Recapping the Week 9 NFL Action You Missed on Sunday

When Sunday Night Football kicked off last night, we were exactly halfway through the NFL season with 136 games behind us and another 136 ahead.

As the clock hit 0:00 in Minnesota, we cleared the halfway mark on the 2024 season, which means every game matters even more, as teams make their late-season pushes for the playoffs.

Did you miss any of the action on Sunday? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with the recap that you’re looking for.

The New-Old Era in Indy

The Colts made waves in the NFL world this week when the team announced that Anthony Richardson, with 10 starts under his belt, would be benched in favor of Joe Flacco, the MVP of Super Bowl 47.

While Richardson’s performance was part of the reason, his decision to pull himself out of a game due to fatigue reportedly cost him the respect of several teammates, forcing the Colts’ hand.

Flacco got the start on Sunday night in Minnesota, but the Colts struggled mightily in the second half. While both teams struggled to find paydirt in the first half, the Vikings pulled away in the second half, eventually winning 21-13.

With the Jaguars next on the schedule, the Vikings are on pace to pick up another win in short order.

Overtime Thriller in Seattle

The LA Rams made the short trip north to Seattle to take on the Seahawks in a divisional game. Coming into this season, many people expected the 49ers to run away with the West once again, but that division is still very much up for grabs.

The Rams came into this contest at 3-4, but they got their two best receivers back last week. Meanwhile, the Seahawks have struggled to get back on their feet after starting the year 2-0.

This one proved to be a back-and-forth battle that couldn’t be decided in 60 minutes as the two teams went into overtime. It was then that Matthew Stafford linked up with Demarcus Robinson for a TD that gave the Rams the win and Seattle slipped further out of contention.

The game was every bit as exciting as advertised, but the big story coming out of this one is that the Rams are healthy and that offense looks as potent as it did a few seasons ago when they made a Super Bowl run.

All Hail the King

The Denver Broncos went into Baltimore as one of the hottest teams in the league, with QB Bo Nix leading all rookie signal-callers in touchdowns. He added to his total on Sunday, including a receiving touchdown on a trick play that saw Courtland Sutton throw a pass to his quarterback who boxed out the defender and fought to get the ball over the line.

It was all for naught as Lamar Jackson put up his fourth career game with a perfect QBR and the Ravens absolutely dismantled Denver.

While Jackson was incredible on the day, the biggest story of the game was Derek Henry, who picked up the 100th rushing touchdown of his career in the first half. He added a second rushing score later in the game and put up 106 rushing yards on the day.

Baltimore’s offense is firing on all cylinders and at this juncture, it’s safe to wonder if anyone in the league can stop them.

Saints Players Apologize After Surprising Performance

This season has been one to forget for both the Saints and the Panthers, the latter of which came into this week 9 contest with only one win on the season. The Saints weren’t fairing much better in the standings, dropping six games in a row after winning their first two.

However, New Orleans was the favorite in this game, especially with the return of Derek Carr.

To say that nothing went right for New Orleans on Sunday would be an understatement. While the Saints went into the half with a slim lead, Carolina erased it in the third quarter. When the clock ran out, the Panthers were on top having won this NFC South matchup 23-22.

After the game, Saints players took to social media to apologize to fans for losing a game to the lowly Panthers. The Saints have now dropped seven in a row, their longest losing streak since 1999.

Coach Dennis Allen went from being on the hot seat to being fired with the loss, as it looks like New Orleans will continue trying to rebuild, a process that the team has been focused on since the retirement of Drew Brees.

Detroit Keeps Rolling in Green Bay

For the better part of the last 30 years, the Detroit Lions have struggled to win at Lambeau Field. However, the Lions came into this game after having won their last two games in Green Bay, and they made it three consecutive games on Sunday.

Jordan Love, the Packers’ QB, came into the game with a strained groin that limited him all week in practice. While Love certainly didn’t look great, his receivers did little to help him, dropping six passes on the day, including one in the end zone.

The Lions won the game 24-14, expanding on their lead in the NFC North. Jared Goff also further built his MVP resume as he went 18-22 for 145 yards with one score and no picks.

The Lions largely relied on the ground game because of the weather, which minimized Goff’s yardage. The Lions now sit at 7-1, firmly atop the NFC North with another trip to the playoffs in sight.

Who Coaches in Vegas Doesn’t Stay in Vegas

If what happens in Vegas stays In Vegas, dropping a game in Cincinnati seems to be enough to get at least one Raiders coach fired.

The first quarter ended with the game knotted up at seven apiece, but that was the only time it was close. The Bengals outscored the Raiders 21-3 in the second and third quarters, as the Raiders’ lifeless offense just couldn’t keep up.

During the Sunday night game, news leaked that the Raiders had fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who had been much maligned throughout the season.

The decision to fire Getsy certainly didn’t come as a shock, as league insiders had been reporting for three weeks that his job was in jeopardy. It remains to be seen if Antonio Pierce will be brought back for another season at the helm of the Raiders, who played Gardner Minshew and Desmond Ridder at QB in week nine.

Will the Real Jameis Winston Please Stand Up?

A week ago, it looked like the Cleveland Browns may have their QB problems solved as Jameis Winston stepped in for the injured Deshaun Watson to lead the Browns to an improbable division win over the Baltimore Ravens.

Winston, who has historically struggled with turning the ball over in his career, guided the Browns to a 29-24 victory. This week, Winston seemed to take a huge step back, looking much more like he did during his time in Tampa, ending the game with three interceptions.

On the other sideline, Justin Herbert looked as great as expected, throwing for 282 yards and two touchdowns. The Chargers haven’t been as explosive as usual this season, but the offense does seem to be picking up some momentum.

While it’s unlikely that the Chargers will make a run at the division crown, they’re still in the thick of the AFC Wildcard hunt.

More Big Questions in Big D

In case you hadn’t heard, this season has been an abject disaster for the Dallas Cowboys, who sit at 3-5 after a loss to the Falcons during which the offense continued to look listless. Things went from bad to worse for Dallas after CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott both exited the game with injuries.

There were also some questionable calls made by coach Mike McCarthy, who dialed up a fake punt in his own territory. It failed, and the Falcons scored, creating an even bigger hole for the Cowboys.

For Atlanta, Kirk Cousins continued to look like the franchise QB that Atlanta thought they were getting when they poached him from the Vikings. He ended the game having completed 19 of his 24 passing attempts for 222 yards.

Cousins threw for three scores and no interceptions. Bijan Robinson also looked incredible against a woeful Cowboys rush defense, tacking on 86 yards on 19 carries.

The Falcons should win the NFC South, especially now that Tampa is without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Meanwhile, Dallas will try to figure out if there’s any way to salvage a season that has gone wrong in every way.