2023 NFL season, Week 9: What We Learned from Sunday's games

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• READ: Joe Burrow keeps hot hand despite bloody finger

Bobby Kownack's takeaways:

1. Joe Burrow continues to prove he’s back. Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback has now stacked back-to-back weeks of exemplary play, further assuaging any concerns over the calf injury that plagued him early in the season. A bloodied index finger on his throwing hand couldn’t slow him, either. Like in last week’s win over the 49ers, Burrow frequently showed the shiftiness to escape the Bills’ oncoming rushers. In between eluding them, the Pro Bowler put on a clinical performance, throwing for 348 yards, two touchdowns and a 108.9 passer rating on 31-of-44 passing. His accuracy was routinely picture perfect -- both Ja'Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd could have had first-half touchdowns on throws placed into tight windows had they not dropped them. He instead did the scoring through his tight ends, Irv Smith and Drew Sample , who had a nifty, tackle-dodging reception to reach the end zone on just his fifth target of the season. Although Burrow found only three points in the second half, he remained clutch, as evidenced by his 32-yard pass to Boyd to kick off Cincinnati’s final drive and begin the process of running out the clock on Buffalo.
2. Bills can’t overcome slow start. We seemed to be heading for a high-scoring affair after the game’s first three possessions resulted in touchdowns. Then, the Bills fell into one of the lulls that have frequently dogged them this season, amassing just 37 more yards the rest of the first half after traveling 85 on their opening drive. Like they have in most of their four losses, they did turn things around. But once again, it wasn’t enough. Aside from one three-and-out, Buffalo went 10-plus plays and 50-plus yards on every drive in the second half, allowing it to pull within six points with 3:32 remaining after trailing by two possessions for the previous 28 minutes. The Bills couldn’t stop the Bengals on the ensuing drive, though; thus the time ran out on their comeback bid. Josh Allen was spectacular in spurts but inconsistent with some wayward throws and an underthrown pick. He kept Buffalo alive, picking up multiple first downs on the ground, while James Cook and Latavius Murray contributed only 24 combined rushing yards. He also showed budding chemistry with rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid, who brought in 10 catches for 81 yards but had a killer fumble in the fourth quarter that almost certainly cost the Bills points. It’s impossible to overcome mistakes like that when the offense goes silent for quarters at a time.
3. Bengals D is also heating up. This defense has taken some lumps in 2023. It entered Week 9 somewhat of a sieve, ranked 27^th in yards allowed. Luckily, it tightened tonight. Cincinnati consistently forced Buffalo into unsuccessful drives. At one point, the Bills went four straight possessions without running more than five plays, with the first three of those drives combining for no yards. It wasn’t a perfect night -- the Bengals gave up ground late and also hovered under a 20% pressure rate until deep in the fourth quarter -- but the lack of pass rush might make the successes even more impressive. Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt and linebacker Germaine Pratt were the standouts. Taylor-Britt had sticky coverage on to pick off Allen and now has three interceptions in the last four games, while Pratt led the team with 11 tackles and forced a fourth-quarter Dalton Kincaid fumble with Buffalo threatening outside the end zone. The offense is back looking dangerous, the defense hasn’t allowed a 20-plus point game in over a month and Cincy is now the owner of a four-game win streak.

Next Gen stat of the game: The Bengals defense blitzed on just 7.0% of Josh Allen’s dropbacks, the team’s second-lowest rate in a game over the last six seasons.

NFL Research: Joe Burrow leads the NFL since Week 5 with a 4-0 record, 75.8 completion percentage, 10 passing touchdowns and an 111.2 passer rating (minimum three starts).

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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Kenny Moore II’s two pick-sixes propel Colts to road win. Johnny-on-the-spot, Moore jumped an ill-advised Bryce Young pass late in the first half, racing 49 yards to the end zone to give Indianapolis a 20-3 halftime lead. With Carolina threatening to close the gap, Moore was in perfect position to grab a screen pass from Young, scampering 66 yards for another score. Moore, an underrated former Pro Bowler, was dynamite in helping slow a struggling Panthers offense. The CB allowed just two catches on five targets for seven yards, per Next Gen Stats. Moore became the first Colts player to have two pick-sixes in one game. With Indy’s offense sputtering for much of the contest, the defense came up huge time and time again. Linebacker Segun Olubi essentially iced the game with a third interception of Young. In the first half, Gus Bradley’s D held Young to 35 yards passing and Carolina to 62 total yards. They gave up yards in the second half but made enough plays to escape with the road victory against former Colts coach Frank Reich.
2. Bryce Young’s rookie struggles continue. With little help surrounding the No. 1 overall pick, Young made critical mistakes to tank any chance of a comeback win. Young became the second QB drafted No. 1 overall to throw two pick-sixes in a game as a rookie, joining Andrew Luck in 2012 versus the Patriots, per NFL Research. The first Young pick-six was a brutal decision. The young signal-caller threw late across the field, a dangerous play that Moore made him pay for. The second pick-six came on a screen pass that was much too high and hot. On the third INT, Young tried to fit the ball between multiple defenders but couldn’t step into the throw and left it short. There were glimpses of good plays where Young got the ball out quickly, made the right reads and even used his legs to extend drives. His 48-yard pass to Hayden Hurst was a great read by the rookie. However, there were far too many miscues for an offense already lacking talent to thrive. Young continued to get poor blocking, taking four sacks. The offense couldn’t make chunk gains, earning only one pass play over 11 yards and one rush of 15-plus yards. The growing pains are likely to continue for Young and Reich’s club moving forward.
3. Colts’ offense quiet in win. Shane Steichen’s offense has to be thankful the defense stepped up to score points. The offense provided one first-half TD and two Matt Gay field goals, matching the Panthers’ 13 points. Gardner Minshew struggled to make plays, tossing a bevy of short, ineffective throws. The QB averaged 4.9 yards per attempt on 17-of-26 passing for 127 yards and a TD. The Colts didn’t have a 20-yard gain on the day and earned just two plays of 15-plus yards. Jonathan Taylor was stymied, averaging 2.6 yards per carry on 18 totes for 47 yards with a long run of 13. In the second half, the Colts punted four times, earned four first downs and generated 30 yards on four non-kneel possessions. For the game, the Colts generated 198 total yards on 57 plays. No bueno. Moving to 4-5, Indy has a relatively easy schedule down the stretch to make things interesting, but the offense will need to play better than it did on Sunday.

Next Gen stat of the game: Nine different Colts defenders finished with multiple pressures in their Week 9 win over the Panthers. Kwity Paye led the unit in total pressures (5), while DeForest Buckner generated 3 of his 4 pressures in under 2.5 seconds.

NFL Research: Bryce Young became the fourth QB in Panthers history to throw multiple pick-sixes in a game, joining Chris Weinke (2001 versus New England), Jake Delhomme (2005 at Detroit) and Brian St. Pierre (2010 versus Baltimore).

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• READ: Giants QB Daniel Jones suffered torn ACL in loss to Raiders
• READ: Josh Jacobs after Raiders' win: 'Vibe and the energy is just electric'

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Antonio Pierce-led Raiders put Josh McDaniels firing behind them in rousing win. It has been a tense stretch for the Raiders, between a team meeting, a loss in prime time and the dismissal of head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler. But Sunday’s victory over the Giants felt like a major blowing-off-steam performance for Las Vegas, which led 24-0 at halftime and never looked back. Interim head coach Antonio Pierce and interim offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree both had strong days in their new roles, with Pierce able to secure his first NFL head-coaching victory against the franchise with which he spent five years and won a Super Bowl. How much this victory ends up meaning in the long term remains to be seen, but in the short term, Pierce has helped move the Raiders to within a game of .500, with the Jets coming to town next week.
2. Daniel Jones exits with injury, and Tommy DeVito has another tough day. Jones took a sack to end the first quarter, with his right knee appearing to buckle. He returned to the field to start the second quarter, but the knee buckled again and he was sacked for the second straight play. Jones, who returned on Sunday after missing the previous three games with a neck injury, sat out the rest of the game and is feared to have suffered a significant injury to the knee, per NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. DeVito replaces Jones, and the rookie struggled again. After his tough debut in the loss to the Jets last week, DeVito was picked on consecutive pass attempts in the second quarter, leading directly to 10 Raiders points in the final two minutes of the first half. To his credit, DeVito did find some rhythm on an 84-yard TD drive and finished with a respectable 175 yards on 15-of-20 passing, but he took six sacks. With Jones injured again and Tyrod Taylor on injured reserve, the Giants will have some moving parts at QB, even if DeVito likely would get the first crack at replacing Jones. The bye is still three weeks away, and they’re back on the road the next two weeks.
3. Aidan O’Connell looks far sharper in second start. O’Connell struggled with turnovers in his first NFL start against the Chargers, prompting McDaniels to say afterward: “Playing quarterback in our league starts with taking care of the football.” Lesson learned. Although O’Connell didn’t throw a TD pass, he played a clean game in start No. 2, with zero turnovers, no sacks taken and some impressive accuracy early in the blowout victory. O’Connell arguably didn’t throw an off-target pass until the third quarter, when the Raiders’ offense slowed down considerably. But even then, he showed some maturity to his game, including when he appeared to confidently check to a pass on third-and-1 (for an easy first down). O’Connell’s second start was a successful one, changing the trajectory of his rookie season as the likely starter from here on out.

Next Gen stat of the game: Aidan O'Connell was pressured on 16.0% of his dropbacks, the lowest by a Raiders QB in a game since Week 12 of the 2021 season, when Derek Carr was pressured only 11.6% of his dropbacks against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving (min. 25 dropbacks).

NFL Research: Maxx Crosby had three sacks on Sunday, which tied for his second-most in a game. Crosby joined Greg Townsend as the only Raiders players since 1982 with seven-plus sacks in each of their first five seasons.

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• READ: Battista: Cowboys lose another 'game of inches'
• READ: Eagles TE Dallas Goedert suffers fractured forearm
• READ: Hurts plays through pain in 'gritty' Eagles win

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Eagles’ offense gets the job done without stuffing the stat sheet. Jalen Hurts is playing some of the best football of any quarterback in the NFL right now, but the going wasn't easy on Sunday. His passing numbers are an indicator of how challenging it was to find success: 17 of 23, 207 yards and two touchdowns. His best throw of the night, a perfectly placed 29-yard pass to DeVonta Smith early in the third quarter, gave the Eagles their first lead since going up 7-0 in the first quarter. Their next drive was an 11-play, 87-yard march that ended in a TD pass of a much shorter distance to A.J. Brown. Philadelphia converted all three of its red-zone opportunities, while Dallas finished 3 for 5. The Eagles’ defense stepped up in crucial moments, including a sack of Dak Prescott in the game's final minute. That was enough to push them past the Cowboys to an 8-1 record -- and the mark of a proven winner.
2. Cowboys learn margin of error is slim versus Eagles. Statistically, Dak Prescott outplayed Jalen Hurts. In fact, every key Cowboys weapon was more productive than their Eagles counterpart when it came to the numbers. But Dallas ended up on the losing end because in the most crucial moments, it fell short. A promising first-half drive ended in a field goal, seemingly a win for the Cowboys, who took a 17-14 lead with Brandon Aubrey's 51-yarder. But the Cowboys surrendered two touchdowns to the Eagles in the third quarter, falling behind rather quickly. Dallas failed to convert a fourth-and-goal in the fourth quarter, missing out on a Luke Schoonmaker touchdown by mere inches. And when the team did capitalize on a scoring opportunity later on, Prescott came up short on a crucial two-point conversion attempt when he stepped out of bounds short of the goal line. In a game in which neither of the closely matched teams turned the ball over until the final play, those narrow misses proved to be the difference. Had Prescott converted the two-point try, they'd be playing for a field goal late instead of a touchdown. Had Dallas recovered a shocking D'Andre Swift fumble in the final minute, the outcome might have been different. It's cliche, but football often truly is a game of inches, and the Cowboys came up short on Sunday.
3. The Week 14 rematch is going to be a lot of fun. Rivalries are always a good time, and this one feels about as tight as any in the NFL right now. Dallas proved it can hang with Philadelphia but needs to clean up its minor mistakes made in crucial moments. Philadelphia, meanwhile, learned just how difficult it is to find success against a familiar foe stocked with enough talent to compete. The difference in this game was slim, and if a few balls had bounced Dallas' way, the Cowboys could have emerged victorious. The Dec. 10 rematch at AT&T Stadium could be a pivotal one as it pertains to playoff position.

Next Gen stat of the game: The Eagles’ defense allowed 5.6% of the Cowboys run plays to gain more rushing yards than expected, the fourth-lowest rate in a game over the last three seasons. Philadelphia allowed -37 rushing yards over expected in Week 9, its lowest total in a game since Week 15 of the 2021 season.

NFL Research: The Eagles completed three touchdown drives of 11-plus plays on Sunday, the most such drives in a game for the franchise in the last 30 seasons.

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• READ: Tua shoulders blame for Dolphins' comeback falling short vs. Chiefs
• READ: Kelce: 'This is the best defense I've ever played with'

Christian Gonzales' takeaways:

1. Patrick Mahomes gets other receivers involved with Travis Kelce quieted. After a horrible loss to the Broncos last week, Mahomes delivered a well-rounded performance in Frankfurt, Germany. But with the Dolphins limiting Kelce to a season-low three catches for 14 yards, the quarterback had to turn to Kansas City’s other pass-catchers to move the ball. He connected with five different receivers during the opening drive, capping it off with an 11-yard touchdown pass to rookie Rashee Rice. From there, Mahomes did a little bit of everything. He ran the ball when needed to extend drives and found nine different receivers in the victory. Mahomes completed 66.7% of his passes (20 of 30) for 185 yards and two TDs. With a comfortable lead in the AFC West standings, the Chiefs have a bye week before their Super Bowl LVII rematch against the Eagles in Week 11.
2. Tale of two halves for the Dolphins. Miami entered Sunday averaging 18.9 points per game in the first half, which led the NFL. But Chiefs coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense held the Dolphins to zero points in the first 40 minutes of Sunday’s game. Miami did bounce back, rallying to make it a one-possession game in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins faced a fourth-and-10 from Kansas City’s 31-yard line with a little over a minute remaining, and it turned to be their final play, as all Tua Tagovailoa could do was fall on the ground to recover a loose ball after a botched snap. Miami is now 0-3 against teams with winning records (Bills, Eagles and Chiefs), but one positive from Week 9 is that the team was more competitive than it was against Buffalo and Philadelphia. The Dolphins will look to regroup with a bye week up next.
3. Chiefs’ defense finds way to contain Miami’s offense. Kansas City’s defense might have completed one of the best plays of the season late in the first half. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill caught a short pass and was stripped by Trent McDuffie. The Chiefs’ Mike Edwards recovered the fumble and then lateraled the ball to Bryan Cook, who returned it 59 yards for a touchdown. Overall, it was an incredible defensive effort, as Miami didn’t convert a third down until midway through the third quarter. Mike McDaniel’s offense finally emerged after that with Tagovailoa finding Cedrick Wilson Jr. for a 31-yard score. A Raheem Mostert TD run late in the third quarter cut the lead to seven, but Kansas City did just enough stop the comeback attempt. The Chiefs also held Hill (62 receiving yards) out of the end zone.

Next Gen stat of the game: Bryan Cook reached a top speed of 21.31 mph on his 59-yard fumble return TD, the fastest run by a Chiefs ball-carrier this season.

NFL Research: Travis Kelce has the most receiving yards in Chiefs franchise history. Kelce passed Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (10,940) on Sunday.

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• READ: Vikings QB Jaren Hall suffers concussion vs. Falcons
• READ: Joshua Dobbs leads Vikings to comeback win off the bench

Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Forced into early action, Joshua Dobbs plays hero in Vikings debut. Rookie Jaren Hall began promisingly in his first NFL start, completing five-of-six passes for 78 yards, but he left the game with a concussion in the first quarter. That thrust Dobbs, acquired at the trade deadline after the season-ending injury to Kirk Cousins, into early action for Minnesota. Before Dobbs could complete a single pass, he was sacked for a safety and then strip-sacked deep in Minnesota territory, leading to five straight Atlanta points. He fumbled again on the first drive of the second half. But Dobbs was downright heroic in relief, using his legs to sting Atlanta’s defense, running for an 18-yard TD to tie the game late in the third quarter and scrambling for 22 yards on a key fourth down to keep their hopes alive late. That’s when Dobbs hit Brandon Powell for a 6-yard TD strike with 27 seconds left for the go-ahead score. Dobbs’ fumbles were costly, but he completed 20-of-30 passes for 158 yards and two scores, including some massive connections to Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. Playing with virtually no prep -- and with no Justin Jefferson or K.J. Osborn (left game with a concussion) -- Dobbs has already made the trade pay off.
2. Falcons’ offense doesn’t take the next step with Taylor Heinicke. If Arthur Smith hoped that this game would provide him enough evidence to continue forward with Heinicke at QB over Desmond Ridder, Smith likely felt unfulfilled. Heinicke completed 21-of-38 passes for 268 yards, and the Falcons moved the ball consistently most of the game. But settling for four field goals came back to bite them, and the game really turned on Heinicke’s late third-quarter INT. The Vikings had just tied the game prior to that, and on the first play of the ensuing drive Heinicke threw a bad ball toward Damiere Byrd into thick coverage, deep in Atlanta’s end. Heinicke wasn’t even unduly stressed on the play; he just made a bad decision, and it led to a Vikings field goal. Heinicke led a TD drive to take the lead with just over two minutes left, but it was almost entirely fueled by the run game, as he threw only one pass on the drive. This game didn’t settle the Falcons’ QB quandary, and now they’re below .500 after starting the season 2-0.
3. Bijan Robinson took a backseat to Tyler Allgeier. The stat sheet showed that Robinson and Allgeier had roughly equal usage in Atlanta’s loss, with Robinson amassing 13 touches to Allgeier’s 14. But Robinson touched the ball only six times in the second half. One of those was a game-turning Robinson fumble in the third quarter, which could partially explain why he received only four touches thereafter. But most curious was Robinson being used sparingly on red-zone plays. Atlanta ran six plays, and Robinson was on the field for only one of them (a pass to Jonnu Smith). The Falcons have the luxury of having two good backs, but Robinson, the eighth overall pick of this year’s draft, has been the more productive player this season on a per-touch basis by a clear margin. Not having Robinson on the field in those spots likely made things easier for the Vikings’ defense, even if Allgeier did score on Atlanta’s final red-zone possession. It’s hard to know if the Falcons truly trust Robinson right now based on the way they’re using him.

Next Gen stat of the game: T.J. Hockenson caught seven of his 12 targets for 69 yards, recording a season-high +18 YACOE (39 yards after the catch). Hockenson did the bulk of his damage from the slot, catching six of nine targets for 63 yards across 21 slot routes.

NFL Research: Joshua Dobbs accounted for three TDs for two different teams in back-to-back games, throwing for two TDs and rushing for one in each. The first came in Week 8 for the Cardinals in their loss to the Ravens, and the second came on Sunday in the Vikings’ win over the Falcons.

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• READ: Chadiha: Ravens are NFL's scariest team at midseason

Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Baltimore beats down another NFC division leader. Two weeks after shellacking the Detroit Lions at home, the Ravens destroyed the NFC West-leading Seahawks. Baltimore's defense dominated the line of scrimmage, stuffing Seattle's run game and discombobulating Geno Smith on nearly every dropback. Baltimore generated pressure on 54.5% of Smith's dropbacks, holding the QB to 5 of 13 for 29 yards and an INT when under pressure, per Next Gen Stats. The Ravens earned four sacks and forced two turnovers. Kyle Van Noy has been a big midseason pickup, sacking Smith on back-to-back plays late in the second quarter, including a strip-sack. Baltimore's D comes in waves, and the exotic pressure packages make life miserable for opponents. The Ravens have proven they can shut down anyone.
2. Ravens unearth another running back. World, say hello to undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell. The back hadn't taken a carry all season, but Mitchell announced his presence, blasting off for 138 yards on nine attempts, including a 40-yard touchdown and 60-yard scamper. The rookie displayed good burst on the second level and the ability to run through arm tackles. Mitchell adds another dimension to a Ravens offense that has lacked consistency out of the backfield. Gus Edwards (two TDs) remains the goal-line back, but Mitchell showed he deserves more reps between the 20s moving forward. The East Carolina product will be a popular pickup on your waiver wire this week, Fantasy Football fans.
3. Seahawks' offense goes in the tank on the road. Seattle's run game got steamrolled early, making the offense one-dimensional and allowing Baltimore's defense to tee off. Kenneth Walker III generated 1.8 yards per carry on nine attempts. His best run was called back by a penalty, underscoring the Seahawks’ struggles. Smith never looked comfortable in the pocket, constantly having to navigate pressure. Seattle generated a measly six first downs, went 1 of 12 on third down and earned 151 total yards. Compare that to 515 yards put up by Baltimore. Woof. Of Smith's 157 passing yards, more than half (85) came on two passes -- a 50-yarder to DK Metcalf and a 35-yarder to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Sunday's disappointment snaps a two-game win streak and levels them in the NFC West with the San Francisco 49ers at 5-3.

Next Gen stat of the game: The Ravens' offense rushed for 298 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries for a season-high +157 rushing yards over expected in Week 9.

NFL Research: The Ravens are 3-0 in 2023 versus teams that entered the game with a winning record. Week 4 at Cleveland (28-3), Week 7 versus Detroit (38-6), Week 9 versus Seattle (37-3). The Ravens did not trail in any of those games. 

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Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. Cleveland's defense is a nightmare for a rookie QB. After trading Joshua Dobbs and deciding not to activate Kyler Murray for Sunday’s game, Arizona started 2023 fifth-round pick Clayton Tune against the Browns. The rookie really couldn’t have been him in a much worse situation. Cleveland's stingy defense capitalized, harassing him all afternoon to the tune (pun unintended) of seven sacks and a pressure rate of 56.3 percent (despite blitzing on only 12.5 percent of dropbacks). About half of the Cardinals’ plays went for zero or negative yards, they finished 1 for 12 on third down and ended Sunday's dreadful outing with a grand total of 58 net offensive yards. Tune turned the ball over three times. Considering the circumstances, it wasn't a litmus test of a game for Cleveland's defense, but it was a reminder of how suffocating this unit can be.
2. Budda Baker deserved his summer raise. The only takeaway of any positive note for the Cardinals was the play of Baker, who cut down David Njoku on a crucial tackle that saved a touchdown and finished with a team-high 10 tackles. He's been a consistent force in Arizona's defense, and on a day in which the Cardinals got absolutely nothing from their offense, Baker stood out as a lone playmaker for a defense that frequently found itself in disadvantageous positions. The Cardinals' new regime was wise to acquiesce to Baker's offseason contractual demands, and he should continue to be a key piece in their rebuild going forward.
3. Deshaun Watson takes a few positive steps in return from injury. Watson's afternoon started in predictably bumpy fashion, with the quarterback struggling to move through his progressions and displaying a lack of trust in his offensive line. His accuracy was spotty at best, and a number of his passes came out at a downward trajectory, resulting in frustrating incompletions. But eventually, Watson started to figure it out. He found Amari Cooper wide open down the sideline for a 59-yard gain, extended a few plays with his legs and avoided taking any crushing hits to his ailing shoulder. Watson made a perfect throw to Cooper, splitting two defenders for a 49-yard gain that set up a Kareem Hunt touchdown to round out the day's scoring and gave Browns fans a glimpse of why their team spent $230 million on the quarterback. Moving forward, Watson needs to play like that more consistently.

Next Gen stat of the game: After recording a -8.8 completion percentage over expected on passes of 10-plus air yards entering Week 9, Deshaun Watson completed 4 of 6 such attempts on Sunday for 136 yards, a touchdown and a CPOE of +23 percent.

NFL Research: Sunday marked the Browns' first shutout of an opponent since Week 15 of the 2007 season (versus Buffalo). The 58 yards allowed are also the third-fewest total yards given up in a game in franchise history.

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Kevin Patra's takeaways:

1. Packers snap four-game skid in sloppy affair. It wasn't pretty, but the Packers were able to pull away late against the Matthew Stafford-less Rams. Green Bay leaned on the ground game early, using six consecutive runs to open the scoring with an Aaron Jones TD plunge early in the second quarter. Jones' usage has been a source of consternation this season as the RB has dealt with injury, but Matt LaFleur certainly got his best offensive player involved on Sunday. Jones toted the rock 20 times for 73 yards and the score, the most carries he’s handled in a game since Week 10 of last season. The back added four catches for 26 yards but also fumbled. The run game kept the offense afloat amid struggles. Green Bay made plenty of mental mistakes, with a couple of fourth-and-short penalties negating chances to extend drives. The Packers missed a missed field goal, fumbled twice early in the second half and had eight total penalties. Quarterback Jordan Love continued his up-and-down play, missing several passes and looking off the mark early. However, he settled down late, finishing off a game-sealing drive with a 20-yard TD to rookie Luke Musgrave on an excellent play design by LaFleur. There weren't any style points gained at Lambeau Field on Sunday, but the Packers will take the W.
2. Rams’ offense can't find answers with Brett Rypien under center. With Matthew Stafford out due to a thumb injury, the Rams struggled to move the ball consistently enough to threaten the Packers. Making his fourth career start, Rypien misfired a host of passes, and the offense lacked the field-stretching plays Stafford provides. Rypien completed just 13-of-28 attempts for 130 yards with an INT and a fumble that set up the Packers' first-half TD. With the backup QB in, Cooper Kupp (two catches, 48 yards) and Puka Nacua (three catches, 32 yards) had quiet days. The run game couldn't pick up the slack, with Royce Freeman and Darrell Henderson averaging a combined 2.31 yards per carry on 22 totes. The Rams' defense helped keep the game close into the fourth quarter, but Los Angeles never took advantage of the openings Green Bay provided.
3. Packers’ youngsters step up. The deadline trade of Rasul Douglas signaled Green Bay's desire to get a look at younger defensive players. The early returns -- albeit against a backup QB -- were positive. Seventh-round rookie corner Carrington Valentine played well, generating three passes defended and allowing zero receptions on seven targets as the nearest defender, per Next Gen Stats. Valentine also stepped up versus the run a couple of times. Rookie safety Anthony Johnson Jr. earned an INT off a Jaire Alexander tip. Lukas Van Ness earned a QB hit and a tackle for loss. Second-year edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare also popped, making a tackle for loss and three QB pressures (second-most on the team behind Rashan Gary). If the 3-5 Packers are to turn their season around, the young players will need to continue stepping up against better competition.

Next Gen stat of the game: Jordan Love completed 20-of-26 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown, while recording a season-high +6.5% CPOE.

NFL Research: With his rush TD in the first half, Aaron Jones (63) passed Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Hornung and Donald Driver for the seventh-most scrimmage TDs in franchise history. Jones trails only Hall of Famer Jim Taylor (91) and Ahman Green (68) for TDs among RBs in team history.

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• READ: Texans' C.J. Stroud sets single-game rookie passing record
• READ: Texans RB Ogunbowale comes in clutch with historic field goal

Nick Shook's takeaways:

1. C.J. Stroud is a superstar in the making. Let's start with the eye-popping numbers: 30 of 42, 470 yards, five touchdowns and a passer rating of 147.8. If that's not enough to leave your jaw on the floor, go ahead and rewatch the game, starting with Stroud's 75-yard touchdown pass to Noah Brown early in the third quarter. That connection unlocked Houston's offense, which racked up 364 yards in the second half, with all but 36 yards coming via the pass. The rookie carved up Tampa Bay's defense, shredding a usually stingy unit by firing the ball all over the yard to Brown (six catches, 153 yards, one touchdown), third-down hero Dalton Schultz (10 catches, 130 yards and one touchdown), Nico Collins (three catches, 54 yards, one TD) and last but not least, Tank Dell (six catches, 114 yards, two TDs). Stroud went from looking like a hesitant and confused rookie in the first half to a calm and incredibly accurate engineer of Houston's offense, morphing into a seemingly unstoppable force who saw 46 seconds left on the clock and a four-point deficit, laughed at it and promptly led a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to lift the Texans to victory. He's awesome, folks, and makes every Texans game appointment television. Mark your calendars.
2. Don’t sleep on Rachaad White. Unlike most of the 2023 season, White was able to find some room to run on the ground, finishing with 73 yards and two touchdowns on 20 attempts. The success helped balance Tampa Bay's offense as the team built an early lead. White contributed in the passing game, too, gaining 46 yards on four catches. At halftime, White had accounted for 42.8% of the Bucs’ yards. They eventually managed to move the ball with other contributors getting involved, but he was an essential part of the offense. They lost this game, yes, but Bucs fans have to feel better about the state of their offense after watching this performance, and White has a whole lot to do with that.
3. Texans’ win could prove to be a turning point. Houston trailed by 10 points in the second quarter and appeared to be on the verge of losing its chance of a comeback. The Texans were able to respond with a scoring drive that ended in a field goal, but then they lost kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn to injury for the second half, calling running back Dare Ogunbowale into action for kicks. In the middle of the fourth quarter with the game tied, Houston realized a field-goal try might be needed instead of a long fourth-down attempt inside Tampa Bay's red zone, meaning Ogunbowale had to be the one to kick it. He converted from 29 yards out, giving Houston a lead and becoming the first running back to attempt and make a field goal in a game since Tony Galbreath of the New Orleans Saints in 1979. When all hope seemed to be lost after the Bucs took a four-point lead with less than a minute remaining, the Texans put the keys in Stroud's hands, and he calmly pushed Houston down the field, dropping a dime on Tank Dell for a huge first down and once again connecting with Dell for the game-winning score. They're young, but I can't help but gush over how the Texans refused to quit in this game. They learned how to win a tough game, which could go a long way toward future success for a team that is quietly ascending well beyond the expectations it faced in recent years.

Next Gen stat of the game: C.J. Stroud broke the record for the most passing yards by a rookie quarterback in a game (470) and recorded the highest Next Gen Stats passing score by any quarterback in a game this season (96).

NFL Research: Stroud became the only rookie in NFL history with 400-plus passing yards, four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions in a game.

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• READ: Belichick on job status: 'I'm going to control what I can control

Brenna White's takeaways:

1. Commanders overcome offensive miscues. Sam Howell and the Commanders’ offense were first on the board after mustering up enough momentum to connect on a field goal late in the first quarter. They followed that up with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a Brian Robinson touchdown run early in the second quarter. Washington scored 10 of its 20 points in the first 18 minutes. Things got sloppy for the remainder of the first half, though, with Robinson fumbling and Howell throwing an interception in the end zone. In fact, the Patriots took a 17-10 lead early in the third quarter. The Commanders rebounded later in the quarter, as Howell connected with Jahan Dotson for a 33-yard TD that tied the game and then Joey Slye kicked what turned out to be the game-winning field goal on their next possession. Howell, who was sacked three times and hit six times, went 29 of 45 for 325 yards and an 84.0 passer rating to help Washington snap a two-game losing streak. It was Howell’s second straight game with 300 passing yards (the first such streak of his career).
2. Patriots' offense comes up short. With five tackles for loss, six QB hits. three sacks (one from Deatrich Wise Jr. and two from Ja'Whaun Bentley) and two takeaways, the New England defense made some plays on Sunday. But after a 29-point outburst against the Bills a couple weeks ago, the Patriots’ offense has reverted to its previous form, posting 17 points in back-to-back games, both losses. It showed promise for a brief stretch, cashing in with a 14-yard TD pass to Hunter Henry after Jahlani Tavai’s forced fumble gave New England great field position. But wait, there was more! Rhamondre Stevenson’s 64-yard run on the team’s next possession gave the Patriots their first lead. They could only manage to score three points in the second half, though. At 2-7, they’re off to their worst start since 2000, Bill Belichick’s first season with the team.
3. Washington's defense finishes it. In their first game since dealing away top pass rushers Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the trade deadline, the Commanders' defense had its shaky moments, including when Rhamondre Stevenson took off for a huge 64-yard rushing TD to give the Patriots the lead in the second quarter. Washington didn’t make many highlight-reel plays, failing to record a sack and mustering only one QB hit. But the Commanders also didn’t allow many chunk plays. Aside from the Stevenson run, New England’s longest play went for 20 yards, and Ron Rivera’s defense buckled down when it needed to. The Patriots were looking to tie the game or take the lead as they drove into Washington territory in the final minute of the game, but Jartavius Martin picked off Mac Jones on second-and-8 from the Commanders’ 41-yard line, sealing the game at the 30-second mark.

Next Gen stat of the game: Sam Howell found most of his success through the air when the Patriots played zone coverage, completing 18-of-23 passes for 207 yards against zone.

NFL Research: The Commanders earned their first win against the Patriots since Week 4 of the 2003 season. The score was 20-17 in that game, too. 

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Eric Edholm's takeaways:

1. Saints efficient offensively, end turnover streak at three games. With the Saints benefitting from five Chicago turnovers and some great field position, you’d expect them to score more than 24 points. But all in all, it was a solid day for New Orleans’ offense, starting with this: They didn’t turn the ball over for the first time since Week 5 and committed only one penalty. For a Saints team that had shot itself in the foot numerous times in the first half of the season, that constitutes a very clean game. Derek Carr was not sacked, another victory after all the pass-protection issues this season. The Taysom Hill package was cooking again. Sure, the run game was tepid, and Alvin Kamara’s usage was a bit curious, but these are trivial matters right now. The overall result was a strong one.
2. Tyson Bagent's four turnovers prove costly. In what could be Bagent’s final start before Justin Fields returns from injury, the undrafted rookie made some big throws and was in a position to lead the Bears to a road victory, with the ball in a tie game to start the fourth quarter. Through three quarters, Bagent had completed 15-of-19 passes for 201 yards, two TDs, one pick and 70 yards rushing. However, two of Bagent’s three picks came in the fourth quarter. Though the Saints cranked up the pressure, both picks were on the rookie, who made poor decisions and/or throws. After a missed Saints field goal, the Bears got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining, but Bagent was strip-sacked deep in his own end, and that was that. In five fourth-quarter possessions, all with the game tied or within one score, the Bears had three turnovers and two three-and-outs. 
3. Saints’ D struggles early, but gets key stops late. New Orleans has one of the better defenses in the NFL, but the group seemed to carry over some of its Week 8 struggles vs. the Colts into Sunday’s game against Chicago. The Bears racked up 250 yards and 14 points in the first half, and it could have been more had they not turned the ball over twice and missed a field-goal try. But the Saints mostly shut them down after halftime, allowing one long field-goal drive. There were several stars for the Saints, but they had one clear standout on each level of the defense. Cameron Jordan (seven tackles, sack) and Demario Davis (10 tackles, sack, forced fumble) were great, and Paulson Adebo had a career day with seven tackles, two INTs, three passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Next Gen stat of the game: In his Bears debut, Montez Sweat generated a team-high four pressures on 25 pass rushes, generating a 16.0% pressure rate and a 2.73-second average time to pressure.

NFL Research: Taysom Hill led the Saints with 52 rush yards and accounted for two TDs (one passing, one receiving) against Chicago. Hill is one of six players to lead their team in rush yards and have 1-plus pass TD and 1-plus receiving TD in the same game since 2000. The others to do it: Christian McCaffrey, Cam Newton, Josh Allen, LaDainian Tomlinson (twice) and Curtis Martin.

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