This Week
"We got our (butts) kicked. There's no two ways around it," Mike Vrabel said Sunday, and nobody in Foxborough was arguing. Green Bay beat New England 45-27 at Gillette Stadium, with Jordan Love throwing for 372 yards and three touchdowns and running for a fourth. The Packers piled up 478 yards and scored 21 points off four Patriots turnovers. They had not scored 45 points with 450 yards in a game since Nov. 11, 1962, and the Patriots had never given up that many points at Gillette, which opened in 2002.
Love's day was built on throws most quarterbacks don't complete. He hit three passes of 43 yards or more and seven of 28 or more, and Christian Watson (seven catches, 171 yards) and Matthew Golden (10 catches, 164 yards) became the first Packers teammates with 150 receiving yards and a touchdown catch in the same game since Don Hutson and Andy Uram in 1942. "Those are low-percentage throws in theory, but he's making them look high-percentage," Matt LaFleur said. The defense did its share: Xavier McKinney intercepted Drake Maye twice, Evan Williams added a third, and a team that came in last in the league in rushing at 60.6 yards a game ran for 129.
Here is why it matters past one afternoon. The Packers are 6-3, winners of five of six, and they are in fourth place. The NFC North went into Monday night a combined 25-8: Chicago is 7-2 after a five-turnover win over Tampa Bay, Detroit is 6-2 after grinding out a 19-9 win in Miami, and Minnesota is 6-1 with a Monday night game in Buffalo. Every team in the division has a winning record, and right now the Packers would hold the last NFC wild-card spot, ahead of two 5-4 teams, Seattle and the Rams.
It also cost something. Josh Jacobs left with a broken finger, LaFleur said, linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper left with a chest injury, and Bo Melton was checked for a concussion. Late in the game, traveling Packers fans were chanting "MVP!" at Love. "It's a surreal feeling," he said. Minnesota comes to Lambeau Field on Sunday, six days after playing in Buffalo. In this division, that is not a statement game. It is just the next one.
Sixteen straight for Denver. Carolina had first-and-goal at the Denver 1 late in the third quarter, leading 14-13, when Bryce Young's throw to the corner was ruled incomplete. The Panthers ran their second-down play, and then officials ruled Sean Payton had thrown his challenge flag before that snap; replay showed the ball bounced off tight end Tommy Tremble's hand to safety Devon Key for an interception. "I've never seen someone run a play full through and then get a challenge for a previous play," Tremble said. Denver scored the next two touchdowns, Nik Bonitto stripped Young and recovered with 1:24 left, and the Broncos won 26-21 for their fifth straight win and 16th straight one-score win.
Burrow in Madrid. Joe Burrow went 24-of-29 for 271 yards and three touchdowns, ran for a fourth, and the Bengals beat Atlanta 34-17 at the Bernabeu. Ja'Marr Chase had 142 receiving yards in the first half and finished with 10 catches for 155. Cincinnati has scored 30 or more in four straight games for the first time since 1997, tying a franchise record, and it was the Bengals' first win in an international game. Pittsburgh visits Sunday night with first place in the AFC North on the table.
Mahomes walks it off. Patrick Mahomes left the field with his right arm dangling after a strip-sack by the Jets' David Bailey, threw a few passes on the sideline, and went back in. He finished with 242 yards and two touchdown passes to Kenneth Walker III, who had 143 yards from scrimmage and three scores in a 35-12 win. Mahomes and Travis Kelce passed Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates for the most yards by a quarterback-tight end pair in NFL history (9,365). Harrison Butker missed twice on one first-half try, and with Justin Tucker on the practice squad, Andy Reid said, "No need to ask."
Chicago wins ugly. Caleb Williams threw a career-high four interceptions, the Bears lost five turnovers, and they still beat Tampa Bay 27-24 when Williams hit Colston Loveland for 38 yards and Cairo Santos made a 38-yard field goal at the gun. It was Chicago's first win with five or more turnovers since Dec. 3, 2006. Jaylon Johnson's 67-yard interception return for a touchdown was the swing. "I don't get gun shy," Williams said. "That's not me."
The Giants end a 13-year drought. New York won in Philadelphia for the first time since Oct. 27, 2013, beating the Eagles 19-11. When J.J. McCarthy hurt his hip in the third quarter, Jameis Winston came in, went 6-of-8, and threw the go-ahead 5-yard touchdown to Isaiah Likely before McCarthy returned. Linebacker Arvell Reese had three of the Giants' seven sacks of Joe Milton. The Giants (5-2-1) are the only team in the NFC East with a winning record; the Eagles have lost seven straight, their longest skid since 2012.
The Chargers find the end zone. Los Angeles ended a 37-drive touchdown drought, the second-longest in NFL history, when Justin Herbert hit Quentin Johnston for 58 yards in the fourth quarter. It barely registered in a 44-22 loss to Houston. C.J. Stroud, who said he woke up with chills, threw for 384 yards and five touchdowns, and Herbert was sacked a career-high eight times. The Chargers are 0-8, and their 11-game losing streak ties the franchise record set in 2000.
Baltimore bottoms out. The Ravens lost 33-10 to Jacksonville on Thursday night with rookie Joe Fagnano throwing for 60 yards, and it was the first time in franchise history they have lost three straight games by at least 20 points. Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley are both on injured reserve, Jacoby Brissett is on his way from Arizona, and Kyle Hamilton left with a hip injury. Jacksonville has won five of six and leads the AFC South by three and a half games.
San Francisco's second half. Jaden Dugger returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the second half, and the 49ers forced five second-half takeaways in a 38-17 win over the Raiders, something they had not done since a game against the Raiders at Candlestick 20 years ago. Brock Purdy became the 10th quarterback since the merger with 100 touchdown passes in his first 57 games. Las Vegas has allowed at least 30 points in six straight games, tying an NFL record.
Deadline eve. The trade deadline is Tuesday, and the Colts sounded like sellers after a fifth straight loss. "I just hope they appreciate and know that I appreciate them," Jonathan Taylor said of Colts fans. John Harbaugh, whose Giants are short on healthy running backs, said "I'm not saying that report's not true" about interest in Taylor. Dallas had George Pickens inactive amid trade speculation, and San Francisco played without Mike Evans (Achilles tendinitis) while Jordan Watkins caught a 37-yard touchdown.
MNF thoughts (not played). Minnesota (6-1) visits Buffalo (6-1) at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Vikings have allowed 93 points in seven games, fewest in the league, but have scored only 140, and their first loss came last week in Detroit. Buffalo has won three straight and scored 36 against Baltimore last week. Both teams are provisional below, and the winner goes to 7-1.