Yardbarker's NFL Week 10 game-by-game analysis, grades

SEAHAWKS (8-2): Russell Wilson used his legs to make up for a shaky performance through the air against San Francisco's lockdown secondary. He ran six times for 53 yards, including an 18-yard rumble in overtime that set up the winning field goal by Jason Myers. Wilson completed 23 of 34 passes for 232 yards, averaging only 6.8 yards per attempt. He also took a season-high five sacks for 43 yards. Those numbers were plenty good enough, though. Seattle was on the road against a 49ers team allowing just 12.8 points per game and a 65.7 passer rating, well below the league average. Wilson kept his team in the game and came through when it needed him most -- as MVPs do. GAME GRADE: A+  NEXT:  BYE | at Eagles (Sun., Nov. 24)

-- Michael Nania

49ERS (8-1): Jimmy Garoppolo wasted a strong performance by the defense. He completed 24 of 46 passes for just 248 yards, averaging a lowly 5.4 yards per attempt. Throw in a season-worst five sacks for 33 yards, and Garoppolo averaged an awful 4.2 net yards per pass attempt (league average 6.4). The loss was Garoppolo's first at home as a starting quarterback, after a 7-0 start with New England and San Francisco. He failed to get the job done in the most high-pressure situation of the season, throwing terribly in the overtime. With the Packers (8-2), Ravens (7-2), Saints (7-2), Rams (5-4), and a rematch with the Seahawks (8-2) remaining on the schedule, Jimmy G needs to prove he can put the team on his back when it needs him most. GAME GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: vs. Cardinals (Sun.)

-- Chris Mueller

VIKINGS (7-3): It was clear from the start that Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer wanted to keep safety Harrison Smith close to the line of scrimmage. The goal: Slow RB Ezekiel Elliott and force Dak Prescott to make quick decisions and accurate throws. The Vikings were often burned by Prescott, who threw for 397 yards. But without question, the Vikings' defense limited Elliott (47 yards rushing) and frustrated the great runner. Prescott was amazing on third downs -- Dallas converted nine of 15 chances. But Dallas coach Jason Garrett’s determination to kick field goals rather than push the envelope was a gift to Minnesota. The Vikings' strategy worked this time, but if these teams meet in the playoffs, don't count on it. GAME GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. Broncos (Sun.)

-- Matt Williamson

COWBOYS (5-4):  Dallas' offensive front did not have an answer for Minnesota's dominant defensive line in the run game. And although Dak Prescott passed for nearly 400 yards, the quarterback often faced significant pressure -- especially from Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter. Although the Vikings sacked Prescott just once, they collected nine quarterback hits. Griffen had four quarterback hits by himself, and Hunter got penetration late in the game. On the ground, the Cowboys picked up a mere 50 yards on 22 carries (2.3 per attempt), failing to register a first down. Their longest run went for just seven yards. Ezekiel Elliott's three-game streak of 100-yard performances ended as he ran for only 47 yards, his career-low at home. GAME GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: at Lions (Sun.)

-- Michael Nania

FALCONS (2-7): The Falcons' defense pulled out one of the greatest position-vs.-position upsets of the season, dominating a great Saints offensive line. Atlanta entered the game ranked last in sack rate, and New Orleans was the second-highest graded pass blocking team in the league by Pro Football Focus. David beat Goliath in resounding fashion, as the Falcons had season-highs of six sacks and 11 quarterback hits. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett finally made big plays against the pass, racking up 2.5 sacks and five quarterback hits on Drew Brees. Dan Quinn's pass rush will be tested in the next six games, all against teams that entered Week 10 ranked in the top half of PFF's pass-blocking grades. GAME GRADE: A+ | NEXT: at Panthers (Sun.)

-- Michael Nania

SAINTS (7-2): Drew Brees was held in check, as his usually stout offensive line was dominated by a bad Falcons front seven. His 45 passes without a touchdown tied for the third-highest number of his career without a TD pass. He averaged only 6.4 yards per attempt, his worst rate at the Superdome since Week 6 of 2017. To get Brees back on track, the Saints -- who were favored by 13 points, according to betonline.ag  -- must get somebody other than Michael Thomas involved at wide receiver. Against Atlanta, wide receivers besides Thomas combined for one catch and five targets. The Buccaneers, who entered Week 10 with the 26th-ranked pass defense according to DVOA, should give New Orleans a good opportunity to get more pass-catchers involved in Week 11.  GAME GRADE: F  | NEXT: at Bucs (Sun.)

-- Michael Nania

PANTHERS (5-4): Carolina's run defense continues to be a major liability. Green Bay rushed 27 times, gaining 163 yards (6.0 per attempt), scoring three touchdowns and registering six first downs. It didn't matter who was carrying the ball, Carolina had no answer. Jamaal Williams ran 13 times for 63 yards (4.8 per attempt), and Aaron Jones picked up 93 yards on his 13 carries (7.2 per attempt). Aaron Rodgers had a key seven-yard scramble that set up a one-yard touchdown for Jones two plays later. The Panthers have allowed league-worst marks of 17 rushing touchdowns and 5.2 yards per rush attempt. Ron Rivera's team will drop out of the crowded NFC playoff race if it cannot get its run defense to at least a competent level.  GAME GRADE: C+ | NEXT: vs. Falcons (Sun.)

-- Michael Nania

PACKERS (8-2): The defense had been abused recently, but it played well against Carolina -- especially in keeping MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey out of the end zone on the final play. Packers fans should be especially encouraged by the pass rush. Carolina QB Kyle Allen was sacked three times and under consistent pressure behind a good line. The footing in snowy Green Bay was not conducive for rushing a quarterback, but end Za’Darius Smith was fantastic (3 QB hits) and tackle Kenny Clark was especially active. No matter what Carolina did to try to block Clark, the Panthers' line seemed to move in the wrong direction. Clark did his best work with power and great technique. GAME GRADE: B + | NEXT:  BYE | at 49ers (Sun., Nov. 24)

-- Matt Williamson

RAMS (5-4): The Rams could do nothing offensively against the Steelers. Only three of their 12 points came on offense, as the other scores were a defensive touchdown and a safety. The main culprit was a leaky offensive line that couldn’t protect Jared Goff, who had been sacked only 12 times entering the game. Sack totals don't tell the full story. The Steelers brought Goff down four times, and their pass rush routinely moved him off of his spot, never allowing him to get comfortable. Poor protection has been a theme of Los Angeles’ season. Their Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade entering the game was 54.1, fourth worst in the league, ahead of only the Bengals, Chargers and Dolphins. If the Rams can’t figure how to keep Goff clean, they will be the latest victims of the Super Bowl loser’s hangover.  GAME GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Bears (Sun.)

-- Chris Mueller

STEELERS (5-4): The Steelers did a nice job limiting the impact Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who had a half-sack and two tackles for a loss. The Defensive Player of the Year candidate's most notable play was forcing a safety against QB Mason Rudolph by beating guard David DeCastro. Pittsburgh was without starting left guard Ramon Foster (concussion), but instead of plugging B.J. Finney into that spot, they thought outside the box. Finney is a good player who would start for many teams at guard or center. But Steelers bumped right tackle Matt Feiler, who is better in protection than the mauling Finney, to left guard and promoted Chukwuma Okorafor to right tackle. Donald was impactful in his first NFL game back in his hometown, but the Steelers didn’t let him wreck their day; now Pittsburgh surprisingly is highly relevant in the AFC playoff picture. GAME GRADE: B + | NEXT: at Browns (Thurs.)

-- Matt Williamson

BILLS (6-3): Buffalo cannot yet trust its passing game the way top-tier contenders can, but offensive coordinator Brian Daboll opted to skip some steps in a winnable game in Cleveland. Despite his iffy work sample, Josh Allen matched his career high with 41 pass attempts. This came in a game with a single-digit margin throughout. The Bills are 4-7 when their second-year quarterback attempts 30-plus passes; they’re 7-2 when he doesn’t. Devin Singletary and Frank Gore combined to take 14 handoffs. Although the former turned his first six carries into 42 yards, the Bills gave the promising rookie just two more totes. Allen entered Sunday 30th of 32 qualified quarterbacks in QBR, and the Browns boasted DVOA’s 21st-ranked run defense. In his 41 tosses, Allen threw 19 incompletions and averaged 6.5 yards per attempt. This is a defense- and run-oriented Bills team; it entered seventh in run-offense DVOA. This confounding game plan could prove costly down the line. GAME GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: at Dolphins (Sun.)

-- Sam Robinson

BROWNS (3-6): Much was made leading into Week 10 about the Browns getting the ball to WR Odell Beckham more and RB's Kareem Hunt return from suspension. But once again, it was obvious that Nick Chubb is Cleveland’s best and most important skill-position player. Give the Browns' coaching staff credit for recognizing what they have in the former Georgia star, who rushed for 116 yards. The offense had major problems in the tight red zone (a big problem in Week 9 against Denver too), and Baker Mayfield took a sack for a safety. But for the most part, this was a promising effort against an excellent defense. Maybe most importantly, the lowly Browns offensive line held up in the run and pass games in its best effort of the season. Mayfield & Co. seem to be trending in the right direction as they prepare to host another excellent defense, Pittsburgh’s. Now let's see more from OBJ (57 yards receiving Sunday.) GAME GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: vs. Steelers (Thurs.)

-- Matt WIlliamson

DOLPHINS (2-7): To start this season, Miami’s top two players likely resided in the secondary, which Baltimore torched in Week 1. Cornerback Xavien Howard (knee) is out for the season, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is now a Steelers interception machine. Tenth-year safety Reshad Jones (chest) was also out Sunday. The Dolphins still turned in their season’s best defensive outing. Yes, Miami caught a break in facing an Indianapolis team without Jacoby Brissett or T.Y. Hilton. But the Dolphins rank last in pass defense; their makeshift secondary stifled the Colts. Brian Hoyer threw three interceptions – to fifth-year Dolphin Bobby McCain and undrafted youngsters Nik Needham and Steven Parker – and piloted the Colts to only one touchdown, despite the 10.5-point favorites moving into the Dolphins’ red zone five times. Parker wrestled a first-quarter pass away from Eric Ebron in the end zone, changed the course of the game early. Some credit should go to Brian Flores and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for coaxing enough from this undermanned unit. GAME GRADE: A-minus | NEXT: vs. Bills (Sun.)

-- Sam Robinson

COLTS (5-4): Adam Vinatieri is done. Enough is enough. He missed an extra point and two field goals in a six-point loss against the Chargers in Week 1. He missed two extra points in Week 2 win against Tennessee. He had an extra point blocked and badly shanked a potential winning field goal against Pittsburgh in Week 9. Against Miami, his missed extra point set off a chain reaction that forced the Colts to go for a touchdown instead of a tying field goal. If Indianapolis had a competent kicker, it would have a realistic shot at being a one-loss team. Instead, the Colts have Vinatieri, whom they talked out of retirement after Week 2. Their deference to Vinatieri’s career accomplishments may end up costing them a playoff spot. For a team so obsessed with details, the Colts sure overlooked a major one: Their kicker can no longer kick. GRADE: F | NEXT: vs. Jaguars (Sun.)

-- Chris Mueller

CARDINALS (3-6-1): Arizona entered the game with only four giveaways, fewest in the NFL. The Cardinals turned it over twice against Tampa Bay, once on a Kyler Murray interception and once on their first lost fumble of the season. Bad, right? Yes, in the sense that they lost, but not otherwise. Murray took clear steps forward, albeit against the league’s worst pass defense. He was much more aggressive down the field. His average completed air yards and average intended air yards were 6.5 and 10.1, respectively, significant upticks from his season-long marks of 5.5 and 7.3. Murray has been one of the most conservative quarterbacks in the league this season, mostly a function of a weak offensive line and plenty of designed quick throws. He had more time to throw against the Buccaneers, averaging 3.09 seconds from snap to throw, compared to 2.71 for the season overall, per Next Gen NFL Stats. The Cardinals’ offense has potential, and it will only get better if Murray is able to consistently attack at all levels. GRADE: B-minus | NEXT: at 49ers (Sun.)

-- Chris Mueller

BUCS (3-6): Tampa Bay's defense remains stout against the run. Entering the week ranked first in rush defense DVOA, the Buccaneers shut down Arizona's backfield, holding David Johnson and Kenyan Drake to 37 yards on 15 carries (2.5 per attempt). The only hiccup was a 32-yard scamper by QB Kyler Murray. The Buccaneers'  pass defense now must capitalize on the long second and third downs created by its run defense. Arizona torched Tampa Bay for 342 passing yards and 7.1 net yards per pass attempt (league average 6.4). If the secondary can step up to even just an average level, coordinator Todd Bowles' defense could be one of the better units in the league. GAME GRADEi: B+ | NEXT: vs. Saints (Sun.)

-- Michael Nania

GIANTS (2-8): Daniel Jones lit up the box score, throwing for 308 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and registering a 121.7 passer rating. (League average 92.6 heading into Week 10.) Those numbers are misleading, however, as Jones had a shaky game overall. Most of his yardage production was produced after the catch by his receivers, particularly Darius Slayton and Golden Tate. Jones fumbled three times, including one strip by Jamal Adams that was returned for a touchdown. He also had a couple of near-interceptions. Jones is on pace for 22 fumbles, which would be the most by a rookie in NFL history. Jones was sacked six times, giving him 32 for the season. GAME GRADE: D | NEXT: BYE | at Bears (Sun., Nov. 24)

-- Michael Nania

JETS (2-7): Although former GM Mike Maccagnan’s run of bad investments (and shaky relationship with Adam Gase) led to his firing, he equipped successor Joe Douglas with a top-tier safety. Shortly after Douglas discussed a Jamal Adams trade with multiple teams, the 2017 first-round pick’s price went up. Adams was the best player in the latest New York battle. His two sack-strips – the latter ending in a third-quarter touchdown, Adams’ second of the season – interrupted Daniel Jones’ success. In six combined seasons with the Jets and LSU, Adams had never recorded a multi-sack game. The Jets sent Adams at the right side of the Giants’ offensive line, which featured backup right tackle Nick Gates and an overmatched (in pass protection) Saquon Barkley,on each sack. Gang Green registered a season-high six sacks; Adams’ two illustrate the weapon anchoring the Jets’ secondary. On a safety market that recently reignited after a strange 2018, Adams is on pace to command a lucrative extension. GAME GRADE: B +  | NEXT: at Redskins (Sun.)

-- Chris Mueller

CHIEFS (6-4): Kansas City replaced six-year defensive coordinator Bob Sutton with Steve Spagnuolo and revamped its pass rush and secondary. This overhaul made Sunday’s outing worse. Patrick Mahomes returned and threw for 446 yards (fourth-most in franchise history) and three touchdowns. Just as the Chiefs’ 2018 defense did in big spots, this unit squandered the dominance. The Chiefs failed to stop RB Derrick Henry. Even though Ryan Tannehill posted only 181 passing yards, Kansas City could not be counted on to stop a limited Tennessee passing attack. Chiefs cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland and Rashad Fenton, respectively, fell down on each Tannehill touchdown pass. As they did last season, the Chiefs employ marquee pass rushers. Chris Jones recorded two sacks Sunday. Again, it hasn’t mattered. The Ravens are two games up for the AFC’s No. 2 seed. Trusting the Chiefs to piece together a long playoff run looks dicey. Mahomes deserves better. GAME GRADE: C | NEXT: vs. Chargers (Mon., Nov. 18, in Mexico City)

-- Sam Robinson

TITANS (5-5): Head coach Mike Vrabel’s biggest takeaway from his team’s win should be this: Rely on Derrick Henry and hope everything else falls into place. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound battering ram ran all over Kansas City, finishing with 188 yards rushing -- the second-best effort of his four-year career. Ryan Tannehill is an average-to-mediocre quarterback, but when Henry runs well enough force an extra defender into the box to stop him, Tannehill is able to make smart, efficient plays. Tennessee is limited offensively, so it's essential for it to run consistently when every remaining opponent knows it is coming. Upcoming foes Oakland, Houston and New Orleans all boast stout rush defenses. Game on. GAME GRADE: B + | NEXT:  BYE | vs. Jaguars (Sun., Nov. 24)

-- Chris Mueller

LIONS (3-5-1): With Matthew Stafford out with a back injury, the Lions needed their other offensive stars to take over. WR Kenny Golladay played well against the Bears (3 catches for 57 yards and a TD), but his stat line doesn't tell the full story. Backup QB Jeff Driskel missed him on numerous occasions. Golladay was targeted nine times, and with better quarterback play, he might have carried the Lions to their fourth win. There might not be a better combination of deep ability and red-zone skills than what Golladay (640 yards receiving this season) shows off. He is a big, powerful mover with a huge catching radius and great ball skills.  GAME GRADE: C-minus | NEXT: vs. Cowboys (Sun.)

-- Matt Williamson

BEARS (4-5): This wasn’t QB Mitch Trubisky’s worst game. Baby steps, Bears fans, baby steps. The third-year QB showed he can still make some big throws, but there was little in the way of running room for David Montgomery, who finished the day with 60 rushing yards -- most of it in the second half. The Bears' defense isn’t playing at its 2018 level, but if Chicago gets decent QB play, it can win against almost anyone. Trubisky fumbled once but did not throw an interception. Although he passed for only 173 yards, the handful of big throws he made (3 TD passes) were clutch. "Making those touchdown throws gives you confidence," he told reporters. "It's a signal to your teammates that you can do the job." . GAME GRADE: B | NEXT: at Rams (Sun.)

RAVENS (7-2): After Baltimore's gigantic Week 9 win over the Patriots, some feared the Ravens were set up for a letdown. But Lamar Jackson & Co. were as spectacular as ever. In a game Baltimore dominated from the start, the Ravens got 12 receptions from tight end, an interesting trend. TE Mark Andrews (6 catches for 53 yards) has been Jackson’s favorite target, and that probably won’t change anytime soon. Bigger-bodied tight ends provide Jackson with huge targets in the middle of the field, where he is far better throwing than outside the numbers. Baltimore also has become masterful with its formations with its tight ends in the run game, creating favorable blocking angles for a league-leading running attack. Jackson deservedly gets the hype, but don't overlook this multidimensional input from Baltimore’s tight ends in this great offense. GAME GRADE: A | NEXT: vs. Texans (Sun.)

-- Matt Williamson

BENGALS (0-9): Let's find a silver lining in a very dark cloud: On a second-quarter drive, killed when rookie Ryan Finley stared down a receiver and tossed a pick-six to Marcus Peters, the Bengals ran the ball well. In fact, they did a decent job running most of the game. And it wasn’t all garbage-time production against prevent defenses. The Bengals used a lot of heavy personnel on offense, including guard Michael Jordan as an extra lineman on many occasions. The Bengals want to be a more physical football team. RB Joe Mixon remains a great talent, and perhaps for the first time this season he showed it off. He got some space, made people miss and finished runs with power for extra yardage. He rushed for 114 of Cincinnati's 157 yards on the ground. Go, Bengals! GAME GRADE: D-minus | NEXT: at Raiders (Sun.)

-- Matt Williamson

PATRIOTS (8-1): New England has a less reliable aerial corps without Rob Gronkowski, but it does feature two first-round picks (Phillip Dorsett, N’Keal Harry) and a player acquired for a second-rounder (Mohamed Sanu). But post-Gronk, Julian Edelman has never been more important. Tom Brady’s longtime chain-mover has 663 yards – 246 more than any other Patriot – and is enjoying a historic age-33 season. Only four players in NFL history (Hall of Famers Jerry Rice, Tim Brown and Don Maynard, and All-Pro Henry Ellard) have surpassed 1,200 yards at 33. Edelman is on pace for a career-most 1,179 yards while also on track to eclipse his season target high (159 in 2016). This might be the season he receives a Pro Bowl invite. That would not necessarily be overdue, with the 11th-year Patriot compiling only two 1,000-yard seasons. But the Patriots, who have cycled through wideouts all season, need him more now than ever. NEXT: at Eagles (Sun.)

-- Sam Robinson

BRONCOS (3-6): With Super Bowl-era starters Chris Harris and Derek Wolfe on expiring contracts, part of the Broncos’ stretch-run mission should be identifying future defensive contributors. They’ve done that with inside linebacker Alexander Johnson. His 41 tackles are the most in Broncos history for a player after five starts, per The Athletic, and Pro Football Focus named the atypical second-year talent AFC defender of the month. An aggravated rape trial, which produced an acquittal, delayed the ex-Tennessee Volunteer’s pro debut for three years. The Broncos signed Johnson in August of 2018 but rarely used him. The 28-year-old did not debut as a starter until Week 5 this season. Despite a bulky (for modern off-ball ‘backers) 255-pound frame, Johnson has earned PFF’s No. 1 linebacker coverage grade. Even Super Bowl 50 inside linebackers Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall did not receive this kind of acclaim. Johnson, who can be controlled through the 2021 season, looks like a building block. NEXT: at Vikings (Sun.)

-- Sam Robinson

EAGLES (5-4): Philadelphia must continue to limit turnovers if it is to keep pace with Dallas in the NFC East. With zero turnovers in their most recent wins over the Bears and Bills, the Eagles are now 5-0 with one or zero turnovers. They are 0-4 in games in which they have two or more turnovers. Carson Wentz is doing his part. With just four interceptions over 303 pass attempts, Wentz has a career-low interception rate of 1.3 percent. Most of the turnovers issues have come from elsewhere. The Eagles have lost nine fumbles, second-most in the league, and seven of those were lost by somebody other than Wentz. NEXT: vs. Patriots (Sun.)

-- Michael Nania

REDSKINS (1-8): Coming out of the bye week, the Redskins will play at home against a pair of week pass defenses; the Jets (25th in pass defense DVOA) and the Lions (22nd). It presents a great opportunity for rookie QB Dwayne Haskins to build momentum over the final stretch of the season. Washington's offensive line, which has allowed the fifth-highest sack rate (9.1 percent), must do a better job protecting Haskins if he is going to catch fire. In his starting debut against Buffalo, Haskins was sacked four times over just 22 pass attempts (15.3 percent sack rate). There is no excuse for those struggles to continue against the Jets and Lions, who are ranked 30th and 28th, respectively, in sack rate through Week 9. NEXT: vs. Jets (Sun.)

-- Michael Nania

JAGUARS (4-5): Nick Foles is back as starting quarterback, which isn’t surprising, because Doug Marrone likely needs wins to save his job, and the Jaguars didn’t pay Foles $52 million guaranteed to sit on the bench. Gardner Minshew made plays and thrilled fans with his unexpectedly solid play, but his numbers were just that – solid, not spectacular. His 92.8 passer rating is close to the 2019 league average of 92.6 and puts him 18^th of 32 qualifying starters. Minshew’s ability to extend plays was a major part of his success; per NFL Next Gen Stats, his average time from snap to throw was 2.95 seconds through Week 9, second-highest in the league. Although Foles is mobile enough, he can’t move like Minshew. Marrone and the Jaguars are banking on Foles’ experience carrying the day, but Foles is streaky, and if he doesn’t heat up quickly and string together wins, Marrone might pay with his job. NEXT:  at Colts (Sun.)

-- Chris Mueller

TEXANS (6-3): The Texans’ Week 9 win over the Jaguars served notice to every pundit splitting hairs in their analysis of the division. Here’s the truth: The AFC South is Houston’s to lose because it has Deshaun Watson. He isn’t just the best player in the division, he’s one of the best in the NFL, and just behind Russell Wilson in the MVP chase. What makes his play even more impressive is that his receivers haven’t always helped him. Houston’s drop percentage of 5.9 is eighth-worst in the league, and Watson’s 42 bad throws (per Pro Football Reference’s advanced stats) are the seventh-fewest in the NFL this season. Furthermore, he’s been hit 27 times, eighth-most in the NFL and has scrambled 27 times, third-most in the league. If Watson is this good right now, imagine what he’d be if his teammates gave him more help. NEXT: at Ravens (Sun.)

-- Chris Mueller

CHARGERS (4-6): Wins do not define quarterbacks, but in an era featuring unprecedented opportunities for empty-calorie stats, they should not be discounted when measuring passers’ value. The modern kingpins of bizarre close losses, the Bolts have been mediocre for most of Philip Rivers’ prime. They are 76-78 since 2010. Among quarterbacks who have started throughout the decade, Rivers’ win total ranks seventh of eight qualifiers. His 17-for-31 showing in Oakland included three interceptions – with a fourth nullified by a neutral-zone infraction – and a difficult-to-accomplish 0-for-7 final drive against the Raiders’ bottom-tier pass defense. The eight-time Pro Bowler is not at fault for much of the Chargers’ 2010s underachievement, but he is the common denominator. Rivers ranks 19th in 2019 QBR, and his 49.3 figure is 20 points off his 2018 number. The Bolts have little choice but to retain the soon-to-be 38-year-old quarterback when his contract expires at season’s end, but the franchise must identify a successor soon. GAME GRADE: C- | NEXT: vs. Chiefs (Mon., Nov. 18, in Mexico City)

-- Sam Robinson

RAIDERS (5-4): Despite employing the likes of Nnamdi Asomugha and Khalil Mack, the Raiders have gone 17 years without assembling a top-16 scoring defense. Even after their two-wins-in-five-days stretch, they sit 26th (26.7 per game). But Thursday brought a breakthrough or a well-timed aberration. The Raiders hit Philip Rivers 10 times – a number they last matched 60 games ago, in December of 2015 – and thrice intercepted him. Rookie Maxx Crosby’s front-side pressure did the most damage, forcing Rivers’ second INT – which became an Erik Harris pick-6. The Raiders’ five sacks gave them 20 this season – seven more than they recorded in 2018. Pro Football Focus grades neither Crosby nor first-round pick Clelin Ferrell among its top 75 edge rushers, and despite Benson Mayowa’s seven sacks, PFF slots him 59th. This trio combined for seven of the 10 hits. More talent will be required to give Oakland a difference-making defense, but nights such as Thursday show potential for the sudden contenders. GAME GRADE: A- | NEXT: vs. Bengals (Sun.)

-- Sam Robinson