NFL Takes Cue From College Football As Upsets Highlight Week 9

After a terrible Week 8 in the NFL, Week 9 reminded everyone of the phrase "any given Sunday." The Panthers pulled off a massive upset over the Packers, the Vikings stunned the Lions and the Steelers dominated the Colts. 

Even teams that lost as underdogs, specifically the Titans and Falcons, kept their matchups close and played some of their best football of the season. Then there was the insanity that took place in Cincinnati as the Bears blew a two-touchdown lead before scoring a crazy game-winning touchdown in the final 20 seconds. 

The Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings pulled off the two biggest upsets in Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season. 

(Imagn Images)

The reason Week 8 was so bad was the lack of competitive games. Of the 13 games, just one (the Jets beating the Bengals, 39-38) finished as a one-score game. Of the other 12, eight saw one team win by at least three scores. 

Week 9 got off to a rough start with the Baltimore Ravens steamrolling the Miami Dolphins, 28-6. But in the early-afternoon window on Sunday, nearly every game came down to the wire. Upsets are normally associated with college football, but the pros showed that they can pull off their own surprises. 

Panthers Shock NFL Fans with Win Over Packers 

The Panthers went into Lambeau and stunned the Packers on a 49-yard game-winning field goal as time expired to defeat Green Bay, 16-13. Carolina nearly blew it after scoring a third-quarter touchdown to take a 13-6 lead. After the play, referees flagged touchdown-scorer Rico Dowdle with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration. 

The penalty pushed the extra point back 15 yards, and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald missed, keeping it a seven-point game. The Packers later scored a touchdown and tied the game. But Fitzgerald redeemed himself by hitting the game-winner as the clock hit zero. Carolina entered the game as a two-touchdown road underdog and did the unthinkable. 

Prayers up for all the people who picked the Packers in NFL Survivor pools. 

J.J. McCarthy Triumphantly Returns to Stun Lions

Some people suggested the Vikings "soft-benched" second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy because they elected to start a clearly injured Carson Wentz in Weeks 7 and 8 over the second-year starter. However, McCarthy proved everyone wrong with his best performance as a professional Sunday against the NFC North favorite Detroit Lions. 

While McCarthy's numbers didn't look great (14 of 25, 143 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT, plus a rushing score), he led the team on five scoring drives and made a huge play on the final drive to run out the clock on the Lions. McCarthy looked as comfortable as ever in his young NFL career. Perhaps the time off recovering from his injury was good for the young player. 

The Vikings entered the game as 9.5-point road underdogs, yet they still only pulled off the second-biggest upset of Week 9. 

What the Hell Happened in Cincinnati?!

One week after the Bengals choked away a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter against the Jets, it looked like Cincinnati was about to do the same to the Bears. The Bengals scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes – thanks in large part to recovering an onside kick – to take a one-point lead against the Bears. 

But as has become a theme of the Bengals' season, the defense let them down when the team needed the unit most. 

Had the Bengals held on, it would have been an upset because the Bears were slight favorites (-2.5) in Cincinnati. 

Broncos, Steelers Also Pulled Off Upset Wins 

While you might not think the Broncos beating the Texans and the Steelers beating the Colts constitute upsets, Las Vegas disagrees. Denver was a 1.5-point underdog in Houston, while the Steelers were 3.5-point home underdogs against the 7-1 Colts. 

Denver trailed the entire second half and Houston took an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter. But the Broncos rallied to score a game-tying touchdown (and 2-point conversion) before converting a game-winning field goal as time expired. 

The final score in the Colts-Steelers game (27-20, Pittsburgh) made it look closer than it was. The Steelers completely controlled the game and Daniel Jones looked more like Giants' Daniel Jones than Colts' Daniel Jones, throwing three interceptions. Indianapolis added some scores late, but the game was over when Pittsburgh took a 17-point lead with under seven minutes to play. 

RELATED: The Indianapolis Colts And Daniel Jones Might Be Who We Thought They Were

Titans, Falcons Show Fight in Close Losses 

The Titans entered Sunday as 9.5-point home underdogs against the Chargers, but Cam Ward played arguably his best game as a pro quarterback. It was a low bar, and Ward barely cleared it, but he didn't turn the ball over (although he fumbled twice, Tennessee recovered both) and only took four sacks. That might not seem overly impressive, but the Titans will take it since Ward entered the game having thrown at least one interception in six straight games. 

Tennessee didn't win, but it at least covered the spread in a 27-20 defeat. Baby steps. 

As for the Falcons, they had a legitimate shot to upset the Patriots in New England. Atlanta was a 5.5-point road underdog, but they appeared to have tied the game with Drake London's third touchdown of the game late in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, Parker Romo missed the extra point, which kept Atlanta down by a point. 

Atlanta got the ball back after a Patriots three-and-out, but couldn't do anything with it. Like the Titans, the Falcons couldn't quite get the win, but they did cover. 

Of the eight early-afternoon NFL games on Sunday, four saw underdogs win outright, and two had underdogs lose but cover the spread. The Bears needed a miracle touchdown to win and cover in Cincinnati. 

Only the San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) cruised to victory as favorites, beating the Giants, 34-24. 

The NFL needed a bounce-back after a rough Week 8 and the early-afternoon games on Sunday in Week 9 certainly delivered.