In Week 9, two teams from the AFC North were victorious, while another team suffered a heartbreaking loss. The Cleveland Browns had a rest week.
In Week 9, two teams from the AFC North were victorious, while another team suffered a heartbreaking loss. The Cleveland Browns had a rest week.
The Pittsburgh Steelers ended a losing streak of two games with a 27-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Steelers defense struggled throughout the season but stepped up with six turnovers in a game against the Colts offense, led by quarterback Daniel Jones. Jones, who has been in Indianapolis for his first year as a quarterback, played well. But Pittsburgh’s defense made him look more like the player the New York Giants cut loose last season. He had three interceptions and five sacks. Kyle Dugger, a safety who was traded from the New England Patriots to the Steelers, made four tackles on his debut. Alex Highsmith, a linebacker, was named AFC Defensive player of the week for his performance against Colts. He totaled 4 tackles, 3 tackles for losses, 2 sacks and a force fumble.
Aaron Rodgers was able to complete 25 of his 35 passes, resulting in 203 yards with a touchdown. Jaylen Warren, the top rusher, had only 31 yards in 16 attempts. However, he did find the end zone twice. Calvin Austin was the top receiver with 56 yards from five catches, while Pat Freiermuth scored Rodgers’ only touchdown. DK Metcalf, the star wide receiver of the team, had his worst game this season. He caught just two passes and gained only six yards.
The Baltimore Ravens beat the Miami Dolphins 28-6 on Thursday Night Football to win their third match of the season, and second consecutively.
Lamar Jackson, the two-time MVP quarterback who returned to play for the first time in more than a month, was the story of the match. Jackson reminded everyone of his impact in his first return game. He completed 18 of 23 pass attempts for 204 yard and four touchdowns. This earned him the AFC Offensive Player Of The Week award. Derrick Henry surpassed 100 yards in the running for the first time this season, racking up 119 on 19 carries. Zay Flowers was the top receiver with 64 yards from five catches. But it was Baltimore’s tight ends that stole the show in the passing game. Isaiah Likely caught 3 passes for 60 yard, Mark Andrews scored two touchdowns and Charlie Kolar made his second consecutive end zone appearance.
The Ravens continued their defensive turnaround against the Dolphins as they forced three turnovers. Alohi Gilman and Marlon Hubbley, both cornerbacks and first-round rookie safety Malaki Staarks, forced and recovered two fumbles. Baltimore’s defensive unit hasn’t allowed more than 17 point in three consecutive games, after being one of the NFL’s worst defense units at the start of the season. Zach Orr received more help for his defense ahead of the deadline. The Ravens acquired Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones to boost their pass rush.
The Cincinnati Bengals were once again faced with a high-scoring game in which they let down their defense. The Chicago Bears defeated them 47-4.
Joe Flacco, a veteran quarterback with an AC joint injury in his throwing arm prior to the game was deemed questionable. However, that didn’t stop him from throwing 470 yards and four touchdowns against the Bears. He also threw two interceptions. Ja’Marr chase and Tee Higgins both had over 100 yards in receiving, but Higgins was the one who scored twice as well as catching two-point conversions to go along with his 121 yard team-leading seven catches. Chase Brown led the team in rushing with 37 yards from 11 carries. He also added 75 yards out of the backfield as a receiver.
The Bengals defense is the best at snatching victory from the Bears. With just 25 seconds remaining in the game, the Bengals allowed rookie tight end Colston loveland to score a 58 yard catch-and run touchdown. After the game, several offensive players expressed their frustration, including Brown, Chase and others.
Brown said, “We’ve put the ball into the end zone. We are up by a point in the final minutes.” “Finish this f —— match. It’s over. Like, that’s it.”
In lieu of seeking defensive help before the deadline, Cincinnati traded linebacker Logan Wilson for a pick in the seventh round (2026) to the Dallas Cowboys.