Wednesday 9 November 2016 16:18, UK
It is a positive report for most of the NFC South, but problems persist for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the week nine grading.
Miami Dolphins (W 27-23 v New York Jets)
'Only' 130 yards on offence for Jay Ajayi against the Jets (plus another touchdown), but the Dolphins managed to even up their record at 4-4 despite quarterback Ryan Tannehill struggling to deal with the Jets front seven. Kenyan Drake proved the hero with a game-winning 96-yard kick-off return. Grade B+
New York Jets (L 23-27 at Miami)
A strange performance from the Jets who only gave Matt Forte the ball 12 times on the ground - he nearly broke 100 yards with those carries but seemed to be frozen out of their offence for long spells in a game they really should have won. With Ryan Fitzpatrick struggling as well that seemed an inexplicable decision, and the Jets now appear to be playing for a high draft pick (and possibly a new QB with it). Grade C
Buffalo Bills (L 25-31 at Seattle)
A cracking Monday night game ended in agonising defeat for the Bills and fury from coach Rex Ryan over the officiating. Whether it made a difference can be talked over for days but nothing will change the score - a tough luck loss after impressive displays from quarterback Tyrod Taylor and receiver Robert Woods, who caught 10 passes for 162 yards. Grade B
New England Patriots - bye
Baltimore Ravens (W 21-14 v Pittsburgh)
An impressive win for the Ravens in a dour defence-led game where neither team broke 300 yards. They stifled Ben Roethlisberger for three quarters but were reliant on a 95-yard Mike Wallace score, where Pittsburgh's defence fell apart, and a blocked punt for the majority of their points. Grade B+
Pittsburgh Steelers (L 14-21 at Baltimore)
Roethlisberger came through his return safely, but he was inaccurate for long spells before almost guiding the Steelers to a final quarter comeback. The Steelers defence played very well barring the 95-yard touchdown they gave up, conceding less than 200 yards in the rest of the game. A defeat yes, and possibly a costly one, but this was not a dreadful performance. Grade C+
Cleveland Browns (L 10-35 v Dallas)
Cody Kessler returned at quarterback for the Browns and played well to a point, but they got very little from the rest of their offence and produced almost nothing of consequence on defence to trouble the red-hot Cowboys. You wonder where a win might come from for Hue Jackson's men who face a series of tough opponents down the stretch. Grade F
Cincinnati Bengals - bye
Indianapolis Colts (W 31-26 at Green Bay)
A huge road win for the Colts, although they were holding on in the closing minutes and did well to keep the Packers off the field after Randall Cobb's touchdown 3:29 from the final whistle. Andrew Luck failed to impress, not for the first time this season, but Frank Gore ploughed over for two scores and Jordan Todman's 99-yard kick-off return on the first play proved key. Grade A
Jacksonville Jaguars (L 14-19 at Kansas City)
You have to feel sorry for the Jaguars, who coughed the ball up on the goalline as they started to muster up a fightback in Arrowhead Stadium. But, once again, Blake Bortles woke up too late and that means six defeats on a busted season for the Jags, who played much better on defence but still end up losing to a team that managed only one touchdown. Grade C
Tennessee Titans (L 35-43 at San Diego)
Disappointment for the Titans, and in particular Marcus Mariota, in Southern California. Mariota coughed up a costly fumble which was returned for a touchdown and threw two interceptions, and it's that inconsistency which stops him from elevating this team at the moment, but they remain well in the playoff hunt in one of the league's weaker divisions. Grade C
Houston Texans - bye
Oakland Raiders (W 30-20 v Denver)
Any Raiders doubters have surely been silenced now after a superb rushing display from Latavius Murray and company and some stifling defence, with Khalil Mack looking like the player Oakland wanted when he was drafted so highly in 2014. Derek Carr was kept quiet but the Raiders didn't need him with Murray able to convert drives on three occasions as he ran for 114 yards against a feared Broncos defence. Grade A+
San Diego Chargers (W 43-35 v Tennessee)
Not a whole lot of defence was played in this thrilling game but the Chargers managed one big play with Dwight Lowery's fumble recovery for a touchdown. The rest of their win was down to Philip Rivers, who threw two first-half touchdown passes and Melvin Gordon who dominated the second half and had 261 yards of total offence on his own to beat the Titans. Grade A
Kansas City Chiefs (W 19-14 v Jacksonville)
Alex Smith and Spencer Ware missed the game through injury and the Chiefs suffered badly on offence in a game they appeared somewhat lucky to win. The Jaguars outgained them 449 yards to 231 and were made to pay for some costly fumbles, including one that cost them a touchdown. An escape for the under-manned Chiefs. Grade B
Denver Broncos (L 20-30 at Oakland)
The most disappointing display of the season for Denver and it came in a massive divisional game. They had no running game at all, going for only 33 yards, and although Trevor Siemian played better, he was constantly pressured by Khalil Mack and the Raiders defence. Denver's own D played okay but nothing like their normally elite standard. Grade C-
Dallas Cowboys (W 35-10 at Cleveland)
The Cowboys continue to go from strength to strength under the leadership of rookies Dak Prescott (21-27 for 247 yards and three TDs) and Ezekiel Elliott (92 yards, 2 TDs). Yes, it was only the winless Browns, but a net 200-yard advantage on the road still has to be applauded. This really is a team going place, perhaps even to the Super Bowl. Grade A
New York Giants (W 28-23 v Philadelphia)
Very nervous in the end for the Giants, who played very well on defence and were thankful to Eli Manning for a four-touchdown performance to stifle the Eagles, who easily outgained them on offence but constantly came up short on the game's biggest plays. They could really do with someone coming forward to lead their running corps. Grade A-
Philadelphia Eagles (L 23-28 at New York Giants)
Nearly 450 yards of net offence ending in defeat is going to hurt for the Eagles, who have now lost three of their last four games. Carson Wentz threw two early picks before settling down but they wasted chances and now have to find some consistency to climb out of the divisional basement. Grade C
Washington Redskins - bye
Detroit Lions (W 22-16 (OT) at Minnesota)
A massive win for the Lions, who struggled to break down Minnesota's tough defence for long spells but came back to force overtime thanks to a superb 58-yard field goal from Matt Prater. Golden Tate's sheer strength after the catch gave them the win, but there was some luck involved with Blair Walsh missing a vital point after during regulation that might have put the game beyond them. Grade B+
Minnesota Vikings (L 16-22 (OT) v Detroit)
The Vikings will wonder how they lost this game, playing well on defence and with Sam Bradford only missing on nine of his 40 pass attempts. The problem was that most of them were short passes, with Stefon Diggs having 13 catches for only 80 yards, and they failed to convert a number of chances, meaning Blair Walsh's missed extra point would prove vital. Grade C
Green Bay Packers (L 26-31 v Indianapolis)
This division looks wide open all of a sudden with the Packers giving up a home game most expected them to win handsomely. Aaron Rodgers struggled with his rhythm before two fourth quarter TD passes but he could not get back on the field in the last three minutes to try and engineer what would have been an incredible, and possibly undeserved, comeback for victory. Grade D+
Chicago Bears - bye
Atlanta Falcons (W 43-28 at Tampa Bay)
Plenty to like from the Falcons on offence with Matt Ryan continuing his rise into the NFL's quarterback elite, if he's not already there. Four more touchdowns in a polished display with four different receivers on the end of them. Defence was questionable at times against the pass and struggled to contain Mike Evans, but this was a good win. Grade A-
New Orleans Saints (W 41-23 at San Francisco)
Simply sensational offence from the Saints, who burned the awful 49ers defence for almost 600 yards. Mark Ingram returned from the dog house for 158 yards on the ground and two touchdowns, with rookie receiver Michael Thomas adding two more. The black mark? Giving up almost 400 yards to 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Grade A-
Carolina Panthers (W 13-10 at Los Angeles)
The Panthers are still struggling badly on offence, gaining less than 250 yards net against a tough Rams D. But they made the most of Greg Olsen's early touchdown catch thanks to their own defensive effort, with a series of big plays made at just the right time to stop Rams drives. Grade B
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (L 28-43 v Atlanta)
The Bucs passing game was in sync, even when Mike Glennon came in for a banged-up Jameis Winston, but they offered nothing on the ground in the absence of Jacquizz Rodgers and Doug Martin and their defence was simply dreadful. Grade D-
Seattle Seahawks (w 31-25 v Buffalo)
Plenty of luck for the Seahawks, helped by some questionable refereeing, but a win is a win. No running game, and their defence struggled to contain Buffalo but a resurgent Jimmy Graham, who had 103 yards and two touchdowns, made the difference in the end. They desperately need to re-find their running game. Grade B
Los Angeles Rams (L 10-13 v Carolina)
Frustration for the Rams, who played so well on defence but could not convert anything on offence until a late Kenny Britt touchdown gave them hope of a comeback, killed off by a ridiculously-bad kickoff attempt. Case Keenum played better than his Twickenham horror show but so often drives stalled and he heard shouts of 'We want Goff' from the sidelines. Only a matter of time, surely. Grade C-
San Francisco 49ers (L 23-41 v New Orleans)
Swiss cheese would be suing if you likened it to the 49ers defence, which clearly has a good deal more holes. They couldn't stop Drew Brees, Mark Ingram or even Tim Hightower and have so many questions to answer - at least it looks like Colin Kaepernick's short-term future might not be one of them after his best display in two years. Grade E
Arizona Cardinals - bye
