The Baltimore Ravens suffered a major setback after quarterback Lamar Jackson injured his right thumb during their 36-10 defeat against the Buffalo Bills, while the Detroit Lions handed the Minnesota Vikings their first loss of the NFL season in a dramatic weekend of action.
Jackson, who returned after missing three games with an ankle injury, was hurt on the opening play of the contest. His replacement, Tyler Huntley, also left the game in the second quarter with a toe injury, forcing Baltimore to turn to undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano at quarterback.
Buffalo capitalised on Baltimore’s injury troubles to secure a comfortable victory. The defeat marked the Ravens’ third consecutive loss, leaving them with a 4-4 record. Jackson is expected to undergo surgery, raising concerns about his availability for the remainder of the season. Huntley’s injury has also created uncertainty ahead of Baltimore’s upcoming clash against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In another major divisional contest, Detroit defeated Minnesota 19-15 to end the Vikings’ unbeaten start. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs delivered a standout performance with 153 rushing yards and a touchdown as the Lions improved to 5-2, while Minnesota’s perfect 6-0 record came to an end.
The Lions also suffered an injury concern as linebacker Jack Campbell was taken to hospital after sustaining a neck injury while making a tackle in the fourth quarter.
The Denver Broncos moved to the top of the AFC West after producing a late comeback to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24. Denver overturned an 11-point deficit in the final quarter, with its defence making a crucial goal-line stop to seal the win. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns, but his efforts were not enough to prevent the defeat.
Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Jaguars strengthened their position at the top of the AFC South with a commanding 42-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts’ difficult season continued amid organisational changes, with reports suggesting that the franchise is considering trading running back Jonathan Taylor.
The Pittsburgh Steelers also moved to the top of the AFC North after defeating the Cleveland Browns 26-7. Their divisional rivals Cincinnati Bengals, meanwhile, survived a high-scoring encounter to beat the Tennessee Titans 43-36 in overtime.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow produced a historic display, becoming the first player in 75 years to record more than 450 passing yards, five touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in a single game. Despite throwing three interceptions, Burrow finished with an outstanding individual performance and became the first quarterback in NFL history to record a completion rate of at least 70 per cent alongside touchdown passes in three consecutive games.
Running backs also dominated Sunday’s action, with at least six players recording 140 or more rushing yards on the same day for the first time since 2003.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 in challenging weather conditions in Florida. Bucky Irving rushed for 170 yards, while Kenneth Gainwell added 140 as Tampa Bay recorded a franchise-record 324 rushing yards.
The Buccaneers completed the game without a single successful pass, becoming the first NFL team to finish a contest with zero completions since 1974 and only the second to do so in the Super Bowl era.
In another dramatic finish, the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Dallas Cowboys 33-30 in overtime. Running back Tyler Allgeier rushed for 147 yards, while backup quarterback Gardner Minshew helped Arizona recover from a 17-3 deficit by throwing three fourth-quarter touchdown passes.
Chad Ryland missed the extra point after Arizona’s late touchdown but redeemed himself with the decisive field goal in overtime. The defeat left Dallas with a 3-5 record and marked only the second time in franchise history that the team lost after holding a lead of at least 10 points inside the final three minutes.
