Sunday was full of surprising moments, including: Patrick Peterson's 99-yard punt return for a touchdown in overtime, Eli Manning leading the Giants to a last-minute comeback over the Patriots, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers staying perfect with a tight win over the Chargers, the Dolphins getting their first win in a rout of the Chiefs and many others. What surprised you the most in Week 9?
What surprised me most, by far, was Denver being able to play from behind and rally for a win at Oakland. The Broncos are not that equipped to score, much less score from behind, and they whipped one of the bigger front fours in the NFL.
Didn't see that coming.
The Broncos ran for nearly 300 yards, Tim Tebow made some things happen and Eric Decker got involved. It was a special win for the Broncos, especially after the overall offensive ineptitude of the past few games.
Kudos to Denver for sticking with the run and hitting on a few big option plays and keeping the AFC West up in the air.
What surprised me most is that the Bengals keep winning, and we keep overlooking them. Maybe it's too much history of failure in Cincinnati, but this team, coming off a 4-12 season -- with a new offensive coordinator and rookie quarterback -- is becoming one of the best stories of the season. AND, they might have two extra first-round picks to use down the line thanks to the Carson Palmer trade.
There were lots of thrilling games and moments Sunday, but the most surprising was the final drive by the Ravens to win in Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger was 7-1 at home against the Ravens and Joe Flacco had a 1-4 record at Heinz Field. Still, Baltimore overcame history and got the job done. Flacco hitting rookie Torrey Smith on a go-route against a corner and a Cover 2 safety on the winning throw was a championship play.
Patrick Peterson's 99-yard punt return touchdown in overtime was the biggest surprise. He violated a punt returner's biggest rule by fielding a punt inside the 10-yard line, but his remarkable ability allowed him to slip past the first wave of defenders and find his way to the sideline. I don't know if I'm more impressed with his ability or fearlessness because it takes guts to put the game on your shoulders and deliver in that situation, especially for a rookie. The fact that he's done it in back-to-back weeks suggests he has the potential to be special.
