NFL Week 9 takeaways: What We Learned from Sunday's 12 games

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Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Bears survived a nearly disastrous meltdown in Cincy. The Bears led, 41-27, (after having a defensive touchdown nullified) with just over two minutes left but watched Joe Flacco continue to come at them, with the Bengals eventually taking the lead with under a minute left. But Caleb Williams made some massive plays to keep the final drive alive, hitting Colston Loveland on a 58-yard TD with 17 seconds left, thanks to a missed tackle in open space. It capped a wild offensive shootout that saw the Bears accumulate 576 yards of offense and 47 points, but the defensive breakdowns – against a beat-up Flacco who was a question mark to even play Sunday – loomed large. You have to tip your hat to Williams and the Bears’ offense for bailing the team out of a potentially awful loss, but three offensive turnovers, a putrid special teams performance and the defensive collapse can’t be ignored. 
2. Bengals suffered another demoralizing loss, thanks to the defense. That’s two straight games where Joe Flacco and the offense have done more than enough to win the game, but the Bengals’ defense did everything in its power to give the games away at home. A banged-up Flacco engineered an insane comeback, trailing by 14 points with just over two minutes left, giving the Bengals an improbable lead with 54 seconds remaining. But after the Bengals’ defense got a rare stop on the previous possession, they couldn’t finish the game off, allowing Caleb Williams to scramble 14 yards for a first down and then hit Colston Loveland for a game-winning 58-yard TD in the closing seconds. Jordan Battle was guilty of a terrible missed tackle on that play, highlighting a day full of defensive miscues for Cincinnati. The Bears were about as bad on special teams as you’ll ever see a victorious team be, and their defense looked cooked by game’s end, but the Bengals just couldn’t finish it off. Another gutting loss.
3. Bears’ game thrived with unexpected contributors. With D'Andre Swift out, Bears coach Ben Johnson called on two backs – with a combined 42 NFL carries coming in – to spearhead a rushing attack that mauled the Bengals for 283 yards in Chicago’s road victory. Rookie Kyle Monangai was the star, running 26 times for 176 yards, continually barreling through Bengals defenders on several highlight runs. Brittain Brown also earned his first five NFL carries (in his first NFL game since the 2022 season), including a shocking 22-yard TD that gave the Bears a two-TD lead. Caleb Williams also did work as a scrambler, and DJ Moore had what should have been the game-capping TD on a 16-yard end around. In a game where Rome Odunze had zero catches and Williams had two catches, Johnson emptied the tank as a play-caller. Four Bears attempted passes, and Chicago needed every one of its 30 first downs to finish this thriller off.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Bears-Bengals (via NFL Pro): Joe Flacco completed 31 of 47 passes for 470 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in the Bengals’ Week 9 loss to the Bears. He averaged 9.3 air yards per attempt, his highest mark since joining the Bengals by 2.4 air yards. Flacco was effective on downfield passes (10-plus air yards), going 13 of 18 for 312 yards with three touchdowns and a Hail Mary interception.

NFL Research: In Week 8, the Bengals allowed a game-winning touchdown pass by Jets RB Breece Hall, and on Sunday they allowed an opening-drive TD pass by WR DJ Moore. The last team to allow a passing TD by non-QBs in consecutive games was the 1992 Dallas Cowboys (via Broncos WR Arthur Marshall and Washington RB Earnest Byner).

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• READ: Vikings' McCarthy has three TDs in triumphant return

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Vikings bully Lions in Detroit. A Brian Flores defense that has disappointed most of the season came in hot. Minnesota out physicaled the Lions, shutting down Detroit’s running back duo, allowing 65 yards on 20 carries, holding Jahmyr Gibbs to 2.8 yards per carry for 25 yards on nine totes (long of 7). With Detroit one-dimensional, the pass rush teed off on Jared Goff, discombobulating the quarterback time and time again. Minnesota combined for a whopping 30 QB pressures, per Next Gen Stats. The Vikes forced a high-powered offense to go three-and-out four times and forced a fumble. Kevin O’Connell’s club took it to Detroit in every facet, controlling the line of scrimmage on offense, defense, and winning the special teams battle, including a blocked field goal. For a team that entered the game with a host of questions about whether they could hang in the NFC North, the Vikings answered them with a massive road win and proved they could play a physical brand of football.
2. McCarthy shows upside coming off injury. J.J. McCarthy came out on fire, dropping perfect dimes and making the right reads, leading back-to-back touchdown drives to open the contest. Making his third career start, the QB used his legs well to get out of the pocket and scrambled for a touchdown. Things got hairy a few times, with the second-year signal-caller missing a few throws behind his targets, particularly on the move. He also took five sacks and had a few miscommunications in the backfield. But all in all, it was J.J.’s most complete performance in a hostile environment. With a ground game that generated 142 rushing yards, McCarthy wasn’t asked to make a ton of big-time throws. But when KOC needed one, McCarthy delivered – just as he often did at Michigan. Facing a third-and-5 with 1:41 remaining, up three points, instead of running into the teeth of the defense, the Vikings trusted their 2024 first-round pick. He delivered with a beautiful back-shoulder ball to Jalen Nailor to ice the game. It wasn’t just a big win in the standings, it was massive for the faith in McCarthy moving forward.
3. Goff struggles with pressure. Jared Goff was under siege most of the night behind an offensive line that struggled with pressures and dealt with injuries. Lions running backs also had problems with blitz pickups – Gibbs allowed seven pressures on 16 pass block snaps, per Next Gen Stats. The QB was sacked five times. The Lions offense simply cannot operate with no run game and pressure in Goff’s face. The Pro Bowler didn’t turn it over, but completed just 6 of 16 passes for 71 yards against pressure for a 55.1 passer rating and a -6.9 % completion percentage over expected, per Next Gen Stats. Even when he was clean, Goff missed several passes on skittish throws. The Lions couldn’t move the chains for long stretches, including four straight drives without a first down, the final of the stretch ending on a fumble. It’s rare to see a Dan Campbell team pushed around on both sides of the ball. Entering the game, it would have seemed improbable that the Lions would get outrushed by 77 yards by a Vikings team that got gashed on the ground and couldn’t move the ball a week ago.  

Next Gen Stats Insight for Vikings-Lions (via NFL Pro): Despite averaging his quickest time to throw in a game since his rookie year (2.44 seconds), Jared Goff was pressured on 47.6% of his dropbacks, the third-highest pressure rate he has faced in a game as a Lion.

NFL Research: J.J. McCarthy joined Hall of Famer Dan Marino and Patrick Mahomes as the only quarterbacks drafted in the first round to win two road divisional games over their first three career starts since at least 1970.

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Dowdle rumbles to victory. Rico Dowdle's two-week rushing explosion coincided with Carolina's hot streak but once Chuba Hubbard returned to the lineup, Dowdle was forced to split carries. Fortunately for the Panthers, head coach Dave Canales wised up entering Week 9, distributing most of the backfield touches to the more explosive Dowdle, who ran violently through Green Bay's defense, setting an aggressive, fearless tone for the visiting Panthers. Dowdle accounted for both of Carolina's touchdowns but more importantly, his ability to knife through the Packers' interior gave the Panthers a viable method to move the ball in the low-scoring affair. The numbers support the tape: Dowdle piled up +44 rushing yards over expected Sunday, his second-most this season to bring his RYOE total to +172 on the year, the third-highest total of any runner in the NFL. It shouldn't have surprised anyone that Dowdle was the one who ripped off a 19-yard run to set up Ryan Fitzgerald's game-winning field goal. Dowdle had already carried the offense all afternoon to the tune of 130 yards and two scores on 25 attempts. When Dowdle is rolling, the Panthers are a tough out.
2. Packers flop in key moments. When the Panthers took a 7-6 lead into halftime, most everyone watching agreed the better team (the Packers) wasted a half by playing with their food. The low-scoring display certainly wasn't new to these Packers, a team that has made a habit of starting slowly in 2025, but when they compounded those struggles with second-half mistakes, they left the door open for the Panthers to steal a win. After lighting up the Steelers in the second half of a Week 8 win, Jordan Love fell short of the mark Sunday, trusting the deep shot too much and throwing an interception on a ball launched into triple coverage to halt a third-quarter possession in a one-point game. His failure to find an open target on a later fourth down attempt was the product of quality defense, but also indicative of how Green Bay repeatedly wasted opportunities. The Packers reached the Panthers' red zone four times Sunday; 50 percent of those drives ended in a turnover (fumble, turnover on downs). Those points left on the field proved to be the difference and will hopefully serve as a lesson as they move forward.
3. Carolina's defense responds with stingy showing. One week after getting steamrolled by James Cook and the Buffalo Bills, the Panthers headed to Green Bay and stymied a Packers offense that had just torched the Steelers. Yes, Green Bay racked up 369 yards of offense, but mustered just 13 points because of how the Panthers stiffened in the biggest moments. It required a total team effort from their defense. Christian Rozeboom led the way with 15 tackles, Trevin Wallace tallied nine, Nic Scourton made a difference against the run and pass and Tre'von Moehrig put together an excellent game, finishing with five tackles -- a total that included a couple of crucial stops -- and the aforementioned downfield interception on the pass intended for Christian Watson. One down symbolized Carolina's team effort: Fourth-and-8 from Carolina's 13-yard line, a play that saw Love take 11.49 seconds before launching a desperate pass to nobody in the end zone because Carolina had eliminated every possible target all the way through the end of the scramble drill. The Panthers played as if they took last week's disappointment personally and were out to prove that wasn't indicative of their defensive identity. Consider the mission accomplished.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Panthers-Packers (via NFL Pro): Micah Parsons did not record a single pressure across 21 pass rushes in the Packers' Week 9 loss to the Panthers, marking his first career game without a pressure. Parsons faced a double-team on 28.6% of his pass rushes (6 of 21), his second-highest double-team rate in a game this season.

NFL Research: Sunday's win over the Packers was the Panthers' first victory in Green Bay since 2008, ending a streak of 16 years and 337 days.

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• READ: Texans' Stroud leaves Sunday with concussion

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Broncos come through in the clutch again. As has been the case in many of Denver's games this season, the offense struggled to find consistency throughout most of Sunday's contest. This time around, the Broncos had good reason for their ineffectiveness. Houston's defense delivered an excellent performance, blanketing receivers and shutting down the run while the Texans dominated time of possession 22:39 to 7:21 in the first half. But we should know better than to count out these Broncos in regulation and especially in the fourth quarter, the period in which Bo Nix channels his most powerful magic to produce fantastic football feats. He did it again Sunday, waiting until the final 50 seconds of regulation to rip off a 25-yard scramble on second-and-7 to move into field goal range, then nudged them even closer a few plays later with a 9-yard scramble down to Houston's 16-yard line. Of course, Nix wasn't entirely unproductive prior, he tossed a beautiful touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton to cap a quick-strike touchdown drive late in the first half, then found RJ Harvey on a wheel route for another aerial score early in the fourth quarter. And yes, of course it happened in the fourth quarter: Denver outscored the Texans, 11-0, in the final period to complete yet another comeback win. You can hold them back, but you can't keep these Broncos down.
2. Houston still can't convert along the goal line. This loss will sting worse than others for the Texans. They largely owned the first half both in time of possession and scoring opportunities, driving down inside Denver's 5-yard line twice in the first half but coming away with two field goals instead of touchdowns on both trips. The first was an upsetting reenactment of their Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay, slamming Nick Chubb into a wall of defenders twice before asking British Brooks to do the same. All three failed to break the plane of the goal line before a false start forced them to settle for a field goal. Once C.J. Stroud was knocked out of action due to a concussion, the Davis Mills-led unit moved back down to Denver's 2, but a similarly frustrating sequence (including a holding penalty on Xavier Hutchinson) forced another field goal. Texans fans will spend the rest of their Sunday lamenting the three-point loss and how one touchdown in those two situations could have produced a win, especially in a low-scoring affair in which the defense did enough to win even as the offense buckled in the second half (its last six possessions all ended in punts). Unfortunately, it's all too familiar.
3. Denver's defense and punter deliver. The Broncos' offense didn't do their defense many favors and seemed to push them to the brink when their last promising drive stalled at the 50 and ended in a punt with just 1:14 remaining, giving the Texans one chance to move into field goal range and kick a game-winner. With the outcome on the line, the Broncos stood tall, forcing two incompletions and a harmless three-and-out for the Texans that also preserved just enough time for Nix to lead a thrilling, game-winning drive. That sequence was the perfect capper to a day in which the Broncos limited the Texans to 3 of 17 on third down, bottled up Houston's rushing attack, limited the damage caused by two turnovers and shut down the Texans along the goal line twice. In a classic defensive battle, Denver's unit deserved all of the credit for helping its squad emerge victorious. Oh, and let's give some love to punter Jeremy Crawshaw, a specialist with a mortar launcher for a right leg who averaged 53.5 yards per punt, dropped two inside the 20 and crucially flipped the field in the low-scoring affair. Punters are people, too!

Next Gen Stats Insight for Broncos-Texans (via NFL Pro): Derek Stingley Jr. lined up across from Courtland Sutton on 27 of Sutton's 34 routes, allowing only one reception for a 30-yard touchdown across two targets and 18 coverage matchups.

NFL Research: RJ Harvey is the first rookie running back with a receiving touchdown in three straight games since at least 1970.

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Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Patriots survived a late scare to win their sixth straight. New England looked to be in control on Sunday, threatening to make it a two-touchdown lead midway through the third quarter. But after settling for a field goal, the Patriots had to survive a Drake Maye interception and two Falcons scoring drives, with New England bailed out by John Parker Romo's missed extra-point try that would have tied the game with less than five minutes left. The Patriots’ defense did get a stop late, and Maye completed a late third-down pass to Hunter Henry to ice the game, but it was a struggle after outplaying Atlanta for most of the game. New England’s defense kept the run game in check and held Bijan Robinson to 96 yards on 20 touches, but Drake London (three TDs) carved them up and nearly took the game over in the fourth quarter. The Patriots lost Christian Gonzalez and Christian Elliss defensively and were barely hanging on by the end.
2. Falcons’ comeback attempt came up short after too many missed chances. The Falcons got themselves back into the game with a huge strip-sack of Drake Maye right before halftime, and they harassed Maye for most of the second half. But the Falcons blew a timeout with just over nine minutes left following a defensive penalty and Michael Penix Jr. committed a key grounding call late to thwart what could have been the go-ahead drive after erasing a two-TD deficit. Atlanta also could have gotten the ball back one more time, but it couldn’t stop Maye’s final conversion to Hunter Henry. Third downs might have been the difference. The Falcons converted only one of 10, and the Patriots converted 8 of 12. Penix had his moments in his return to the field, including a beautiful fourth-down TD to London, but it wasn’t enough with the run game stymied again.
3. Patriots must find better ways to protect Maye. After stopping the Falcons on fourth down in the second quarter, the Patriots were leading, 21-7, when they drove to midfield with time to tack on more points before halftime. But Maye was strip-sacked, leading to a shocking Falcons TD that made it a 21-14 Patriots lead. On the first play of the second half, Maye nearly fumbled the ball away again on another sack. The Patriots kicked a field goal on that drive (after a third-down sack) and eventually put the Falcons away. Maye was sacked six times, which is a problem, even against the blitz-happy Falcons. That’s now 16 sacks over the past three games alone on Maye. The hits appeared to have an effect, too, as Maye struggled the more the game wore on. The Patriots didn’t have running back Rhamondre Stevenson and they lost wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to an injury early on, but that doesn’t excuse the pass-protection issues that plagued them most of the day. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Falcons-Patriots (via NFL Pro): Bijan Robinson ran for 46 yards on 12 carries in Week 9 against the Patriots, registering minus-20 rushing yards over expected.

NFL Research: Drake Maye has had 200-plus passing yards and a passer rating of 100-plus in eight straight games. That tied Maye with Aaron Rodgers (2020), Tom Brady (2007) and Peyton Manning (2004) for second all time. Only Rodgers in 2011 (12 straight games with 200-plus pass yards and a passer rating of 100-plus) has had a longer streak.

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• REWATCH: Niners-Giants on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Niners roll over Giants on the road. Mac Jones paper-cut a beleaguered Big Blue defense to death early, completing all 14 of his pass attempts in the first half as San Francisco opened the game with two easy touchdown drives to take a lead it would never relinquish. Jones found open targets short and intermediate. With questions along the offensive line, the Niners didn’t attempt a deep shot all game. They didn’t need to. In the second half, San Francisco leaned on Christian McCaffrey and the ground game, churning out first downs. CMC broke tackles, keeping the offense in positive situations against a good Giants front. McCaffrey generated 173 scrimmage yards, netting 106 rushing yards and a touchdown on 28 totes and added a game-high 67 receiving yards on five catches with another score. When the running back is rolling, the Niners are tough to hold down.
2. Dart continues to battle as Giants lose third straight. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart continues to make plays despite less-than-ideal situations. Dart’s poise in the pocket is beyond his years. The quarterback makes defenders miss in a phone booth while still keeping his eyes downfield. Dart went 24 of 33 passing for 191 yards and two TDs for a 107.0 passer rating. The signal-caller also led the Giants with eight carries for 56 yards and a score. As that last stat underscores, Dart doesn’t have enough help around him at this stage. His targets dropped several passes early that could have extended drives, and the ground game found little traction. Even in a blowout, Dart kept battling and battling. Without him, this would have been a 20-point shellacking.
3. Niners' D does enough but still needs some help. An injury-ravaged defense made pivotal plays to get off the field in the first half, forcing three three-and-outs through two quarters that allowed it to build a double-digit lead. Robert Saleh’s crew also stood tall after a Jones fumble late in the half, allowing zero yards on the change of possession, and Big Blue missed a field goal. The pass rush earned two sacks, but still lacks consistency. San Francisco earned 11 total QB pressures, five from Sam Okuayinonu. To make matters worse, rookie Mykel Williams, who has played a pivotal role, left with an injury. Will general manager John Lynch make a move to improve the defense ahead of the trade deadline?

Next Gen Stats Insight for 49ers-Giants (via NFL Pro): Mac Jones completed 19 of 24 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns in Week 9 against the Giants, averaging his quickest time to throw (2.36 seconds) since Week 12, 2023.

NFL Research: Christian McCaffrey set an NFL record with his 16th career game with both a rushing and receiving score, breaking a tie with Marshall Faulk.

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• READ: Slumping Steelers D shows 'fight,' forces 6 turnovers

Michael Baca's takeaways:

1. Steelers defense answered bell vs. Colts. There have been plenty of questions and complaints filed in the Pittsburgh area about the state of the defense. Going up against the league's top offense, the Steelers D notched a performance that might quell those worries. Jonathan Taylor, the NFL's leading rusher through Week 8, was held to a season-low 57 scrimmage yards (45 rushing, 12 receiving) and keeping the running back in check was the impetus to Pittsburgh's defensive triumph. T.J. Watt's strip-sack early in the second quarter began Indy's downfall and Payton Wilson interception on its following possession turned the tide as the Steelers earned 14 points off those first-half turnovers and gained a lead they would not squander thanks to an astounding six takeaways. Two big plays in the second half extended that lead, as Wilson tipped a pass that fell into Jack Sawyer's hands for a pick in the third quarter and Alex Highsmith found a strip-sack in the final frame. Joey Porter Jr.'s INT with less than three minutes to play sealed the win. Once the Colts were influenced into a pass-happy offense, the Steelers' pass rush pinned its ears back and dominated with five sacks and 18 QB pressures. Sunday's performance by the Steelers D was more about who they looked good against, and it was certainly needed while the offense mustered just 225 total yards. 
2. Jones sees first major blip along resurgent season. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones came into Week 9 with only three turnovers while leading the league's No. 1 offense. He more than doubled that total on Sunday in Pittsburgh, resulting in Indianapolis' worst defeat of the season. The Colts began the game appearing to continue their offensive supremacy, seamlessly marching to the end zone on a 13-play, 79-yard drive. But with Pittsburgh keyed in on stopping the run, Jones was tasked with leading the charge through the air and it seemingly played into the Steelers' plan. Jones' mistake-laden day was heavily influenced by the Colts' protection struggles but errant throws rued his day, with two of his three INTs falling squarely on the QB. Jones finished 31-of-50 passing for 342 yards with five total turnovers (three INTs, two fumbles) and a 63.9 QB rating, by far his lowest of the season (had 100-plus passer rating in seven of first eight games). Josh Downs' muffed punt in the first quarter brought Indy's giveaway total to six on the day. Perhaps it will end up being a mere wake-up call for Jones and Co., but the Colts will have to soak in a stinker during a long plane ride to Berlin ahead of next Sunday's game before getting a chance to reset and recharge for the season's final stretch after a Week 11 bye. 
3. Steelers offense still looking for rhythm. A great defensive performance was necessary considering the Steelers offense is still searching for consistency. Aaron Rodgers struggled to connect with his receivers in the early going as Pittsburgh notched two three-and-outs and a turnover on downs in the red zone on its first three possessions. It could have spelled doom for Pittsburgh, but the offense did feed off the defense's stellar afternoon, scoring 24 points off turnovers. There wasn't a standout performance out of the Steelers offense aside from possibly Rodgers, who completed 25 of 35 passes for 203 yards (one TD, no turnovers) and piloted a relatively mistake-free offense. But the Steelers were greatly limited to a short-passing attack their 41-year-old QB efficiently dispersed as the ground game (38 yards) was continuously stuffed and the deep passing attack was non-existent (zero completions over 20 yards). DK Metcalf was held to two receptions for 6 yards (both season-lows) and Jaylen Warren was held to a 1.9-per-yard average on 16 carries. Pittsburgh's defensive effort on Sunday might have quelled some worry, but the offense didn't exactly breathe any confidence at the season's midway point. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Colts-Steelers (via NFL Pro): Aaron Rodgers averaged just 2.7 air yards per attempt, the third-fewest by a quarterback in a game this season. On passes under 10 air yards, he completed 24 of his 32 attempts for 191 yards and one touchdown, his most passing yards on such attempts in a game this season. Rodgers attempted only three passes over 10 air yards, completing just one for 12 yards.

NFL Research: The Colts are the first team since at least 1950 to have two more turnovers in a game than they had in the entire season entering that game (in Week 8 or later).

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• REWATCH: Chargers-Titans on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Henley has big game just two days after brother's shooting death

David Ely's takeaways:

1. Herbert shakes off pick-six to carry depleted Chargers once again. Sunday’s game could not have gotten off to a worse start for Justin Herbert. On just his second throw, Herbert failed to see Titans linebacker Cody Barton jump underneath Keenan Allen route for an easy INT. Barton went untouched 24 yards for an easy touchdown, and Los Angeles suddenly was down seven fewer than five minutes into the first quarter against a game Titans bunch. Herbert, however, responded with the kind of excellent play that has defined the Chargers’ 6-3 start. Herbert led a six-play, 71-yard drive his next time with the ball that culminated in an TD pass to converted fullback Scott Matlock (his fifth career catch and first TD). After a punt return TD once again put L.A. down a score, Herbert coolly marched down the field for a field goal and TD on his next two possessions to prevent L.A.’s miscues from snowballing. For the day, Herbert accounted for 307 total yards, three touchdowns and was the team’s leading rusher (57 yards), salting the game away with his legs on the final drive. There are things to be concerned about for Jim Harbaugh’s club – namely, injuries along the offensive line – but Herbert did more than enough to mask any issues on Sunday.
2. Titans had recipe for an upset, but offense falls flat. How does a one-win team attempt to knock off one of the top contenders in the AFC? Two non-offensive touchdowns in the first quarter certainly helps. That’s exactly what Tennessee got on Sunday when Barton scored on a pick-six minutes into the game and dynamic rookie Chimere Dike returned a punt 67 yards for another touchdown to give the Titans a shocking 14-7 lead after one quarter. Unfortunately, those were the only two TDs for Tennessee on the day as rookie quarterback Cam Ward and the offense continued a season-long trend of uneven play. Ward (12 of 21 for 146 yards) struggled with accuracy and lacked any credible downfield targets other than fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor with Calvin Ridley sidelined with a hamstring injury. The ground game sputtered to 88 total yards on the day with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears bottled up. Tennessee’s most promising drive of the day ended in what proved to be a game-deciding goal-line stand. At this point in the season, the Titans’ top priority is Ward’s development as a franchise QB. Sunday was not a productive day on that front.
3. Life without Alt will be an issue for L.A. The Chargers saw two more offensive tackles go down with injury in the first half in Tennessee, and it’s fair to wonder how it will impact L.A.’s long-term goals in a the uber-competitive AFC West. First, Bobby Hart went down with a groin injury. Then, Joe Alt was carted off the field with his second ankle injury of the season. Herbert was sacked on the play immediately after each injury. In all, he was pressured on 42.5% of his dropbacks and was hit 11 times with six sacks. The Chargers went 1-2 in the three games Alt missed earlier this season, and Herbert struggled those three weeks with a 7-5 TD-INT ratio. Los Angeles was able to weather the OL losses on Sunday against the Titans, but next week’s matchup with the Steelers and T.J. Watt should be a cause for concern. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Chargers-Titans (via NFL Pro): Dre'Mont Jones pressured the quarterback a career-high eight times for 1.5 sacks on 34 pass rushes (23.5% pressure rate) against the Chargers on Sunday.

NFL Research: Justin Herbert (23,438) passed Matt Ryan (23,472) for fifth-most passing yards by a player in their first six seasons in NFL history.

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• REWATCH: Saints-Rams on NFL+ Premium

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Stafford, Rams destroy Saints. Matthew Stafford got whatever he wanted against the New Orleans defense, playing point guard with aplomb. Seven players had at least two catches and double-digit yards. The star QB threw four touchdowns and for 281 yards as the Rams ran away from the hapless Saints. Puka Nacua's return helped open up the offense early, with Stafford splashing plays all over the field. Nacua would later leave with a chest injury, but could have returned, per head coach Sean McVay. Whether it was short tosses to his tight ends or deep shots to Davante Adams, Stafford was on his game from the start. His rapport with Adams is heating up after some fits and starts early in the season. The star wideout is once again a weapon in the red zone, where he scored two TDs. With the two veterans vibing, the Rams' red zone offense can be deadly. L.A. marched up and down the field with nary a resistance, gobbling up 30 first downs and 438 yards. With a smothering defense and an offense in a groove, the 6-2 Rams are a force in the NFC.
2. Shough’s first start is incomplete. Rookie Tyler Shough got off to a wobbly start, with the offense going three-and-out on its first three drives. It took Taysom Hill taking snaps for the Saints to get their initial first down of the game (in the second quarter). From there, Shough settled in. He made several nice throws on the end-of-half drive. A 27-yarder on the move to Chris Olave led to a 12-yard TD toss to Juwan Johnson to close within 10 at the half. Unfortunately, the Saints barely possessed the ball in the second half. Alvin Kamara’s fumble quickly ended their only drive of the third quarter, and they turned it over on downs in the red zone to open the fourth. Shough missed a few throws but displayed a big arm, lasering several throws, including his TD against pressure. With just three second-half possessions, there were too few opportunities to make any broad statements about the QB one way or the other. His late interception came on a desperation fourth down when he was under massive pressure. As a team, the Saints showed how far away they are from competing with the NFC heavyweights.  
3. Bye week didn’t solve kicking issues. The Rams' kicking problems continued. Joshua Karty missed yet another point after try. He also yanked a 39-yard field goal wide right. On the FG miss, the protection unit allowed a free rusher who nearly blocked it and appeared to affect Karty’s push. Entering the Week, Karty had missed four field goals and two PATs. The special teams concerns didn't come back to bite L.A. Sunday, but it’s something that needs fixing, or it could in January.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Rams-Saints (via NFL Pro): The Saints pressured Matthew Stafford on just six of his 32 pass attempts, and generated two sacks. The QB completed 3 of 6 for 14 yards under pressure. 

NFL Research: Stafford is the fourth player (fifth instance) in NFL history to have 20-plus passing touchdowns and two or fewer interceptions in their team's first eight games of a season, joining Aaron Rodgers (2014, 2020 MVP seasons), Patrick Mahomes (2020) and Tom Brady (2007 MVP season, 2015).

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• REWATCH: Jaguars-Raiders on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Jaguars' Little sets new record for longest field goal

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Jags ride collective effort to win. When Trevor Lawrence threw an incredibly regrettable pass into the arms of Isaiah Pola-Mao in the end zone late in the first quarter, Jacksonville fans had to be groaning and bracing for another one of those games from Lawrence and Co. For a half, it looked like that would be the product. But in the final two quarters (plus overtime), Jacksonville rallied together to produce a remarkable performance that required contributions from every key player. Lawrence rushed for two scores and scrambled in key spots. Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten combined to run for 113 yards and a score, watching their gains grow in length as the game progressed. Brian Thomas Jr. only caught three passes, but one was a crucial 34-yarder that helped set up Cam Little's game-tying field goal to send the Jaguars to overtime -- a kick that required cat-like reflexes from holder Logan Cooke in order to save a low snap from dooming their chances. And who could forget Parker Washington's performance as a consistent target vacuum with reliable hands, catching eight passes for 90 yards? A sleepy game became a high-flying, fireworks-filled affair that required responses on each of Jacksonville's final four possessions. The Jaguars delivered each and every time, then stood tall on the game's final play, batting down Geno Smith's pass attempt to deny the Raiders the victory, completing a performance of which the Jaguars can be proud as they fly back to Florida.
2. It's great to have Brock back. Las Vegas' offense was a disaster without their All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, bottoming out with a grand total of 95 yards in the Raiders' shutout loss to the Chiefs in Week 7. Bowers' healthy return proved just how valuable he is to their offense. The tight end became the engine of Las Vegas' offense Sunday, catching 12 of his 13 targets for 127 yards and three touchdowns, including the Raiders' first and last trips to the end zone. He made a difference in nearly every area of the field, repeatedly delivered when called upon and opened up an offense that seemed as if it might never threaten an opponent after the nightmare that occurred at Arrowhead Stadium. Everyone around him benefitted. Ashton Jeanty saw 18 touches for 89 yards and a receiving score, Geno Smith was finally able to move the ball through the air and the Raiders slapped 23 points on the scoreboard in the second half plus overtime, suddenly finding the ability to keep pace with the Jaguars in what proved to be a thrilling contest. Even in a loss, the Raiders have to feel fortunate to have Bowers back in the mix.
3. Little makes history. A largely bland, unproductive first half received a jolt of excitement when Jacksonville sent Cam Little out for a date with the record books. Little drilled his 68-yard field goal attempt, resetting the all-time record for the longest field goal in NFL history with a few yards to spare and invigorating a Jaguars team that was held scoreless prior to his attempt. Now, such a lengthy attempt isn't exactly new in 2025's NFL. Little nailed a 70-yarder outdoors during preseason action, so it wasn't exactly shocking to see him convert a similar attempt. It's not new to Raiders fans, either. Way back in 2008 when they called Oakland home, former coach Lane Kiffin sent Sebastian Janikowski out for an absurd 76-yard try that didn't flirt with the uprights. In this new era of K-ball rules and advanced kicking, however, Little proved he had the leg to make history. Now, we'll all wait to see if another kicker aims to unseat him this season.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Jaguars-Raiders (via NFL Pro): Ashton Jeanty generated a career-high 71 yards after the catch Sunday and forced nine missed tackles, his second most in a game this season. He now has forced 46 missed tackles on the season, the third-most in the NFL entering Sunday Night Football.

NFL Research: Sunday's game was the first in NFL history that had multiple touchdowns scored in an overtime period and also saw the most points scored in an overtime period (13).

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Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Bills’ defense made the critical plays. A Buffalo defense missing key members on every level of the unit rose up with its biggest performance of the season in beating the Chiefs. The Bills won the battle in the trenches, sacking Patrick Mahomes three times and holding him below 50% completions for the first time in his NFL career. Time after time, the Bills made timely stops. Christian Benford's touchdown-saving tackle before halftime saved four points. Cole Bishop had a tackle for loss and a pass breakup on consecutive plays. Joey Bosa had a critical sack in the fourth quarter, leading a vibrant rush group. The Bills allowed a fourth-and-17 completion and the TD drive (and two-pointer) that made it a seven-point game, and Mahomes had the ball in his hands with a chance to win. But rookie Maxwell Hairston got his first NFL interception in his second game, picking off Mahomes’ deep heave with just over four minutes left, then knocked down Mahomes’ final pass. Mike Hoecht (Achilles) getting hurt was among the few negatives. The Bills’ defense has looked massively improved the past two games, even with key members out. 
2. Chiefs defense couldn’t pick up the slack. Can the Chiefs win games against top competition if Patrick Mahomes and his offensive line aren’t in top form? Coming into this game, the defense had stacked three straight strong performances, but on Sunday, the Bills were able to convert too frequently on third downs (7 of 12) and in the red zone (3 for 3). Kansas City had gone 27 straight games, including playoffs, without allowing a 100-yard rusher, but James Cook broke the century mark. Josh Allen also completed 23 of his 26 passes for 265 yards and a TD, and he converted several key runs for first downs. Is it possible the Chiefs just aren't good enough in the front seven right now? They did have back-to-back sacks late in the game to force a punt and give Mahomes a chance, and there’s no looking past the offense’s struggles. But on a day when the defense needed to be stout, it withered too often. 
3. Bills leaned on tight ends to fuel offense. When Josh Allen needed a big play Sunday, he went to his tight ends. The group had meager production last week against the Panthers but helped give Allen more than half his passing yards against the Chiefs. Dalton Kincaid led the way, catching all six of his targets for 101 yards and the first-quarter TD that got the Bills going. He also had a 47-yard catch to set up the go-ahead score in the second quarter and converted a late third down to help drain the clock. Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes also got involved with catches of 30 and 18 yards, respectively, and each of them (especially Hawes') helped generate yards as run blockers, too. 

Next Gen Stats Insight for Chiefs-Bills (via NFL Pro): Patrick Mahomes’ 40-yard pass to Hollywood Brown down to the Buffalo 1-yard line traveled an air distance of 47.5 yards. The Bills held the Chiefs to a field goal.

NFL Research: Josh Allen has 47 career games with one or more passing TDs and one or more rushing TDs, which is the most in NFL history.

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• REWATCH: Seahawks-Commanders on NFL+ Premium
• READ: Commanders QB Daniels suffers serious left arm injury in loss

Grant Gordon's takeaways:

1. Darnold dazzles in prime-time blowout. From the start Sunday night, the Seahawks set a dominant tone, a message sent initially by a harassing defense and underscored by a perfect opening from Sam Darnold and the offense. Darnold might well have had the greatest game of his career and certainly his best first half, one in which he completed every pass he threw for 282 yards, a perfect 158.3 rating and four touchdowns -- tops in his career for an opening half. With Darnold scorching hot but playing as calm and cool as can be, Seattle scored on each of its five first-half possessions, the only mini-blemish settling for a field goal before halftime. Darnold, who finished the game 21-of-24 passing for 330 yards and the four TDs, completed his first 17 passes of the night, matching Warren Moon for the franchise record. Seattle’s defense was absolutely stellar, Jaxon Smith-Njigba continued to emerge as one of the league’s best wideouts and some Seahawks rookies had big moments. Darnold was the star, though, putting up a first half for the ages to propel Seattle to an impressive win that kept it atop the NFC West alongside the Rams.
2. Daniels injury caps dreadful night for Commanders. Through nine weeks last year, a new-look Washington was 7-2. In front of the nation on Sunday night, the 2025 Commanders lost their fourth straight to fall to 3-6 and make the inarguable statement that this season is far removed from the bliss of the last. Quarterback Jayden Daniels returned to the lineup after his second injured stint this year and was pressured on each of his three passes on the opening drive. It was an ominous foreshadowing of the evening ahead, one in which Washington’s offense was always in a hurry and its defense could never keep up. The Commanders defense, 21st in points allowed and 27th in yards entering the week, has allowed 25 or more points in each of their losses during the current skid and saw the Seahawks eclipse that mark on their fourth drive of the game. Injuries have been an issue, and having Terry McLaurin out again certainly didn’t help, not to mention Luke McCaffrey, Marshon Lattimore and Trey Amos each getting dinged up on Sunday. Daniels was pummeled all night. There were just no silver linings to be had in this blowout loss, a notion underlined when Daniels walked off the field with his left arm immobilized after sustaining a gruesome injury. Washington’s franchise had a turnaround for the ages last season. Though there’s eight games to go, all the magic of 2024 seems to have vanished for the 2025 Commanders.
3. JSN continues sensational season, young receivers shine for ‘Hawks. Piling up big numbers has become the norm for Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He tallied eight receptions for 129 yards on Sunday, upping his NFL-leading total to 948 yards. With Seattle mainstays DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett having departed this past offseason, JSN has taken the mantle as the team’s top target and become not just Seattle’s best WR but one the league’s elite. Sunday marked his fourth straight 100-yard outing, breaking a tie with Metcalf for the longest streak in club chronicle. Darnold found some other young playmakers against the Commanders, though, hitting rookie Tory Horton for a pair of touchdowns and tight end Elijah Arroyo for one. It was just the second time in franchise history and the first since 2015 that the Seahawks had three TD catches from rookies in a game. Things are definitely moving in the right direction for Seattle’s passing game.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Seahawks-Commanders: Seven Seahawks had multiple QB pressures with Jayden Daniels facing pressure on 50% of his dropbacks -- a career high.

NFL Research: Sam Darnold joined Tom Brady (Week 7, 2007 at Miami) as the only players since 2000 (including playoffs) with a touchdown pass and no incompletions on each of their team’s first four drives of a game.