Breaking down the best and worst from Week 8 of the NFL: 5. Best Halloween scare: Giants » Eli Manning’s 25-yard touchdown pass with 5:58 remaining helped the Giants avoid a post-bye letdown against the winless Dolphins. The Ravens also survived a scare, rallying back from a 24-3 deficit to edge out the Cardinals 30-27 in Baltimore’s biggest comeback in franchise history.
4. Best flipped script: Steelers?» Tom Brady’s Patriots were finally outdone by Ben Roethlisberger’s Steelers. Pittsburgh won the game with clock management, controlling the ball for nearly 39 minutes and never allowing Brady (season-low 198 yards) to establish a rhythm. Roethlisberger finished 36-for-50 with 365 yards passing and two TDs.
3. Worst encore: Tim Tebow »
A week removed from his Miami Miracle — an 18-15 overtime win over the Dolphins — and following a week in which his praying pose became the social media frenzy known as “Tebowing,” the Broncos quarterback had a dreadful game (18-for-39, 172 yards). He was sacked seven times, and his two turnovers turned into touchdowns for the Lions in a 45-10 loss.
2. Best shocker: Rams » With the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals in attendance, the Rams upset the Saints 31-21 behind Steven Jackson’s 159 yards rushing. Following a 62-7 rout of the Colts in Week 7, New Orleans climbed back from a 24-0 third-quarter deficit, but a Drew Brees-led comeback attempt fell short.
1. Worst trip to another country: Redskins » The Bills shut out the Redskins 23-0 for their first win in four seasons playing at Toronto. In was the first shutout of coach Mike Shanahan’s career. The Redskins were sacked nine times and picked off twice by Buffalo’s once-questionable defense.
– Scott Gleeson
