NFL Week 9 grades from around the league

One of the better sack celebrations in recent memory became overshadowed by the ensuing taunting penalty that kept a Steelers drive alive. Cassius Marsh committed one of 12 penalties whistled on the Bears, who also saw guard James Daniels' questionable low-block infraction negate a touchdown. The 115 penalty yards undercut Justin Fields' best game. Fields (336 total yards) provided the best reasoning yet for being the Bears' long-term QB. His seven 15-plus-yard completions matched the most by a Bears QB since 2007. But flags, particularly the concerning decision to penalize Marsh at that juncture, eclipsed this. And the Bears are moving toward 2022 evaluation mode.

BEARS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: vs. Ravens (Sun.)

With the Steelers offense again sputtering, Boswell was summoned to conclude multiple drives that did not come especially close to the red zone. Despite taking one of the harder hits a modern kicker has absorbed last week, Boswell came through by making two 50-plus-yard tries, the 40-yard game-winner, and recovering a fumble. This was Boswell's first game featuring two 50-plus-yard makes. Pittsburgh's seventh-year kicker has now made 13 of 16 from beyond 50 yards, the most such makes in team history. He certainly proved valuable in his return from a concussion, keeping the Steelers (5-3) over .500 and in the thick of the captivating AFC North race.

STEELERS GRADE: B | NEXT: vs. Lions (Sun.)

The Titans managed 69 rushing yards -- their fewest since a 2012 win over the Matthew Stafford-led Lions -- and won going away. Simmons opened the door to this unusual prospect by sacking Stafford thrice and forcing the game's pivotal sequence. The interior D-lineman's edge pressure on Stafford induced an ill-timed Carson Wentz impression, and Tennessee's INT led to the Rams playing from at least two scores down henceforth. The Rams allowed an NFL-low eight sacks through eight games; the Titans (7-2) registered five. Horrendous on defense last season, Tennessee keeps showing potential on that side of the ball. Certainly crucial in a Derrick Henry-less future.

TITANS GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. Saints (Sun.)

As the Cardinals impressively avoided a loss without their star quarterback, the rest of the NFC's top tier in action saw their QBs fare worse than Colt McCoy did in Santa Clara. Following Dak Prescott and Jordan Love's struggles, Stafford delivered his worst Rams outing. Shortly after the Simmons-created catastrophe, Stafford handed Kevin Byard his fifth INT and second TD this season. The Rams QB took multiple unnecessary sacks early as well, spoiling a decent Los Angeles defensive night. The Cowboys and Packers' losses help, but the Rams being tagged with a second double-digit home defeat stands to cost them more than the NFC contenders in weaker divisions.

RAMS GRADE: D | NEXT: at 49ers (Mon.)

The Packers' long-term plan is fuzzier after Sunday. An erratic Love was far less effective than Daniel Jones was without his top chain-movers at Arrowhead. The Packers (7-2) converted 2 of 12 third downs, with Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo not remotely fearing Love as he sent blitzes on 54% of the Packers' snaps -- the highest single-game rate of Spags' Kansas City tenure. Love was 6 of 17 for 30 yards against those blitzes. Aaron Rodgers' brutal PR week aside, he remains quite valuable. Love's starter debut made the Packers' seminal draft-night trade-up look shakier. Rodgers missing a second game due to his COVID-19 bout may crush Green Bay's bye hopes.

PACKERS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: vs. Seahawks (Sun.)

The Chiefs' defense impressed, but the Packers' midweek crisis made the assignment considerably easier. Patrick Mahomes' sudden mediocrity will keep overshadowing everything else. The superstar QB finished with 166 yards, another ugly yards-per-attempt figure (a Josh Rosen-like 4.5), and the two lowest air yards-per-completion numbers of his career came in the past six days. Teams keep taking Tyreek Hill (11 targets, 37 yards) away, and no solutions have emerged after weeks of this blueprint. Rodgers likely beats Kansas City, perhaps convincingly. It is hard not to envision the Chiefs (5-4) pursuing Odell Beckham Jr. Would a high-variance WR2 even save them?

CHIEFS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: at Raiders (Sun.)

The Broncos' Melvin Gordon-Javonte Williams tandem ran circles around the Cowboys' higher-regarded Ezekiel Elliott-Tony Pollard pair, combining for 191 yards to key one of the highest peaks (not that there is significant competition) of the Broncos' post- Peyton Manning period. Williams keeps showing his North Carolina tackle-shedding numbers translate. The latest example: the rookie discarding 315-pound Dallas lineman Justin Hamilton on a 30-yard run. Denver's backs amassed 12 first downs, doing so despite just two Week 1 O-linemen finishing the game. Stopping the healthier Cowboys' six-game win streak keeps the Broncos in the AFC playoff race.

BRONCOS GRADE: A-plus | NEXT: vs. Eagles (Sun.)

The Bills and Rams offered eye-opening performances, but the Cowboys trailing a Broncos team that just traded Von Miller 30-0 provided Sunday's most eye-catching score bug. Dallas went 0-for-4 on fourth downs, and its secondary could not stay with Jerry Jeudy or Tim Patrick. Although drops interfered somewhat, and the Broncos pounced after a Cowboys blocked punt worked in the visitors' favor, Dak Prescott was awful upon returning from his calf injury. Denver's secondary muzzled Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, and its backup edge rushers won out. This puzzling blowout will sting as the Cowboys vie for the NFC's lone bye.

COWBOYS GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Falcons (Sun.)

The Jaguars' first domestic win since September 2020 involved them presenting Josh Allen with the Mahomes no-big-plays defense. But Buffalo's seldom-relevant running backs were even less effective than usual, combining for 22 rushing yards. And the Jaguars -- they of two takeaways through seven games -- forced three turnovers. Buffalo's O-line was missing two starters, and Jacksonville's defensive front wrecked the game. None of this excuses the Bills (5-3) participating in an aesthetic reprisal of 2017's sobering wild-card matchup, as their quarterback is far too talented to oversee a six-point effort in Jacksonville. 

BILLS GRADE: F | NEXT: at Jets (Sun.)

Thanks to the less famous Josh Allen running amok, the Jaguars (2-6) pressured the Bills quarterback on a season-high 39% of his dropbacks. Jacksonville's D-line hurried Josh Allen 15 times (the first encounter of the 6-foot-5 Josh Allens is already difficult to assess), causing the MVP candidate to lose his first-team Josh Allen status for a day. The third-year Jaguars defensive end notched a sack -- the first-ever same-name sack, as you likely heard -- and intercepted his Josh Allen counterpart, prior to a crucial fumble recovery. A step forward for a Jags team that the Seahawks embarrassed last week.

JAGUARS GRADE: A | NEXT: at Colts (Sun.)

Denzel Ward's 99-yard pick-six led the charge for the Browns (5-4), and their secondary won most of the battles against the Bengals' potent receiving corps. Ja'Marr Chase endured a forgettable day, catching seven of 14 targets -- amid tight coverage from Cleveland first-rounder Greg Newsome II -- and losing a fumble. Still this secondary's anchor, Ward allowed one catch in the Browns' bounce-back outing, which also featured two Troy Hill slot blitzes for sacks. Cleveland's defense did well to ensure the Odell Beckham Jr. drama was a non-story for a still-viable squad, one that certainly has surged ahead of Cincinnati at midseason.

BROWNS GRADE: A-plus | NEXT: at Patriots (Sun.)

After Ward's sprint, the Bengals yielded two more Browns TDs of at least 60 yards. Beckham's replacement, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Nick Chubb buried the Bengals, who are suddenly in danger of seeing their season turn on Mike White's comeback. The Bengals (5-4) still rank 12th defensively, markedly improved from their past two dreadful units. But the veteran-laden unit no longer looks reliable. Cleveland dominated in all phases Sunday, giving Cincinnati its first divisional defeat. Each AFC North team has at least one division loss. The Bengals being competitive makes this one of the most captivating races in years.

BENGALS GRADE: F | NEXT: at Raiders (Nov. 21) 

Minnesota is 3-5 but boasts a plus-3 point differential. Although the Vikings scored 31 points, their offense failed to do enough again. Minnesota won the turnover battle but saw Baltimore amass a staggering 36-13 first down advantage, leading to the Ravens running 89 plays (to the Vikes' 52) and winning the rarely contested purple war. The Vikings rank 17th in scoring and have proven repeatedly during Kirk Cousins' tenure they can max out at good, not great. They are now 0-5 against over-.500 teams this season and a whopping 5-21 during Cousins' four years. Five teams with winning records remain on the Vikings' schedule. 

VIKINGS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: at Chargers (Sun.)

Two months after injuries gutted their backfield, the Ravens saw some life from their aging replacements. Devonta Freeman and Le'Veon Bell combined for 127 rushing yards and a touchdown. Both Freeman and Bell produced key overtime gains to set up Justin Tucker's game-winner. Of course, this duo's contributions only added up to victory thanks to Lamar Jackson's 120 ground yards. And fullback Patrick Ricard came through with multiple key receptions, including a fourth-down TD. This marked another double-digit deficit conquered by Jackson, signaling more trouble for a conference littered with less dependable contenders.

RAVENS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Dolphins (Thu.)

At the epicenter of last season's 32nd-ranked rushing attack, Conner exited his home state for a one-year, $1.75 million Arizona deal. While Chase Edmonds fantasy GMs could have attached the "touchdown vulture" descriptor to Conner through eight games, his 173 scrimmage yards to power a Cardinals team down its top two offensive players showed this is a legitimate comeback season. Conner, naturally, added three more touchdowns to exit Week 9 with an NFL-high 11. This might not be a Comeback Player of the Year campaign or earn Conner big money in 2022. But the fifth-year back is a central reason why the Cards (8-1) are where they are.

CARDINALS GRADE: A-plus | NEXT: vs. Panthers (Sun.)

An MVP candidate, a perennial Pro Bowler, and a future Hall of Famer missed Sunday's game for the Cardinals, borderline gift-wrapping a win for an unreliable 49ers team. San Francisco's inconsistency instead reached a new level, with the Kyler Murray-, DeAndre Hopkins-, and J.J. Watt-less Cards dominating. The 49ers' defense allowed Colt McCoy to throw for 249 yards and fire just four incompletions, with missed tackles a factor in an inexcusable loss. The 49ers (3-5) have lost five of their past six. No injury or QB excuses apply for Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch anymore. This is the duo's most disappointing stretch.

49ERS GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Rams (Mon.)

Five NFC playoff slots appear spoken for. With the Saints battling a QB problem and the NFC West top-heavier than expected, the Falcons (4-4) are lurking. Ryan cemented this fringe status with a 343-yard day complete with 11.4 yards per attempt -- his highest single-game figure since his 2016 MVP season. The Julio Jones trade and Calvin Ridley's surprise sabbatical have left Ryan with little at receiver, and the Falcons' backs (4-4) totaled 34 rushing yards. But Ryan consistently found Russell Gage, Olamide Zaccheaus, and the still-rolling Cordarrelle Patterson. This overshadowed outing is a good sign from someone who began the season as a 36-year-old QB on a rebuilding team.

FALCONS GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: at Cowboys (Sun.)

Michael Thomas' run of injuries has disrupted the Saints' trajectory. They cut the one notable WR2 to come through post-Brandin Cooks -- Emmanuel Sanders -- amid a historic cap crunch and now have a third-string quarterback trying to connect with auxiliary wideouts. This resulted in off-target throws and drops, as should be expected. It could be considered a win Trevor Siemian (one start in the past four seasons) had New Orleans (5-3) in position to win, but the Saints' formula will be difficult to sustain without Thomas -- now done for the year with a new injury -- coming to aid Siemian or Taysom Hill. 

SAINTS GRADE: C-plus | NEXT: at Titans (Sun.)

Derek Carr threw two bad interceptions, and guards should be up after recent Raiders second-half swoons. The Raiders turned 6-4 in to 7-9 in 2019 and 6-3 into 8-8 last year. This version has looked better, with (finally) some defensive answers emerging. But the tragedy that led to Henry Ruggs' exit stripped Carr of his leading wide receiver. This coming shortly after the Jon Gruden chaos is a lot to navigate for a slightly above-average quarterback. Carr completed 4 of 13 passes for 84 yards on throws traveling 10-plus yards in the air, and he missed a wide-open Darren Waller for a TD. Perhaps DeSean Jackson (when healthy) can partially fill the Ruggs void.

RAIDERS GRADE: D-plus | NEXT: vs. Chiefs (Sun.)

The Giants neutralizing the Chiefs no longer looks as impressive, given Kansas City's issues, but their defense has turned a corner. New York (3-6) won despite 245 total yards and no pass-catcher topping 40. McKinney played the lead role in allowing that to happen, intercepting two second-half passes and taking one back for a score. After an injury-marred rookie year, the Alabama product is delivering on the Giants' second-round investment. McKinney has four INTs and is an every-snap player for the Giants, who have he and tackling dynamo Logan Ryan signed through 2023. Clear Big Blue flaws remain, but the safety box is checked.

GIANTS GRADE: B-plus | NEXT: at Buccaneers (Nov. 22)

Another defense- and run-oriented conquest moved the Patriots (5-4) to a half-game behind the Bills. Bill Belichick has more talent and depth to work with this year, but one of the cogs that helped the shorthanded 2020 Pats stay afloat defensively keeps collecting takeaways. J.C. Jackson picked off Sam Darnold twice, scoring on one and denying the Panthers a TD on the other. The contract-year cornerback now has 22 picks since entering the league as a 2018 undrafted free agent. Jackson's two thefts moved him past Xavien Howard for the most since '18. The alpha in another imposing New England secondary, Jackson helped the Pats get by with dealing Stephon Gilmore.

PATRIOTS GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. Browns (Sun.)

In the two springs with Matt Rhule running things, the Panthers gave Teddy Bridgewater $40 million guaranteed and picked up Sam Darnold's 2022 option -- a fully guaranteed $18.6M. Both moves have failed to solidify a position that has been a problem since injuries keyed a swift Cam Newton decline. Darnold brought his Patriots issues to Carolina, throwing three more INTs -- giving him an NFL-most 11 -- and continuing to sink a briefly promising season. The Dolphins might regret not landing Deshaun Watson now because the Panthers -- should the resting Texan warm up to returning to the Carolinas -- will be ready to empty their clip after another misstep. 

PANTHERS GRADE: D-minus | NEXT: at Cardinals (Sun.)

With Patrick Mahomes in a mid-movie-montage-level rut, the Chargers (5-3) have an opportunity to stay atop the AFC West. Their quarterback has outplayed Mahomes this season, and he returned to form -- albeit in a friendly passing environment -- after a rough two games. Herbert dissected the Eagles on a 32-for-38 day that included 356 yards; Herbert's 12 300-yard games are already two more than anyone in NFL history through two seasons. The Chargers protected their top investment, allowing just 11 pressures, no sacks, and just one QB hit. This monster outing only led to a three-point Charger win, however, keeping uncertainty rampant in this AFC West race.

CHARGERS GRADE: B | NEXT: vs. Vikings (Sun.)

An oasis in Mahomes' strangely inefficient season came in Philadelphia. Tom Brady also shook off his Rams outing there. The Eagles allowed Derek Carr to complete nearly every pass he threw. Ditto Dak Prescott. With Herbert marching through Philly's troops, this defense has allowed five QBs to complete 80% of their passes this season. The Eagles (3-6) lost Darius Slay midway through the second half, but the expensive corner was a key part of Herbert's onslaught. Beyond Slay, Philadelphia has placeholders in its secondary. But its expensive D-line barely bothering Herbert was more concerning.

EAGLES GRADE: C-plus | NEXT: at Broncos (Sun.)

Judging the first-time head coach on this season would seem cruel, but Culley's odd profile for this gig has preceded a predictably awful campaign. In addition to Houston's last-ranked offense, Culley has made some unusual game-management decisions. Tyrod Taylor also had just his second three-INT game of his career. Given Culley's history as a receivers coach and lack of coordinator experience, and the events of this year, it is fair to wonder if the 66-year-old leader will be around when the Texans (1-8) try to compete in earnest.

TEXANS GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: at Titans (Nov. 21)

The Dolphins (2-7) already ditched 2020 additions Shaq Lawson, Kyle Van Noy, and Ereck Flowers. Big-ticket cornerback Byron Jones has not proven worth the cash, and the latter two of Miami's three 2020 first-rounders -- Austin Jackson and Noah Igbinoghene -- have underwhelmed. Tua Tagovailoa: also scrutinized. But one of the successful hires from last year fared well Sunday. Emmanuel Ogbah registered 2.5 of the Dolphins' five sacks on Taylor. The 28-year-old edge rusher, who could not come to terms on an extension this summer, is playing for likely his last high-value contract. He has five sacks this season.

DOLPHINS GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: vs. Ravens (Thu.)

Gregg Williams actually fielded a competent Jets defense in 2019; that forgotten unit ranked seventh in total defense and 10th in DVOA. His 2020 unit ranked 24th in yards, some of those coming after his late-season firing. The Jets (2-6) hired a defensive-oriented head coach, but Robert Saleh's unit has been worse. The fiery leader's first Jet defense, in a league that features the Texans, ranks last in both yards and points. The Colts ran up 532 yards on a defense that will now be without Marcus Maye. This has been a tough draw for Saleh, whose group has been without highly paid edge rusher Carl Lawson throughout.

JETS GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Bills (Sun.)

The NFL has a new scrimmage yards leader. Jonathan Taylor surpassed Derrick Henry, getting to 1,114, with his 200-yard night smashing the Jets and keeping an All-Pro-caliber season going. Taylor is the first back with six straight 100-yard scrimmage games and a rushing touchdown since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006. Tomlinson won MVP honors that year and set the single-season TD record (31). The Colts cleared a wide onramp for Taylor on his 78-yard touchdown run, and it is not a coincidence their finest rushing night this year -- 260 yards -- came with right tackle Braden Smith and Quenton Nelson back healthy. 

COLTS GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. Jaguars (Sun.)