NFL Week 9: Packers crush Patriots as trade deadline looms

The NFL trade deadline is set for 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, following a week defined by extreme outcomes across the league.

Green Bay delivered the most dominant performance of the weekend by dismantling the New England Patriots. Jordan Love played with near perfection, passing for 372 yards and three touchdowns. The Packers also saw a historic milestone on the ground, as their rushing attack surpassed 100 yards for the first time this season despite ranking last in the league.

The offensive line was not the only area to make history. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden each recorded over 150 receiving yards and a touchdown. Watson finished with 171 yards while Golden had 164. They are the first pair of Packers receivers to achieve this feat in a single game, a mark previously held only by Don Hutson and Andy Uram in 1942.

New England suffered a historic defeat, allowing 45 points. That total stands as the most ever surrendered at Gillette Stadium and the most in a home game since 1970. The loss came on the same weekend as Rob Gronkowski’s induction into the team’s Hall of Fame. Drake Maye was intercepted four times, including on his first pass, which ties him with Daniel Jones and Justin Herbert for the league lead with 13 turnovers. The Patriots now hold a 1-4 record against teams with winning percentages.

In Madrid, the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-17. Joe Burrow completed 16 of his first 18 passes and finished with a completion rate of 82.3 percent. He added 271 passing yards and four total touchdowns. This streak makes him the first player in NFL history to complete at least 70 percent of his passes with four total touchdowns in four consecutive games. Burrow is the eighth quarterback to reach 26 or more total touchdowns through eight games, a mark that five of the previous seven holders won the MVP award.

Ja’Marr Chase contributed a career-best 142 receiving yards in the first half for Cincinnati, which improved to 6-2. Tee Higgins caught two touchdowns. The Falcons scored 10 quick points but faded, with Bijan Robinson rushing for 52 yards in the first quarter and only 48 for the remainder of the game. A second consecutive flat offensive outing has increased pressure on coach Kevin Stefanski.

Washington lost 20-13 to the Los Angeles Rams, renewing debate over late-game decisions. Trailing by seven points with eight seconds left and no timeouts, Jayden Daniels threw a deep pass that fell short of the goal line. On the final play, the team ran a hook-and-ladder play from 31 yards instead of a Hail Mary attempt. This follows a similar botched sequence against the Giants that turned a potential win into a tie earlier in the season.

The Rams improved to 5-4 with their third straight win, powered by Puka Nacua. He caught 14 of 19 targets for 150 yards and a touchdown. Nacua’s 70 receptions are the most in league history through a player’s first seven games. He ranks third in the NFL for the season despite missing two games. Matthew Stafford missed several open throws, but Myles Garrett recorded three sacks and a forced fumble.

In other results, the New Orleans Saints beat the Cleveland Browns 23-22. The Saints scored two touchdowns in the final minute after going 59 minutes without one, a rare occurrence in NFL history. Shedeur Sanders completed three passes of 30-plus yards for Cleveland, while Deshaun Watson has only one such pass all season. Todd Monken, the Cleveland coach, declined to discuss Sanders’ starting status after the game.

The Kansas City Chiefs saw kicker Harrison Butker miss a field goal at the end of the first half. An offsides penalty gave him a retry from five yards closer, which he also missed. His seven misses already exceed the total from any previous full season in his career. The Chiefs added Justin Tucker to their practice squad last month.

The New York Giants defeated the Philadelphia Eagles to reach 5-2-1. J.J. McCarthy became the first quarterback in 40 years to win four consecutive starts without throwing a touchdown pass. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Indianapolis Colts 27-23, improving to 4-5. The Cowboys sit two and a half games back in their division with a Week 17 meeting still remaining.