The NFL was destined for some wackiness, notably after favorites dominated over the previous few weeks. Effectively, that wackiness reared its head in Week 9 with some stunning outcomes that can have ramifications that’ll stretch all through the second half of the yr.
First off, we head to Lambeau Discipline, the place the Inexperienced Bay Packers had been on the dropping finish of one other surprising upset in 2025. This time, it was the Carolina Panthers who rolled into city and pulled off the 16-13 win after Ryan Fitzgerald drilled a game-winning 49-yard discipline purpose as time expired. Elsewhere, the Colts laid an egg on the highway to the Steelers, with Daniel Jones accounting for 5 turnovers on the afternoon, and the J.J. McCarthy-led Vikings stormed into Ford Discipline to beat the Detroit Lions. Like I stated, wackiness!
However what are mere one-off situations, and what are indicators of extra important developments? Under, we’ll decipher which overreactions from Week 9 are simply that and that are actuality.
Daniel Jones has was a pumpkin
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
The Indianapolis Colts entered Week 9 because the AFC’s No. 1 seed and the NFL’s most explosive offense. Daniel Jones regarded reborn, enjoying like one of many league’s most effective quarterbacks. After which all of it got here crashing down in Pittsburgh.
The Colts quarterback accounted for 5 turnovers (three interceptions and two fumbles misplaced) as Indy fell to the Steelers in a 27-20 defeat that wasn’t practically as shut as the ultimate rating suggests. Coming into Sunday, Jones had simply three turnovers for your complete yr, so the ground fell utterly out from beneath him.
Is that this Jones reverting to his New York Giants kind? Are the Colts immediately staring down a second-half collapse? Not but. This felt extra like a long-overdue letdown, and whereas the turnovers had been jarring, the priority should not attain panic territory — except it occurs once more subsequent week in Berlin in opposition to the Falcons. If Jones appears to be like rattled abroad, then it is time to begin sounding alarms.
The Bengals have the worst protection within the NFL
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
Woof. It did not matter that Joe Flacco rose Cincinnati from the useless and led the offense to a 42-point day; the protection refuses to let the Bengals achieve 2025. For a minute, it regarded just like the Bengals had been going to drag off a exceptional comeback after they recovered an onside kick, and Flacco instantly led a go-ahead landing drive to provide Cincy the 42-41 lead with just below a minute left in regulation. Regardless of all that momentum flowing their method, the Bengals protection let Chicago journey 72 yards down the sector and rating the game-winning landing on a 58-yard catch-and-run by Colston Loveland.
That is by far the worst protection in soccer, and the unit has been nullifying prolific days offensively for the previous few years. This season, the Bengals have allowed 300 factors, which is probably the most via 9 video games in franchise historical past. They’re additionally the primary staff in NFL historical past to permit a minimum of 27 or extra factors and 350 whole yards in eight straight video games inside a season.
After one other upset loss, the Packers aren’t a critical contender
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
The Inexperienced Bay Packers had been on the dropping finish of one more stunning upset. Again in Week 3, they fell on the highway to the Cleveland Browns after which tied the Dallas Cowboys the next week. Now, they’re dropping to the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Discipline?
Given these questionable outings, it is honest to marvel if their ceiling actually contains hoisting a Lombardi Trophy in 2025. That stated, I do not imagine we have reached that time. This staff performs with its meals a bit and appears to play all the way down to its competitors at instances, however that is nonetheless a championship-caliber roster.
If something, this may very well be an occasion the place Inexperienced Bay was trying forward a bit to its Week 10 opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, on “Monday Night time Soccer,” and was caught sleeping by Carolina. One thing tells me it’s going to look much more aggressive subsequent outing in opposition to an elite NFC staff.
Drake London is probably the most underrated No. 1 WR
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
Drake London is without doubt one of the most prolific huge receivers within the NFL and will get little to no consideration when talking concerning the high gamers within the league at his place. On Sunday, the previous first-rounder hauled in 9 passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns. And so they weren’t gimme scores both, as London needed to make circus catch after circus catch to get his staff on the board.
Atlanta remains to be within the shadow of the Buccaneers within the NFC South, so the eye is not on the Falcons routinely from a nationwide perspective, however London must be pushed additional into the dialog when talking concerning the top-five wideouts within the NFL.
The Bears had been proper to draft Colston Loveland over Tyler Warren
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
The Chicago Bears have been ribbed all through the primary two months of the common season after choosing Colston Loveland with the No. 10 general decide within the 2025 NFL Draft as a substitute of fellow tight finish Tyler Warren, who went No. 14 general to the Indianapolis Colts. That is as a result of Warren has been among the many extra prolific gamers at his place within the league, whereas Loveland’s first six video games had been much more muted.
Nonetheless, the Michigan product loved his breakout in Week 9, catching six of his seven targets for 118 yards and two touchdowns. That included a game-winning 58-yard landing within the ultimate minute of regulation.
Are these Warren backers consuming just a little crow at present? Positive. Does this efficiency imply Chicago was proper to take Loveland over him? No. That may play out over the subsequent few seasons, and whereas Warren has loved the higher begin to his profession, Loveland did ship just a little reminder on Sunday to not rely him out.
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
Allen was stellar in Buffalo’s 28-21 victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. The Payments quarterback had as many incompletions (three) as he did whole touchdowns. The win strikes him to 5-5 all-time in opposition to Mahomes whereas no different signal-caller has greater than three victories in opposition to the Chiefs’ quarterback. Does this imply Allen immediately has the sting over his primary rival now that they are even? Not but. Allen is 5-1 in opposition to Mahomes within the common season. When these two go toe-to-toe within the playoffs, Mahomes has come out victorious in all 4 situations. Till Allen will get the higher of Mahomes when it issues most, he’ll nonetheless be trying as much as him on this legendary rivalry regardless of the general lockstep document.
Matthew Stafford is placing collectively an MVP season
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
Stafford has quietly put himself firmly within the MVP race. The Rams quarterback has logged back-to-back video games with 4 or extra passing touchdowns and has 21 this season via eight begins, which exceeds his output from all of final season (20 in 16 begins). During the last 5 video games, Stafford has thrown for 16 scores in comparison with zero interceptions. He is the second participant within the final 10 seasons to have a five-game stretch of 15 or extra touchdowns with no picks. The opposite was Aaron Rodgers in 2021, who went on to win MVP. On high of the prolific landing numbers, Stafford has the Rams within the playoff image, combating for first place within the NFC West. In the event that they take command of the division, it’s going to solely additional cement his case.
J.J. McCarthy has put the NFC North on discover
Overreaction or actuality: Actuality
What a distinction a day could make within the NFC North. Coming into Sunday, the Vikings had been on the backside of the division and the one membership beneath .500 at 3-4. Nonetheless, fast-forward via the afternoon and J.J. McCarthy helped lead Minnesota to an upset win over the Lions on the highway.
Whereas they nonetheless sit in fourth, the Vikings are immediately again at .500 and firmly within the combine within the NFC North race after Inexperienced Bay misplaced as properly. Simply as necessary, McCarthy regarded good in his return. The second-year quarterback had been sidelined since Week 2 resulting from a excessive ankle sprain and did not appear to be he had any limitations. Whereas his passing numbers weren’t eye-popping (simply 143 yards via the air), McCarthy related on two touchdowns and added one other on the bottom.
McCarthy’s day wasn’t excellent, as he tossed an interception and fumbled (recovered), however that is form of what ought to put the remainder of the division on discover. The Vikings can get barely above-average play at quarterback and go into hostile, divisional highway environments and win. Sneakily, Minnesota has a 2-0 document within the NFC North, one of the best within the division.
Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction
Jonathan Taylor has been otherworldly via the primary half of the season, to the purpose the place he is been in MVP conversations. Nonetheless, he could also be beginning to lose some floor within the Offensive Participant of the 12 months race to Christian McCaffrey.
Whereas he hasn’t been overtaken but, Taylor’s quiet outing in Week 9 provides McCaffrey a little bit of a lane. The 49ers again continues to be one of many greatest weapons within the NFL, speeding for 106 yards and a landing in opposition to the Giants, whereas additionally catching 5 of his six targets for 67 yards and one other rating.
McCaffrey now leads all gamers with 1,222 yards from scrimmage this season. This was additionally his sixteenth profession sport with a speeding and receiving landing, passing Marshall Faulk for probably the most in NFL historical past. Taylor nonetheless has a slight lead, nevertheless it’s getting tighter.
