There are certain weeks of the NFL season where the marquee matchups are few and far between.
But that's not the case in Week 8, as the schedule is full of battles between contenders.
To get you set for the loaded slate, here's a look at all the biggest games.
Lamar Jackson returns for another meeting with Josh Allen
The level of intrigue for Sunday's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills hinged heavily on the status of Lamar Jackson.
Thankfully, Jackson has been cleared to return after missing Baltimore's past three games with an ankle injury, setting up another matchup between two of the game's best.
Both members of the 2018 draft class, the two star QBs have met four times in the regular season, each winning twice.
Allen has had Jackson's number in the playoffs, however, with a perfect 2-0 record against the Ravens. Meanwhile, when it comes to accolades, Jackson has two MVPs to his name while Allen has one.
“He’s been one of the best, if not the best quarterback. And what he’s consistently done when he’s on the field is unbelievable,” Allen said of Jackson this week. “He’s a very special player, and I’ve got so much respect for him.
“That’s why you play this game is to have matchups like this.”
It's a pivotal game for both teams, but even more so for the Ravens, who, despite a 4-3 overall record, enter Week 8 last in the very competitive AFC North.
Helping their case is that Jackson is returning to face a leaky Bills defence, as Buffalo is giving up 28.5 points per game this season — the third most in the league.
But the Bills are still 5-1, and that's primarily thanks to Allen and the offence, which leads the league with 32.8 points per contest.
Allen should also get a nice boost this week, as his No. 1 receiver D.J. Moore is expected to return after a three-game absence of his own.
It's all setting up for another classic between the two superstar pivots.
Vikings face litmus test against Lions
For the only remaining undefeated team in the league, there is still a lot of skepticism surrounding the Minnesota Vikings.
But Sunday's divisional clash with the Detroit Lions brings a perfect chance to quiet the naysayers.
There is no question where the strength of this Vikings team lies, as Brian Flores' defence has been an absolute nightmare for opponents. Minnesota is giving up just 12.3 points per game this season, far and away the best mark in the league.
However, things have been a little more strenuous on the other side of the ball. Don't believe us? Just take a look at this stat:
As good as the Vikings' defence is, they are going to need the offence to pick things up a tad if they want to be considered true Super Bowl contenders.
And they will probably need to if they want to win in Week 8, as the Lions are scoring 30.7 points per game, which trails only the Bills.
One way or the other, Sunday is going to tell us a lot about who these Vikings really are.
Browns vs. Steelers in unlikely battle for first place
When the NFL schedule was released back in May, a Week 8 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers probably wasn't circled on a lot of calendars.
But it is now, as the two AFC North squads are both 5-2 and enter Sunday's game tied for first place in the division.
Neither team has looked particularly dominant over their first seven games, but each has found a formula that's led to wins.
The Browns rely on their stout defence to keep them in games early before DeShaun Watson comes alive in the fourth quarter. In Cleveland's five wins, Watson has orchestrated a game-winning drive in each.
Meanwhile, the Steelers appear to have found a formula on offence, which is to run things through running back Jaylen Warren and take the pressure off 42-year-old QB Aaron Rodgers.
If there was one squad facing a tad more pressure Sunday, it would be the Steelers, as they already lost to the Browns in Week 4. A 0-2 record against Cleveland could prove massive later in the season.
The Browns haven't swept the season series against the Steelers since 1988. But if they can find a way to break that streak on Sunday, they will find themselves in the AFC North driver's seat.
Game to watch: Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) @ Denver Broncos (5-2) — Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
Both the Chiefs and Broncos enter Sunday's game with something to prove.
Kansas City is looking to bounce back after getting thoroughly dominated in Seattle on Monday. The Chiefs managed just three points against the Seahawks en route to their first loss of the season.
With the Seahawks shutting down Kenneth Walker III, the Chiefs' lack of a consistent passing attack was evident. They should get a bit of a boost on Sunday, however, as No. 1 receiver Rashee Rice will play for the first time since tweaking his hamstring in Week 4.
Meanwhile, the chip on the Broncos' shoulder dates back to the opening week of the season when they were blown out 31-10 by the Chiefs in prime time.
The Broncos have won five of six since that meeting, and third-year QB Bo Nix is coming off his best game of the season, which included a 62-yard scamper for a touchdown.
Only adding to the stakes is the fact that it appears to be a two-horse race in the AFC West, with the 5-1 Chiefs holding a slim lead over the 5-2 Broncos.
If the Broncos want to claim their second straight division title, splitting the season series against the Chiefs would go a long way.
Forrest's favourites (Season record: 7-8)
Raiders @ Jets — Pick: Raiders -1.5: The vibes around the Jets are not great right now, and Kirk Cousins might be playing for his job. Take the Raiders.
Bills @ Ravens — Pick: Bills -3.0: Asking Jackson to keep up with Allen and the Bills is a tough assignment in his first week back from an injury.
Chiefs @ Broncos — Pick: Chiefs -1.5: The return of Rice should be big for the Chiefs to find a little more traction on offence and bounce back with a win.
Full Week 8 schedule (all times ET):
Thursday, Oct. 29
Green Bay Packers 27, Carolina Panthers 17
Sunday, Nov. 1
Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET
Tennessee Titans at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. ET
Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m. ET
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. ET
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET
Las Vegas Raiders at New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m. ET
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m. ET
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. ET
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins, 4:25 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders, 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday, Nov. 2
Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks, 8:15 p.m. ET
Bye week: Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers
