NFL - Week Nine Recap

 

Jordan Love (10) and Christian Watson (9) helped dominate big win over the Patriots. 

Too much Jordan Love and Christian Watson on Sunday as the Green Bay Packers (6-3) went on the road and destroyed the New England Patriots, 45-27 with Love passing for 372 yards and three touchdowns and he also opened the scoring in the game with a 13-yard TD run. Meanwhile (wide receiver) Watson caught seven passes for 171 yards and one touchdown to help lead the rout. The Packers defense forced four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble) and had four sacks while the offense gained 478 total yards. New England (5-4) fell behind 17-0 before closing to within 24-14 at halftime on a pair of TD passes from Drake Maye, who finished the game with 299 passing yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. 

The Cincinnati Bengals doubled up the Atlanta Falcons, 34-17 in Madrid, Spain on Sunday as quarterback Joe Burrow passed for 271 yards with three touchdown passes and a scoring run as well to lead the way. Bengals wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase (ten receptions for 155 yards, one touchdown) and Tee Higgins (two touchdown receptions) contributed as Cincinnati (6-2) piled up 388 yards in total offense. The Falcons (3-6) had a 10-7 after the first quarter as Michael Penix, Jr. (162 passing yards, one TD, one interception) threw a one-yard scoring pass to Charlie Woerner. The Bengals led 24-10 at the half and coasted in the second half after the Falcons closed to within 24-17 when running back Bijan Robinson (19 carries for 100 yards) scored from one yard out. 

The Denver Broncos (7-2) made it five straight wins as they bested the host Carolina Panthers, 26-21 behind solid defense (three sacks, two turnovers) which included a game sealing strip sack by linebacker Nik Bonitto. Broncos QB Bo Nix had a pair of scoring passes and one interception to go with 237 passing yards and RB Jonah Coleman scored a rushing touchdown to lead the offense. Even with QB Bryce Young (276 passing yards, three TD, one INT) getting the three scoring passes, the Panthers (3-5) dropped their third straight game and fell into a first place tie with New Orleans in the NFC South.

The Detroit Lions (6-2) won a yawner against the host Miami Dolphins, 19-9 as RB Jahmyr Gibbs had an eight yard scoring run for the only touchdown in the game. Lions kicker Jake Bates made four field goals and the Dolphins (1-7) managed three field goals from Zane Gonzalez for their only points. 

In New Orleans, the Cleveland Browns (5-4) rolled the dice and came up craps in overtime as they lost, 23-22 to the Saints by failing on the two-point conversion attempt with one minute remaining. The Saints (3-5) took a 23-16 lead when QB Tyler Shough (265 passing yards) threw a 15 yard TD pass to Juwan Johnson with 4:17 left in the OT session. New Orleans took a 16-13 lead when Audric Estime scored on a two yard run with 58 seconds left. The Browns got a tying 51-yard field goal by Andre Szmyt to force the overtime. Browns QB Shedeur Sanders made his first start (in place of injured Deshaun Watson) this season and had 297 passing yards with two touchdowns in defeat. 

The San Francisco 49ers (7-1) blasted the visiting Las Vegas Raiders, 38-17 as their defense intercepted three passes, which included a "pick six" 35 yard touchdown return by linebacker Jaden Dugger. 49ers QB Brock Purdy (232 passing yards, two TD, one INT and one rushing TD) connected with Jordan Watkins on a 37 yard TD strike for a 35-17 lead late in the third quarter as they gained 414 total yards in offense in the easy win. The Raiders (4-5) were limited to just 24 rushing yards and QB Kirk Cousins rushed for a touchdown and had 216 passing yards with one TD and the three interceptions in the loss. 

The Seattle Seahawks (5-4) toppled the visiting Arizona Cardinals, 17-3 as the defense shut down the Cardinals (3-6) on offense, allowing just 198 yards and getting three sacks. Seahawks tight end AJ Barner had a scoring run and reception from QB Drew Lock in the win.  

 

In Los Angeles, the Chargers stayed winless at 0-8 as the Houston Texans scored at will for a 44-22 victory as quarterback C.J. Stroud (pictured right) had five touchdown passes (and one interception) along with 384 passing yards as they gained 485 total yards. The Texans (3-5) lead 24-9 at halftime with Stroud throwing for three scores, including a 63 yard TD pass to Tank Dell. The second half was more of the same as Stroud hooked up with Kayshon Boutte for a 63 yard scoring pass to make it 38-9 early in the fourth quarter. The Houston defense recorded eight QB sacks in the rout while getting two turnovers.  The Chargers finally scored an offensive touchdown for the first time in a month as QB Justin Herbert found WR Quentin Johnston on a 58 yard scoring pass.

On Thursday night in rainy Baltimore, the Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) dominated in a 33-10 win as QB Trevor Lawrence passed for 242 yards and one touchdown while Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez, Jr. had scoring runs to lead the way. The Ravens (4-5) lost their fourth consecutive game and the only touchdown was scored by Justice Hill on a 65 yard run in the fourth quarter. 

The Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) snapped a two game losing streak with a resounding 35-12 win at home against the New York Jets (2-7) as running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for 102 yards and one touchdown and also caught two scoring passes from Patrick Mahomes, who had 242 passing yards. The Chiefs led 14-12 at the half and shut out the Jets from there as all the scoring for the Jets came on four field goals by Jason Sanders. 

The New York Giants went into Philadelphia and came away with a hard fought 19-11 win against the Eagles (2-7) with the defense getting seven QB sacks. The Giants (5-2-1) trailed 8-6 at halftime as Eagles RB Saquon Barkley scored on a three yard run. Jameis Winston came off the bench to throw a five yard TD pass to tight end Isaiah Likely for a 13-8 lead with 2:25 left in the third quarter. Dominic Zvada made four field goals, with two of them in the fourth quarter, to help the winning effort. 

The Dallas Cowboys defense finally came up big when it mattered as they intercepted Indianapolis Colts QB Daniel Jones (180 passing yards, one TD, one INT) late in the fourth quarter to seal a 27-23 win on the road to improve to 4-5 this season. The Cowboys piled up 508 total yards in offense (329 passing, 179 rushing) and QB Dak Prescott had a pair of TD passes and 335 yards. Running back Javonte Wiliams gained 101 rushing yards (on 20 carries) and scored a TD while WR CeeDee Lamb hauled in ten receptions for 195 yards and one touchdown. The Colts (2-7) stormed back from a 20-10 deficit behind a 55 yard TD pass from Jones to Ashton Dulin and two fourth quarter field goals (59 and 50 yards) by Spencer Shrader, but it wasn't enough to keep them from losing their fifth consecutive game. 

The Los Angeles Rams improved to 5-4 with a 20-13 road win against the Washington Commanders (2-5-1) as defensive end Myles Garrett returned from the injury list and had three QB sacks and a forced fumble to lead the defense in the winning effort. The Rams trailed 10-6 at halftime but RB Blake Corum scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter and QB Matthew Stafford (228 passing yards, one TD, one INT) tossed a seven yard scoring pass to Puka Nacua (14 receptions for 150 yards) early in the fourth quarter to make the difference in the final score. Commanders QB Jayden Daniels had 274 passing yards with one touchdown in the loss. 

On Sunday night in Chicago, the Bears (7-2) squandered a 14-point lead, but eventually beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 27-24 thanks to a 38-yard field goal by Cairo Santos as time ran out for their fourth straight win. Bears QB Caleb Williams (279 passing yards, two TD, four INT) threw for two touchdowns in the first half as the Bears built a 17-6 against the Bucs, who dropped to 3-6 with the loss. Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield (243 passing yards) was intercepted twice but scored the two-point conversion to tie the game at 24-24 with 2:51 remaining following a six yard TD run by Bucky Irving, who scored twice on the ground while rushing for 97 yards. The Bears defense registered four sacks and DB Jaylon Johnson took an interception back 67 yards for a touchdown and a 24-13 lead late in the third quarter. 

 

 

WEEK NINE RESULTS 

Jacksonville 33, Baltimore 10 

Cincinnati 34, Atlanta 17  

Dallas 27, Indianapolis 23 

Kansas City 35, N.Y. Jets 12 

N.Y. Giants 19, Philadelphia 11

L.A. Rams 20, Washington 13 

New Orleans 23, Cleveland 22 (OT)

Detroit 19, Miami 9 

Denver 26, Carolina 21 

Green Bay 45, New England 27 

Houston 44, L.A. Chargers 22 

Seattle 17, Arizona 3 

San Francisco 38, Las Vegas 17

Chicago 27, Tampa Bay 24