NFL Week 9 overreactions: Daniel Jones turning into a pumpkin? Matthew Stafford for MVP? Packers frauds?

The NFL was destined for some wackiness, particularly after favorites dominated over the last few weeks. Well, that wackiness reared its head in Week 9 with some surprising results that will have ramifications that'll stretch throughout the second half of the year.

First off, we head to Lambeau Field, where the Green Bay Packers were on the losing end of another shocking upset in 2025. This time, it was the Carolina Panthers who rolled into town and pulled off the 16-13 win after Ryan Fitzgerald drilled a game-winning 49-yard field goal as time expired. Elsewhere, the Colts laid an egg on the road to the Steelers, with Daniel Jones accounting for five turnovers on the afternoon, and the J.J. McCarthy-led Vikings stormed into Ford Field to beat the Detroit Lions. Like I said, wackiness!

But what are mere one-off instances, and what are signs of more significant developments? Below, we'll decipher which overreactions from Week 9 are just that and which are reality.

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

The Indianapolis Colts entered Week 9 as the AFC's No. 1 seed and the NFL's most explosive offense. Daniel Jones looked reborn, playing like one of the league's most efficient quarterbacks. And then it all came crashing down in Pittsburgh.

The Colts quarterback accounted for five turnovers (three interceptions and two fumbles lost) as Indy fell to the Steelers in a 27-20 defeat that wasn't nearly as close as the final score suggests. Coming into Sunday, Jones had just three turnovers for the entire year, so the floor fell completely out from under him.

Is this Jones reverting to his New York Giants form? Are the Colts suddenly staring down a second-half collapse? Not yet. This felt more like a long-overdue letdown, and while the turnovers were jarring, the concern shouldn't reach panic territory -- unless it happens again next week in Berlin against the Falcons. If Jones looks rattled overseas, then it's time to start sounding alarms.

Overreaction or reality: Reality

Woof. It didn't matter that Joe Flacco rose Cincinnati from the dead and led the offense to a 42-point day; the defense refuses to let the Bengals succeed in 2025. For a minute, it looked like the Bengals were going to pull off a remarkable comeback after they recovered an onside kick, and Flacco immediately led a go-ahead touchdown drive to give Cincy the 42-41 lead with just under a minute left in regulation. Despite all that momentum flowing their way, the Bengals defense let Chicago travel 72 yards down the field and score the game-winning touchdown on a 58-yard catch-and-run by Colston Loveland.

This is by far the worst defense in football, and the unit has been nullifying prolific days offensively for the last few years. This season, the Bengals have allowed 300 points, which is the most through nine games in franchise history. They are also the first team in NFL history to allow at least 27 or more points and 350 total yards in eight straight games within a season.

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

The Green Bay Packers were on the losing end of yet another surprising upset. Back in Week 3, they fell on the road to the Cleveland Browns and then tied the Dallas Cowboys the following week. Now, they are losing to the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field?

Given those questionable outings, it's fair to wonder if their ceiling truly includes hoisting a Lombardi Trophy in 2025. That said, I don't believe we've reached that point. This team plays with its food a bit and seems to play down to its competition at times, but this is still a championship-caliber roster.

If anything, this could be an instance where Green Bay was looking ahead a bit to its Week 10 opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, on "Monday Night Football," and was caught sleeping by Carolina. Something tells me it'll look far more competitive next time out against an elite NFC team.

Overreaction or reality: Reality

Drake London is one of the most prolific wide receivers in the NFL and gets little to no attention when speaking about the top players in the league at his position. On Sunday, the former first-rounder hauled in nine passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns. And they weren't gimme scores either, as London had to make circus catch after circus catch to get his team on the board.

Atlanta is still in the shadow of the Buccaneers in the NFC South, so the attention isn't on the Falcons routinely from a national perspective, but London should be pushed further into the conversation when speaking about the top-five wideouts in the NFL.

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

The Chicago Bears have been ribbed throughout the first two months of the regular season after selecting Colston Loveland with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft instead of fellow tight end Tyler Warren, who went No. 14 overall to the Indianapolis Colts. That's because Warren has been among the more prolific players at his position in the league, while Loveland's first six games were far more muted.

However, the Michigan product enjoyed his breakout in Week 9, catching six of his seven targets for 118 yards and two touchdowns. That included a game-winning 58-yard touchdown in the final minute of regulation.

Are those Warren backers eating a little crow today? Sure. Does this performance mean Chicago was right to take Loveland over him? No. That will play out over the next few seasons, and while Warren has enjoyed the better start to his career, Loveland did send a little reminder on Sunday to not count him out.

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

Allen was stellar in Buffalo's 28-21 victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills quarterback had as many incompletions (three) as he did total touchdowns. The win moves him to 5-5 all-time against Mahomes while no other signal-caller has more than three victories against the Chiefs' quarterback. Does this mean Allen suddenly has the edge over his main rival now that they're even? Not yet. Allen is 5-1 against Mahomes in the regular season. When these two go toe-to-toe in the playoffs, Mahomes has come out victorious in all four instances. Until Allen gets the better of Mahomes when it matters most, he'll still be looking up to him in this legendary rivalry despite the overall lockstep record.

Overreaction or reality: Reality

Stafford has quietly put himself firmly in the MVP race. The Rams quarterback has logged back-to-back games with four or more passing touchdowns and has 21 this season through eight starts, which exceeds his output from all of last season (20 in 16 starts). Over the last five games, Stafford has thrown for 16 scores compared to zero interceptions. He's the second player in the last 10 seasons to have a five-game stretch of 15 or more touchdowns with no picks. The other was Aaron Rodgers in 2021, who went on to win MVP. On top of the prolific touchdown numbers, Stafford has the Rams in the playoff picture, fighting for first place in the NFC West. If they take command of the division, it'll only further cement his case.

Overreaction or reality: Reality

What a difference a day can make in the NFC North. Coming into Sunday, the Vikings were at the bottom of the division and the only club under .500 at 3-4. However, fast-forward through the afternoon and J.J. McCarthy helped lead Minnesota to an upset win over the Lions on the road.

While they still sit in fourth, the Vikings are suddenly back at .500 and firmly in the mix in the NFC North race after Green Bay lost as well. Just as important, McCarthy looked good in his return. The second-year quarterback had been sidelined since Week 2 due to a high ankle sprain and didn't look like he had any limitations. While his passing numbers were not eye-popping (just 143 yards through the air), McCarthy connected on two touchdowns and added another on the ground.

McCarthy's day wasn't perfect, as he tossed an interception and fumbled (recovered), but that's sort of what should put the rest of the division on notice. The Vikings can get slightly above-average play at quarterback and go into hostile, divisional road environments and win. Sneakily, Minnesota has a 2-0 record in the NFC North, the best in the division.

Overreaction or reality: Overreaction

Jonathan Taylor has been otherworldly through the first half of the season, to the point where he's been in MVP conversations. However, he may be starting to lose some ground in the Offensive Player of the Year race to Christian McCaffrey.

While he hasn't been overtaken yet, Taylor's quiet outing in Week 9 gives McCaffrey a bit of a lane. The 49ers back continues to be one of the biggest weapons in the NFL, rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown against the Giants, while also catching five of his six targets for 67 yards and another score.

McCaffrey now leads all players with 1,222 yards from scrimmage this season. This was also his 16th career game with a rushing and receiving touchdown, passing Marshall Faulk for the most in NFL history. Taylor still has a slight lead, but it's getting tighter.