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NFL Week 8 2022: 3 teams on upset alert this Sunday

By Mike Phillips

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 23: Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers is tackled by Joshua Williams #23 of the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 23: Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers is tackled by Joshua Williams #23 of the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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FOXBOROUGH, MA – OCTOBER 24: Bailey Zappe #4 of the New England Patriots points before a play during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium on October 24, 2022, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA – OCTOBER 24: Bailey Zappe #4 of the New England Patriots points before a play during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium on October 24, 2022, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) /

2. NFL Teams That Should Be On Upset Alert In Week 8 – New England Patriots

In a twist that we would never have seen coming, there is a quarterback controversy in New England for the first time in 20 years. Mac Jones returned from injury on Monday night and looked awful after returning from an ankle injury, getting benched for Bailey Zappe early in the Patriots’ blowout home loss against the Chicago Bears.

Head coach Bill Belichick added more fuel to the fire after the game, declaring it a “hypothetical question” whether or not Jones would regain the starting job when he is fully healthy. Zappe, for what it’s worth, struggled in the second half after giving New England an early spark with two touchdown drives.

Regardless of who is under center this week, the 3-4 Patriots are actually favored on the road against the 5-2 New York Jets, who completed a perfect 2-0 road trip by beating the Denver Broncos on Sunday. There is a lot of motivation for New York to make a statement against the Patriots, who have won 12 straight in the series between them and embarrased them last season in Foxboro in a game that former New England star Richard Seymour referred to as the homecoming game.

The Patriots have major issues to sort out on their offense on a short week, which is not a good recipe against a strong Jets’ defense. Belichick will have to cook up quite the scheme in the lab this week to avoid seeing his long winning streak against his former employer come to an end.

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