2012 NFL schedule: First-place Texans have bye in Week 8

The Houston Texans have to feel pretty good about where they stand heading into their bye week this weekend. At 6-1, the Texans have a the AFC's best record and a 2.5-game lead over the second-place Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South. They'll also have two weeks to bask in the glory of their 43-13 demolition of the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7.

They'll get to watch the rest of the division in action in Week 8. The Colts take on the Tennessee Titans (3-4) and the banged-up Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) travel to Lambeau to take on the Green Bay Packers, who accounted for the Texans' lone loss so far this season in Week 6. The Texans return to action in Week 9, when they host the Buffalo Bills at noon on Nov. 4.

Elsewhere, most of the Week 8 action takes place in the early afternoon Sunday, highlighted by Michael Vick hosting his former team, the undefeated Atlanta Falcons. In primetime, the Thursday night Week 8 opener pits the Buccaneers and surprising Vikings against each other, while Sunday night features the Broncos and Saints and Monday night's game pits the 49ers against the Cardinals.

Here's the rest of the NFL's Week 8 schedule. All times are Central:

Thursday

• Tampa Bay at Minnesota, 7:20 p.m., NFL Network

Sunday

• Carolina at Chicago, noon, FOX
• San Diego at Cleveland, noon, CBS
• Seattle at Detroit, noon, FOX
• Jacksonville at Green Bay, noon, FOX
• Miami at N.Y. Jets, noon, CBS
• Atlanta at Philadelphia, noon, FOX
• Washington at Pittsburgh, noon, FOX
• New England at St. Louis, noon, CBS
• Indianapolis at Tennessee, noon, CBS
• Oakland at Kansas City, 3:05 p.m., CBS
• N.Y. Giants at Dallas, 3:25 p.m., FOX
• New Orleans at Denver, 7:20 p.m., NBC

Monday

• San Francisco at Arizona, 7:30 p.m. ESPN

Bye weeks: Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Houston