By Week 9 can be seen as a ‘fork in the road’ week for many teams.
Win and they still have something to play for. But lose and they might have to start looking towards 2025 with big changes likely on the horizon.
Week 9 began with the New York Jets’ surprise 21-13 victory over the Houston Texans on Thursday, a game which saw a catch of the year candidate from Jets receiver Garrett Wilson.
This week has two teams on a bye – the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers – with the possibility of seeing star running back Christian McCaffrey return after the break after missing the beginning of the season due to injury.
Here are the three matchups you don’t want to miss.
In terms of teams sitting on a 5-3 record through nine weeks, there might not be two with a bigger disparity in preseason expectations than the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens came in as serious Super Bowl contenders, while the Broncos were seen as a rebuilding franchise having traded away Russell Wilson and with rookie quarterback Bo Nix at the helm.
But now, the two teams enter their Week 9 game at M&T Bank Stadium in Maryland with the same records after a stuttering start from the Ravens and some impressive early showings from Nix.
Baltimore lost its opening two games before ripping off five wins and then losing last week to the lowly Cleveland Browns.
Denver is riding a two-game winning run following impressive victories against the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers.
The 24-year-old Nix has improved as the season has gone on, with the No. 12 pick throwing eight touchdowns, one interception and rushing for two scores in his last five games. It’s a far cry from his opening three games, where he had no touchdown passes, two scoring runs and four interceptions.
He faces a stiff test against a stout Baltimore defense on Sunday, something he acknowledged while speaking to reporters on Wednesday.
“It’s not going to be easy, but we’re going to be ready,” Nix said. “We know what it’s going to be. We’ve got to match the intensity, the passion and the physicality that they’re going to play with.
“I’m excited for the challenge because these are the type of games that you go through and you play and they’re extremely difficult and they’re hard (in) the moment. When you get out of them, you grow a lot as a player. You learn a lot about yourself (and) about your team.”
Nix’s Ravens counterpart, Lamar Jackson, was bolstered during the week after Baltimore traded for 2021 Pro Bowl receiver Diontae Johnson from the Panthers.
Now, with Johnson, Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews as a three-headed receiving core and Derrick Henry in the backfield, the Ravens offense looks like one of the best in the league.
However, for offensive coordinator Todd Monken, there still is plenty to improve on in Baltimore’s offense.
“(In the defeat against the Browns) eight times we got inside the 50-yard line,” Monken told reporters on Thursday. “We got inside of their territory, and we scored four (times).
“That’s really it in a nutshell between lost yardage plays, a missed fourth-down opportunity (and) some penalties – that’s what you’re going to end up with. We didn’t play as clean as we’ve been playing, and that showed. And that got us to where, ‘OK, 24 (points) wasn’t good enough.’ It just wasn’t, and we’re certainly capable of better, and our guys know it.”
What is arguably the game of the week sees an NFC North clash for the ages.
The Detroit Lions, riding a five-game winning streak, travel to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers in a game which could be vital when it comes to end of season playoff seedings.
For many, the Lions have been the best team in the NFL this season. NFL.com has them as the No. 1 outfit in the league through nine weeks, supplanting the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
They are coming off a 52-14 mauling of the Tennessee Lions, a game in which all facets of the team – offense, defense and special teams – shined at an elite level.
However, Detroit will be traveling to face a Packers team also coming into the clash on their own winning run, having won four games in a row.
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A large part of Green Bay’s success this year can be put down to creative offensive playcalling from head coach Matt LaFleur and the improvement of the defense under first-year coordinator Jeff Hafley.
But the Packers were dealt a potentially serious injury blow during Week 8’s victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars when starting quarterback Jordan Love limped off in the third quarter of last Sunday’s game and was quickly ruled out with a groin injury.
The 25-year-old appears to have avoided any long-term injury and could be in line to start against the Lions. He said during the week that it was “realistic” that he could play.
If he is unable to suit up, it will be up to Malik Willis to man the ship. But Willis has done that twice already this season and won both starts he made when Love missed time with a knee injury.
Sunday’s clash between these two NFC North rivals will be the latest in a long line of memorable games between the two and could have massive ramifications when it comes down to the end of the season.
While the Sunday Night Football match-up between the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings is notable for potential playoff seedings, the main storyline is the benching of Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Richardson has struggled in his second year in the league after having missed the majority of his rookie season with injuries.
Last year’s No. 4 overall pick has completed an NFL-worst 44.4% of his passes this year. In the Colts’ Week 9 loss to the Houston Texans, the 22-year-old completed 10-of-32 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown but admitted afterwards that he subbed himself out of the game at one point because he was “tired.”
Colts center Ryan Kelly said afterwards that Richardson taking him out the game wasn’t “the standard he needs to play up to” and that they have “had a conversation” about it.
Richardson’s inconsistent play and the Colts’ roster not being fully utilized led to Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen choosing to bench the 22-year-old in favor of 39-year-old Joe Flacco, adding that he is “not giving up” on Richardson.
“I’m just looking at where we are at as a football team, sitting at .500 with a lot of football left,” Steichen explained on Wednesday. “(I) feel like Joe gives us the best chance.”
Richardson spoke about his benching on Wednesday, saying: “Of course, it hurts.”
“As a competitor, definitely don’t want to be told I’m not the guy anymore for the upcoming week,” Richardson told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s all good. I’m using the moment as an opportunity to grow and learn from my mistakes.”
Flacco himself has enjoyed somewhat of a career renaissance over the past 18 months after stepping in successfully for the Cleveland Browns last year, leading them to the playoffs as he threw for 1,616 yards and a 13-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio on his way to a 4-1 record as a starter.
In his brief appearances for the Colts this season while Richardson has been injured, Flacco has played up to that standard, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 716 yards, throwing seven touchdowns and one interception and leading Indianapolis to two wins in three appearances with two starts.
However, he faces a stiff test on Sunday against a Vikings defense which has been one of the best groups in the league under coordinator Brian Flores.
They lead the league in interceptions and have allowed the third-fewest rushing yards through nine weeks.
Minnesota began their season 5-0 but has since lost two games in a row and will be looking to get back to winning ways against a new-look Colts team at US Bank Stadium.
Away @ home
Dallas Cowboys (3-4) vs. Atlanta Falcons (5-3) – 1 p.m. ET
Denver Broncos (5-3) vs. Baltimore Ravens (5-3) – 1 p.m. ET
Miami Dolphins (2-5) vs. Buffalo Bills (6-2) – 1 p.m. ET
New Orleans Saints (2-6) vs. Carolina Panthers (1-7) – 1 p.m. ET
Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) – 1 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) vs. Cleveland Browns (2-6) – 1 p.m. ET
Washington Commanders (6-2) vs. New York Giants (2-6) – 1 p.m. ET
New England Patriots (2-6) vs. Tennessee Titans (1-6) – 1 p.m. ET
Chicago Bears (4-3) vs. Arizona Cardinals (4-4) – 4:05 p.m. ET
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) – 4:05 p.m. ET
Detroit Lions (6-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (6-2) – 4:25 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Rams (3-4) vs. Seattle Seahawks (4-4) – 4:25 p.m. ET
Indianapolis Colts (4-4) vs. Minnesota Vikings (5-2) – 8:20 p.m. ET
