NFL Player News

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers continued his dominance of the Vikings in Week 8, hitting 24 of 29 throws for 285 yards and two touchdowns. He added 31 yards on six carries and led an offensive machine that did not punt or commit a turnover.

Rodgers has thrown 13 touchdowns and no interceptions in his last four starts against Minnesota. Green Bay's 44 points Sunday night were the most it ever scored in the Metrodome.

Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for two first-half scores, the first an 11-yard strike into tight coverage. Then Rodgers burned the blitz by rifling a short throw to Nelson, who sprinted 76 yards for a touchdown. 

Rodgers has thrown five touchdowns and no interceptions the past two weeks and is up to 15 touchdown passes this season. He plays the Bears in Week 9.

A blowout of the Jets on Sunday allowed two little-used skill position players to dent the scoresheet for the Bengals. Quarterback Josh Johnson did not throw a pass, but he did rush for 17 yards on three carries. Running back Cedric Peerman added 11 yards on six attempts.

Wideouts Marvin Jones and A.J. Green didn't leave many catches or yards for others, but tight end Tyler Eifert did contribute two receptions for 23 yards and wideout Dane Sanzenbacher added two more for 18 yards. Fellow wide receiver Mohamed Sanu caught one pass for 24 yards before leaving with a right shoulder injury.

Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins relieved an injured Robert Griffin III late in Sunday's contest against the Broncos in Week 8.

Cousins was picked off by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on his first series, who took it back 75 yards for a touchdown. Two plays later, Cousins was picked off again by Shaun Phillips to put the game out of hands for Washington.

Cousins completed 5 of 9 passes for 48 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a 45-21 defeat. He could be in line to play Week 9 against the Chargers if Grifffin is not healthy enough to play.

Rookie quarterbacks tend to have ups and downs. Consider the game Sunday one major downer for Geno Smith.

The Jets quarterback completed 20 of 30 passes for 159 yards, but a pair of pick-sixes in the second half doomed him to a 51.9 quarterback rating and some piling on by the Bengals in their 49-9 victory.

Smith absorbed four sacks and seven quarterback hits. He now has five interceptions and just one touchdown pass in his last three games. He threw for just 78 yards in the second half before the Jets tossed in the towel and backup Matt Simms. But before he turned into an observer, he threw one interception that Chris Crocker ran 32 yards with for a touchdown and another that Adam Jones sprinted 60 yards with for another score.

He will try to rebound in Week 9 against the visiting Saints.

It seemed that Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton could have thrown seven or eight touchdown passes Sunday against the porous Jets. But he settled for five and still established a career single-game record.

Dalton completed 19 of 30 passes for 325 yards before he was mercifully removed in the fourth quarter of the 49-9 thrashing. He seems to like playing against teams representing the Big Apple. His previous best in touchdown passes was four against the Giants last November.

The third-year quarterback established a rapport with blossoming wideout Marvin Jones - and that's an understatement. He fired four scoring strikes to Jones, including three in the first half as the Bengals grabbed the momentum and maintained it throughout.

Dalton has been on an outrageous roll. He is 69 of 104 for 1,024 yards and 11 touchdowns in the last three games. The Bengals have scored 103 points during that stretch. He will seek to maintain that hot streak Thursday night in Miami.

With the Saints able to sell out for the pass leading by multiple scores, Bills quarterback Thad Lewis couldn't get anything going in the second half Week 8 at New Orleans, completing just 12 of 22 passes. He threw an interception on the Bills' second-to-last drive and nearly threw another on their final drive as he struggled to stay upright against a pass rush that sacked him four times on the day.

His overall numbers weren't bad. He completed 22 of 39 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown, hooking up with wide receiver Steve Johnson for a 13-yard score in the second quarter, but the interception wasn't his only turnover. He also lost two fumbles, including one on the first play of the game.

Lewis has thrown for at least 200 yards in each of his three starts this season. With E.J. Manuel still sidelined by a sprained knee, Lewis figures to start again Week 9 against the Chiefs.

Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill got off to a solid start in Week 8 against the Patriots Sunday, but a second-half swoon proved costly in a 27-17 win.

Tannehill's struggles with turnovers continued in Sunday's game, as he was intercepted twice and lost a fumble, his fifth of the season. All three turnovers came in the second half, after he led the Dolphins to a 17-3 halftime lead.

Tannehill completed 22 of 42 passes for 192 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He has multiple touchdowns and turnovers in each of the last two games, heading into Week 9 against the Bengals. Miami has a quick turnaround, as they face Cincinnati Thursday. 

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford didn't have his best game Sunday during a Week 8 win over Dallas. He combined with a record-setting performance from Calvin Johnson to do just enough to beat the Cowboys. 

Stafford hit Calvin Johnson at the goal line with just seconds to play in the game and the Lions trailing 30-24. Stafford ran up to the line and snuck the ball into the end zone for the game-winning score on the next play. 

Stafford finished 33 of 48 for 488 yards with one touchdown -- to Johnson in the first quarter -- and two interceptions. He had a QB rating of 91.3 on the game. Stafford rushed three times for 12 yards and the TD. 

The 25-year-old Stafford has topped 350 yards passing in two consecutive games and has done it four times this season. The Lions are on bye Week 9 and return Week 10 at Chicago. 

Eagles rookie quarterback Matt Barkley came off the bench for a second straight game during a 15-7 loss Week 8 vs. N.Y. Giants. Last week vs. Dallas, he replaced an injured Nick Foles (concussion), but on Sunday he was called upon to replace an ineffective Michael Vick, who struggled in his return from a hamstring injury.

Barkley entered the game late in the first half after Vick struggled to move the offense. Barkley was quite effective on his first drive, completing 6 of 7 passes for 55 yards and marched Philadelphia down to the Giants' 2-yard line. Unfortunately, Barkley coughed up the football in the red zone after being sacked and the Giants recovered the fumble. 

Barkley led no scoring drives, and the Eagles got their only score on a botched punt by the Giants. Barkley had a chance to tie the game, but he threw an interception at the Giants' 40-yard line with 11 seconds left. Barkley completed 17 of 26 passes for 158 yards.

If Vick and Foles aren't ready to play by Week 9 at Oakland, then Barkley could be called upon to make his first career start.

The San Francisco 49ers called upon quarterback Colt McCoy during the Week 8 blowout win over Jacksonville from London Sunday. Colin Kaepernick left with a comfortable lead. 

McCoy finished the game 1 for 1 for 13 yards before taking a knee. San Francisco has a bye Week 9 and Kaepernick will be back in the saddle for Week 10 vs. Carolina.