The Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals produced impressive performances in Week 9 of the 2026 NFL season, registering convincing victories as the competition approached its halfway stage.
The Packers defeated the New England Patriots 45-27 at Gillette Stadium, spoiling a celebratory occasion for the home side, which had honoured former players Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love delivered a standout performance, throwing for 372 yards and three touchdowns while also scoring a rushing touchdown.
Wide receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden each crossed 150 receiving yards and scored a touchdown, becoming the first Packers pair to achieve the feat in the same game since 1942.
The Cincinnati Bengals were equally impressive, beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-17 at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium as part of the NFL’s international series. Quarterback Joe Burrow completed 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards and contributed to four touchdowns.
Ja’Marr Chase led the receiving attack with 155 yards, while the Bengals extended their winning streak to four games. The victory lifted Cincinnati to a 6-2 record, putting them level with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the top of the AFC North.
Elsewhere, the Chicago Bears edged the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-24 after Cairo Santos converted a 38-yard field goal as time expired. Despite throwing four interceptions, quarterback Caleb Williams guided Chicago to a fourth consecutive victory.
The Denver Broncos also secured a hard-fought 26-21 win over the Carolina Panthers, extending their winning streak to five games. The result marked their 16th consecutive regular-season victory in a one-score game, setting a new NFL record.
The San Francisco 49ers strengthened their position as the league’s best-performing team with a 38-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, improving their record to 7-1.
With several teams strengthening their playoff credentials, Week 9 offered a clearer picture of the contenders emerging as the NFL regular season moves towards its decisive stretch.
