This Week
Five-to-one. That was the price on the Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl before Week 1, and no other team in the league was shorter than 10-1. More money went on the Rams than on anybody else this offseason. Six weeks later they are 2-4, and on Sunday they lost at home to an Arizona team that closed as a 13.5-point underdog, had lost four straight by a combined 66 points, and never scored a touchdown. Chad Ryland kicked six field goals, the last a 43-yarder as time expired. Arizona 18, Los Angeles 16. By point spread, it was the biggest upset of the season.
The way it unfolded is the whole Rams season in one afternoon. Blake Grupe, signed off the Jets' practice squad last week to replace Harrison Mevis -- who missed a 50-yarder and had a 48-yarder blocked in the overtime loss to Buffalo six nights earlier -- made a 44-yard field goal in the first quarter, then hurt his right knee making a tackle on the ensuing kickoff. He finished the day on crutches with a brace. With no kicker, Sean McVay ran out the clock at the end of the first half rather than play for a field goal he couldn't attempt. When Matthew Stafford found Colby Parkinson for a 6-yard touchdown with 47 seconds left -- a score awarded on review, which also put time back on the clock -- punter Ethan Evans kicked the go-ahead extra point with backup quarterback Stetson Bennett handling the snap. Arizona then needed five plays, helped by Jalen Brooks' long catch and an unnecessary-roughness flag on Josh Wallace, to set up Ryland's winner. "Thank God he did score," Mike LaFleur said of the Parkinson touchdown, and the Cardinals' first-year coach, who spent the last three seasons as McVay's offensive coordinator, beat his old boss in their first meeting.
The kicking chaos is the loudest symptom, not the only one. The Rams came in leading the league in total offense and finished with 286 yards. Left tackle Alaric Jackson is suspended, and the Cardinals spent the afternoon attacking backup David Quessenberry and the left side, putting the 38-year-old Stafford on the ground. Cornerback Trent McDuffie (groin) sat out. Davante Adams limped off favoring his left knee on the penultimate drive, and McVay offered no update. Tyler Higbee fumbled deep in Arizona territory with 7:47 left, and the Rams turned it over on downs on the next series. They are the only team since the start of last season without a successful two-point conversion. Afterward Kyren Williams, asked why the energy came and went from drive to drive, said, "Probably because I'm not out there." McVay was blunter about all of it: "There is nothing positive that I can say about today."
Here is the context that should worry Los Angeles. Per SportsOddsHistory.com, the Rams are only the second preseason Super Bowl favorite in 20 years to lose four of their first six; the 2015 Seahawks recovered to reach the divisional round. These Rams have lost three of four, the losses to Denver, Buffalo, and Arizona came by a combined nine points, and they sit 3.5 games behind an unbeaten San Francisco team that plays tonight. The next three are at Las Vegas, against the Chargers, and at Washington -- a soft stretch on paper, which is exactly what McVay needs and exactly what Arizona was supposed to be. Here's the rest of the week.
Caleb is back, and Chicago looks different. Caleb Williams missed three games with a hamstring injury and then completed his first 12 passes in Atlanta, finishing 30-of-36 for 305 yards and a touchdown as the Bears beat the Falcons 31-23. Chicago led 31-7 before Michael Penix Jr., back from a rib injury, threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns to Kyle Pitts and three overall. Kyler Gordon, activated from the PUP list before kickoff, had three sacks and two forced fumbles, the last a strip of Penix with 2:54 left. Atlanta's own giveaways were the difference: rookie Zachariah Branch muffed a fair catch at the Falcons' 10 late in the first half and lost a fumble on a kickoff return in the third, and Bijan Robinson got nine carries. "That's on me and our staff," Kevin Stefanski said of the slow start. Linebacker Kendal Daniels was carted off with a neck injury; the Falcons said he was alert with movement in all extremities.
The AFC North is a three-way tie. Cleveland had 107 yards entering the fourth quarter against Baltimore and still won 13-10. Carson Schwesinger knocked the ball from Derrick Henry's hands -- Henry's first fumble of the season -- and Audric Estime, signed off Minnesota's practice squad this week, tied it from 2 yards out. Deshaun Watson's 33-yard completion to Jerry Jeudy set up Andre Szmyt for a 37-yarder on the final snap; the Ravens had blocked his first try, but they were offside. Baltimore, without Lamar Jackson (ankle) for a second straight game, went scoreless on its last nine possessions. "Put this one on me," Henry said. The Browns, Ravens, and Steelers are all 4-2.
Pittsburgh's first road win comes the hard way. The Steelers trailed 16-3 entering the fourth quarter in Tampa, then Aaron Rodgers led four fourth-quarter scoring drives and won it with a 7-yard touchdown to Germie Bernard with 3:15 left in overtime. Rodgers threw two touchdowns to tie Peyton Manning for third on the career list with 539. DK Metcalf, targeted four times a week ago, saw 15 targets and caught 11. Jalen Ramsey ended it with a fourth-down sack of rookie Jalon Daniels. Rodgers called it "a trajectory win," and the Steelers head to Paris to play the Saints. All five of Tampa Bay's losses are by seven points or fewer.
Wembley, round two. One week after his 57-yarder beat the Eagles in London, Cam Little tied the Texans with a 60-yarder, set up by Travis Hunter's end-zone interception of C.J. Stroud. Hunter also caught a touchdown, becoming the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to score and intercept a pass in the same game. Stroud, who threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns, then drove Houston into range for Ka'imi Fairbairn's 49-yarder as time expired: Texans 34, Jaguars 31. Marvin Harrison Jr. debuted with three catches for 34 yards after the trade from Arizona. Penalties dogged Jacksonville (4-2) for a third straight week, including a too-many-men flag on a Houston punt that extended a touchdown drive, and the Jaguars go into their bye still leading the AFC South.
Buffalo's steadier week. Six days after Josh Allen piled up 331 total yards in a 37-34 overtime win over the Rams, he threw for 255 and two touchdowns at Las Vegas, tying Jim Kelly's franchise record of 258 touchdown passes with a shot-put throw to Keon Coleman while escaping a sack. James Cook, who fumbled twice Monday, ran for 95 yards and the go-ahead touchdown with 4:43 left. Bills 33, Raiders 30. It was Buffalo's first turnover-free game after nine giveaways in three weeks. Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected late in the first half for spitting at a Raiders player. The Raiders scored touchdowns on two of five red-zone trips and have lost three straight.
Kansas City at 5-0, the Chargers at 0-6. Kenneth Walker ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns, the league rushing leader's 33-yard score the best of them, and the Chiefs beat the Chargers 22-6 without Rashee Rice or Tyquan Thornton. Patrick Mahomes earned his 100th regular-season win in his 131st start, tying Tom Brady for the fewest starts to reach the mark. The Chargers are 0-6 for the first time since 2000. Justin Herbert threw his league-high eighth interception, and Jim Harbaugh, asked whether Mike McDaniel will keep calling plays, said, "We're going to look at everything." The bye comes at the right time.
Tennessee finally wins. The Titans trailed Indianapolis 13-0 at halftime and had been outgained 232-64. Jeffery Simmons stripped Jonathan Taylor on the first snap of the second half, Chimere Dike's 58-yard punt return set up the tying touchdown, Oluwafemi Oladejo returned a blocked punt 14 yards for the lead, and Joey Slye kicked two field goals in the final 2 1/2 minutes. Titans 26, Colts 20, for Robert Saleh's first win in Tennessee and the end of an 11-game losing streak against AFC South opponents. Colts fans booed and chanted for general manager Chris Ballard's job. "I don't blame them," Shane Steichen said.
Philadelphia, four straight. Jalen Hurts is on injured reserve with a blood clot in his calf and will miss at least four games. Tanner McKee went 26-of-45 for 215 yards in his third career start, the Eagles punted on their first five drives, and Carolina won 25-14 behind Bryce Young (281 yards, two touchdowns to Tommy Tremble) and Chuba Hubbard (120 rushing yards). It is the Eagles' first four-game losing streak since 2020, and they have scored six third-quarter points all season. Saquon Barkley missed a second straight game with a hamstring injury, and both of his backups were also out.
Thirty-four straight in East Rutherford. The Saints trailed the Giants 10-0 with 90 seconds left in the first half and then scored 34 consecutive points, helped by Isaiah Stalbird's forced fumble on a kickoff. Tyler Shough, playing with broken bones in his non-throwing hand, threw three touchdowns and ran for another, and Martin Emerson had two interceptions. J.J. McCarthy replaced Jameis Winston early in the fourth and threw for 243 yards in that quarter alone, the second-most fourth-quarter yards by a non-starter in 25 seasons, before a fourth-down throw sailed past Isaiah Likely at the end. John Harbaugh wouldn't name a Week 7 starter. Cam Skattebo, a week after his overtime fumble in the tie, got zero carries.
Green Bay's defense keeps the door shut. The Packers beat Dallas 23-13 on Sunday night despite three dropped touchdown passes, two by Matthew Golden, who still caught six for 104. Green Bay has allowed 14 points or fewer in three straight games for the first time since 2016, and Evan Williams and Brandon Cisse intercepted Dak Prescott on back-to-back possessions inside the Packers' 30. Dallas trailed 17-0 at the half and has 29 points in its last two games. Josh Jacobs comes off the commissioner's exempt list Monday.
Denver, by the narrowest of margins. The Broncos beat Seattle 17-14 in overtime on Thursday with 168 total yards and three first downs. Bo Nix threw for 107 yards, a week after 123, and said, "I don't know where the disconnect is right now." The defense, without Patrick Surtain II and Talanoa Hufanga, hit Sam Darnold 17 times, sacked him five times, and got Ja'Quan McMillian's overtime interception to set up Wil Lutz's 53-yard winner. Sean Payton was candid: "4-2 could easily be 2-4." Seattle (3-3) has already matched last season's loss total.
MNF thoughts (not played). Washington (1-3-1) at San Francisco (5-0), 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC. The 49ers are favored by 7 1/2. The matchup to watch is Jayden Daniels as a runner against a defense that has allowed just 33 quarterback rushing yards all season, and the Commanders are one of seven teams that have never won at Levi's Stadium. Both teams are provisional in the rankings below until it's final. Minnesota, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Miami were on bye.