Week 9 in the 2015 NFL season saw the Carolina Panthers become the premier NFC power, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans win wild shootouts and the Indianapolis Colts vanquish an old franchise hero.
Sunday was also the setting for cheap hits, shocking defeats and a few more late-game meltdowns.
Here is the rest of the best and worst from NFL’s ninth week:
Best
Steelers’ Antonio Brown, DeAngelo Williams
The Steelers overcame the loss of Le’Veon Bell and another injury to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with huge days from their top receiver and backup running back. Brown caught a franchise-record 17 passes for 284 yards (ninth most in NFL history), while Williams rushed 27 times for 170 yards and two scores as Pittsburgh rolled to a 38-35 win over the Raiders.
Overall, the two players combined for 48 touches and 531 total yards. That’s not a typo. Brown and Williams accounted for almost 90 percent of Pittsburgh’s 591 yards. No pair of players has gained more yards in a single game since at least 1960.
QB Marcus Martiota, Titans
The rookie quarterback out-dueled a red-hot Drew Brees in his own place. Mariota completed 28 of 39 passes for 371 yards and four touchdowns in New Orleans, including the game-winner to tight end Anthony Fasano in overtime. He became the first rookie ever to throw for 300 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in a single game.
The record performance came at a good time. It not only marked Mariota’s first game back from a knee injury, but also Mike Mularkey’s debut as the Titans interim head coach. Tennessee won for the first time since Week 1, when Mariota threw four touchdowns with a perfect passer rating in Tampa Bay. He was nearly perfect again, as the Titans snapped the Saints’ three-game winning streak.
Indianapolis Colts
Sunday could have been all about Peyton Manning returning to Indianapolis, breaking a few NFL records and leaving his former team three games under .500. Instead, the Colts stole the party, handing the Broncos their first loss and delaying Manning’s ascendance in the record books at least one week.
Indianapolis got 252 yards and two scores without a turnover from Andrew Luck, while Manning fell three yards short of Brett Favre’s passing record and remained tied with Favre for the most ever wins by a starting quarterback. The Colts were 12-of-20 on third down and scored 27 points against Denver’s top ranked defense, which manhandled Aaron Rodgers and the Packers last Sunday. The NFL really is a week-to-week league.
Bills RBs
Buffalo scored 33 points and won its game over division rival Miami despite throwing just 12 times with quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Passing was hardly needed, as the Bills rushed for 266 yards—including 100-yard games from both LeSean McCoy and rookie Karlos Williams. The pair also scored three times. McCoy scampered 48 yards for a touchdown in the first half, while Williams found the end zone from 11 yards out in the first half and from 38 in the fourth quarter. Sunday marked the first time the Bills had two 100-yard rushers in a game since 2007.
Worst
Dom Capers’ Packers defense
Green Bay gave up 427 yards and 37 points to the still unbeaten Carolina Panthers on Sunday, continuing a disturbing trend for Dom Capers’ defense. Facing Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Cam Newton over the last three games, the Packers have allowed 1,470 total yards—or an average of 490 per contest—and almost 1,200 passing yards.
The Green Bay defense was run over by Newton, who threw for 297 yards, ran for 57 more and created four touchdowns. He even missed on a bunch of yards and more points with a few poor throws. The Packers have big problems after losing two straight games. The biggest is a flat-lining defense.
Hits on Teddy Bridgewater
St. Louis Rams coordinator and Bounty Gate orchestrator Gregg Williams has a rich history of dirty defenses. Add his current unit to the list. The Rams laid a pair of controversial hits on Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater on Sunday, including a final blow that will likely cost the perpetrator a portion of his next paycheck.
The first hit came in the second half, as Bridgewater rolled out and threw the football away. Rams defensive end William Hayes lunged and hit the Minnesota quarterback late and low. Bridgewater immediately grasped for his knee, but he walked off on his own power. A series later, he wasn’t so lucky. As Bridgewater attempted to slide down after a scramble, Rams defensive back LaMarcus Joyner lowered his shoulder and connected high. Bridgewater’s head bounced off the turf, leaving him motionless after momentarily losing consciousness. He left the game and didn’t return. The Vikings eventually won in overtime, but Joyner’s play created a frightening and unnecessary moment.
Jaguars on the road
The Jaguars showed Sunday why they haven’t won on the road for 13 straight games. First, quarterback Blake Bortles fumbled away a scoring chance with Jacksonville driving in the fourth quarter. The Jaguars then muffed a punt, leading to a Jets touchdown. The game was finally put to bed when Bortles threw an interception with 54 seconds left. Jacksonville had numerous opportunities to upset the Jets in New York, but it’s impossible to win away from home with that many mistakes late in the game.
Washington’s start
The Redskins wrote the book on how not to begin a game against the New England Patriots. The Washington defense was up first, as Tom Brady took the opening kickoff and marched the Patriots 84 yards in 13 plays to go up 7-0. Then came the special teams, which allowed New England to recover a surprise onside kick after the touchdown.
The Redskins offense got into the act following Julian Edelman’s fumble. On Washington’s first play from scrimmage, quarterback Kirk Cousins threw an interception to cornerback Logan Ryan. Six plays later, the Patriots were back in the end zone to take a 14-0 lead. The Redskins found themselves down two touchdowns after running just one offensive play. It was an impossible hill to climb against the NFL’s dominant force.
Atlanta Falcons
Making to the long trip to San Francisco and losing to the 49ers is one thing. Losing to a team quarterbacked by Blaine Gabbert is another. Sunday’s 19-17 defeat to the Gabbert-led 49ers was Atlanta’s third loss in four games after a 5-0 start.
It was a rare win for both quarterback and club. A team with Gabbert starting under center hadn’t won a game since September of 2012, while Sunday’s win marked the 49ers’ second win in the last eight games.
Gabbert’s two touchdown passes played a role in the final, but so did Dan Quinn’s questionable decision to kick a late field goal on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Atlanta made the kick to cut the deficit to 17-16 with 2:56 left, but the Falcons never got the ball back.