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5 most interesting NFL matchups to watch Week 8

By Rucker Haringey

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 25: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass in the first half of a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on October 25, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 25: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a pass in the first half of a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on October 25, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
ORCHARD PARK, NY – OCTOBER 19: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills runs the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs at Bills Stadium on October 19, 2020 in Orchard Park, New York. Kansas City beats Buffalo 26 to 17. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /

3. Bill Belichick vs. Josh Allen

Allen started the year ablaze as one of the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL. It’s fair to say he’s cooled off significantly since that white-hot start. Predictably, the Bills offense has slowed down at the same rate as their dynamic quarterback.

That’s not an ideal trend for Buffalo heading into a matchup against Belichick and the Patriots defense. New England’s roster isn’t anything close to elite, but the tactical genius of Belichick can still give the Bills major problems.

In particular, New England will look to force Allen to beat them with his arm. More specifically, Belichick will crowd the line of scrimmage to make Allen pick his secondary apart with intermediate routes. The Patriots will take the deep throws away with safeties over the top. They’ll use their linebackers to spy against Allen to prevent him from making plays with his legs.

The good news for Buffalo is that they come into this game with a significant talent advantage. It’s still an interesting test for Allen. If he can pick apart the Patriots secondary then he’ll go a long way towards proving he can win games with his arm in the postseason. If he struggles in this one, questions will increase about his ability to lead the Bills to the promised land.

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