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NFL Week 8 Takeaways and Monday Night Football Best Bets

Episode 526 Published 1 day, 11 hours ago
Description

NFL Week 8 takeaways from the numbers with Warren Sharp. Minnesota put seven in the box on 88 percent of Detroit's snaps and blitzed Jared Goff on 79 percent of his dropbacks, both the most in the week, and the Lions ran for 218 yards anyway as Jahmyr Gibbs went from 3.4 yards a carry in the first half to 9.7 in the second. Baker Mayfield completed 0 passes and Tampa Bay won. Dallas led Arizona 17-3, ran it 15 times for 1.9 a carry on second half early downs, threw on the drive that should have ended the game and lost in overtime. Denver finally gave the ball to Jonah Coleman and beat Kansas City, Buffalo beat Baltimore 36-10, and the AFC picture changed. Plus Curtis on Monday Night Football, Bears at Seahawks.

The show opens with a tribute to Brendan Donahue, our mock draft expert, who passed away last week at 45. The most accurate mock drafter in the nation for seven straight years and a friend to everyone at Sharp Football. We will miss him.

Get the free newsletter, every article we publish plus free bets and player props, at sharp.football.

Players and coaches discussed: Jahmyr Gibbs, Jared Goff, Dan Campbell, Baker Mayfield, Michael Penix, Dak Prescott, Gardner Minshew, George Pickens, Brian Schottenheimer, Jonah Coleman, J.K. Dobbins, Bo Nix, Sean Payton, Lamar Jackson, Kirk Cousins, Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold.

What You'll Learn

• Minnesota put 7 plus in the box on 88 percent of Detroit's snaps and blitzed Goff on 79 percent of dropbacks, both the most any offense saw this week
• Detroit ran for 218 yards at 6.4 a carry anyway, both second in the week, with the top elusiveness rating of the week, 19.4
• Gibbs by half: 3.4 yards a carry, -0.49 EPA per rush and 18 percent success before the break, 9.7, +0.40 and 75 percent after it, against the same boxes
• The fix was inside zone: two first half inside zone runs went 19 and 12, Detroit doubled the calls after halftime and averaged 14.8 a carry on them
• Baker Mayfield completed 0 passes, Tampa Bay has won two straight on 7 total completions
• Arizona's first seven drives: punt, downs, interception, punt, field goal, fumble, punt, then four touchdowns in the final 17 minutes with Gardner Minshew
• Up 24-17 at the Arizona 16 with 4:13 left, Dallas ran, threw a 1 yard pass, threw incomplete on third and 11 and kicked. Up 27-24 at the 20, same result. Arizona tied it with 10 seconds left
• Dallas second half early downs: 15 runs at 1.9 a carry and -0.31 EPA, 14 dropbacks at 8.3 yards per attempt and +0.26 EPA, and the run calls kept coming
• Dallas motion fell from 55.6 percent of first half snaps to 7.1 percent, and George Pickens was targeted less than backup TE Brevin Spann-Ford
• The Broncos finally went to Jonah Coleman against the Chiefs
• Buffalo 36, Baltimore 10, and what the AFC looks like through Week 8
• Monday Night Football: Bears at Seahawks, with Curtis on the matchup he likes

Chapters

00:00 Intro
00:18 Remembering Brendan Donahue
02:49 Jahmyr Gibbs is special
05:13 Cowboys epic failure
12:26 Two blowouts that taught us nothing
16:01 The AFC picture
19:12 Broncos finally went to Jonah Coleman
21:54 Night night for the Ravens
23:30 Monday Night Football: Bears at Seahawks, with Curtis
32:14 Wrap-up

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Guests: Curtis on Monday Night Football.

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