The Greatest Story on Turf 2026 Week 9 Reactions

Vikings vs. Bills

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This game was about the Vikings. The Bills were just as stifled as everyone else by the Vikings' defense. However, the offense was so terrible that, honestly, they owe their fans refunds. The Vikings couldn’t even execute a screen pass. Kyler has looked bad, and Wentz looked Obgoobwa last night. It’s clear that the Vikings messed up again and gave up on another QB too early. JJ McCarthy is vindicated. However, the Vikings are doing the right thing and swallowing some humble pie to bring back Kirk Cousins. Other organizations could actually learn from this. By swallowing their pride, the Vikings have given themself a shot at a Super Bowl.

Bears vs. Bucs

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This game is actually about both teams. I think Caleb Williams' MVP case is over. He was injured and missed games. On top of that, his team carried him to victory even when he threw 4 INTs in one game, and both of his backups have wins this year. The third-string QB even put up 30+ against the Eagles. Ben Johnson is miles closer to Coach of the Year than Caleb is to MVP. The good news for the Bears is that this isn’t some new weakness. Caleb's mistakes were completely avoidable; he was just careless. I don’t think he will make these mistakes again.

The Bucs, on the other hand…That offense is dreadful. I love Baker, but damn, they can’t do anything but run. I know they miss Caneles, but what the hell is going on? I want to blame it on Baker's finger, but it wasn’t much better before then. The Bucs got to do something because this defense is clicking, and if the offense could be decent, they would win a lot of games. They didn’t just fail to capitalize on four turnovers; they actively gave the ball back.

Packers vs. Patriots

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Hard to say whether the story of this game is more about the Patriots or the Packers. I’m leaning towards the Packers. The Patriots were awful; I mean, the Packers smacked the contender out of the Patriots. It’s sad for the Patriots. Like, my God, we thought they might be putting it together and maybe make a run, and they were just ripped to shreds and boatraced. For the Packers, this was an emphatic statement. They have arrived; they are here, and they are Super Bowl contenders, and Jordan Love is an MVP Candidate.  The Scariest part is the Packers haven’t even gotten Parsons back.

Raiders vs. 49ers

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This was about what we expected, right? The Raiders' fight with Bowers makes some highlight plays that make the game watchable, but they're ultimately overwhelmed by the Avengers and their MVP, leading QB Purdy.  A little bit of a story you probably won’t hear much about is Kirk and his interceptions. Kirk threw three interceptions, which was very uncharacteristic of him. He’s being traded to the Vikings; hopefully that was just an aberration. I wonder if that’s why the Raiders only got a third in return for Cousins. The Raiders should have been able to get a first. The Vikings were desperate and had no leverage.

Seahawks vs. Cardinals

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This was a surprising result. I expected the feisty Cardinals to put up more of a fight. Instead, they only scored three points and lost Minshew and Wilson for the season after trading Harrison and Brissette. It’s clear the Cardinals are playing for tomorrow, but sadly, they aren’t as feisty anymore. At least fans have Carson Beck to look forward to.

For the Seahawks, I’m just gonna say it… The Seahawks are 3-0 with Drew Lock. Don’t get mad at me; get mad at the facts. Even in that first game, when it looked like the Seahawks were done and Sam went down, Drew came in and beat the Patriots. Dare I say, Quarterback Controversy.

Texans vs. Chargers

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Texans got another win, and CJ Stroud looked phenomenal again. You know, a lot of people were very loud when CJ wasn’t playing well, but now that he’s playing out of his mind, it’s quiet. What gives? What happened to all that mess the media was talking about? Stroud has quietly been one of the best QBs in the league, and if the Texans sneak into the playoffs, he has a strong MVP case.

Hahahaaha. Oh my god, can you believe the Chargers decided to fire nobody, change nothing, and nothing changed? Chargers lose again and look pathetic again.  Worth noting that Quenton Johnston, who is usually being panned, took it upon himself to take a short pass to the house to break the Chargers TD drought. Also worth noting that after Herbert was pulled, the backup scored a TD in just one half. There’s a non-zero chance that if they shut Herbert down, this backup could prove it’s Herbert, not the coaches, who are at fault for this season. The Chargers are 0-8, and it doesn’t even look like Herbert cares. At this point, putting him out there is signing up for the same loss you have seen play out for weeks.

Lions vs. Dolphins

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The Lions beat the Dolphins, but.. It was way too hard. There is no reason the Lions should have struggled as much as they did with the Dolphins. The Dolphins have been feisty all year, but this was a concerning win for the Lions. The Dolphins have lost Malik Willis. Their games are about to go from fun trash to just trash. They have played better than anyone expected this year, so I think there’s a lot to be excited about. I think Malik Willis should be part of that future. Part of this injury, in my opinion, is the weight of what was thrust upon Malik this season. You can’t do it all by yourself, and you certainly can’t do it all for a whole season.

Eagles vs. Giants

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I know it goes against every Philly fan's soul to lose, but it’s a good thing they did. Also, we are learning a lot about the team in their darkest hour. Turns out Sirianni is a good coach. This team is headless without Jalen Hurts, and they are missing even more than that; all that considered, they look competitive. Plus, the front office is loading up; the Eagles are gonna be able to build a team like we have never seen before when they get healthy again, and every loss just helps them get a better pick than they have any right to.

Giants got the W, and McCarthy remains undefeated. It wasn’t pretty, but they got it done. I think Giants fans should be very happy with McCarthy. If he can stay healthy, the sky is the limit.

Rams vs. Commanders

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Frustrating game for the Commanders, who felt like they had a chance but didn't execute. The Commanders are right there; even with their injuries, they have the capability to win these games, and that’s the most frustrating part. Dan Quinn, right or wrong, is on the hot seat; he has to justify his job this year or lose it.

The Rams got the win, and the story is Myles Garret; he finally looked like the guy they traded for, but with Puka getting injured, the Rams still look unlikely to live up to expectations with zero receiving core, and they didn’t make a move before the deadline. Rams might be in trouble.

Cowboys vs. Colts

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The Colts coach has to be safe, right? I mean, did anyone expect them to not only hang in there with the Cowboys but almost win? Play well enough to walk away feeling like they should have. But for the Cowboys, oh my god, even when they win, they lose. They have some of the most humiliating losses and embarrassing wins. The defense is awful, and I blame Micah Parsons podcast; if he stopped podcasting and paid attention to the game, the Cowboys- oh, that’s right- they traded the problem, and their defense is absolutely atrocious. The things the offense has to pull off to win are crazy. The entire Cowboys defense should be fired. Yes, I know that’s unrealistic, but you can’t tell me the defensive coordinator deserves to keep his job.

Broncos vs. Panthers

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This game is more about the Panthers. The Broncos did what everyone expected them to do; they won. It wasn’t dominant, but that’s not really their style. They aren’t the prettiest team, but they pull out wins. The Panthers, on the other hand, played better against this defense than expected, but the Panthers' line remains a huge weakness. Don’t blame Bryce; the line is not doing its job. Countless times, they are failing him, and it’s limiting his potential.

The Jets vs. The Chiefs

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The Jets were put in their place by the Chiefs, and even Justin Fields got in on the fun as the ghost of years past right before the Jets were extinguished. It’s funny, last year, with the worst offensive coaching by Tanner Engstrand and a way worse receiving core, and Garret Wilson out most of the year, Justin got a ton of flak. Yet you upgraded all of those things, and the Jets have won the same number of games as they did the year before. 2-6 Jets: at what point do you blame Aaron Glenn? I don’t know how much clearer it can get that he’s bad. Also, the Jets keeping Geno at 2-6 instead of getting picks is crazy. These kinds of decisions keep the Jets at the bottom. It wasn’t Justin Fields; it was and has been the Jets.

Kenneth Walker has been balling out. He is a strong MVP candidate, the way he is carrying this team. The Chiefs made a trade, and it wasn’t as big a move as anyone hoped, but taking Downs from the Colts is quite the value pick. He is a talented WR who could make a big impact on the Chiefs if they handle it right.

Saints vs. Browns

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The Saints won this game, and good for them. The defense was a little called out, and they answered the call to a certain extent, and Shough looked good. This game doesn’t really change my opinion of Shough; he already looked good. I do think Shedeur outplayed him in this game, though. I think Shedeur was just asked to do a little bit more. The Browns struggled in the red zone, so they should have kicked the field goal instead of going for the extra two points. I think that decision cost them the game. But after that performance, I’m buying even more Shedeur stock. He clearly proved he is a baller.

Bengals vs. Falcons

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The Falcons are just the goons in the story of the Bengals' ascent. Pennix is up and down, and that is the long-term story for the Falcons. He is clearly their best option, but is he the long-term option? The contrast is especially rough when you've got Burrow on the other side going crazy. The Bengals are pushing up, and I think we are watching playoff Bengals, but are we watching Super Bowl Bengals?

Ravens vs. Jaguars

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Hard to learn anything from this game. The Ravens were dead men walking, as we all thought they were, and the Jaguars rolled over them all night. The Jaguars are serious contenders, and they have added Jordan Davis as well. The Jaguars think they are close, and who can say they are wrong?