And already the NFL has just reached the middle of the 2024 season.

The pecking orders between the two conferences are now largely established. There are the elites like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC and the Detroit Lions in the NFC, as well as another group of intriguing front-runners (for now) like the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders.

There are a group of projected playoff teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons that still have a few things to sort out. There are teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are struggling to overcome injuries while hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive. And then there's everyone else: A group of teams hovering around .500 and praying for their fortunes to improve, or cellar dwellers who can already start planning roster overhauls.

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The action began Thursday in Los Angeles, where the Vikings lost 30-20 to the Los Angeles Rams, who got wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back from injuries and four touchdowns from Matthew Stafford.

Sunday's schedule includes eight early games, five late afternoon contests and then Sunday night's showdown between the desperate Cowboys and the host 49ers. Monday night's Giants-Steelers matchup (who knew New York deserved a prime-time slot?) tops it all off.

Here are five of the league's most intriguing storylines in Week 8. (See the full schedule here.)

1. The Eagles and Bengals dynamic is changing

After slow and troubling starts to the season, the Eagles and Bengals finally appear to be heading in the right direction. Philadelphia has overcome early injuries and the revamped offensive and defensive units appear to be finding their identity. The Eagles improved to 4-2 and are seeking their first win streak of at least three games on Sunday since 2023, when they won five in a row from Weeks 7-12. The Bengals improved to 3-4 after a 1-4 injury-plagued and disjointed start to the season. Is it a coincidence that both teams' winning streaks came in two games against the Browns and Giants?

The Bengals and Eagles are about to find out whether the increase in offensive firepower and improved toughness on defense is due to cohesion and execution or whether the issues that plagued them through the first month of the season remain. A win in Philadelphia would help Nick Sirianni's team move further up the NFC East standings, where it trails Washington (5-2). Cincinnati hopes to top .500 before a Week 10 rematch in Baltimore. (Eagles at Bengals, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET.)

Tua Tagovailoa hasn't played since suffering a concussion in Week 2. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)

Six weeks after suffering the third known concussion of his NFL career, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returns to action Sunday at home against the Arizona Cardinals. The Dolphins have missed their franchise quarterback worst, losing three of their last four games, or four of five if you count the first half of Week 2, in which Tagovailoa was injured. Their offense, so potent in Mike McDaniel's first two seasons as coach, has averaged just 10 points per game without Tagovailoa. Tyreek Hill, considered one of the most dangerous weapons in football, has only one touchdown catch and 294 receiving yards in six games.

Tagovailoa dismissed outside concerns that he could suffer another concussion and how such an injury would affect him. He expressed his undying love for the game and his commitment to his teammates. If the Dolphins can keep Tagovailoa on the field, their hopes of competing would seemingly return. Although they are 2-4, they sit second in the AFC East behind Buffalo at 5-2 and sit 10th in a conference that currently only has seven teams with winning records.

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Hill told reporters earlier this week: “We’re back, baby! Hit the damn band!” But is it realistic to expect Tagovailoa to get his team going right away against the 3-4 Cardinals, or will he have to shake off some rust? Hill is questionable for Sunday with a foot injury. And again, question No. 1 is whether Tagovailoa can stay on the field. (Cardinals at Dolphins, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET.)

Formerly award-winning Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young returns to the starting lineup Sunday against the host Denver Broncos, six weeks after coach Dave Canales benched him in favor of veteran Andy Dalton. Dalton is suffering from a sprained thumb after a car accident, but it still makes sense for the Panthers to give the 2023 top pick another chance. Canales initially hoped Young could learn from watching a veteran run an offense, while Dalton increased Carolina's chances of competing. But the Panthers have lost four in a row behind Dalton, and with the rookie head coach at 1-6, lacking talent at many key positions and one of the NFL's worst teams in many statistical categories, he has every hope of winning give up a dramatic turnaround.

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Two games wasn't enough for Young to truly settle into a new offense after seeing little action in the preseason. Canales says Young has been “an absolute stud” in training since moving to the bench. So the Panthers need to give him some drive now to see if he's capable of leading this franchise turnaround like they thought he would when they signed him in place of CJ Stroud last season.

Best-case scenario, Young, who threw three interceptions and no touchdowns and completed just 56.9 percent of his passes for a total of 299 yards through two games, comes into the game showing a better feel for the game and easing concerns that Carolina made a mistake when he drafted him. However, if the team's decision-makers have already concluded that they were wrong about Young, they would be wise to play him now on the off chance that he is promising enough to be traded before the March 5 deadline. November to make an exchange offer for him. (Panthers at Broncos, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET.)

Caleb Williams returns to his home region of DC to face the Commanders. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

If the football gods will, the two top picks in this year's draft will meet for the first time. Caleb Williams leads his Chicago Bears to Washington, where they will put their three-game winning streak on the line against the 5-2 Commanders and (maybe) quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Daniels, the No. 2 pick, suffered a rib injury early in last week's win over Carolina and watched most of the game from the sidelines. He is listed as questionable and although he did not practice on Wednesday and Thursday, he was involved in limited practice on Friday. He has set the tone for the Commanders, who are tied for first in the league with the Ravens in scoring (31.1 points per game). Daniels leads the NFL with a 75.6 completion percentage and has thrown six touchdowns and just two interceptions while rushing for four more.

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Meanwhile, Williams looks like the star the Bears expected when they selected him first overall. He has completed 74.1 percent of his passes with seven touchdown passes and just one interception during this three-game winning streak, and a once sputtering Bears offense has outscored opponents by an average of 17 points per game.

The Bears are 4-2 in a hot NFC North that includes Detroit (5-1), Minnesota (5-2) and Green Bay (5-2). Meanwhile, Washington hopes to maintain its lead in the NFC East over surging Philadelphia. (Bears at Commanders, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET.)

Few teams have experienced as much injury-related adversity as the Chiefs, who placed a third wide receiver on injured reserve this week while a fourth was also sidelined. But somehow the reigning Super Bowl champions remain the last undefeated team in the NFL at 6-0. Kansas City always has a chance with Patrick Mahomes under center and a defense that is one of the best in the NFL. However, the Chiefs desperately need reinforcements on offense and may have found their man in DeAndre Hopkins.

On Wednesday, they acquired the five-time Pro Bowl and three-time All-Pro selection from the Tennessee Titans in hopes of joining Mahomes, Travis Kelce and After posting the seventh 1,000-yard season of his career in 2023, Hopkins experienced a difficult one Starting the 2024 season. Together with Tennessee quarterback Will Levis, who has only passed for 699 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions this season, Hopkins has 15 catches for 173 yards and one touchdown. At 32, Hopkins lacks the explosiveness he boasted in his prime, but he remains an effective route runner and can still win 50-50 balls like he always has.

Hopkins' knowledge of the Chiefs' offense will be limited on Sunday when the Chiefs visit the hapless Raiders, but if anyone can quickly position a player for success, it's Andy Reid. (Chiefs at Raiders, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET.)

(Top photo of Bryce Young: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)