NFL Week 8 Preview: Dallas Cowboys In Panic Mode; Top 8 Storylines to Follow

NFL Week 8 predictions and picks are always fun. But what could provide some of the most entertainment is watching how some of the intriguing storylines develop.

This has been one unpredictable season and has provided for a lot of media talk. How will the players respond to the pressure of some of these juicy storylines?

Here are some of the most interesting stories to keep your eyes on come Sunday.

New York Jets Face Another Top-Tier Team

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DENVER - OCTOBER 17: Head coach Rex Ryan the New York Jets celebrates a penalty call against the Denver Broncos at INVESCO Field at Mile High on October 17, 2010 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

The Green Bay Packers are better than their 4-3 record and their dramatic ways of both winning and losing this season proves it. They are both winning and losing their games by "just that much." They pose yet another tough threat for the New York Jets, the big story of the offseason with their TV special Hard Knocks.

In the preseason, everyone talked about how tough the Jets' schedule was in the first half of the season. Well, the Jets have gone 5-1 so far, and with a win here, they have a chance to escape that stretch nearly unscathed.

After this, the Jets have two road games at Detroit and Cleveland to help soften up the schedule a bit.

Okay...Now It's Time To Panic

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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 25: Quarterback Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys wears a sling on the sidelines after a left shoulder injury against the New York Giants at Cowboys Stadium on October 25, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Gett

The Cowboys entered the season with the hopes of hosting a Super Bowl as the home team for the first time in NFL history. At 1-5, their season has been defined by missing one opportunity after another. Every loss seemed to leave the Cowboys scratching their heads or pointing their fingers.

Mike Ditka said it best when he suggested that the Cowboys should turn their fingers around and point them at themselves.

The Cowboys face a soft opponent, Jacksonville, and get another home game just to help their chances a bit more. But without Tony Romo at the helm, who knows what to expect. Maybe Jon Kitna's old lungs can breathe new life into the Cowboys. Or maybe his history of interceptions will dig the Cowboys a deeper hole than they ever imagined.

New England Patriots Welcome Back an Old Friend

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 11: (L-R) Brett Favre #4 and Randy Moss #84 of the Minnesota Vikings talk on the sideline against the New York Jets at New Meadowlands Stadium on October 11, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty

Oh, where to begin with the storylines in this one...I might as well devote an entire slideshow to it.

In case you've been living under a rock or have no access to cable or internet, Brett Favre's consecutive-starts streak is in jeopardy due to an ankle injury he suffered on Sunday night in a loss to his old team at his old home.

Randy Moss, recently traded from the Patriots to the Vikings for a fourth-round pick, returns to face his old team. This marks the second time in his career he's played against a team that traded him. The last time? Five catches, 67 yards, two touchdowns against the Raiders in 2008, with Matt Cassel pitching the rock.

If anyone had any idea so much would be at stake, this could easily have been the prime-time match-up.

Are The Buccaneers Really The Best Team in The NFC?

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 19: Head coach Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on against the Carolina Panthers during their game at Bank of America Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Ima

After his team's 18-17 win over the Rams last week, Raheem Morris claimed that the Bucs are the best team in the NFC.

If I had told you he'd say that in Week 7 back in the preseason, you would have thought either he was crazy or I'm crazy.

It's certainly a stretch to say they're the best team in the NFC. They are currently 4-2 and there's still 10 games for them to play. But Rex Ryan proved that brash confidence isn't always the worst thing a head coach can have.

His team travels to face the Arizona Cardinals in a game that has trap written all over it. The Bucs have to be careful against the Cardinals,  a team that has played well at home this season.

Past Two Super Bowl Champions Collide

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CANTON, OH - AUGUST 5: Coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers watches play during the AFC-NFC Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the New Orleans Saints at Fawcett Stadium August 5, 2007 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

The red-hot Steelers, fresh off a controversial win over Miami, travel to New Orleans to face the Saints, a team fresh off a thrashing at the hands of the Cleveland Browns.

At 4-3, the Saints have some winning to do if they want to regain their status among the elite teams in the league. They have drastically failed to live up to Super Bowl-repeat expectations many have had. They, much like the Cowboys and Chargers, rank near the top of the league on both offense and defense. But they are finding ways to lose games and they've just looked downright unimpressive at times.

The Steelers have a tough stretch of games, with a trip to Cincinnati and a home game against the Patriots coming up after this. It's important that they get a win here to get started on the right foot.

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts Are Out For Revenge

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HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL season opener against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on September 12, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Rest assured, the Colts have been counting the days to this one.

After the Texans laid a 34-24 beating on the Colts in Week 1, they leaped out of the Colts' shadow and can no longer be called the perennial bastard stepchild of the AFC South. A big-time win for the Colts would be the perfect response to that early-season game and could help the Colts prove it to be a fluke.

The Texans have had some memorable meltdowns in the past on Colts' territory over the past few seasons, so they'll be out to make a point as well.

St. Louis Rams Remain the Story of The Year

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DETROIT - OCTOBER 10: Sam Bradford #8 of the St. Louis Rams looks to the sidelines during the fourth quarter of the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on October 10, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Rams 44-6. (Photo by Leon H

Sam "Ram" Bradford and the St. Louis Rams are proving a ton of people wrong right now. They've won as many games at this point in the season as they won in the past two seasons combined.

Hosting the 1-5 Panthers gives the Rams a good shot at picking up another win. Their defense tore apart the top-ranked Chargers offense in Week 6. And the Panthers feature one of the worst defenses in the league, a prime target for Sam Bradford.

The craziest part is that they're still in the mix for a division title.

San Diego's One Last Chance

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ST. LOUIS - OCTOBER 17: Head Coach Norv Turner of the San Diego Chargers looks on from the sideline against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on October 17, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams beat the Chargers 20-17. (Photo by Dilip Vishwan

Last week's game against the Patriots ultimately came down to a kick that was approximately six-inches wide right. Had that been the case, the game would have gone into overtime.

But that's not been the case for the Chargers at any point this season. It seems to be one special-teams blunder after another, one turnover after another, one loss after another.

It doesn't get any easier for San Diego. It hosts the red-hot Tennessee Titans, just the tough-nosed team that the Chargers hate to face this year. Then, they travel to Reliant Stadium to face the Texans, a team that is much better at home.

2-3 has been an easy obstacle over the past two seasons. However 2-5 is a bit more daunting. Still, in the anemic and unpredictable AFC West, anything is possible.