NFL NationNov 2, 2025, 05:30 PM ETCloseNFL Nation is made up of 32 team-specific reporters who cover the NFL year-round across ESPN.com, ESPN television shows, ESPN Radio, ESPN+ and social media platforms. It was established ahead of the 2013 season.
play0:43Colston Loveland’s 58-yard TD gives Bears late leadCaleb Williams links up with Colston Loveland, who works his way in for a 58-yard touchdown to put the Bears up late over the Bengals.
play0:19Wil Lutz nails 34-yard FG to seal a Broncos’ victoryWil Lutz hits a 34-yard field goal as time expires to give the Broncos a 18-15 win.
play0:36J.J. McCarthy keeps it for a 9-yard rushing TDJ.J. McCarthy rolls to his right and turns up field for a 9-yard rushing touchdown.
play0:21Jaylen Warren grabs his second TD vs. the ColtsJaylen Warren takes the toss from Aaron Rodgers to the end zone for a 2-yard rushing touchdown.
play0:21Cody Barton snags a pass from Justin Herbert for a pick-sixCody Barton takes an interception to the house to put the Titans ahead 7-0.
play0:21Michael Penix Jr., Drake London link up for 2nd TD connection of gameMichael Penix Jr. cuts into the Patriots’ lead with a touchdown pass to Drake London.
play0:20Mac Jones finds a wide-open CMC for a TDChristian McCaffrey gets free and hauls in a short touchdown pass from Mac Jones.
Panthers top Packers on FG as time expires (0:16)Ryan Fitzgerald’s 49-yard field goal gives the Panthers a 16-13 victory over the Packers. (0:16)
Colston Loveland’s 58-yard TD gives Bears late leadCaleb Williams links up with Colston Loveland, who works his way in for a 58-yard touchdown to put the Bears up late over the Bengals.
Caleb Williams links up with Colston Loveland, who works his way in for a 58-yard touchdown to put the Bears up late over the Bengals.
Wil Lutz nails 34-yard FG to seal a Broncos’ victoryWil Lutz hits a 34-yard field goal as time expires to give the Broncos a 18-15 win.
J.J. McCarthy keeps it for a 9-yard rushing TDJ.J. McCarthy rolls to his right and turns up field for a 9-yard rushing touchdown.
Jaylen Warren grabs his second TD vs. the ColtsJaylen Warren takes the toss from Aaron Rodgers to the end zone for a 2-yard rushing touchdown.
Cody Barton snags a pass from Justin Herbert for a pick-sixCody Barton takes an interception to the house to put the Titans ahead 7-0.
Michael Penix Jr., Drake London link up for 2nd TD connection of gameMichael Penix Jr. cuts into the Patriots’ lead with a touchdown pass to Drake London.
Mac Jones finds a wide-open CMC for a TDChristian McCaffrey gets free and hauls in a short touchdown pass from Mac Jones.
Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season kicked off Thursday with the Ravens defeating the Dolphins. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson delivered four touchdown passes in his return from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for three games.
In the early window Sunday, the Patriots squeaked by the Falcons after kicker Parker Romo missed a potential game-tying extra point in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Panthers kicker Ryan Fitzgerald knocked down a time-expiring field goal to win in Green Bay. Broncos kicker Wil Lutz also hit a time-expiring field goal to defeat the Texans.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.
Most surprising performance: Loveland’s breakout performance (six receptions, 118 yards, two touchdowns) came at a critical time. After tight end Cole Kmet exited with a concussion in the second quarter, Loveland became a primary target for Williams, including in the most pivotal moment of the game when he caught a 58-yard touchdown pass to take back the lead with 25 seconds to play. — Courtney Cronin
Colston Loveland’s 58-yard TD gives Bears late lead
What to make of the QB performance: Flacco put up an all-time gutsy outing. Despite just one practice this week because of his shoulder injury, he had an admirable performance. Flacco threw for 470 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions to keep Cincinnati in striking distance for most of the game. — Ben Baby
Wil Lutz nails 34-yard FG to seal a Broncos’ victory
Wil Lutz hits a 34-yard field goal as time expires to give the Broncos a 18-15 win.
How will this offense look if Houston is without Stroud? Houston’s offense scored 12 points (nine in the first half) after quarterback Davis Mills stepped in for Stroud early in the second quarter. In the second half, the Texans’ offense had only 87 yards. That’s a big reason why Houston lost, as the defense held the Broncos’ offense to only 19 points and 271 yards. If Stroud misses a game or two, the coaching staff will need an elaborate game plan to elevate Mills.
Turning point: Stroud’s concussion in the second quarter changed the tone of the game. From that moment on, Houston never scored a touchdown and only scored three points once Denver adjusted in the second half. — DJ Bien-Aime
Stat to know: For the third time in his past five games, running back Rico Dowdle topped 100 rushing yards (130). He also had two rushing touchdowns for the first time in his career. That gives him four rushing TDs on the season, matching his total in four seasons before joining the Panthers. — ESPN staff
Most surprising performance: For the first time since Brian Flores joined the team as defensive coordinator, the Vikings held the Lions to fewer than 30 points. They were especially effective against the run, and they used constant stunts and blitzes to sack quarterback Jared Goff five times. — Kevin Seifert
J.J. McCarthy rolls to his right and turns up field for a 9-yard rushing touchdown.
Trend to watch: Injuries. Detroit was supposed to be rested and healthier following the bye week, but saw guard Christian Mahogany (knee), guard Tate Ratledge (shoulder), cornerback Terrion Arnold (back), offensive tackle Taylor Decker (knee) and linebacker Ty Summers (thumb) all leave at some point during the second half with injuries. All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph (knee) was also ruled out ahead of the contest. They’ll need backups to step up, just like last season. — Eric Woodyard
Jaylen Warren takes the toss from Aaron Rodgers to the end zone for a 2-yard rushing touchdown.
What to make of the QB performance: Jones, who was responsible for five total turnovers, had his worst day as a Colt. While two were sack/fumbles that were the result of protection breakdowns, and another was a fluky interception off a batted pass, he also threw interceptions that were the result of poor decisions or badly thrown balls. He finished 31-of-50 for 342 yards and three interceptions. Finding a way to bounce back from this game may be his biggest test this season. — Stephen Holder
What to make of the QB performance: Herbert’s interceptions are becoming a concern. He threw his eighth interception of the season on the Chargers’ first drive, which was returned for a touchdown by Titans linebacker Cody Barton. Herbert’s eight interceptions are the most since 2022 (when he had 10). Sunday’s interception marked his fourth against the blitz this season — a new career high in just nine games. — Kris Rhim
Cody Barton snags a pass from Justin Herbert for a pick-six
Cody Barton takes an interception to the house to put the Titans ahead 7-0.
Turning point: The Titans forced a three-and-out on the first series of the second half, followed by a 71-yard drive from the offense that stalled at the Chargers’ 1-yard line when running back Tony Pollard’s attempt to punch it in on fourth down and take a 24-20 lead fell short. Los Angeles then got the ball and drove 99 yards over nine minutes to take a 10-point lead. — Turron Davenport
Stat to know: After holding Bijan Robinson to 45 rushing yards, the Patriots are now the only team since 1950 to hold opposing running backs to under 50 yards in the first nine games of the season, per ESPN Research. No other team had accomplished that feat in the first eight games of the season.– Mike Reiss
Michael Penix Jr., Drake London link up for 2nd TD connection of game
Michael Penix Jr. cuts into the Patriots’ lead with a touchdown pass to Drake London.
What to make of the QB performance: Michael Penix Jr. was inconsistent despite throwing three touchdown passes to wide receiver Drake London, going 22-of-37 for 222 yards. But he did lead the Falcons on what should have been a game-tying drive that was marred by kicker Parker Romo’s extra-point miss. On that drive, Penix had a 40-yard pass to London and two fourth-down conversions to the receiver, one of which was a one-handed catch for an 8-yard touchdown. — Marc Raimondi
Christian McCaffrey gets free and hauls in a short touchdown pass from Mac Jones.
Trend to watch: The Ravens held a team to 17 points or fewer in three straight games, tying the longest streak by any team this season. This is quite a turnaround for a defense that had been heavily criticized after allowing an NFL-worst 35.4 points per game in the first five weeks. With two forced fumbles and an interception against the Dolphins, the Ravens recorded their most turnovers since three in their last meeting with the Dolphins in 2023. — Jamison Hensley
Stat to know: On pass attempts within 2.5 seconds of snapping the ball, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 18 of 25 passes for 209 yards. On attempts that took longer than 2.5 seconds, he completed 7 of 14 passes for 52 yards and an interception with a minus-16.8 completion percentage over expectation. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Just how good is the Bears’ run game? Sure, their wild win came down to a 58-yard pass from quarterback Caleb Williams to rookie tight end Colston Loveland, but the Bears’ run game looked more powerful and potent (283 yards, 7.5 yards per carry) than it had all season. It was their most rushing yards in a game since gaining 283 versus Dallas in 1984. The formula Chicago used to control the clock and set up six red zone opportunities (the Bears scored four touchdowns) is one they should stick with. Rookie Kyle Monangai was terrific in his first start with D’Andre Swift sidelined with a groin injury, and rushed 26 times for 176 yards. Williams showed how dangerous he is with his legs, rushing for 53 yards, and Brittain Brown’s first NFL rushing attempts resulted in his first touchdown.