4th & Monday: Tom Brady still the best, Saints WR mimics famous TD celebration, Rams fall
Was there really any doubt?
In a showdown between two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, it was Tom Brady and the Patriots who pulled away for the victory over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
While the Patriots won a sixth consecutive game, the Packers fell to 3-4-1 and are in a rough spot moving forward in terms of playoff contention.
Somewhere, the 1972 Dolphins are toasting to the last remaining unbeaten team falling as the Rams lost their first game of the season. There's no shame in losing on the road to the Saints, who might now be considered the NFC's best team.
A coaching change didn't help the Browns beat the Chiefs, who are one of the league's hottest teams. But the Chargers have won five in a row and are a threat to KC in the AFC West.
Before we dive deep, here's our winners and losers from Week 9 as well as 32 amazing things we learned from the NFL this week.
Quick hits: Must-see NFL moments
- Thomas replicates famous cellphone celebration: Michael Thomas burned the Rams for a 72-yard game-clinching touchdown, pulled a flip phone from beneath the goal post and re-enacted Joe Horn's famous celebration from 15 years ago. We don't care what Troy Aikman said, it was awesome.
- The most Lions thing ever: The worst Matthew Stafford decision in maybe the history of Matthew Stafford decisions only added to Lions fans' misery.
- 5 ugly stats about Bills QB: Nathan Peterman played in a game from start to finish for the first time in his NFL career. The Bills lost 41-9 to the Bears, and Peterman added to an inauspicious résumé. Twitter had plenty of jokes.
- Is Gurley that good, or are the Bills that bad? Todd Gurley continues to maintain one of the NFL's most alarming statistical oddities this season.
- TD celebrations are evolving: The Seahawks performed an intricately choreographed dance number after a score against the Chargers. Clearly, the Seahawks put a lot of work into that.
- Julio Jones finally scores a TD: It had been almost a year since Julio Jones last scored a touchdown. He finally hit paydirt Sunday, and it was an event predicted by Odell Beckham just minutes before it happened.
- More follies from the Browns: An attempt to block an extra point against the Chiefs made for a fun highlight that sorta sums up the Browns' sad existence since returning from their hiatus in 1999.
- Not cool, Norman: Josh Norman pulled off the most blatant pass interference penalty of the season while trying to defend Julio Jones.
- Custom cleats honor victims of synagogue shooting: Ben Roethlisberger wore custom cleats — featuring the Steelers logo altered with the Star of David — to honor the victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting
- 49ers cheerleader takes a knee during anthem: Images of a cheerleader kneeling during the anthem quickly made rounds on social media Thursday night.
TOP SHOTS: Best pics from Week 9 | Cheerleaders | Celebrations | Fans
Key story lines from Week 9
- Saints flex muscles: New Orleans knocked off the previously unbeaten Rams. In the process, the Saints showed that their defense is underrated and that they might be the team to beat in the NFC.
- Ravens might need to consider drastic changes: Baltimore dropped its fourth game in five weeks after a loss to AFC North rival Pittsburgh. As rumors about coach John Harbaugh's job security swirl, it might be time for drastic changes.
- 'I'm sick of losing': The Jets have lost three in a row to fall to 3-6 on the season, and safety Jamal Adams is tired of it all. "I’m sick of losing," Adams said. "Enough is enough. Honestly. I’m fed up with losing, man. … I’m sick of losing. It pisses me off every time." The Jets host the Bills in Week 10, which presents Gang Green with an excellent opportunity for victory.
- Same old Browns: Cleveland fired head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley last week. The on-field product remained much the same despite the change in leadership.
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Week 9 rundown
Patriots 31, Packers 17: In a showdown of all-time great QBs, it was Julian Edelman who made the key throw in New England's win.
Saints 45, Rams 35: Are the Saints the NFC's best team?
Chargers 25, Seahawks 17: The Chargers survived a late rally by the Seahawks to win a fifth straight game.
Texans 19, Broncos 17: A missed field goal as time expired delivered a sixth straight win for the Texans.
Falcons 38, Redskins 14: The blowout win on the road featured Julio Jones' long-awaited first touchdown of the season.
Vikings 24, Lions 9: The Vikings sacked Lions QB Matthew Stafford a franchise-record 10 times.
Dolphins 13, Jets 6: The Dolphins picked off rookie QB Sam Darnold four times in the win.
Chiefs 37, Browns 21: New coach, same old Browns.
Panthers 42, Buccaneers 28: Even a little "Fitzmagic" wasn't enough against a surging Panthers team.
Bears 41, Bills 9: The Bills are laughably bad at this point.
Steelers 23, Ravens 16: After a crushing loss to the rival Steelers, is it time for the Ravens to consider wholesale changes?
49ers 34, Raiders 3 (Thursday night): Nick Mullens had the most productive game by a quarterback in his NFL debut since the AFL-NFL merger.
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Eyes on the (fantasy) prize
Here are some early candidates fantasy owners can consider on the waiver wire this week:
Looking ahead to Week 10, Buccaneers wide receiver Adam Humphries could be a popular waiver pickup after catching all eight of his targets for 82 yards and two touchdowns. He finished with Week 9’s second-highest fantasy point total among wide receivers.
In the same game, Panthers wideout Curtis Samuel caught two passes for 25 yards and a score and also had a magnificent 33-yard touchdown on a reverse.
Redskins receiver Maurice Harris raised his game in Jamison Crowder’s absence. The third-year pro caught a career-high 10 passes for 124 yards — and he gets to play the Buccaneers next week.
With Chris Carson leaving early with a hip injury, the Seahawks’ Mike Davis totaled 107 yards from scrimmage and caught seven passes. He could have a similar role next week if Carson's injury lingers.
And Broncos tight end Jeff Heuerman was targeted 11 times (he caught 10) for 83 yards and a touchdown. With the lack of depth at the position, he could be this week’s most popular pickup.
MORE: Week 9 takeaways, plus the Broad Shoulders Award
Coming this week
Monday: Week 9 concludes with the Dallas Cowboys hosting the Tennessee Titans (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN) in what will be Amari Cooper's debut with his new team after a trade from the Raiders.
Tuesday: USA TODAY Sports' NFL experts update their power rankings for all 32 NFL teams after Week 9. Don't agree with our rankings? Speak up! Submit your own rankings to tell us where our experts got it wrong with our NFL Fan Power Rankings.
Thursday: Football fans will be treated to an intriguing inter-conference showdown as the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Carolina Panthers (8:20 p.m. ET on FOX, NFL Network and Prime Video), to kick off Week 10. Before Thursday's game, make sure to visit USA TODAY Sports to check out our expert picks for every Week 10 game.
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