Sunday’s NFL action brought unusual scoring plays, a sudden quarterback crisis, heated officiating debates, and injury concerns across the league. While the Buccaneers made a rare statistical mark, the Ravens were forced to turn to their third-string quarterback after losing their first two options.

Elsewhere, questionable calls became a major talking point in Detroit and Cincinnati, while a long opening-drive touchdown gave Jacksonville an early statement against Indianapolis. Here are some of the biggest moments from the first eight games of Sunday’s NFL action.

Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback situation changed dramatically after Lamar Jackson’s return lasted just one play. Back after missing the previous three games with a high ankle sprain, Jackson was hit on his right hand by Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Greg Rousseau while attempting a pass. 

ESPN reported that Jackson went to the sideline and then the tunnel with his hand wrapped before being ruled out for the remainder of the game with a right thumb injury. Backup Tyler “Snoop” Huntley also left with a right toe injury. He had completed two of four passes for no yards before being ruled out. 

Baltimore then turned to third-string quarterback Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie from Connecticut making his first regular-season appearance after an impressive preseason.

Jackson later returned to the sideline with his right hand immobilized, but he did not reenter the game. With both Jackson and Huntley sidelined, Fagnano finished 10-of-21 for 91 yards and an interception.

Buffalo pulled away in the second half to secure a 36-10 victory, with Josh Allen throwing two touchdown passes and running for another score. The loss was Baltimore’s third straight and dropped the Ravens to 4-4, leaving them with mounting concerns at quarterback after losing their top two options in the same game.

The injury concerns deepened after the game. According to The Associated Press, Ravens coach Jesse Minter said Jackson would need surgery on his right thumb and would be placed on injured reserve.

“That’ll be a surgery deal. He’ll go to [injured reserve],” Minter said. “That’s a tough deal.”

The move would sideline Jackson for at least four games, although his absence could extend beyond that. Minter left open the possibility that the injury could end Jackson’s season, but no definitive recovery timetable had been announced. The setback came just one play into his return from a three-game absence with an ankle injury.

Baltimore also faced uncertainty over Huntley’s availability ahead of Thursday night’s home game against Jacksonville. With a short turnaround and both senior quarterbacks injured, the Ravens were left assessing their options after Fagnano finished Sunday’s defeat.

Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings

The officiating became a major source of frustration during the Detroit Lions–Minnesota Vikings matchup. The NFL’s own X account described the referees as making the game “unwatchable,” while another fan accused the officials of taking away a Lions touchdown. 

The reactions reflected the growing frustration around the calls, although the available posts did not explain the exact ruling or provide the officials’ reasoning.

Detroit also had a worrying injury situation involving linebacker Jack Campbell, who was carted off and taken to a local hospital for evaluation of a neck injury. An X post from @aidanhutch97 showed an emotional Aidan Hutchinson stepping up as a leader for the Lions’ defense after Campbell left the field. 

Defensive end D.J. Wonnum and defensive back Brian Branch were ruled out for the second half while being evaluated under concussion protocol. NFL.com also listed center Cade Mays and running back Jacob Saylors as ruled out.

Despite the injuries, Detroit held on for a 19-15 victory at Ford Field, handing Minnesota its first defeat of the season. The Lions improved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 against NFC North opponents, while the Vikings dropped to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in division play.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers produced one of the more unusual performances of the day, becoming the first team since 1974 to win a game without completing a pass, according to the information shared by the POC. Their defense played a major part in the result, stopping the Atlanta Falcons on fourth-and-two and forcing a turnover on downs.

With the passing game unable to produce a completion, Tampa Bay leaned on Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell. Irving rushed for 170 yards on 27 carries, while Gainwell added 140 yards on 25 attempts, helping the Buccaneers finish with a franchise-record 324 rushing yards.

Irving also supplied the game’s only touchdown, scoring from 4 yards out in the third quarter to extend Tampa Bay’s lead to 16-0. That proved to be the final score as the Buccaneers paired their dominant ground game with a defensive shutout.

Another bizarre sequence caught attention on X. A clip shared by pardonmyclips showed a fumbled snap followed by a botched play and a speed-option attempt, before the ball was fumbled into the back of the end zone. Tampa Bay ultimately recorded a 16–0 shutout win, making the unusual passing statistic even more striking. 

The Buccaneers did have an injury concern, though, as NFL.com listed linebacker YaYa Diaby as questionable to return with a knee injury. The result gave Tampa Bay a memorable afternoon for more than one reason.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals

The Dallas Cowboys’ defense came up with an important stop against the Arizona Cardinals, denying them a touchdown on fourth-and-goal. FOX Sports: NFL shared the sequence on X, while TSN posted another unusual moment from the game. James Mitchell dived on a fumbled ball to score a touchdown for Dallas, prompting TSN to describe it as a “weird touchdown.”

Arizona also made a change at quarterback during the second half. NFL.com reported that Gardner Minshew replaced Jacoby Brissett, who had completed 10 of 23 passes for 119 yards and an interception.

Minshew led Arizona on an eight-play, 80-yard drive in barely a minute, finding Michael Wilson for a 13-yard touchdown with six seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 30-30. Chad Ryland then missed the extra point that would have put the Cardinals ahead, sending the game to overtime.

Arizona’s defense forced Dallas to punt on its opening overtime possession, with Josh Sweat recording a third-down sack. Ryland then made up for his earlier miss by kicking a 42-yard field goal to seal a 33-30 comeback victory at AT&T Stadium.

The defeat dropped Dallas to 3-5, while Arizona also moved to 3-5.

Dallas also had an injury concern involving tight end Jake Ferguson, who was listed as questionable to return with a head injury, according to NFL.com’s in-game update. The report did not provide a subsequent update on his availability.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Jacksonville Jaguars made an immediate statement against the Indianapolis Colts, putting together a 98-yard opening-drive touchdown. The long possession gave Jacksonville an early advantage and put the Colts’ defense under pressure from the outset. It also prompted a pointed reaction on X, with a post joking, “Miss DeForest, Yet?” in an apparent reference to defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.

Jacksonville maintained control of the matchup and finished with a convincing 42-7 victory. The result made the opening touchdown part of a much bigger afternoon for the Jaguars, who kept the pressure on Indianapolis. 

There were injury concerns on the defensive side as well. NFL.com reported that defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton was ruled out with a knee injury, while safety Eric Murray was also ruled out with an elbow issue. Despite those setbacks, Jacksonville had plenty to celebrate after its dominant showing against the Colts.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns

The Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to put points on the board against Cleveland, while the Browns continued to face questions about their defensive performance. One X reaction argued that the unit had struggled to stop the run, tackle in space and pressure the quarterback over its previous two games.

The post also pointed out that Pittsburgh had not played particularly well offensively in recent weeks, yet had built a 20–6 lead during the contest.

The Steelers eventually pulled away for a 27–6 win over the Browns. That margin gave the criticism of Cleveland’s defensive display further context, although the social media post remained an individual assessment rather than an official evaluation.

The Browns also lost a defensive option during the game, with NFL.com listing defensive tackle Maliek Collins as questionable to return because of an elbow injury. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, had a comfortable result to take away from the matchup.

New York Jets vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Former NFL coach Rex Ryan had some harsh words for Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty. In a clip shared by Barstool Sports on X, Ryan called him “about the worst draft pick in the last 20 years” at running back and added, “You stink.” The comments were particularly blunt, though they represented Ryan’s opinion of Jeanty rather than an objective assessment of the player’s ability.

The Raiders had a busy afternoon on the field as well, coming away with a 38-33 victory over the New York Jets. The result gave Las Vegas the edge in a game where both teams scored. 

There was also an injury update for the Raiders, with NFL.com reporting that cornerback Darien Porter was ruled out because of a groin injury. Ryan’s criticism attracted attention, but the Raiders finished the afternoon with a win.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tennessee Titans

The Cincinnati Bengals had an early setback against the Tennessee Titans when quarterback Joe Burrow threw an interception. Chatterbox Sports shared the play on X and described it as a “horrific start” for Cincinnati against a Titans team that had entered the game with a 1–6 record. The turnover gave the Bengals an immediate problem to deal with as they looked to settle into the contest.

The referee crew also faced criticism from viewers. Several reactions on X focused on a disputed pass-interference call, with one fan claiming that CBS had avoided showing a replay of the decision.

Despite the early setbacks, Burrow kept Cincinnati in the game and found Tee Higgins for an 18-yard touchdown with 1:17 remaining in regulation, tying the score at 36-36. It was Burrow’s fifth touchdown pass of the afternoon and helped force overtime.

Burrow then finished the comeback with a 9-yard touchdown run on Cincinnati’s opening overtime possession. Tennessee failed to answer with a touchdown on its ensuing drive, sealing a 43-36 Bengals victory at Paycor Stadium. Cincinnati improved to 5-2, while Tennessee fell to 1-7.

All in all, Sunday’s NFL games brought unusual records, quarterback injuries, and heated debates over officiating. With teams still fighting to find their footing, the results and incidents from this week could set the tone for some interesting matchups ahead.