3 & Out: John Middlekauff’s NFL Week 9 Recap & MNF Prediction

You couldn’t have asked for a better Sunday slate. After a few sluggish weeks of NFL football, Week 9 delivered – big quarterback performances, some ugly coaching decisions, and a whole lot of clarity in the NFC playoff picture. Let’s run through it game by game.

Lions at Vikings

Brian Flores drew up a masterpiece. His defense came out hunting, and rookie QB J.J. McCarthy made just enough plays to steal one on the road. Detroit looked flat – no edge, no urgency – and Minnesota punched them right in the mouth. This was a “line-in-the-sand” game for the Vikings, and they responded like a team with pride. Don’t count them out in the NFC Wild Card chase.

Colts at Steelers

Sometimes football’s simple: your $100 million guy just has to make a play. That’s what T.J. Watt did. With Indy threatening to go up 10-0, Watt blew around the edge, stripped the quarterback, and flipped the entire game. Pittsburgh’s defense looked like Pittsburgh’s defense again: five sacks, six turnovers. Mike Tomlin’s teams never die easy, and this was a vintage Steelers win.

Bears at Bengals

Caleb Williams looked like a roller coaster – you scream, you cheer, you almost puke. But he made explosive plays, and that’s what matters. The Bears somehow won one of the wildest finishes of the year – that’s a locker-room win for a young quarterback still figuring it out. For Cincinnati, it’s another gut punch for a defense that can’t stop anyone.

Panthers at Packers

You can’t lose that game. You just can’t. The Panthers are scrappy, but if you’re Matt LaFleur and the Packers, that’s a nightmare loss at home. Jordan Love and company moved the ball easily but went 0-for-4 in the red zone. That’s play-calling and execution. Losing tight end Tucker Kraft to what looks like an ACL tear only adds to the misery. Green Bay should’ve been leading the NFC North after Detroit’s loss; instead, they blew a golden chance.

Broncos at Texans

Bo Nix is the ultimate box of chocolates – you never know what you’re getting. Half the game he looks like a rookie in over his head, then he rips a 40-yard dime that makes you think he’s the future. The Broncos’ defense is legit, but they can’t keep winning if Nix keeps missing layups. Still, Sean Payton’s group is 8-2 if they take care of the Raiders Thursday night, and nobody saw that coming. Ugly or not, they win football games.

Bills at Chiefs

Everyone calls this a rivalry. It’s not – at least not until Buffalo wins a playoff game. They got another one in the regular season, but that doesn’t move the needle much. Josh Allen was sharp, the defense played physical, and they pushed Kansas City around for four quarters. Still, until the Bills beat Mahomes when it matters – in January – this will always feel like Jordan vs. Ewing. Buffalo needed this statement win badly. The Chiefs? They’ll shrug it off. Andy Reid will hit the bye week, fix the offense, and probably host the AFC title game anyway.

Seahawks at Commanders

This one turned from a football game into a blowout fast. Jayden Daniels’ elbow bent the wrong way late in this one, and that’s all you need to know about Washington’s season: it’s over. After a magical NFC title run, they’re cooked. Sam Darnold and the Seahawks rolled, and Seattle suddenly looks like a legitimate NFC contender.

Darnold’s revival is one of the great stories of the season. The guy’s been written off twice, and now he’s on arguably the best contract in football. Credit John Schneider – trading for Leonard Williams, nailing the JSN pick, hiring Mike Macdonald. That’s elite GM work. Seattle’s balanced, violent on defense, and looks like a team that could win 11 or 12 games.

Cardinals at Cowboys: MNF Prediction

Monday Night Football – we’ll dive into it after the game, but here’s what we know: Kyler Murray appears to be benched, and it’s Jacoby Brissett time. When Brissett’s started, Arizona’s actually been pretty good. They easily could’ve beaten the Colts a couple weeks ago, and they probably should’ve beaten the Packers. He’s played well. And here’s the thing – the Cowboys’ defense isn’t good. So, if you’re giving me a field goal with Brissett and the Cardinals, I’ll take it. Dak and the Dallas offense are solid, but this feels like it could end up being a one-point game.