After week eight of the 2024 NFL season, there is only one team that is still undefeated. As most would have guessed, based on the results of the last two seasons, it is the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Through seven games, Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes’s statistics have been underwhelming. He has thrown for eight touchdowns and nine interceptions so far.
These numbers are unusual for Mahomes who is a two-time NFL MVP. Regardless of his numbers, he has come through when his team needs it and still has an undefeated record.
Their most impressive wins are arguably against the Atlanta Falcons, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens. Two of these games were in primetime, with the game against the Ravens being the first game of the season.
The Chiefs’ ability to find ways to win, even in tough and high-pressure situations, has caused many fans to wonder if anybody can beat them.
“I honestly think the Chiefs may go undefeated,” said Griffin Taylor, a sophomore marketing major. “Even when they play bad, they still find ways to win.”
This season has seen teams make some unconventional moves.
The Pittsburgh Steelers made a change at QB with a winning record, benching Justin Fields in favor of veteran and Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson. Since making the move, the Steelers are 2-0 and scoring significantly more.
Lions star wide receiver Jameson Williams was suspended last week due to a performance-enhancing drug, or PED, charge but is now facing further trouble with a potential felony weapons charge. Williams was off to the best start of his young NFL career with 17 catches, 361 yards and three touchdowns.
The third-year receiver out of the University of Alabama seems to have a knack for getting into trouble, as he was suspended in 2023 for a similar PED charge. It will be interesting to see how the young speedster bounces back from these off-the-field charges.
MVP-talk is starting to heat up, with Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen leading the charge. Allen is keeping the ball safe with only one interception, which is rare for the seventh-year signalcaller.
He has led his team to a 6-2 record and helped put them on top of the AFC East once again.
For the first time in a long time, there is a rookie who is getting some MVP looks. Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has been on an unbelievable tear, leading his team to a 6-2 record.
This year was supposed to be a rebuilding year to let Daniels get a feel for the NFL. Daniels clearly had a different plan, as he has the fifth-highest quarterback rating, or QBR, in the NFL with seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Commanders have been the surprise of the NFL and are now favorites to win the NFC East.
“The Commanders will slip up eventually,” said Jackson Goatee, a sophomore business major. “There’s no way they are beating the Eagles, or even the Cowboys, down the road.”
Many would argue that Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is the current favorite to win the MVP. He is playing very good football with minimal mistakes, throwing 17 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
He is second in touchdowns and QBR among all active QBs and has led his team to a 5-3 record. Last week against the Browns, he had a shaky performance, but Jackson wins games and puts up great numbers when he wins.
The Falcons will look to win their division for the first time since 2016, as they have started their season 5-3, remaining undefeated in the NFC South.
The NFC North looks like it is going to come down to the wire, as all four teams have winning records. The Lions look to win the division for a second straight year, as they are beating teams badly with a 6-1 record.
To wrap up the NFC, the west is led by the Arizona Cardinals with a 4-4 record. The San Francisco 49ers have looked mediocre at best, which is surprising considering their consistent season over the last few years and their appearance in last year’s Super Bowl against the Chiefs.
The AFC North is shaping up to be a two-team battle with the Steelers leading by a game in the division over the Ravens.
The Bills seem to have the AFC East locked up, as the three other teams have not performed well by any measure.
The AFC South was looking like the Houston Texans were going to run away with it, but they have faltered recently. The Indianapolis Colts have made a QB change, benching former first-round pick Anthony Richardson for his odd “tap-out” play during a game last week against the Texans.
Although the Broncos are playing good football lately in the AFC West, the Chiefs will win that division by at least two games.
