NFL Week 8 previews: Browns try to spoil Patriots coach Bill Belichick's bid for 300th win

Here’s a breakdown of the Week 8 matchups in the NFL.

Browns (2-4) at Patriots (7-0)

4:25 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Opening line: Patriots by 11½
Series record: Browns lead 13-11
Last week: Browns lost to Seahawks 32-28 on Oct. 13; Patriots beat Jets 33-0
Notes: With win over Browns, Patriots coach Bill Belichick would earn his 300th victory (including playoffs). He’s behind only Don Shula (347) and George Halas (324) on NFL’s all-time win list. … Cleveland 5-6 all-time against Patriots in games played in New England, including 0-3 at Gillette Stadium. Browns QB Baker Mayfield coming off three-interception performance in loss to Seattle. … Mayfield leads league with 11 picks and has 25 in 19 NFL starts. … Browns RB Nick Chubb had 122 yards rushing against Seahawks and ranks second in AFC with 607 yards. Browns could lean on him more with Mayfield struggling. … Chubb and Patriots RB Sony Michel were teammates at Georgia and are close friends. … Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. had six catches for 101 yards last week as team made effort to get top playmaker more touches. … Browns DE Myles Garrett has nine sacks this season, 29½ in 33 games. … Browns expected to make changes on offensive line, with starting LT Greg Robinson most likely to be replaced. … Patriots can improve to 8-0 for third time in team history and first since 2015 (started 10-0). … With three TD passes, Tom Brady (251) can tie Drew Brees (254) for most TD passes in single stadium in NFL history. … New England leads NFL in several defensive categories including fewest points allowed (48), total yards allowed per game (223.1), fewest yards per play (4.0) and fewest net passing yards per play (4.3). Patriots also allowing teams league-low 14.3 percent success rate on third down. … Lead NFL with 18 interceptions this season. Through seven games, only three clubs in NFL history have had more INTs: 1996 Packers (20), 1986 49ers (19) and 1973 Steelers (19).

Bengals (0-7) vs. Rams (4-3) at Wembley Stadium, London

1 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Opening line: Rams by 11½
Series record: Bengals lead 8-5
Last week: Jaguars beat Bengals 27-17; Rams beat Falcons 37-10
Notes: Rams fans lose home game to England for third time in four seasons as NFL condition of 2016 relocation. … Second time Bengals have played in London. Tied Washington 27-27 at Wembley in 2016. … First-year Bengals coach Zac Taylor was Rams’ QB coach last season, and assistant receivers coach in 2017. Taylor first Bengals coach to lose first seven games. … First time Sean McVay has faced a former assistant as head coach. McVay almost three years younger than Taylor. McVay was born in Dayton, Ohio, and played receiver at Miami (Ohio). … Rams LT Andrew Whitworth played first 11 NFL seasons with Bengals before signing with Rams in 2017. Won first career playoff game last season. Would become 12th player to earn victory as starter against all 32 NFL teams if Rams win in London. Jake Scott only offensive lineman in NFL history to accomplish feat. … Bengals rushed for only 33 yards — all by QB Andy Dalton — against Jaguars, fourth time they’ve been held under 35 yards rushing this season. Bengals averaging only 2.9 yards per rush. … Rams snapped three-game skid with blowout win at Atlanta last weekend. Spent week practicing at Georgia Tech to minimize effects of pond hop. … CB Jalen Ramsey had four tackles in strong debut against Falcons. Eric Weddle is Rams’ only remaining starter in secondary from Week 5, but new group played well. … New Rams starting CB Troy Hill signed with Bengals as undrafted free agent in 2015 and played three games before joining Rams late in season.

Cardinals (3-3-1) at Saints (6-1)

1 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Opening line: Saints by 10
Series record: Cardinals lead 15-14
Last week: Cardinals beat Giants 27-21; Saints beat Bears 36-25
Notes: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray leads all rookies in yards passing with 1,768, ranks second in pass TDs with seven, ranks second among all QBs with 266 yards rushing. … RB David Johnson had 108 scrimmage yards (55 receiving, 53 rushing, two TDs rushing, in previous meeting. … RB Chase Edmonds had career-high 126 yards rushing, three TDs rushing and first 100-yard game. … WR Larry Fitzgerald ranks second in NFL history in receptions with 1,339 and yards receiving 16,718. QB Drew Brees said he planned to return this week after missing five weeks with thumb injury. … Saints went 5-0 without Brees in lineup and Teddy Bridgewater filling in. … Reserve Saints QB Taysom Hill had second career TD catch vs. Bears last week. … RB Alvin Kamara did not play last week, has practiced this week. Has 649 scrimmage yards, two TDs in six games this season. … S Vonn Bell led team with 8 tackles, had FF and FR last week. Tied for NFL-leading four fumble recoveries this season.

Seahawks (5-2) at Falcons (1-6)

1 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Opening line: Seahawks by 3½
Series record: Seahawks lead 10-8
Last week: Seahawks lost to Ravens 30-16, Falcons lost to Rams 37-10
Notes: Falcons coach Dan Quinn worked for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll as Seattle’s defensive line coach and assistant head coach from 2009-10 and defensive coordinator from 2013-14 before he was hired by Atlanta. … Seattle could start 4-0 on road for just second time in franchise history. Other came in 1980. … QB Russell Wilson 29-7 in games following in-season loss. … Wilson needs 11 yards passing to move past Eli Manning for 10th most in first eight seasons. Needs 111 to move past Warren Moon for ninth. … RB Chris Carson had streak of three straight 100-yard games snapped vs. Ravens. Finished with 65 yards on 21 carries. … DK Metcalf second among rookie WRs with 389 yards receiving. … Falcons QB Matt Ryan’s streak of 154 consecutive regular-season starts in jeopardy because of sprained right ankle. Ryan’s streak began after missing two games in 2009. … Ryan has 16 TDs, four interceptions, in seven games against Seattle. … Austin Hooper leads NFL tight ends with 46 catches. … QB Matt Schaub’s previous start came in 2015 for Baltimore.

Broncos(2-5) at Colts (4-2)

1 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Opening line: Colts by 6½
Series record: Broncos lead 14-13
Last week: Broncos lost to Chiefs 30-6; Colts beat Texans 30-23.
Notes: Denver has won past two against Colts, but 24-point loss to Chiefs was most lopsided game of Broncos season. … Coach Vic Fangio was Colts defensive coordinator from 1999-2001 during Jim Mora’s tenure. … Broncos traded longtime WR Emmanuel Sanders to San Francisco earlier this week. … Joe Flacco needs 107 yards passing to become 22nd quarterback with 40,000. … Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman have combined for 752 yards rushing — fourth in NFL among running back duos. … Lindsay made Pro Bowl last season after rushing for 1,037 yards — second-most by undrafted rookie since 1970 merger, behind former Colts RB Dominic Rhodes (1,104 in 2001). … LB Von Miller needs half sack to break tie with three other players (100½) for No. 30 in league history. Indy has 15 TDs in 23 red-zone possessions after going four for four last week. … Colts have allowed second-fewest sacks in league (seven). … WR T.Y. Hilton’s next TD catch will tie Dallas Clark (46) for sixth in franchise history. … LB Darius Leonard needs nine tackles to join Luke Kuechly and Patrick Willis as only players since 2000 with 200 tackles in first 20 games. … K Adam Vinatieri is two extra points away from becoming first Colts player to get 500 and next appearance will make him fourth player in franchise history with 200 games played (Reggie Wayne, 211; Peyton Manning, 208; John Unitas, 206).

Buccaneers (2-4) at Titans (3-4)

1 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Opening line: Titans by 2½
Series record: Titans lead 9-2
Last week: Bye after Buccaneers lost 37-26 to Panthers in London on Oct. 13; Titans beat Chargers 23-20
Notes: Previous meeting between teams marked only time in NFL history that top two picks in NFL draft — Bucs’ Jameis Winston, Titans’ Marcus Mariota — met as rookies in Week 1. … Winston is coming off second 400-yard passing performance of career, but also threw five interceptions and lost a fumble during 11-point loss to Carolina in London two weeks ago. … Winston fifth QB in league history with 100 touchdown passes before 26th birthday. Dan Marino (142), Peyton Manning (111), Matthew Stafford (109) and Drew Bledsoe (108) are others. … Bucs scoring 28.8 points per game, fourth in NFL. Allowing 30.8 per game, third-worst in league. … Titans have won two straight in series. … QB Ryan Tannehill threw for 312 yards and two TDs last week. Completed career-high 79.3 percent of his passes with minimum of 20 attempts. … Titans tied franchise record not allowing more than 20 points through first seven games and rank fourth allowing 16 points a game. … Titans RB Derrick Henry had 108 yards from scrimmage with TD rushing last week. Henry has 11 rushing TDs in past nine home games.

Eagles (3-4) at Bills (5-1)

1 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Opening line: Bills by 1
Series record: Eagles lead 7-6
Last week: Eagles lost to Cowboys 37-10; Bills beat Dolphins 31-21
Notes: Eagles 40-24-1 record vs. AFC opponents since 2003. … QB Carson Wentz has 1,209 yards passing, eight TDs and two picks in past four road games vs. AFC. … Wentz has TD pass in 10 consecutive games, tied with Seattle’s Russell Wilson for NFL’s longest active streak. … RB Jordan Howard had two rushing TDs in only career game vs. Bills with Chicago last Nov. 4. … RB Miles Sanders only rookie with at least 200 yards rushing and receiving. … Since 2013, Zach Ertz leads NFL TEs with 472 receptions and is second with 5,231 yards receiving. … All-Pro DT Fletcher Cox got first sack this season last week. … DE Derek Barnett has sack in three of past four. … Eagles are first in run defense since 2016, allowing 92.8 rushing yards per game. … Previous time Bills opened 5-1 was 2011 when conference crossover was also against NFC East. Buffalo went 2-2 against NFC East and finished 6-10. … Haven’t opened 6-1 or better since 7-1 start in 1993. … Bills 4-1 when tied or trailing in fourth quarter. … Second-year QB Josh Allen 3-0 this season without second-half turnover and 7-0 overall in games he starts and finishes. … Allen’s seven TDs passing three short of last season. … RB Frank Gore 20 scrimmage yards shy of becoming fifth to top 19,000. Gore also 134 yards rushing short of passing Barry Sanders (15,269) for third on league list. … Opened season topping 100 yards rushing in six straight games for first time since 2013. … Offense’s time of possession of 26 minutes, 29 seconds against Miami was lowest in win since 26:25 against Jacksonville on Nov. 27, 2016.

Chargers (2-5) at Bears (3-3)

1 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Opening line: Chicago by 6
Series record: Bears lead 7-5
Last week: Chargers lost to Tennessee 23-20; Bears lost to New Orleans 36-25
Notes: Chargers trying to avoid going 0-4 in October for first time since 2000, have lost three straight by seven or fewer. … QB Philip Rivers fourth in league in yards passing with 2,114. He threw for 280 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in only other appearance at Soldier Field. … Austin Ekeler tied for third in NFL with 49 receptions, tops among RBs. … RB Melvin Gordon averaging only 2.3 yards per carry in three games since ending holdout. … WR Keenan Allen tied for eighth in league with 44 receptions. … TE Hunter Henry has 197 receiving yards in past two games since returning from knee injury. … DE Joey Bosa had two sacks last week. He has 33½ sacks in 42 games. … Chargers have allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 74.6% of passes, on pace for highest completion rate allowed in NFL history. … Chicago set franchise low with seven carries last week, season low with 17 yards rushing. … Bears gave up season-high 424 yards in loss to New Orleans, including 151 rushing after allowing 169 on ground by Oakland. … QB Mitchell Trubisky threw for 251 yards, two late touchdowns last week after missing game with left shoulder injury.

Giants (2-5) at Lions (2-3-1)

1 p.m. Sunday, FOX
Opening line: Lions by 7 ½
Series record: Lions lead 23-21-1
Last week: Lions lost to Cardinals 27-21; Lions lost to Vikings 42-30
Notes: Both teams have lost three straight. … QB Daniel Jones has thrown one TD pass each of past four games and has seven INTs during span. … RB Saquon Barkley, Carolina RB Christian McCaffrey two NFL players with at least 1,600 yards rushing, 800 yards receiving since last year. … WR Golden Tate faces former team after having 80-plus yards receiving previous two games. … Kevin Zeitler to start 80th straight game, first among active NFL guards. … CB Janoris Jenkins has defended 99 passes since 2012, tying league lead. … QB Matthew Stafford has had 3-plus TD passes and 110-plus rating past two home games. … Rookie RB Ty Johnson had career-high 57 yards from scrimmage last week. … Johnson expected to start with RB Kerryon Johnson on IR with knee injury. … WR Marvin Jones joined Jerry Rice and Sterling Sharpe last week with four receiving TDs in two games … WR Danny Amendola had 100 yards receiving second time this year against Minnesota. … Lions have forced 11 fumbles, second in league.

Jets (1-5) at Jaguars (3-4)

1 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Opening line: Jaguars by 5
Series record: Jaguars lead 7-6
Last week: Jets lost to Patriots 33-0; Jaguars beat Bengals 27-17
Notes: Jets coming off lopsided loss to Patriots in which ESPN cameras and microphones caught QB Sam Darnold saying he was “seeing ghosts.” Comment went viral and angered the team. Darnold ended up with worst performance of two-year pro career. He completed 11 of 32 passes for 86 yards with four interceptions, a lost fumble and 3.6 rating. … Adding injury to insult, Darnold had a toenail removed the following day and spent time wearing padded shoes to ease the pain. … RB Le’Veon Bell, averaging career-low 3.3 yards a carry, had season-high 70 yards rushing last week. Had 118 yards from scrimmage (82 rushing, 36 receiving) in only game in Jacksonville. Has notched at least 90 yards from scrimmage in nine consecutive games against AFC South teams. Jets rookie DT Quinnen Williams and Jaguars rookie LB Quincy Williams are brothers. The Birmingham, Alabama, natives have more than 60 friends and family members coming to witness their first game against each other at any level. … Rookie LB Joe Giles-Harris, called up from practice squad, expected to make NFL debut. … QB Gardner Minshew has four TD passes and two interceptions in three home games. Leads all rookie QBs with 95.7 rating. … RB Leonard Fournette third in NFL with 918 yards from scrimmage.

Panthers (4-2) at 49ers (6-0)

4:05 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Opening line: 49ers by 6
Series record: Panthers lead 13-8
Last week: Panthers had bye, beat Buccaneers 37-26 on Oct. 13; 49ers beat Redskins 9-0
Notes: Carolina won past six regular-season meetings but lost in playoffs following 2013 season. … Panthers seek first five-game winning streak since winning 18 straight regular-season games in 2014-15. … Carolina’s Kyle Allen first QB in Super Bowl era to win first five starts with no INTs. … Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey had fifth game in past two years with TD run and catch before bye, most in NFL in that span. … Carolina became 10th team since merger with at least seven sacks, seven takeaways in previous game vs. Tampa Bay. … Panthers lead NFL with 27 sacks. … Panthers won four straight coming off bye week. … Niners seek second 7-0 start in franchise history. Also did it in 1990 … WR Emmanuel Sanders set to make debut with 49ers after trade from Denver. Sanders has 30 catches for 367 yards, while San Francisco last in NFL with 49 catches from wideouts. … Niners fifth team in Super Bowl era to start season 6-0 after winning fewer than five games previous season. Two of other four (1988 Bengals, 1999 Rams) reached Super Bowl. … San Francisco allowed 64 points, second fewest through six games in franchise history to 63 in 1976.

Texans (4-3) at Raiders (3-3)

4:25 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Opening line: Texans by 6½
Series record: Texans lead 7-4
Last week: Raiders lost to Packers 42-24; Texans lost to Colts 30-23
Notes: Texans QB Deshaun Watson had 308 yards passing, 32 yards rushing last week to join Cam Newton as only QBs with at least 7,500 yards passing, 1,000 yards rushing through 30 games. … Watson has thrown four INTs past two games after only one in first five games. … Texans haven’t allowed 100-yard rusher in 23 straight regular-season games. … Houston WR DeAndre Hopkins has at least five catches in 10 straight games. … Texans forced turnover in 20 straight games, 10 longer than the next best active streak. … Josh Jacobs first Raiders player with back-to-back 120-yard rushing games since Justin Fargas in 2007. Only Raiders to do it three straight are Marcus Allen (four in 1975), Napoleon Kaufman (1997). … Jacobs needs 144 yards rushing to break Marcus Allen’s franchise record for rookie of 697 set in 1982. … Oakland allowed league-worst 32 pass plays of at least 20 yards, including nine last week. … Raiders lost three of first six games by at least 18 points for third time in franchise history. Also did it in 1961, 2009. … Oakland converted 50% of third downs, second best in league.

Packers (6-1) at Chiefs (5-2)

8:20 p.m. Sunday, NBC
Opening line: Packers by 1
Series record: Chiefs lead series 7-4-1
Last week: Packers beat Raiders 42-24, Chiefs beat Broncos 30-6
Notes: Both teams lead their division heading into Week 8. … First meeting between teams was Super Bowl I. Green Bay won 35-14. … Teams have only met 11 times in regular season. … Packers last beat Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 4, 2007. Brett Favre threw for 360 yards and two TDs in win. … Chiefs coach Andy Reid was an assistant in Green Bay. Reid 5-5 against Packers. … Green Bay is 15-3 against AFC West since 2002. … Matt LaFleur first Packers coach to win six of first seven games. … Packers QB Aaron Rodgers had perfect passer rating (158.3) last week vs Oakland. He was 25 of 31 for 429 yards and five TDs with no interceptions. … Packers RB Aaron Jones tied with Vikings’ Dalvin Cook for NFL lead in TD runs (eight). … Green Bay and Kansas City tied for NFL lead in red-zone takeaways with four. … Packers LBs Preston Smith (seven) and Za’Darius Smith (sixth) among NFL’s top five in sacks. … Green Bay tied for third in NFL in turnover differential (plus-6). … Reid sixth in NFL history with 212 wins. Next: former Packers coach Curly Lambeau with 229. … Chiefs had nine sacks last week against Denver, tied for third-most in franchise history. … Chiefs QB Matt Moore hit WR Tyreek Hill for 57-yard TD pass against Broncos. It was Hill’s 19th play of at least 50 yards with all but two resulting in TDs. … Moore will start first game since Nov. 26, 2017, for the Dolphins against New England. … Chiefs P Dustin Colquitt has pinned 450 punts inside the 20. Jeff Feagles and Shane Lechler are only players with more.