2018 NFL Week 9 Recap

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) runs for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Titans 28
Cowboys 14 I know all the talk will center on Dak Prescott’s 10th game in two years with multiple turnovers or why Dallas failed to keep feeding Zeke Elliott, but give Marcus Mariota his props for rebounding from a miserable start to get Tennessee to .500 and keep them alive and well in the AFC South race. Oh, and don’t get seduced by Amari Cooper’s debut. Even though he scored a touchdown and already looks like the Cowboys’ best receiver, history suggests this won’t get them anywhere near “gloryhole.” (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - NOVEMBER 04:  Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots talks with Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers after the Patriots defeated the Packers 31-17 at Gillette Stadium on November 4, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.  (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Packers 17
Patriots 31 If this game was supposed to settle the “GOAT” (greatest of all-time) debate between Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers — Brady wins again. The only thing to truly be gleaned by this game is that New England is still a Super Bowl contender and Green Bay will be starting over at season’s end. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 04:  Quarterback Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints runs with the ball during the second quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 4, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Rams 35
Saints 45 It was a shootout worthy of the two highest rated passers since the start of 2017, and a statement victory by New Orleans. Fittingly, Drew Brees won it with his NFL-record 22nd 4-TD, 0-INT performance punctuated by Michael Thomas’ shoutout to Joe Horn and Saints-record 211 yards receiving. Even with a tough remaining schedule, New Orleans looks like the favorite to land homefield advantage. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 04:  Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers throws a pass in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 04, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
Chargers 25
Seahawks 17 Philip Rivers celebrated his 200th straight start with a 105.9 passer rating against a surging Seattle defense, and the Chargers won their fifth game in a row to make my Super Bowl pick look a helluva lot better than it did in Week 2. Cue Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 4:  Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas #87 of the Houston Texans breaks away from a tackle attempt by defensive back Tramaine Brock #22 of the Denver Broncos in the first quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 4, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Texans 19
Broncos 17 Deshaun Watson had no problem playing in altitude and Demaryius Thomas had a strong debut for Houston against the team that sent him there before the trade deadline. The Texans enter their bye week as the first team to win six straight after an 0-3 start since 1970, and should meet little resistance en route to the AFC South title. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Falcons 38
Redskins 14 Yes, the ‘Skins’ 5-3 record at the midway point of their season is better than any reasonable preseason expectation — but now the offensive line is decimated by injuries, Alex Smith continues to hold the offense back and the defense got exposed in every way. If they get done in by Fitzmagic next week, the Redskins could be in for a midseason swoon like the one currently happening in Baltimore… (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass as he tries to avoid Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Matt Judon in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)a
Steelers 23
Ravens 16 …where the Ravens enter their bye week with a 4-5 record that features three straight losses and only one win since they beat their chests over a win in Pittsburgh. Baltimore’s December road trips to Atlanta, Kansas City and Los Angeles (Chargers) makes me think John Harbaugh’s already-hot seat will be white hot by season’s end. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Carolina Panthers' Eric Reid (25) returns an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Bucs 28
Panthers 42 Carolina has quietly put together quite the homefield advantage, improving to 5-0 at Bank of America Stadium this season and winning 10 straight at home overall. The Panthers defense has a lot to do with it; they already have more interceptions (11) than they had all of last season (10), with Eric Reid grabbing his first pick as a Panther to demonstrate he’s capable of as much impact on the field as he is off it. Here’s hoping he gets truly happy. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 4: Danielle Hunter #99 of the Minnesota Vikings scores a touchdown after recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter of the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Lions 9
Vikings 24 First Megatron, now Golden Tate — Matt Stafford’s top weapons keep leaving him, and in his first game without a true #1 target, Minnesota set a franchise record with 10 sacks of Stafford, led by Danielle Hunter’s breakout game. Now that’s the Vikings defense we expected to see this year. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - NOVEMBER 04:  Cameron Wake #91 of the Miami Dolphins sacks Sam Darnold #14 of the New York Jets in the second quarter of their game at Hard Rock Stadium on November 4, 2018 in Miami, Florida.  (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Jets 6
Dolphins 13 Jets fans are hopeful Sam Darnold will someday develop into the second coming of Peyton Manning. In the present day, he’s throwing interceptions at a rate reminiscent of Peyton’s rookie record 28-INT season 20 years ago. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 04:  Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns reacts after throwing an interception during the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 4, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Chiefs 37
Browns 21 I owe Cleveland an apology. Since I called them one of America’s Teams they haven’t won a game, they fired their historically inept coach and decided the delusional Gregg Williams — one of the craziest dudes to ever coach in the NFL — is enough of an upgrade. The Dawg Pound deserves better than this. (And this.) (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - NOVEMBER 04: Nathan Peterman #2 of the Buffalo Bills is tackled as he runs with the ball by Roy Robertson-Harris #95 of the Chicago Bears in the third quarter during NFL game action at New Era Field on November 4, 2018 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Bears 41
Bills 9 Considering they’re already desperate enough to put Techmo Bowl plays in their playbook, Buffalo should have spared themselves another Peterman-induced embarrassment and play Terrelle Pryor at QB. Considering Peterman is the worst QB ever, there’s nowhere to go but up. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens (4) passes against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Raiders 3
49ers 34 In a battle of one-win teams, the Raiders were lit up by guys named Raheem Mostert and Nick Mullens in a Bay Area beatdown that surely signifies rock bottom for Jon Gruden — even though he’s too delusional to know it. Speaking of Mullens … before folks start trumpeting his historic debut as the second coming of Kurt Warner, just look at the company he keeps on the list of highest rated debuts. There is such thing as beginner’s luck. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) runs for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - NOVEMBER 04:  Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots talks with Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers after the Patriots defeated the Packers 31-17 at Gillette Stadium on November 4, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.  (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 04:  Quarterback Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints runs with the ball during the second quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 4, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 04:  Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers throws a pass in the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 04, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 4:  Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas #87 of the Houston Texans breaks away from a tackle attempt by defensive back Tramaine Brock #22 of the Denver Broncos in the first quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 4, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass as he tries to avoid Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Matt Judon in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)a
Carolina Panthers' Eric Reid (25) returns an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 4: Danielle Hunter #99 of the Minnesota Vikings scores a touchdown after recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter of the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - NOVEMBER 04:  Cameron Wake #91 of the Miami Dolphins sacks Sam Darnold #14 of the New York Jets in the second quarter of their game at Hard Rock Stadium on November 4, 2018 in Miami, Florida.  (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 04:  Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns reacts after throwing an interception during the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 4, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - NOVEMBER 04: Nathan Peterman #2 of the Buffalo Bills is tackled as he runs with the ball by Roy Robertson-Harris #95 of the Chicago Bears in the third quarter during NFL game action at New Era Field on November 4, 2018 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens (4) passes against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Rob Woodfork

Rob Woodfork is WTOP's Senior Sports Content Producer, which includes duties as producer and host of the DC Sports Huddle, nightside sports anchor and sports columnist on WTOP.com.

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