NFL Recap – Week 8

Thursday%20Night%20Football%20was%20a%20breakout%20game%20for%20the%20Tampa%20Bay%20Buccaneers%26%238217%3B%20running%20back%2C%20Doug%20Martin.%20Martin%20racked%20up%20214%20total%20yards%20and%20two%20touchdowns%2C%20including%20135%20yards%20rushing%20against%20the%20Minnesota%20Vikings.%20The%20loss%20was%20the%20Vikings%20first%20home%20loss%20of%20the%20season.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Adam%20Bettcher%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Chicago%20Bears%20extened%20their%20NFC%20North%20lead%20with%20a%20one-point%20win%20over%20the%20%281-6%29%20Carolina%20Panthers.%20The%20Bears%20were%20trailing%2019-7%20heading%20into%20the%20fourth%20quarter%20and%20that%20is%20when%20Jay%20Cutler%20took%20control.%20Cutler%20led%20his%20team%20down%20to%20the%20Carolina%2023-yard%20line%20and%20Robbie%20Gould%20kicked%20the%20game-winning%20field%20goal%20as%20time%20expired.%20%28Photo%20by%20John%20Gress%2FGetty%20Images%29

Phillip%20Rivers%20and%20the%20San%20Diego%20Chargers%20looked%20to%20end%20their%20two-game%20losing%20streak%20against%20the%20Cleveland%20Browns.%20But%20Rivers%20couldn%26%238217%3Bt%20get%20his%20offense%20going%2C%20finishing%2018%20for%2034%20and%20154%20yards%20and%20no%20touchdowns.%20The%20Browns%20relied%20on%20their%20rooking%20running%20back%20Trent%20Richardson%20to%20score%20the%20only%20touchdown%20of%20the%20game%20and%20earn%20the%20Browns%20their%20second%20win%20of%20the%20season.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jason%20Miller%2FGetty%20Images%29

Detroit%20Lions%26%238217%3B%20quarterback%20Matthew%20Stafford%20threw%20for%20352-yards%20and%20three%20touchdowns%20including%20two%20to%20second-year%20wide%20receiver%20Titus%20Young.%20With%20just%20over%20five%20minutes%20left%20and%20starting%20on%20their%20own%2020-yard%20line%2C%20Stafford%20drove%20the%20Lions%20down%20the%20field%20and%20connected%20with%20Young%20for%20a%201-yard%20TD%20pass%20with%20%3A20%20seconds%20left%20to%20beat%20the%20Seattle%20Seahawks%2028-24.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Al%20Messerschmidt%2FGetty%20Images%29

It%20was%20another%20record-setting%20game%20for%20Packers%26%238217%3B%20QB%20Aaron%20Rodgers%20despite%20not%20having%20two%20of%20his%20top%20receivers.%20%20Rodgers%20failed%20to%20get%20into%20a%20groove%20with%20his%20offence%20and%20threw%20for%20just%20186-yards%20and%20two%20touchdowns%20against%20the%20Jacksonville%20Jaguars.%20Rodgers%26%238217%3B%20second%20TD%20pass%20in%20the%20fourth%20quarter%20to%20Donald%20Driver%20sealed%20win%20for%20the%20Packers%20and%20surpassed%20Bart%20Starr%20for%20second%20place%20on%20the%20Packers%26%238217%3B%20all-time%20list.%20%28Photo%20by%20Dilip%20Vishwanat%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Dolphins%26%238217%3B%20starting%20quarterback%20Ryan%20Tannehill%20was%20knocked%20out%20of%20the%20game%20after%20the%20Dolphins%26%238217%3B%20second%20possession%20with%20a%20left%20leg%20injury.%20But%20that%20didn%26%238217%3Bt%20stop%20backup%20quarterback%20Matt%20Moore%20from%20leading%20the%20Dolphins%20to%20a%20rout%20over%20their%20division%20rival.%20After%20playing%20for%20a%20lead%20of%20the%20division%20two%20weeks%20ago%2C%20the%20Jets%20have%20lost%20two%20in%20a%20row%20and%20now%20sit%20at%20the%20bottom%20of%20the%20AFC%20East.%20%28Photo%20by%20Elsa%2FGetty%20Images%29

Matt%20Ryan%20and%20the%20Atlanta%20Falcons%20continue%20their%20dominance%20over%20the%20NFL%20with%20a%2030-17%20win%20over%20the%20Philadelphia%20Eagles.%20Ryan%20led%20the%20Falcons%20to%20three%20touchdowns%20on%20the%20teams%26%238217%3B%20first%20three%20possessions.%20The%20Eagles%20battled%20back%2C%20but%20could%20not%20overcome%20the%20deficit%20and%20the%20Falcons%20remain%20undefeated.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Rob%20Carr%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pittsburgh%26%238217%3Bs%20%26%238220%3BSteel%20Curtain%26%238221%3B%20swarmed%20the%20Redskins%26%238217%3B%20RG3%20to%20allow%20only%20177%20yards%20passing%20and%208%20yards%20running%20for%20the%20rookie%20quarterback.%20While%20the%20Steelers%20defense%20kept%20RG3%20in%20check%2C%20Ben%20Roethlisberger%20lit%20up%20the%20Redskins%20defense%20for%20222%20yards%20and%20three%20TD%26%238217%3Bs%20as%20the%20Steelers%20won%20two%20consecutive%20games%20for%20the%20first%20time%20this%20season.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Justin%20K.%20Aller%2FGetty%20Images%29

Colts%26%238217%3B%20quarterback%20Andrew%20Luck%20showed%20again%20why%20the%20team%20selected%20him%20%231%20in%20the%20draft.%20Luck%20led%20his%20team%20on%20two%2080-yard%20scoring%20drives%2C%20including%20the%20fourth%20quarter%20drive%20the%20tied%20the%20score%20and%20sent%20the%20game%20to%20overtime.%20In%20overtime%20Luck%20threw%20a%2016-yard%20TD%20pass%20to%20Vick%20Ballard%20to%20beat%20the%20Titans%2019-13%20and%20record%20the%20Colts%26%238217%3B%20fourth%20win%20of%20the%20season.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Frederick%20Breedon%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Oakland%20Raiders%20had%20no%20trouble%20scoring%20against%20the%20struggling%20Chiefs.%20Carson%20Palmer%20threw%20for%20209%20yards%20and%20two%20touchdowns%2C%20Darren%20McFadden%20ran%20for%20114%20yards%20and%20Sebastian%20Janikowski%20kicked%20four%20field-goals%20as%20the%20Raiders%20remain%20one%20game%20back%20from%20division%20leader%20Denver%20Broncos.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Jamie%20Squire%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20New%20York%20Giants%20built%20up%20a%2023-0%20lead%20in%20the%20first%20half%2C%20then%20the%20Cowboys%20rallied%20for%2024%20unanswered%20points.%20The%20Giants%20battle%20back%20and%20kicked%20two%20field-goals%20in%20the%20fourth%20quarter%20to%20take%20a%2029-24%20lead.%20With%20less%20than%20two%20minutes%20remaining%20Tony%20Romo%20drove%20the%20Cowboys%20down%20the%20field%20and%20threw%20a%20pass%20to%20Dez%20Bryant%20for%20what%20appeared%20to%20be%20a%20game-winning%20touchdown.%20But%20after%20an%20official%20review%2C%20Bryant%20landed%20with%20his%20fingers%20out-of-bounds%20and%20the%20Giants%20secured%20the%20win.%20%28Photo%20by%20Tom%20Pennington%2FGetty%20Images%29

Sunday%20Night%20Football%20featued%20two%20of%20the%20league%26%238217%3Bs%20top%20quarterbacks%2C%20Drew%20Brees%20and%20Peyton%20Manning.%20But%20it%20was%20Manning%2C%20the%20four-time%20NFL%20MVP%2C%20that%20took%20advantage%20of%20the%20league%26%238217%3Bs%20worst%20defense.%20Manning%20threw%20for%20305%20yards%20and%203%20TD%26%238217%3Bs%20as%20the%20Broncos%20gained%20530%20yards%20in%20total%20offense%20and%20won%20for%20the%20first%20time%20this%20season%20two%20straight%20games.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Justin%20Edmonds%2FGetty%20Images%29

Alex%20Smith%20%28Credit%3A%20Ralph%20Freso%2FGetty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EMonday%20Night%20Football%20featured%20and%20NFC%20West%20showdown%2C%20between%20the%20San%20Francisco%2049%20and%20Arizona%20Cardinals.%20The%2049ers%26%238217%3B%20Alex%20Smith%20almost%20had%20a%20perfect%20night%20going%2018-fo-19%20for%20232%20yards%20and%20three%20touchdowns.%20The%2049ers%26%238217%3B%20defense%20was%20able%20to%20shut%20down%20the%20Cardinals%26%238217%3B%20offense%20and%20hold%20them%20to%20just%207%20yards%20rushing.%20With%20the%20win%2C%20the%2049ers%20take%20a%20commanding%20two%20game%20lead%20in%20the%20division.%20%28Photo%20by%20Ralph%20Freso%2FGetty%20Images%29