Pick Six: Seahawks, Bears picks for 'MNF'; plus 15 crazy stats from Week 8

Nov 2, 2026 at 12:46 pm ET • 18 min read

Hello football friends, and welcome to the Monday edition of the Pick Six newsletter!

I have been watching the NFL for my entire life, and I have to say, yesterday might have been the most bizarre day in recent league history. 

• We saw a team win a game with zero completions for the first time since 1974.
• We saw the Cowboys blow a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter at home for the first time ever.
• The Ravens became the first team in nearly 10 years to have three different quarterbacks throw a pass in the first half of a game.
• Trevor Lawrence pulled off a passing feat that the NFL hasn't seen in 55 years.

We'll be covering all of this and more in today's newsletter, plus we'll have some picks and best bets for tonight's game between the Bears and Seahawks. 

As always, here's your daily reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the newsletter. To get them signed up, just click here.  

1. NFL Week 8 grades: Raiders earn high mark with new look offense 

Welcome to my favorite part of the Monday newsletter, which is where I hand out grades for all 32 teams. Actually, this week, I didn't grade all 32 teams because four were on a bye, and then we have two teams playing tonight, so you're only getting 26 grades.

Raiders 38-33 over Jets

• Raiders takeaway: Raiders coach Klint Kubiak made it clear this week that Kirk Cousins was going to be his starter, and Cousins made his coach look like a genius for sticking with him. The Raiders QB was extremely sharp, especially in the red zone where the Raiders scored four touchdowns on four trips. Cousins accounted for all four scores with three TD passes and a rare TD run. The Raiders offense had an interesting new look with Mike Washington getting the brunt of the carries in the backfield. Ashton Jeanty had only two carries compared to 25 for Washington. With the Raiders performing well in the red zone and on third down — they went 7-of-11 — it won't be surprising if Washington continues to out-snap Jeanty going forward. The offense was clicking on Sunday with Kubiak's new plan. Grade: B
• Jets takeaway: For the fifth time this season, the Jets lost a game by one score, and when that happens, it's usually a coaching problem. Aaron Glenn is a defensive-minded coach, but his defense couldn't stop anything in this game. The Raiders moved the ball at will, especially during the second half, when Vegas piled up 233 yards and 24 points. Offensively, the Jets were almost perfect: They became the first team this year to score on their first six possessions of the game. Adonai Mitchell had a career-high 142 receiving yards and Braelon Allen controlled things on the ground with 147 rushing yards, but it all comes back to the defense. You can't win in the NFL if you can't get any stops, and the Jets just couldn't get any stops. Grade: B-

Broncos 28-24 over Chiefs

• Chiefs takeaway: Harrison Butker might have just played his final game for the Chiefs. You can't blame this loss solely on him, but his missed kick in the fourth quarter set the stage for Denver's comeback win. It was a gut punch on a day when the Chiefs did almost everything right. Patrick Mahomes kept the Broncos' defense guessing by spreading the ball around: The Chiefs QB completed at least one pass to nine different players. That being said, Mahomes still needs some receiving help, as his top two receivers in this game were a tight end and a running back (Rookie Emmett Johnson led the team with 128 receiving yards). The defense pushed the Broncos around for three quarters, but then disappeared in crunch time. This is a good team, but it has plenty of flaws that have been exposed over the past two weeks. Grade: B-
• Broncos takeaway: This team looked to be left for dead in the fourth quarter with the Chiefs leading 24-13, but trailing big is apparently when Bo Nix is the most comfortable. Nix went 5-of-6 for 84 yards in the final quarter, including a 51-yard pass to Jonah Coleman that helped set up the go-ahead touchdown. From there, the defense did the rest. The Broncos pulled off an epic goal-line stand by stuffing the Chiefs on two straight plays from the one-yard line before ending the game with a sack. No one does fourth-quarter magic quite like the Broncos. It doesn't seem to matter how poorly this team plays in the other three quarters; they somehow find a way to win with the game on the line. Grade: B

As for the other grades that we've handed out so far in Week 8, you can check those out here. 

2. NFL Week 8 winners and losers: Cowboys implode at home

You can't have a week of NFL action without having winners and losers, so here are some winners and losers. I always get sad when there's a kicker on the loser's list, and yup, you guessed it, there's a kicker on the loser's list this week. 

Carter Bahns came up with this week's list of winners and losers, and we're going to check out his losers below. 

LOSERS 

• Cowboys. Brian Schottenheimer left his offense on the field on fourth-and-1 from his own 32-yard line in the first quarter, and the Cowboys turned the ball over on downs. That was the first sign that Sunday was not going to be their day. Coaching and offense failed them in that moment, and the defense failed them the rest of the afternoon, surrendering 33 points to the Cardinals in a stunning 33-30 overtime loss. The same defense that has not held a single opponent under 20 points all year, that is. Since 2000, the Cardinals were 1-174-1 when trailing by 14 or more points in the fourth quarter, and the Cowboys were 69-0 at home when leading by 14 or more in the fourth (according to ESPN Insights). If they cannot close out a game against that kind of opponent, then the Cowboys essentially cannot be trusted against anyone.
• Ravens' QB situation. To lose Jackson on his very first play back from a sprained ankle is the most cruel luck possible for a Baltimore offense that desperately needs him to stay healthy. The unit has not scored more than 13 points in any of its last three games, all losses. A team with Super Bowl aspirations now stands at .500 and in last place in the AFC North, and with Jackson out for at least four weeks as he undergoes surgery, it will be difficult to turn things around.
• Jim Harbaugh. The bye week would have been a sensible time for the Los Angeles Chargers to move on from offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel after they finished their first six games as the NFL's lowest-scoring team. Instead, Jim Harbaugh stuck by his assistant, lauded his talent and then promptly watched as his unit managed a meager nine points in Sunday's 24-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Harbaugh has to own the fact that he could have made a play-caller change and that by not doing so, the offense continued to sputter. 

If you want to see Carter's list of winners (and a couple of other losers), be sure to click here. 

3. Overreactions from Week 8: Is it time for the Vikings to bench Kyler Murray?  

Everyone on the internet loves to overreact to things, and that's especially true when we're talking about the NFL. Personally, I overreact to everything. With that in mind, Zach Pereles decided to take a look at several things that happened during Week 8, so decide for yourself if we're all overreacting.  

Statement: Vikings should bench Kyler Murray.
Overreaction or reality: Reality. I gave Murray a lot of grace early this year. He was on a new team and in a new system. He suffered a concussion moments into his Vikings debut. It was about as inauspicious a start as possible, and even as he struggled after he returned, I was willing to give him some time to figure it out. That time is over. Murray was dreadful again Sunday. Murray hasn't been close to good enough for a team with a championship-level defense, and Minnesota simply can't keep the status quo much longer.

Statement: Colts should trade Jonathan Taylor and fire Shane Steichen.
Overreaction or reality: Reality. Not trading Taylor would be a massive mistake. Indianapolis is facing a multi-year rebuild. They have no competent quarterback and likely no way to find one in the draft due to the Sauce Gardner trade. Taylor is reportedly commanding significant offers. The Vikings would be a great fit, as their running game continues to stink. Indianapolis must move their star running back, and it must move on from Steichen, too. If not, it's a damning mismanagement by Carlie Irsay-Gordon at an absolutely critical junction early in her ownership.

Statement: Buccaneers will win the NFC South. 
Overreaction or reality: Reality. Baker Mayfield did not complete a single pass in the Buccaneers' 16-0 win over the Falcons on Sunday, a game played in an absolute downpour.  Mayfield only attempted three passes. The week before, he only attempted 11 (completing seven) in a 43-13 domination of the Panthers. Tampa Bay ran for 258 yards in that game. The Buccaneers cannot win this way forever, clearly. But they don't have to be that far off.  It's not like the bar is that high in the NFC South, and the Buccaneers' defense is the best single unit in the division. If Mayfield can avoid making multiple back-breaking mistakes per game, the Buccaneers will join the 1992 Chargers as the only teams to make the postseason after starting 0-4. 

There are plenty more overreactions, and you can check them out here.

4. 15 crazy stats from Week 8: Buccaneers set football back 91 years

Every Sunday night, I get an email from our research department here at CBS Sports, and every Sunday, that email always includes some crazy stats about the games that were just played. 

With that in mind, here are 15 crazy stats from Week 8, with our main focus being on the Buccaneers' wild 16-0 win over the Falcons: 

1. Buccaneers win without completing a pass. Baker Mayfield went 0-for-3 passing in the Buccaneers' 16-0 win over the Falcons. That makes the Bucs the first team since 1945 to have zero completions in a game where they gave up zero points. It also makes the Bucs the first team since 1974 to have zero completions in a win. 
2. Buccaneers' duo makes history. Bucky Irving rushed for 170 yards on 27 carries against the Falcons while Kenneth Gainwell hit 140 yards on 25 carries. That makes them the first teammates in NFL history to both get 25 carries and finish with at least 125 yards in the same game. With 324 rushing yards overall, the Bucs became the first team since 1933 to rush for at least 300 yards with zero completions. 
3. Falcons get steamrolled. The Buccaneers didn't throw a pass against the Falcons because they didn't need to. The Bucs totaled 324 yards on the ground, which was a franchise record for Tampa Bay. That number also set the Falcons' franchise record for most rushing yards by an opponent.
4. Poor day for Penix. Baker Mayfield didn't complete a single pass against the Falcons, but he still finished with a higher passer rating (39.6) than Michael Penix (12). The Falcons QB had such a low rating after he threw four interceptions. That makes Penix the first QB since Joe Namath in 1974 to have more interceptions than his opponent had pass attempts. 
   
5. Joe Burrow joins exclusive club. Joe Burrow threw for 462 yards with five touchdowns AND a rushing touchdown. That makes him just the SECOND PLAYER in NFL history with at least 450 passing yards, five TD passes and one rushing TD in a single game. He joins Norm Van Brocklin, who accomplished the feat back in 1951 when he set the NFL record for passing yards at 554. 
6. Burrow gets beat up. Yes, the Titans lost to the Bengals, but two of their defenders had big days against Joe Burrow. Amani Hooker had three interceptions, while Jacob Martin had three sacks. With those numbers, the Titans became the first team to have a player with three interceptions and a player with three sacks in the same game since Seattle in 2007.
7. Browns hit rock bottom with a record-setting loss in Pittsburgh. The Browns haven't won in Pittsburgh since 2003, and their losing streak continued on Sunday. With 23 straight losses, the Browns have now tied the Lions for the longest road losing streak in one city in NFL history. The Lions lost 23 straight in Green Bay from 1992 to 2014. 
8. Ravens in bad shape at QB. With Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley both getting injured in the first half, the Ravens had to turn to undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano at QB. That makes the Ravens the first team since 2017 to have three different quarterbacks throw a pass in the first half of a game. 
9. Cowboys collapse in Dallas. The Cowboys blew a two-touchdown lead at home in the fourth quarter, which had never happened before in franchise history. Heading into Week 8, the Cowboys were 202-0-1 at home when leading by 14 points or more in the fourth quarter before blowing a 24-10 lead and losing to the Cardinals 33-30 in overtime. 
10. Gardner Minshew dices up Dallas. After Jacoby Brissett got benched, the Cardinals turned to Gardner Minshew, who caught fire. Minshew threw for 166 yards and three touchdowns in the fourth quarter ALONE, and with those numbers, he became the first QB in the NFL this year to throw three TD passes in the fourth quarter of a game. With his final numbers of 188 yards and three touchdowns, Minshew became the first player in 33 years to throw for at least 175 passing yards, three touchdown passes and no interceptions in the fourth quarter and overtime of a game they didn't start.
11. Vikings defense has a weakness: Jahmyr Gibbs. The Lions running back ran through the Vikings for 153 yards on the ground, making him the first player since 2011 to rush for at least 150 yards against a team that went into a game with a record of 6-0 or better.
12. Age is nothing but a number. Kirk Cousins threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another one in the Raiders' win over the Jets. That made him just the second QB ever over the age of 38 to pass for at least three touchdowns with a rushing touchdown in a game where their passer rating was at least 140. The only other QB to pull that off was Drew Brees, who did it in 2019. 
13. Brock Bowers is blazing new trails. Bowers had seven receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders tight end now has at least 70 yards receiving in each of his six games this year, making him the first tight end in NFL history to record such a feat.
14. Dark horse MVP. Trevor Lawrence completed 10 of 14 attempts (71.4 percent) for 210 yards and three touchdowns with a 153.3 rating in Jacksonville's win over the Colts. That made Lawrence the first player in 55 years to finish with at least 200 passing yards, three touchdown passes and a passer rating of 150 or higher on 10 completions or less. The last player to pull that off was Roger Staubach, and he did so during a 1971 season in which the Cowboys won the Super Bowl. 
15. Scorigami! The Bengals' 43-36 win over the Titans marked the first time in NFL history that score has happened. And if you're keeping track at home, it was the 1,098th unique final score in the NFL. 

If you see any other fun facts, feel free to tweet them at me.

5. Monday night preview: Picks and best bets for Bears at Seahawks

The NFL gave us one of the worst Sunday night games ever in Week 8, but the league is more than making up for that fact by giving us an NFC showdown in Seattle tonight. 

This is a huge game for both teams. If the Seahawks win, they'll move up from eighth to seventh in the playoff standings and the Bears will drop from sixth to eighth, putting them on the outside of the playoffs heading into Week 9. If the Bears win, they'll move up to fifth in the NFC while the Seahawks will stay put at eighth. This will also give the winning team a key head-to-head tiebreaker if these two teams end up battling for a wild card spot with the same record at the end of the season. 

In terms of injuries, the Bears will be without Kyle Monangai, who will miss his fourth straight game. On the Seahawks' end, starting left tackle Charles Cross has already been ruled out. Rashid Shaheed is also out of the game, and the Seahawks might not have starting linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who has been listed as doubtful. 

With that in mind, here's one reason why each team should be feeling confident going into the game: 

• Why the Bears can win: The Seahawks have one of the NFL's best run defenses, but if the Bears want to win, they're likely going to have to figure out how to move the ball on the ground in this game. The Bears are averaging 154.3 yards per game on the ground, which leads the NFL through seven weeks. The Bears are 10-1 under Ben Johnson when they rush for at least 140 yards, and that's because the entire offense opens up when Chicago is able to run the ball. Defensively, if the Bears can force a turnover or two, that should help push them to a win. The Bears are 4-0 this season in any game in which they've forced a turnover, and tonight they're facing a Seahawks team that has the third-most turnovers (13) through the first seven weeks. 
• Why the Seahawks can win: If the Bears have struggled with one thing this year, it's stopping the pass. Three different quarterbacks have thrown for at least 300 yards, which should bode well for Sam Darnold. Not to mention, the Seahawks have the most uncoverable receiver in the NFL in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and he could feast on this defense. The Seahawks also need Darnold to limit his mistakes. He's been an interception machine this year, and Seattle is 0-3 in games where he throws multiple picks. If Darnold takes care of the ball, he could have a big night. 

You can get a full preview of the game from Jared Dubin by clicking here.

If you're thinking about betting on the game, here are a couple of props. 

• ONE RECEIVING PROP I LIKE: Jaxon Smith-Njigba OVER 99.5 receiving yards (-113 at DraftKings): This feels like a huge number, but for JSN, it's not. He's gone over 100 yards in six of Seattle's seven games this year. The offense runs through JSN, and the Bears' secondary has been their weak spot all year, so this feels like a matchup Seattle can exploit. 
• ONE KICKING PROP I LIKE: Jason Myers OVER 1.5 field goals (-156 at DraftKings): The Seahawks have been heavily relying on Myers to score them points over the past few weeks. Myers has hit at least two field goals in three straight games, and he's had at least two field goal attempts in all four games that the Seahawks have played at home this year. Mike Macdonald is always open to taking the points when the situation calls for it, so there's a good chance we'll see Myers hit multiple field goals tonight. 

If you're wondering how my props are doing this year, I'm 10-20 (5-10 on kicker props and 5-10 on all other props). It's gotten ugly. I clearly need to re-evaluate my entire process. I think what I'm trying to say here is that you should be fading me until further notice. As a matter of fact, I might start fading myself. 

And now, it's time for some picks. 

PICKS FOR 'MNF'

Jared Dubin's pick:  Seahawks 24-20 over Bears
Jordan Dajani's pick: Seahawks 24-23 over Bears
John Breech's pick: Seahawks 27-24 over Bears
Tyler Sullivan's pick: Seahawks 27-23 over Bears
Prisco's pick: Seahawks 24-17 over Bears

Over on our CBSSports.com picks page, all seven of our experts are taking the Seahawks to win straight-up, and six of us are taking Seattle to cover as a 3-point favorite. 

6. Extra points: Lamar Jackson to be placed on IR

It's been a busy few days around the NFL, and since it's nearly impossible to keep track of everything, I put together a quick roundup for you.

• Ravens might need to trade for a QB. Lamar Jackson is expected to be placed on injured reserve after injuring his thumb against the Bills on Baltimore's first offensive play of the game. The move means Jackson won't be eligible to return until Baltimore's Dec. 13 game against the Buccaneers at the earliest, if he can even return at all. Tyler Huntley (toe) is also dealing with an injury, which puts the Ravens in a difficult position for Week 9 since they play on Thursday. The Ravens are reportedly trying to trade for a QB and one player they're eyeing is Bears' backup Tyson Bagent, who has history with Ravens' offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. The other thing to consider here is that this injury could throw a wrench into contract negotiations between Jackson and the Ravens, and Tyler Sullivan broke that down here. 
• Saquon Barkley won't be traded. There's been a lot of trade speculation around Saquon Barkley, but apparently, the Eagles aren't looking to make a deal. According to ESPN, Barkley "will NOT" be traded before the Nov. 10 deadline. 
• Jauan Jennings blew up a possible trade to the 49ers. With the 49ers banged up at receiver, they tried to make a trade for Jauan Jennings, who spent the first five seasons of his career in San Francisco before bolting for Minnesota in free agency this offseason. According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, the Vikings and 49ers actually had a trade agreement IN PLACE, but the deal didn't go through because Jennings made it clear that he didn't want to return to San Francisco.