Week 10 of the 2025 NFL season kicked off Thursday with the Broncos narrowly beating the Raiders despite two interceptions by quarterback Bo Nix.
Sunday’s action started in Berlin, where Colts star Jonathan Taylor turned in the best performance by a back all season in a win over the Falcons. Back in the United States, the Bears and Texans overcame double-digit deficits in the second half against the Giants and Jaguars, respectively. In Tampa, the Patriots halted a potential game-winning drive from the Buccaneers. The Ravens secured their third consecutive win in Minnesota, while the Bills failed to win their third straight in Miami.
In the late window, the Rams avenged their Week 5 overtime loss to the 49ers. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes for the third straight game, and the win marked Los Angeles’ fourth in a row. Elsewhere in the NFC West, the Seahawks also secured their fourth straight win by defeating the Cardinals. And the Lions comfortably reached 40 points in a blowout win over the Commanders.
In the evening, the Chargers shut down the Steelers offense on their way to a comfortable win at SoFi.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.
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PIT-LAC | DET-WSH | ARI-SEA | LAR-SF
JAX-HOU | BAL-MIN | CLE-NYJ
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NO-CAR | ATL-IND | LV-DEN
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Chargers
Does this win prove that the Chargers can contend despite their many injuries? No. If the Chargers were playing this version of Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers every week, then this answer might be different. The Chargers still struggled to protect quarterback Justin Herbert; he was sacked five times and pressured 12 times Sunday. But they benefited from Rodgers’ errant throws and his receivers’ dropped passes, which didn’t put pressure on the Chargers’ offense. While Sunday’s win was a great sign for the Chargers’ playoff hopes, it isn’t an indicator that they can be serious championship contenders.
Trend to watch: Ladd McConkey‘s uptick in production. It had seemed that McConkey’s role in this offense had diminished as receivers Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston were more productive through the opening weeks of the season. But that has changed in recent weeks. McConkey appears back to being the Chargers’ top receiving threat and finished Sunday night with four catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. He leads the Chargers in receiving yards and is second in receptions. — Kris Rhim
Next game: at Jaguars (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Steelers
Was this a bad sign or a bad game for Aaron Rodgers? Maybe both. Less than a month from his 42nd birthday, Rodgers, the NFL’s oldest active player, looked every bit his age in his worst performance as a Steeler to date. Rodgers completed 16 of 31 pass attempts with two interceptions and a garbage-time touchdown. He took three sacks and appeared out of sync with his receivers throughout the game. He was intercepted in the first half when he overthrew DK Metcalf in the seam and rocketed the ball right to rookie RJ Mickens. He also took a sack in the end zone for a safety on the Steelers’ third possession as he attempted to extend the play. Prior to Sunday night’s game, Rodgers looked rejuvenated in his first eight starts as he completed 68.7% of his pass attempts, his highest completion percentage since the 2021 season. Rodgers had found success this season by completing short passes, but even those weren’t connecting Sunday night.
Key stat to know: How about two: The Steelers were 2-of-11 on third down and had only 11 first downs on 12 possessions. With the two garbage-time third-down conversions late in the fourth quarter, they narrowly avoided being the first Steelers team in 20 years to not convert a third down in a game. — Brooke Pryor
Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Lions
Have the Lions fixed their offensive issues? The Lions bounced back from last week’s stunning loss to Minnesota with a dominant win at Washington. But it’s tough to tell whether the offensive explosion was a result of the Commanders’ struggling defense or Detroit’s adjustments since last week. Coach Dan Campbell seemingly took over the offensive playcalling duties from first-year coordinator John Morton, as Campbell was spotted talking into a headset between plays with a play sheet in his hands.
Stat to know: Running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored his 41st career touchdown, joining Hall of Famer Barry Sanders as the only players in Lions history to score 40 or more touchdowns within their first three seasons, per ESPN Research. Sanders had 47 from 1989 to 1991. It was also Gibbs’ fourth career game with a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown, which is the second most in Lions history behind Sanders (five). Gibbs was coming off a career-low 28 scrimmage yards on a season-low 12 touches in Week 9. — Eric Woodyard
Next game: at Eagles (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Commanders
When will the losing streak end? According to ESPN Research this is the second time in franchise history that Washington has lost four straight by 20+ points (1954). It’s also the most points they’ve allowed over a four-game stretch since 1954. Injuries and ineffective play have wrecked them. They have a chance to end the streak next Sunday against 3-7 Miami, but the Dolphins just upset the Bills. The Commanders still have games left versus Denver, at Minnesota and versus Philadelphia (twice). They should get help on offense if and when receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown return from injury. That could provide the boost they need against the 2-8 Giants (away on Dec. 14) or 3-5-1 Cowboys (home on Dec. 25). But the schedule looks bleak the rest of the way.
Stat to know: 8.8 yards per play. That’s what Detroit’s starting offense averaged before quarterback Jared Goff was pulled with 6:56 left in the game. That’s the most Washington’s defense has allowed since Nov. 30, 2014, when the Colts averaged 9.9 yards per play. On Sunday, the Lions gained 546 yards overall. — John Keim
Next game: vs. Dolphins in Madrid (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Seahawks
How many — if any — teams are better than the Seahawks? The Seahawks won by 22 points despite three turnovers, two of which set up short Arizona touchdowns. It was far from a clean performance, but it was dominant nonetheless. And with 198 yards on the ground, it might have marked a turning point for their stagnant run game, the last cylinder on which their explosive offense was not yet firing. Only the Colts, Broncos and Patriots (all at 8-2) have better records than the Seahawks. The Rams are the only NFC team matching Seattle’s 7-2 mark, and their Week 11 matchup will have major implications in the NFC West.
Stat to know: Per ESPN Research, outside linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence became the fourth player in NFL history with multiple fumble return touchdowns in a game. He did it in the first half — both times via fumbles forced by inside linebacker Tyrice Knight. The Seahawks have not blitzed much this season — they entered Week 9 with the NFL’s third-lowest blitz rate — but coach Mike Macdonald dialed a few up on their way to a 38-7 halftime lead.
Best quote from the locker room: Knight started at middle linebacker in place of Ernest Jones IV, who was out with a knee injury. “He’s playing great football,” Macdonald said of Knight. “Obviously, we want Ernest back as soon as possible, but he’s showing that he can go in and play great ball for us an execute. Both of those were pressures that we haven’t ran before, so to be able to go in and execute those things having not gotten all the reps was some high-powered stuff.”— Brady Henderson
Next game: at Rams (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
0:20
DeMarcus Lawrence returns fumble for a TD
Jacoby Brissett is hit and fumbles the ball, leading to DeMarcus Lawrence recovering and going 34 yards the other way for a touchdown.
Cardinals
How do the Cardinals fix their offensive line issues? After Arizona gave up five sacks Sunday, two of which were strip-sacks in the first quarter that led to scoop-and-scores, figuring out how to prevent that from happening again needs to be a priority. Communication needs to improve, and making sure each lineman is aware of who could be around them will also need to improve. On both strip-sacks for touchdowns, multiple linemen were blocking Seattle defensive lineman Leonard Williams — and that’ll happen, especially when Arizona is facing a formidable lineman such as Williams, who opened lanes for other rushers. Staying on blocks longer or giving more help along the line and in the backfield would aid Arizona’s blocking scheme.
Most surprising performance: With Arizona’s offense flailing, quarterback Jacoby Brissett turned to a trusted source: tight end Trey McBride. He finished with nine catches for 127 yards and a touchdown, setting a season high for receiving yards in game. McBride has caught at least five passes in 11 straight games, tied for the third-longest streak in NFL history for tight ends. — Josh Weinfuss
Next game: vs. 49ers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Rams
Are the Rams the best team in the NFC? At 7-2, they’re certainly near the top of that list. In his 17th season, quarterback Matthew Stafford is playing some of the best football of his career, and the Rams’ defense has been excellent during their four-game winning streak. The team’s major weakness this season has been the kicking operation, causing the Rams to change their long snapper and kicker after Week 9. Kicker Harrison Mevis made all six extra points Sunday and did not attempt a field goal. The Rams face another tough game next week against the 7-2 Seahawks.
Stat to know: Stafford is the first quarterback in NFL history with four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions in three straight games. His four passing touchdowns in three straight games is tied for the third-longest streak in NFL history, according to ESPN Research. He’s the sixth player with a streak that long and is now two shy of Peyton Manning’s record.
Best quote from the locker room: Wide receiver Puka Nacua said Stafford has been playing at such a high level that he tries not to interfere too much. “I feel like when you’re on a heater, you don’t touch whatever he is doing,” Nacua said. “I’m like, you can do whatever. You can walk on water right now. So I’m like, I just try to stay out of his way as best as I can and when he communicates, I listen.” — Sarah Barshop
Next game: vs. Seahawks (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
0:21
Davante Adams snags a Rams TD
Matthew Stafford throws a dime to Davante Adams to extend the Rams’ lead over the 49ers.
49ers
With the defense in its current state, how slim is the 49ers’ margin for error? Consider Sunday’s loss proof of concept for what tight end George Kittle said last week when he noted that the Niners’ offense would need to “score a lot of points” for this team to remain in postseason contention. After all the injuries to the defense, the onus falls on the offense to be nearly perfect for the 49ers to win games, especially against teams such as the Rams. San Francisco moved the ball well (393 total yards and 6.6 yards per play) for most of the game, but a Jauan Jennings fumble and a failed fourth-and-1 attempt left the Niners in a big first-half hole. It might be unfair to put that much pressure on the offense, but that’s the reality of where they are.
What to make of the QB performance: Mac Jones was excellent once again, throwing for 319 yards on 33-of-39 passing to go with three touchdowns and one interception. While Brock Purdy is believed to be closer to a return from his right big toe injury, it’s not going to be easy to go back to him given how Jones has played, especially against a top defense such the Rams’. Kyle Shanahan has said this is Purdy’s team — but Jones has, at minimum, complicated things.
Best quote from the locker room: Coach Kyle Shanahan on the state of the team, the offense’s need to score a lot and the defense’s struggles: “I put it on all three phases, regardless of the situation,” Shanahan said. “I thought the O did some good things today, but not good enough to finish that win. The D struggled at times, but they’ve got to just make a couple stops on two drives and I feel like they can give us a chance to win there. I’m never going to just put it on one side of the ball. But, obviously we are wounded at D, got more guys down over there and that does give the other side a little bit more of an advantage.” — Nick Wagoner
Next game: at Cardinals (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Texans
Was Houston’s season saved? Quarterback C.J. Stroud did not play today, and it showed at times as the Texans fell behind 29-10. But backup quarterback Davis Mills rallied his team by throwing two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to cut the lead to 29-24. Houston’s defense forced a third-and-out leading to Mills & Co. walking the Jaguars down the field to take the lead, capped by Mills’ long scramble into the end zone. This marked the Texans’ second-biggest comeback in franchise history. The fight from the offense and defense after falling behind by three scores gives you confidence they can win next week against the Titans on the road.
Stat to know: Defensive end Danielle Hunter‘s 3.5 sacks is tied for the second most in a game in franchise history. Hunter and the defense held the Jaguars scoreless in the fourth quarter. — DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: at Titans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:28
Davis Mills’ rushing TD caps Texansā comeback vs. Jags
Davis Mills rushes into the endzone to give the Texans a 30-29 lead over the Jaguars with less than a minute.
Jaguars
How do the Jaguars recover? This will go down as arguably the worst loss in franchise history. The Jaguars were up by 19 points with 1:33 to play in the third quarter. They were 64-0 in games in which they had an 18-point lead until Sunday, per ESPN Research. Per ESPN Analytics, the Jaguars’ playoff chances would have risen to 70% had they beaten the Texans. Now, they’ve dropped to 42%, and the Jaguars still have games against the Chargers, Broncos and Colts (twice). They’re not out of the playoff race, but the road just got much harder.
What to make of the QB performance: Trevor Lawrence was without his top three pass catchers — Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr. and Brenton Strange — and it was a struggle to get anything going in the pass game. Parker Washington and newly acquired Jakobi Meyers led the Jaguars with three catches each, and they were unable to get much out of Austin Trammell, Tim Patrick and Tim Jones. It didn’t help that the Jaguars couldn’t keep Hunter off him, either. — Mike DiRocco
Next game: vs. Chargers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Ravens
How good is this Ravens defense? The Baltimore defense was excellent the previous four games and the reason why the Ravens pulled out the victory in Minnesota. On a day when Lamar Jackson and the Ravens struggled in the red zone (2-of-5), the Baltimore defense picked off J.J. McCarthy twice and hit him 12 times. This has been one of the biggest turnarounds in the league this season. The Ravens allowed an NFL-high 177 points in the first five games, the most over a five-game span in franchise history. With do-it-all safety Kyle Hamilton blowing up plays, Baltimore has held its past four opponents to 17 points or fewer, which is the longest current streak in the NFL. The Ravens have now won three in a row after a 1-5 start.
Trend to watch: Creating turnovers. The Ravens have forced six turnovers in their past two games, including three against Minnesota. This comes after Baltimore managed only four takeaways in its first seven games. The Ravens converted 13 points off of interceptions from safety Malaki Starks and cornerback Marlon Humphrey and a forced fumble on a kickoff.
Best quote from the locker room: “That’s been a big key — the mindset shift of, even though we have Lamar Jackson, let’s give him a smoke break, let’s give him an off day,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said on the strong defensive performance. “He’s bailed it out so many times. How about we do it.” — Jamison Hensley
Next game: at Browns (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
0:17
J.J. McCarthy throws 2nd INT of the game
After a receiver falls down, Marlon Humphrey picks off J.J. McCarthy to give the Ravens the ball back.
Vikings
What can we take from J.J. McCarthy’s performance? For the second consecutive week, McCarthy started strong. He led the Vikings on an 86-yard touchdown drive on their opening possession, one that included a perfectly placed deep ball that traveled 40 yards in the air to receiver Jalen Nailor. But the offense once again bogged down in the middle of the game, and McCarthy was one of the reasons. He threw two interceptions and had five passes tipped or batted down at the line of scrimmage, but the Vikings also committed eight false start penalties at home — an indication of a disconnect on cadence and/or audibles. Coach Kevin O’Connell also had some curious third-down plays. Among them: a throwback screen pass to McCarthy on thrid-and-12 in the first quarter and a one-route deep throw to Justin Jefferson on third-and-1 in the third quarter. In the end, McCarthy did not produce enough of the late magic that helped them to wins in Weeks 1 and 9.
Turning point: The Vikings lost control of the game early in the third quarter. McCarthy threw an interception on the opening drive of the second half, leading to a Ravens field goal. Returner Myles Price fumbled on the ensuing kickoff. The Vikings’ 10-9 halftime lead faded into a 19-10 deficit in a matter of 6 minutes and 58 seconds. — Kevin Seifert
Next game: vs. Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Jets
How did the Jets respond in the aftermath of two blockbuster trades? Very well. They won their second straight with a complementary game from all three phases, and the biggest contributions came from players whose names were mentioned in trade talks over the past couple of weeks: defensive end Will McDonald IV (four sacks), running back Breece Hall (125 total yards and one touchdown) and linebacker Quincy Williams (eight tackles, one sack). Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make. The Jets needed this win for morale, especially after trading away stars Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams.
Stat to know: Running backs Kene Nwangwu (99 yards) and Isaiah Williams (74) scored on kickoff and punt returns, respectively, as the Jets became the first team since 2017 to have both in the same game. Previously, it happened only once in franchise history, back when they were known as the Titans in 1960. — Rich Cimini
Next game: at Patriots (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
0:29
Isaiah Williams burns Browns for 74-yard punt-return TD
The Jets get their second special teams touchdown courtesy of Isaiah Williams returning a punt 74 yards for a score.
Browns
Did the pathway to the first overall pick just open up? According to ESPN Analytics, the Browns’ odds to get the top pick in the 2026 NFL draft would rise to 27% with a loss. Those odds will only increase with the Saints picking up their second win of the season, leaving the Titans as the lone one-win team in the NFL. Cleveland still hosts Tennessee in Week 14.
Stat to know: With offensive coordinator Tommy Rees taking over playcalling duties, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy had his best game of the season. Jeudy caught six passes on 12 targets for 78 yards, all season-high marks, and recorded his first touchdown catch of the season. — Daniel Oyefusi
Next game: vs. Ravens (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Dolphins
Is this performance a product of having 10 days to prepare or the start of a turnaround for the Dolphins? It’s not surprising to see them play well against a division rival, but Sunday marked the Dolphins’ second impressive performance in the past three games. Granted, these wins over Buffalo and Atlanta are sandwiched around a clunker against Baltimore, and the Dolphins are only three weeks removed from a blowout loss to Cleveland. This roller coaster has to even out somewhere and Miami does have a realistic path toward a .500 record. They have games against the Commanders and Saints bookending a Week 12 bye, followed by a Week 14 game against the Jets.
Most surprising performance: The Dolphins felt like they outplayed the Ravens in last week’s loss before the game got out of hand in the second half. Sunday, they put together a four-quarter effort against the reigning MVP and forced two turnovers from Allen in critical spots. They pressured him constantly and held the NFL’s No. 1 rushing offense to roughly half of its season average. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next game: vs. Commanders in Madrid (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
0:33
De’Von Achane rips off a 59-yard TD run
De’Von Achane seals the game for the Dolphins with a 59-yard touchdown run.
Bills
What went so horribly wrong in Miami, and is it likely to carry over? All of the Bills’ issues caught up to them in a no-show performance Sunday. The injured defense got off to another slow start, but this game was so lopsided because of a sloppy offense. Buffalo turned the ball over three times in Miami territory and went scoreless for three quarters, which highlighted how much of an issue the passing game is right now. As the Bills try to keep pace with the Patriots in the AFC East, this was not a game they could afford to lose. Tight end Dalton Kincaid left the game with a hamstring injury. The Bills not being in the game made it an outlier, but the same concerns have existed all season.
Most surprising performance: The Bills’ league-leading rushing attack (averaging 161.5 yards coming into the game) was held to 86 yards — its fewest this season — against a defense that had been allowing an average of 145.6 running yards per game (third most). An early two-score deficit played a part, but the combination of not being effective enough and going away from a clear key to success, forced quarterback Josh Allen to try to do it all. — Alaina Getzenberg
Next game: vs. Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Patriots
What does this game say about the Patriots as a postseason contender? This was a step up in weight class against the NFC South-leading Buccaneers, and the Patriots — who have benefitted from playing some of the NFL’s lower-caliber teams this season — showed they are worthy opponents as the game came down to the wire. New England’s bye is in Week 14, and this was a tough spot in warm, humid conditions against a Tampa team coming off its bye week. The Patriots played with their trademark energy, and with coach Mike Vrabel stressing to players the “season starts now,” they are worthy of respect as a top AFC team.
Stat to know: Wide receiver Kyle Williams reached a top speed of 21.78 mph on his 72-yard catch-and-run touchdown, which was the fastest by a rookie this season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats … until running back TreVeyon Henderson reached a top speed of 22.01 mph on his 55-yard touchdown run in the second half. Henderson hit 21.38 mph on his 69-yard rush TD in the fourth quarter as well, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That marks the three fastest max speeds by any rookie this season, and the three fastest by any Patriots player on an offensive touchdown over the past four seasons.
Best quote from the locker room: “I’m definitely hard on TreVeyon because I see so much potential,” wide receiver Stefon Diggs said after Henderson’s two touchdown runs. “I’ve been around some great backs in my career and I was telling him, ‘Those great backs don’t get tackled and I want to see you score.’ So him coming out there and busting two of them, it’s good to be hard on people, I guess.” — Mike Reiss
Next game: vs. Jets (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
0:40
TreVeyon Henderson asks sideline if he can score on 69-yard TD
Before TreVeyon Henderson scores a 69-yard touchdown, he looks to the Patriots’ sideline to see if he needs to get down or score.
Buccaneers
With the Bucs now in arguably the toughest stretch of the season, how concerning is this loss? With the Panthers (5-5) losing to the Saints (2-8) and the Falcons (3-6) falling to the Colts in overtime, the Bucs (6-3) still have some cushion in the NFC South. But aside from explosive plays given up on defense (see below), the trouble here was that the offense hit a lull after wide receiver Emeka Egbuka‘s 21-yard opening-drive touchdown. It didn’t find another spark until a late third-quarter touchdown by fellow receiver Tez Johnson. The team went just 5-for-13 on third downs.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Containing explosive plays on defense. The damage came on a handful of plays: A short pass taken 72 yards for a touchdown by Williams, Henderson’s 55-yard touchdown, Drake Maye‘s 54-yard completion to Mack Hollins and Henderson’s 69-yard dagger late in the fourth quarter. Overall, they surrendered 276 yards and three touchdowns on five plays.
Best quote from the locker room: “Offensively, I am hoping that our guys do get pissed off about this,” Mayfield said. “This isn’t the end of our season. I know that. We still have very important games ahead of us, but games like this, when you don’t win them — it should sting. It should really hurt.” He also said they were lacking in “killer instinct.” — Jenna Laine
Next game: at Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Bears
How did Caleb Williams lift the Bears to victory once again? The Bears offense did little to help its quarterback for 3Ā½ quarters. Chicago leaned on the run game early and then got away from it after Kyle Monangai‘s touchdown. Williams’ pass catchers dropped six balls, but it was the late-game heroics of the Bears quarterback that allowed Chicago to scrape by the Giants. Williams led his team back from a 20-10 deficit in the fourth quarter when he connected with Rome Odunze for a 2-yard score and then used his legs to run in a 17-yard go-ahead TD. It marked Williams’ fourth game-winning drive of the season and the Bears’ sixth win.
Biggest hole in the game plan: Why did the Bears not have someone spy Jaxson Dart? The rookie quarterback had five rushing touchdowns entering Sunday, yet Chicago’s defense looked ill-prepared trying to contain him. Dart rushed for two touchdowns and 66 yards on six carries. That’s the most rushing yards Chicago has allowed to an opposing quarterback in a game this season. In total, the Bears have allowed 241 rushing yards and 6.5 yards per rush to opposing QBs, which ranks 31st.
Best quote from the locker room: “It does build confidence,” Williams said when asked about what pulling off these late wins does for the Bears. It doesn’t matter the deficit we’re at, it doesn’t matter how much we’re up, it doesn’t matter what happened throughout the game. We can come through as a team. That’s what we did today.” — Courtney Cronin
Next game: at Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
0:37
Caleb Williams’ incredible TD run puts Bears up late
Caleb Williams manages to stay inbounds en route to the end zone as the Bears take a late lead vs. the Giants.
Giants
What now for quarterback Jaxson Dart? Taking all those hits finally caught up to the rookie after rushing for a pair of touchdowns. Coming into Sunday, Dart had taken 76 quarterback contacts in his first six starts, second most to Justin Herbert during that span. Dart was forced to leave against the Bears at the start of the fourth quarter with a concussion, appearing to hit his head hard on a third-quarter fumble before returning for two plays. Dart went into the blue tent in between periods and was replaced by Russell Wilson. It begs the question: How do the Giants use his mobility and toughness while also protecting him?
Stat to know: The Giants led by at least 10 points against Dallas, New Orleans, Denver and now Chicago. The common thread? They lost all four games. Against Chicago, the Giants led by 10 points with under four minutes remaining. That’s when they gave up a touchdown, went three-and-out, shanked a punt and allowed the Bears to go on for a game-winning touchdown in the final three minutes. They’re doing everything possible to lose games. — Jordan Raanan
Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Saints
What do the Saints have in Tyler Shough? The rookie quarterback took a big step forward in his second start. He finished 19-of-27 for 282 yards and two touchdowns. Shough was working with three backup offensive linemen and without speedy wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, who was traded to the Seahawks, but Shough still gave the offense life with big touchdown throws to Juwan Johnson and Chris Olave. Johnson had a career-best 92 receiving yards while Olave had a career-long 62-yard touchdown. If Shough can continue to trend upward, it’ll give the Saints hope for an offense that has struggled for much of the season.
Turning point: The second-quarter touchdown to Olave was big for several reasons. It happened on the field where Olave was carted off following a concussion last November. It was also his first 100-yard game since Week 8 of 2024 and gave the offense a boost, showing that Shough is capable of igniting the downfield passing game. While the Saints still made some head-scratching decisions, Olave’s touchdown gave them a lead they would not relinquish.
Best quote from the locker room: “I had a great week of practice. I didn’t think about it too much, but as soon as I stepped on the field, I just felt it all over again,” Olave said after his return to Bank of America Stadium. “It was a tough situation from last year. It ended my season, so I just coming back here, first time playing here again, I’m glad I had the performance I had, but I couldn’t do it without my teammates and my coaches and everybody around me.” — Katherine Terrell
Next game: vs. Falcons (Nov. 23, 4:25 p.m. ET)
0:29
Tyler Shough connects with Chris Olave for a 62-yd Saints’ TD
Chris Olave loses his defender and reaches the end zone for a 62-yard touchdown.
Panthers
Did this loss pump the brakes on Carolina’s playoff hopes? Absolutely. Losing to the now-two-win Saints was devastating. Everything was set up for the Panthers to go to 6-4 before facing the Falcons, who Carolina has already defeated 30-0. Now, the Panthers are 5-5 and must win in Atlanta before facing a brutal final stretch that includes serious playoff contenders in the 49ers, Rams, Seahawks and Buccaneers (twice). New Orleans also provided those opponents a blueprint on how to stop running back Rico Dowdle.
What to make of the QB performance: Bryce Young was off from the start. A roughing-the-passer penalty wiped out an early interception. He was fortunate not to get picked off on two early tipped passes at the line, too. He threw an interception with about 12 minutes left on a pass that wasn’t close, which led to the Saints’ insurance TD. In all, Young went 17-of-25 for 124 yards and the interception.
Best quote from the locker room: Young seemed more agitated then normal after losing to the one-win Saints a week after beating the one-loss Packers. “I don’t like to lose. No one likes to lose,” he said. “I’m definitely frustrated. But that frustration isn’t with the team. That’s not with anybody. We didn’t be the best version or ourselves that we’re chasing, that we know we can be.” — David Newton
Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Colts
Can the Colts clean things up on offense? Production has not been a problem for the Colts in their past two games. They’ve had over 800 combined yards in games against the Steelers and Falcons. The issue is inconsistency on the details with what has been the No. 1 offense in the NFL most of this season. The penalties, missed blitz pickups, protection breakdowns — all of it was uncharacteristic. And it has happened two weeks in a row. This week, the Colts overcame it with a sensational performance from Jonathan Taylor with 244 yards and three touchdowns, the top individual rushing game in the NFL this season. But the Colts will want to clean things up with a road game against the Kansas City Chiefs coming up after next week’s bye.
Most surprising performance: It was clear cornerback Sauce Gardner was going to play an important role after Tuesday’s blockbuster trade. But Indianapolis wasted no time getting him deeply involved. He played the entire game and was often in coverage against Atlanta star receiver Drake London. Gardner also had a near interception, jumping a route on a third down to force a punt. Gardner finished with a team-high 31 coverage snaps. — Stephen Holder
Next game: at Chiefs (Nov. 23, 1 p.m. ET)
0:44
Jonathan Taylor’s 83-yard TD breaks Colts’ rushing TD record
Jonathan Taylor explodes for an 83-yard touchdown to become the Colts’ all-time leader in rushing touchdowns.
Falcons
How far does this loss set back the Falcons’ playoff hopes? The Falcons have lost four straight and the goal of making the playoffs for the first time since 2017 is slipping away. It stood at 4% at the final buzzer of Sunday’s loss. While Atlanta has played close in consecutive weeks with elite AFC teams (24-23 loss to Patriots in Week 9), that’s hardly a consolation. Atlanta’s defense yielded 519 total yards Sunday. The Falcons’ offense has sputtered for most of the season, including 3-for-29 on third downs over the past three games, and the defense broke under the pressure late in Berlin. The schedule gets easier for Atlanta, but nothing has come easy for this team.
Key stat to know: The Falcons have 13 sacks over the past two weeks and six or more sacks in consecutive games for only the second time in franchise history. It’s the first time the Falcons’ defense has six or more sacks in back-to-back games since 2002. — Marc Raimondi
Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Catch up on the action: Box score | Recap
Broncos
Can the Broncos continue to lean this hard on their defense? Well, the guys on defense say yes. Linebacker Alex Singleton said “whatever we need to do, we do” after Thursday’s win. But history would say the Broncos can’t keep forcing the defense to defend a short field. Denver punted seven times Thursday, had four possessions that went for negative yardage and quarterback Bo Nix threw two interceptions. Including Thursday night, the Broncos have now won five times when they have lost the turnover battle. They have trailed in all but one game this season (Week 5 win in Philadelphia). The Broncos still sit atop the AFC West, but running back J.K. Dobbins put it best that “eventually it’s going to bite us in the butt.”
Trend to watch: The Broncos are in the hunt for a record that has stood since 1984, just two years after the sack became an official statistic. With six more sacks Thursday, the Broncos have 46 after 10 games. The single-season record, set by the 1984 Chicago Bears, is 72. Denver’s 46 sacks after 10 games are the most since New Orleans had 44 after 10 games in 2000. — Jeff Legwold
Next game: vs. Chiefs (Nov. 16, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Raiders
Are the Raiders headed toward significant changes in the offseason? It shouldn’t be out of the question. Under Pete Carroll, the Raiders have taken a major step back, especially on offense. They’ve been held to under 10 points four times this season and fewer than 30 points in 29 consecutive games. That latter stat is the longest active streak in the NFL and second longest in franchise history. Chip Kelly’s offense has clearly been ineffective, and quarterback Geno Smith has regressed since reaching two Pro Bowls with the Seahawks. Patience is a virtue, and Las Vegas will need a ton of it.
Stat to know: Smith’s 12 interceptions are the most by a Raiders quarterback in their first nine games of a season since Kerry Collins had 12 through nine games in 2004, per ESPN Research. — Ryan McFadden
Next game: vs. Cowboys (Nov. 17, 8:20 p.m. ET)
