The Week 9 slate had a little bit of everything, but the final game of the night between the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have been the perfect summary of how unpredictable this league can be.
Chicago looked to be cruising early, jumping out to a 14-0 lead and seemingly putting the game out of reach. Williams connected with Rome Odunze for an early touchdown before hitting Luther Burden for a 56-yard score, but things flipped quickly because of some careless mistakes.
Williams threw three interceptions, including two in the second quarter, as Tampa Bay found opportunities to climb back into the game. Chicago's offence lost its rhythm after the fast start, and the Buccaneers continued to hang around despite struggling to turn some of their opportunities into touchdowns.
The Bears ultimately survived because their defence made the biggest plays when they needed them most. Jaylon Johnson returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, while the defence also forced key stops to keep Tampa Bay from taking control.
However, the late fumble by Burden gave the Buccaneers another opportunity, allowing them to pull within striking distance before Chicago added a field goal in the final seconds.
It's another win for a Bears team that continues to find ways to get the job done, but Williams' decision-making and ball security remain concerns. Against a stronger opponent, giving the ball away three times could easily turn a close call into a loss.
The challenge only gets tougher in the NFC North, which is shaping up as one of the most competitive divisions in football, and the Bears have little room for mistakes.
Here are some more takeaways from Sunday's slate of games in the NFL.
Contenders showed why they should be feared
Week 9 provided a reminder of why the NFL's best teams are so difficult to overlook.
The Green Bay Packers may have put together the week’s most complete performance, dismantling the New England Patriots 45-27 behind a masterclass from Jordan Love. Throwing for 372 yards and three touchdowns while adding another score on the ground, Love did not just look good — he looked like a legitimate MVP candidate.
As impressive as the Packers were with the ball, their defence was just as scary. Forcing four turnovers, Green Bay showed how lethal this group can be when both sides of the ball are firing at full throttle.
After dropping two straight, the Kansas City Chiefs desperately needed a spark. Enter Kenneth Walker III. Kansas City’s prized off-season addition delivered three rushing touchdowns to give the offence the bite it had been missing.
Defensively, the Chiefs finally looked like themselves again, dropping the Jets five times without sending a single blitz. Chris Jones and George Karlaftis bagged two sacks each, while Kansas City suffocated New York to minus-nine yards of offence in the third quarter alone.
Out West, the San Francisco 49ers reminded everyone why they remain the NFC team nobody wants to draw in January. San Francisco built a 21-10 halftime cushion before pulling away for a 38-17 victory over the Raiders. The 49ers dominated the ball for over 20 minutes in the opening half, stringing together three straight touchdown drives of 12-plus plays. To top it off, Brock Purdy hit a career milestone by throwing his 100th touchdown pass.
San Francisco's defence sealed the deal with five second-half takeaways, including a pick-six from Jaden Dugger and key forced fumbles by Fred Warner and Upton Stout. The dark cloud? The injury list keeps growing. Defensive tackle Gracen Halton lost his season to an ankle fracture, while Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green both exited early.
Meanwhile, across the pond, the Cincinnati Bengals kept their offensive resurgence rolling with a 34-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase put on an absolute clinic.
Bengals bring the fireworks to Madrid
Spanish NFL fans got a show at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium as Burrow and the Bengals put on a show against the Falcons.
Forget last year's sluggish, defence-heavy Dolphins-Commanders grind in Europe — this was pure offensive entertainment. The Bengals brought exactly the kind of high-octane fireworks the league relies on to win over international crowds.
Burrow looked completely in command during Cincinnati's 34-17 victory, operating with the calm of a quarterback whose offence has fully found its groove.
The Madrid crowd got everything it bought a ticket for: explosive plays, signature touchdown celebrations, and a Bengals unit that looked ready to score on every single drive. With four straight wins while hanging 30-plus points on the board in each — a franchise first — Cincinnati’s early-season stumble feels like ancient history.
Chase headlines a huge week for wide receivers
Week 9 belonged to the wide receivers right across the league with Chase getting things off to a great start overseas.
Chase tore up the Falcons secondary for 10 catches, 155 yards, and a touchdown, doing almost all of his damage before the break. His 142 first-half receiving yards set a career mark and left Atlanta's defensive backs looking for answers.
The highlight? A gorgeous 47-yard touchdown bomb from Burrow that served as a reminder as to why this duo remains one of the scariest in football.
The most head-turning receiver story came out of Green Bay, where Matthew Golden and Christian Watson pulled off something rarely seen in league history.
Golden was perfect, catching all 10 targets for 164 yards and a score. Watson was right there with him, hauling in seven catches for 171 yards and a touchdown. According to Pro Football Reference, they became just the 23rd receiving duo in NFL history — and the first since 2023 — to reach 150-plus receiving yards in the same game.
Pity Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who spent the afternoon in the target zone. Gonzalez surrendered 105 yards to Golden and another 82 to Watson.
Elsewhere, CeeDee Lamb posted the week's biggest yardage day, putting the Dallas Cowboys on his back with 10 catches for 195 yards and a score in a 27-23 win over Indianapolis.
In Los Angeles, Puka Nacua kept making his case as one of the league's elite weapons. Nacua racked up 14 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown against Washington, carrying nearly half of the Rams' total offensive load.
Heartbreakingly, Nacua’s stellar day ended on the final offensive snap when he went down with a knee injury.
Garrett makes an immediate impact for Rams who wait on Nacua's injury
The Los Angeles Rams got the edge-rushing force they paid for in Week 9, but their win over Washington came with a dark cloud hanging over the training room.
Myles Garrett needed zero warm-up time to remind the league why Los Angeles traded for him. Back after missing time since Week 1 with a knee injury, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year racked up three sacks, six pressures, and a forced fumble in just 35 snaps. Pairing Garrett alongside Aaron Donald gives the Rams a terrifying front that will give offensive coordinators nightmares down the stretch.
Yet all the excitement over Garrett's return was instantly tempered by Nacua's injury.
While initial tests suggest Nacua dodged an ACL tear, Monday's MRI will tell the real story. The timing couldn't be worse. The Rams are finally building steam with three straight wins.
Losing Nacua for any real length of time leaves Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay without the engine that makes this entire offence go.
