The NFL regular season crossed its midway point during Week 9, with the NFC North emerging as the most competitive division in the league.
As the playoff race intensifies, multiple teams from the same division now hold top seven spots in the NFC standings, according to reports from OA Sport.
In the AFC, the Denver Broncos moved to a 7-2 record following a 26-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) secured a win against the Baltimore Ravens, while the Kansas City Chiefs maintained their momentum by defeating the New York Jets.
The Cincinnati Bengals improved to 6-2 after a 34-17 win against the Atlanta Falcons at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. Joe Burrow recorded three touchdowns and 271 passing yards, while Ja’Marr Chase contributed 155 receiving yards in the victory, as reported by OA Sport.
The NFC remains the more tightly contested conference, led by the San Francisco 49ers (7-1) following their 38-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Despite recent victories by the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams—who defeated the Arizona Cardinals 17-3 and Washington Commanders 20-13 respectively—both teams remain outside the current playoff bracket. The NFC North has dominated the top seven positions, with four teams maintaining a winning percentage above .667.
Minnesota Vikings lead the division at 6-1, followed by the Chicago Bears at 7-2 after a 27-24 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Detroit Lions hold a 6-2 record following their 19-9 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
The Green Bay Packers moved to 6-3 after defeating the New England Patriots 42-27. In that game, Jordan Love threw for 372 yards and three touchdowns, while Christian Watson recorded 171 receiving yards and a score, according to data provided by OA Sport.
| Matchup | Result |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | 10-33 |
| Atlanta Falcons vs. Cincinnati Bengals | 17-34 |
| Indianapolis Colts vs. Dallas Cowboys | 23-27 |
| Kansas City Chiefs vs. New York Jets | 35-12 |
| Miami Dolphins vs. Detroit Lions | 9-19 |
| New Orleans Saints vs. Cleveland Browns | 23-22 |
| Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants | 11-19 |
| Washington Commanders vs. Los Angeles Rams | 13-20 |
| Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos | 21-26 |
| Los Angeles Chargers vs. Houston Texans | 22-44 |
| New England Patriots vs. Green Bay Packers | 27-45 |
| San Francisco 49ers vs. Las Vegas Raiders | 38-17 |
| Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals | 17-3 |
| Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 27-24 |
The Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers were on bye weeks during this round of play. The Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings face each other this Monday night in a game that affects the AFC standings.
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