NFL Week Eight Action: Jackson Injured as Bills Battle Ravens, Unbeaten Vikings Meet Lions

The midpoint of the NFL season brought high drama on Sunday as Week 8 kicked off with major divisional clashes, marquee quarterback matchups, and a devastating early injury in Buffalo.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson saw his return from a three-game absence cut short on the opening drive against the Buffalo Bills. On his very first play, Jackson struck his hand on Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau while attempting a pass, injuring the thumb on his throwing hand. Jackson headed straight to the locker room and was officially ruled out for the remainder of the contest, leaving backup Tyler Huntley—and later undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano—to pilot the Baltimore offense.

Despite losing their two-time MVP quarterback, the Ravens defense kept them competitive in a wild first half. Buffalo capitalized on early opportunities, including a one-yard rushing touchdown by Josh Allen after a near-miss involving Khalil Shakir, to take a 13-7 lead into halftime after a missed field goal by Baltimore’s Tyler Loop.

Meanwhile, the NFC North took center stage in Detroit, where the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings faced the Lions in a battle between a suffocating defense and a high-powered offense. Minnesota’s defense made life difficult for Jared Goff early, with Andrew Van Ginkel racking up multiple sacks. Kyler Murray and the Vikings found some early rhythm, connecting with TJ Hockenson and Ben Yurosek, though the Lions stayed within striking distance.

In the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers renewed their fierce rivalry at 5-2 apiece. The matchup followed a week of verbal sparring between Cleveland edge rusher Jared Verse and Pittsburgh defensive lineman Cam Heyward over physical play. The Steelers ground out an early lead in the trenches behind a rushing touchdown from Rachaad Dowdle and a Chris Boswell field goal, despite red-zone struggles.

Elsewhere across the early window, Tony Pollard sparked the Tennessee Titans against the Cincinnati Bengals, while Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars built an early commanding lead over the Indianapolis Colts highlighted by a 95-yard pick-six from rookie R. Lane. In New York, the Raiders and Jets traded blows in a high-scoring shootout featuring a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown by Dylan Laube.

With playoff races tightening across the conference boards, teams fought through early injuries and defensive slugfests as the league crossed toward the second half of the 2026 campaign.