Before Week 8, the Chiefs and Lions are the top two teams.
The 2024 NFL season’s eighth week kicks off this Thursday as the somewhat cooled Minnesota Vikings go to the Los Angeles Rams, who just defeated the Las Vegas Raiders by a slim margin on Sunday. The Chiefs are still the only club in the NFL without a loss, and the Detroit Lions handed Minnesota its first defeat of the season with a convincing 31-29 comeback, so the Vikings are not the only team in the league that is still hot. Given that its defense is lifting the entire club, including an offense that is still adjusting to having a diminished wide receiver corps and only one man commanding the field, Kansas City is the main focus here.The Chiefs’ outstanding defensive performance, led by DL Chris Jones and CB Trent McDuffie, may give the impression that they are winning games. However, there is still a significant underlying issue: the offensive requires an immediate overhaul. With the exception of the recently reunited Kareem Hunt, Kansas City lacks depth at running back. It is even thinner at wide receiver, where the Chiefs have had to sift through a long list of ball catchers following standout Rashee Rice’s season-ending LCL surgery. That was before the Tennessee Titans selected top wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in the mid-round of today’s draft.Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback for the Chiefs, bears a greater share of the offensive burden. Yes, the two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, who has struggled greatly in both real life and fantasy football. Because of his current slump, Mahomes has actually thrown fewer touchdown passes this season than the whole Carolina Panthers squad. Consider how utterly un-Mahomes that is. However, given that his typical offensive weapons have not performed much better, can you really blame him? However, obtaining those said “ugly wins” is an essential component of any winning squad. That may not make sense to most people.However, if you have been a longtime fan of the NFL and possibly the Chiefs, and have witnessed a wide variety of championship teams, you can relate. The majority of the NFC North, which currently appears to be the league’s best division, are among the other hot teams in the league. Particularly, considering both of their typical circumstances, you might be surprised to learn that the Vikings and Lions are the hottest. Detroit is in the second year of an incredible comeback after winning the NFC championship the previous season, while Minnesota appeared doomed in the preseason after highly regarded rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy missed the whole 2024 season due to meniscus surgery.
The Detroit Lions
Detroit is thrilling victory against Minnesota was noteworthy for more reasons than merely defeating one of the league’s final unbeaten teams. After limiting them to just 10 points in the first quarter, they scored 21 consecutive points to take a 21-10 lead, which they would maintain until the game was just under six minutes remaining. At that point, they were ahead 28-23 before falling behind by one point, which was later eliminated by super kicker Jake Bates’ 44-yard go-ahead boot. With quarterback Sam Darnold and the other Vikings JJ, wide receiver Justin Jefferson, carrying the load, Minnesota had one of the best offenses in the NFL going into that game.
