Three Things We Learned in NFL Week 9: Burrow, Williams and the Rams

Nov 8, 2026; Madrid, ESP; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) meets with media at a post game press conference at Bernabeu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images NFL Week 9 closes with a marquee matchup of 6-1 teams as the Minnesota Vikings and their top scoring defense host the Buffalo Bills and their league-leading scoring offense.Since 2000, such games have gone in the offense’s favor five of seven times in games contested in November or later.We’ll find out soon which side prevails this time. Until then, how about some bona fide things we learned during Week 9?Chicago’s Williams must ‘find ways to get better’Remarkably, the Chicago Bears never trailed during that five-turnover clunker against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cairo Santos’ 38-yard field goal at the gun allowed them to exhale with a 27-24 victory that pushed Chicago’s winning streak to four entering the bye week.Things also brought to you by the number four: the career-high number of interceptions thrown by Bears franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.Williams reinforced his unflappability by leading Chicago downfield after an opportunistic defense and steady running game helped the Bucs tie the game with 2:51 left. We gained insight into Williams’ accountability, however, with his postgame observations.“I'm not going to get gun shy. I'm not going to shy away from it. I have to find ways to get better,” he said. “I have to find ways to get the ball out of bounds in those two [second-quarter picks]. I have to find ways to not throw that first one I threw down in the red zone. Have to get points in the red zone. And then, the last one, we just have to get on the same page. I have to juice it in there, and we have to attack the ball in the air.”The Rams’ dynamic defensive duo does exist Nov 8, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates with fans after the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Still teeming with talent despite a shaky first half of the season, the Los Angeles Rams learned that projections aren’t just for screening rooms as Myles Garrett and the unretired Aaron Donald finally shared a defensive huddle.So far, so good.Garrett collected three sacks and six QB pressures to help key a 20-13 road win against the Washington Commanders, his first action since undergoing knee surgery in mid-September."Man, it was a weight off my shoulders, just getting back to who I am," Garrett said. "I'm nowhere near where I want to be as far as my performance and things I know I can do and how I can move, but this is a confidence booster for sure."The Rams improved to 5-4 and now must focus on ramping up their attack behind QB Matthew Stafford. The chance to avenge an 18-16 loss to Arizona in Week 6 looms before the bye but will wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) be able to contribute after sustaining an injury during LA’s final series?Burrow, Bengals even more buenoI haven’t yet learned the keyboard command to concoct an inverted question mark indigenous to the Spanish language, so this translation of part of the Cincinnati Bengals’ signature chant comes courtesy of copy-and-paste: "¿Quién Dey?" at any rate.Not the Atlanta Falcons, who became the latest foe to fall to surging Cincinnati, as the Bengals rolled 34-17 in Madrid to secure their fourth win in a row.We’ll know for sure at season’s end, but might this game serve as catalyst for Bengals QB Joe Burrow’s elusive MVP? He’s now the fifth person in NFL history to account for at least four passing or rushing TDs in four successive games."¡No manches!"