagovailoa.

Detroit's defense is allowing 7.33 yards per pass play, the most in the NFL, and the Dolphins are coming off an efficient performance on offense against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Though they only scored 16 points in their Week 7 win, the Dolphins averaged 7.5 yards per pass play, and surely would have scored more points with better efficiency on third down, on which Miami went four of 14.

It was an encouraging return for Tagovailoa, who should find third-down joy much easier to come by against this porous Lions group. Back Tua and the Dolphins for an explosive showing in Week 8.

Running Back: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams

McCaffrey only had 10 touches in his 49er debut last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he averaged 6.2 yards on those touches, showing the burst and the vision that led San Francisco to trade much of their 2023 draft for the former All-Pro.

With a full week to get to grips with the playbook, McCaffrey will be an integral part of San Francisco's gameplan in a critical division matchup with the Rams.

The Rams have a top-10 run defense by yards per rush allowed (4.17), but this is less about matchup and more about opportunity. McCaffrey will get rushing opportunities and he will get targets against an opponent the 49ers have dominated in the regular season, winning the last seven meetings. Los Angeles will have designs on ending that streak, but the volume McCaffrey figures to receive makes him a must-start.

Wide Receiver: Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Giants

The matchup between the 6-1 Giants and the 4-3 Seahawks is one between two of the NFL's most surprising teams, and it promises to be a compelling one.

Though the Giants have given up only seven passing touchdowns this season, their defensive approach could play into the hands of the Seahawks.

In 2022, the Giants have blitzed 43.1 per cent of the time when defending the pass, according to Stats Perform data, well above the league average of 30.6 per cent.

When faced with five or more rushers or with a defensive back blitzing, Geno Smith has delivered a well-thrown ball on 85.7 per cent of attempts, the second-best among quarterbacks with at least 10 such passes.

In other words, he is excelling against the blitz and, with D.K. Metcalf out, Lockett will be a safety net who should be the beneficiary of a plethora of pass attempts.

Winning his matchup with a defender on 67.9 per cent of targets this season – the average is 61.7 for wide receivers with 25 or more targets – Lockett remains a supremely talented pass catcher who can take advantage of those opportunities and enjoy a huge fantasy day.

Tight End: Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh defense is not the force it once was, especially without T.J. Watt. 

The Steelers are giving up 6.91 yards per pass play, the fifth-most in the league, and Goedert can capitalise on their vulnerability.

He has been targeted at least six times in four of his six games this season and has a big play rate of 34.8 per cent that is fifth-best among tight ends with at least 20 targets.

Goedert clearly has the trust of Jalen Hurts, with this matchup the perfect mix of opportunity and opponent for him to flourish and put up big fantasy points.

Defense/Special Teams: Buffalo Bills vs. Green Bay Packers

Starting a defense against Aaron Rodgers?! 

That's how far the Packers have fallen, and fantasy owners should have no hesitation in starting the Bills against Green Bay's dismal passing attack.

Rodgers' average depth of target this is season is just 6.4 yards, with Green Bay lacking the ability to test defenses downfield with any kind of consistency.

Only two teams have more takeaways than the Bills (13), and the Buffalo defense – which has allowed a successful offensive play just 38 per cent of the time; the average is 39.4 – has the formula to frustrate Rodgers once again.

The Bills lead the league with a pressure rate of 45.4 per cent but blitz on just 15.1 per cent of passing downs. Simply put, they consistently get pressure with four pass rushers, giving them the resources in the back seven to rally to the ball and limit the impact of the short passing game on which Rodgers is suddenly reliant.

Buffalo can stop the Packers gaining yards and have a proclivity for taking the ball away. It promises to be a painful game for Rodgers and a productive one for the Bills' defense and those who start it in fantasy.