Allen v Mahomes blockbuster
We are now into the section of the NFL season where we should know which teams are contenders and which teams should be in a position to make a push.
In reality, it's one of the most open seasons ever.
In the case of the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, it is almost like an early Christmas present for an NFL fan, with Josh Allen preparing to do battle against Patrick Mahomes once again.
Both of these teams possess the ability to change games at any moment. The Chiefs have propelled themselves back into the heavy contender conversation after a number of impressive offensive performances in recent weeks.
On Monday night we saw that progression in the flesh when they put up 28 points on the Washington Commanders.
While it took time to get going, the Chiefs found a way to utilise something that they were missing for so long - having Rashee Rice available in the backfield. Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy was not afraid to use Rice multiple times.
Add in Travis Kelce - pictured above - to that backfield, along with Xavier Worthy and even Tyquan Thornton, and the Chiefs have an offensive scheme many will envy going down the stretch.
We know how good the Bills can be on the offensive side of the ball, even if they have struggled at times this season to get a result over the line. That being said, Kansas City are rolling into town, meaning it will be imperative for the defensive unit to make a stand to ensure that Mahomes has a hard day on the road.
Against the Carolina Panthers last weekend, the Bills defensive line stood up brilliantly, limiting Carolina to only nine points. They were not only able to stop drives by the Panthers, but they also ended the day taking the ball away three times, with a casual seven sacks added to the mix, a lot of that good work carried out by Michael Hoecht and Greg Rousseau.
In what is a rematch of last season's AFC Championship game, Buffalo needs to make a statement while Kansas City needs to continue what they are doing.
Something has to give, even in early November.
A Giant loss for New York
When the New York Giants take to the field on Sunday, they will do so without rookie sensation running back Cam Skattebo.
The fourth-round pick suffered an open tibia fracture and ruptured deltoid ligament, meaning he will miss the rest of the season.
There is always a rookie sensation that many neutrals will look fondly on each season. For many, Skattebo is that guy. Each run and effort made was not only fun to watch, but he has been a breath of fresh air for both the Giants and the league overall.
No pressure, Tyrone Tracy.
The second-year running back is now in line to take the bulk of the carries for the Giants going forward. That being said, due to Skattebo’s excellence across the year, Tracy has only carried the ball 45 times this season, almost half of what he experienced last year.
It will be interesting to see how Brian Daboll will manage his team - and just how much he will allow quarterback Jaxson Dart to throw the ball instead against a 49ers outfit who have considerable defensive holes, with Nick Bosa and Bryce Huff unavailable.
For the Niners, this is a game they need to win to keep in contention for the NFC West.
For New York? At 2-6, it is quite simply a must win game.
What year is it?
Seriously, folks. Cast your mind back to 2009.
Kerry had just won their 36th All-Ireland football title, while Kilkenny made it four-in-a-row in the hurling.
On the other side of the pond, the Indianapolis Colts were AFC Champions, with Peyton Manning picking up the MVP award for his performance that season.
Fast-forward to 2025, and the Colts sit 7-1 and have a team that echoes memories of days gone by.
Make no doubt about it, Daniel Jones is in a legitimate MVP conversation right now. Who on earth could have seen that coming?
What makes this even more impressive is that outside of Jones, running back Jonathan Taylor could become the first non-quarterback to win the award in the past 12 seasons.
Currently he's on track to finish the season with over 1,800 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns.
That is not normal.
What also isn’t normal is the way the Pittsburgh Steelers have played in recent weeks. They haven’t had a defensive takeaway since Week 4 when they were standing in the middle of Croke Park.
Last week it fell apart for both sides of the ball in the marquee matchup between Aaron Rodgers and his beloved Green Bay Packers. They couldn’t get the ball down the field enough and crucially, they gave up points easily on Sunday night.
For Mike Tomlin and this Steelers team, something has to be fixed - and fast.
The problem is, the Colts are a weapon on both sides of the ball. Only two teams have more takeaways than Indianapolis - and we know that they can put up points easily.
In a week where we see Mahomes visit Buffalo, this game in Pittsburgh could be a fine starter to the feast.
Horses headed to Houston
I wrote last week about the significance of a potential win for the Denver Broncos over the Dallas Cowboys and their future plans this season as a result.
Folks, Denver made it look easy.
At 6-2, the Broncos lead the AFC West, a division that is getting more and more intriguing each week, with the Chargers and Chiefs just behind them.
Why are the Broncos starting to pop up into the national (and in this case, worldwide) conversation?
It’s easy. Quarterback Bo Nix has entered his second year playing in what can only be described as lethal form in the past two weeks. After a comeback for the ages against the New York Giants, he followed it up last week against the Dallas Cowboys with four touchdowns.
When your passing game is good, that is one element. When the Broncos can add in an efficient run game, it takes them another level.
Running back RJ Harvey was named NFL rookie of the week for a three touchdown performance against the Cowboys.
This combination is not guaranteed to have a major success every week, but the Broncos are getting better as each week counts down.
They face a test in Houston this weekend. If they can replicate similar outings from this season against another Texas outfit, one can only imagine what their ceiling truly is.
History-seeking Whelan
Finally, a quiet note of optimism for Enniskerry’s Daniel Whelan, who faces the Carolina Panthers at home this weekend.
The 26-year-old is having the best season of his career, ranked inside the top three punters in the league through eight weeks.
No Irish player in NFL history has made a Pro Bowl berth.
As the weeks tick on, Whelan is certainly making a case for Irish NFL history to be rewritten.
