Silver Minings: AFC Week 9 roundup

Normally for this column, we’d be taking a look at how the rest of the AFC West did as those are the games that impact the Las Vegas Raiders the most. However, Week 9 was far from a normal week so to help capture all of the craziness, we’ll dive into how the other AFC squads vying for playoff spots fared this week.

Cleveland Browns 41 Cincinnati Bengals 16

Key Stats:

• Baker Mayfield, QB, Browns: 14-21, 218 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
• Nick Chubb, RB, Browns: 16 touches, 163 total yards, 2 rushing TDs
• Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Browns: 2 catches 86 yards, 1 TD
• Anthony Walker, LB, Browns: 14 total tackles, 12 solo, 1 sack, 1 TFL
• Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals: 28-40, 282 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs
• Joe Mixon, RB, Bengals: 18 total touches, 110 total yards, 2 rushing TDs
• Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals: 6 catches, 78 yards

Just two weeks ago, the Bengals were sitting on top of the AFC, but after dropping back-to-back games, they’re part of the log-jam of 5-4 teams that are on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. For the Browns, this win revives their season as they’ll join Cincinnati at 5-4 and are now 1-0 in the post-Odell Beckham Jr. era.

Cincy will have a bye week before heading to Las Vegas in Week 11, and Cleveland heads to New England next Sunday.

Denver Broncos 30 Dallas Cowboys 16

Key Stats:

• Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Broncos: 19-28, 249 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
• Javonte Williams, RB, Broncos: 17 carries, 111 yards
• Tim Patrick, WR, Broncos: 4 catches, 85 yards, 1 TD
• Kareem Jackson, S, Broncos: 9 total tackles, 7 solo, 1 TFL

This one might have been the most surprising upset of the day. The Cowboys came into the game rolling and off a win with their backup quarterback, while the Broncos have been heading in the opposite direction. However, 190 rushing yards as a team and a defense that only allowed points in garbage time were enough to pull Denver back into the “in the hunt” graphic. People in Mile High are now saying: “Von Miller, who?”...not really.

The Broncos have another winnable game next week against the Eagles at home.

New England Patriots 24 Carolina Panthers 6

Key Stats:

• Mac Jones, QB, Patriots: 12/18, 139 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
• Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Patriots: 12 total touches, 106 total yards
• Kendrick Bourne, WR, Patriots: 3 catches 34 yards
• Matthew Judon, EDGE, Patriots: 4 total tackles, 3 solo, 1 sack, 1 TFL

I included this one because the Patriots are in the playoff picture, but this game went about as everyone expected. New England dominated for pretty much the entire contest, especially defensively, and they currently hold the seven seed in the AFC after extending their winning streak to three.

The Pats will host the Browns next week with a lot of playoff implications on the line.

Buffalo Bills 6 Jacksonville Jaguars 9

Key Stats:

• Josh Allen, QB, Bills: 31-47, 264 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INT
• Devin Singletary, RB, Bills: 13 total touches, 59 total yards
• Stefon Diggs, WR, Bills: 4 catches, 65 yards
• Tre’Davious White, CB, Bills: 6 total tackles, 2 solo, 0.5 sack, 1 PBU, 1 QB Hit

Denver might have had the most surprising upset of the day since they won in dominating fashion, but the Jaguars had the biggest. The Bills entered the game as two-touchdown favorites but quarterback Josh Allen might have put together the worst outing of his career and was undoubtedly the worst Josh Allen on the field. Josh Allen was able to get a sack on Josh Allen, while Josh Allen threw an interception to Josh Allen, and Josh also coughed up a fumble to Allen.

The Bills now sit at 5-3 and are one spot ahead of the Raiders in the AFC playoff picture with the four seed.

Buffalo heads to New Jersey to take on the Jets next week.

Minnesota Vikings 31 Baltimore Ravens 34 (OT)

Key Stats:

• Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens: 27-41, 266 passing yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, 21 carries, 120 yards
• Devonta Freeman, RB, Ravens: 15 total touches, 83 total yards, 1 receiving TDs
• Marquise Brown, WR, Ravens: 9 catches, 116 yards
• DeShon Elliot, S, Ravens: 6 solo tackles, 2 TFLs

For a while, it looked like we were going to get another upset and see another top AFC playoff team fall. However, a late rally and some overtime magic allowed Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to come back from two separate 14-point deficits. Baltimore is in second place for the conference, half a game behind the Titans.

Next up, the Ravens host the Dolphins on Thursday Night Football.

Los Angeles Chargers 27 Philadelphia Eagles 24

Key Stats:

• Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers: 32-38, 356 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, 5 carries, 14 yards, 1 rushing TD
• Austin Ekeler, RB, Chargers: 20 total touches, 82 total yards
• Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers: 12 catches, 104 yards
• Joey Bosa, EDGE, Chargers: 3 total tackles, 2 solo, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QB Hits

What makes the Raiders’ loss sting even more is the Chargers’ win. Los Angeles pulls ahead of Las Vegas for the AFC West lead with the head-to-head victory and better division record and holds the three seed overall. Granted, the Eagles did give the Bolts a good game as this one came down to the last possession.

The Chargers take on the Vikings at home on Sunday.

Green Bay Packers 7 Kansas City Chiefs 13

Key Stats:

• Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs: 20-37, 166 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs
• Darrell Williams, RB, Chiefs: 19 carries, 70 yards
• Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs: 5 catches, 68 yards, 1 TD
• Chris Jones, DL, Chiefs: 2 total tackles, 1 solo, 0 sacks, 0 TFLs, 2 QB Hits

Another one that makes Las Vegas’ performance this weekend hurt a little more. However, Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense didn’t look very good, and while their defense was better, the impressive outing came against a second-year quarterback making his first start. Kansas City now sits as the first team on the outside of the playoff picture, which should make every team ahead of them a little nervous.

Also, that heightens the stakes for Sunday Night Football in Las Vegas this weekend...

Tennessee Titans 28 Los Angeles Rams 16

Key Stats:

• Ryan Tannehill, QB, Titans: 19-27, 143 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 rushing TD
• Adrian Peterson, RB, Titans: 11 total touches, 26 total yards, 1 rushing TD
• A.J. Brown, WR, Titans: 5 catches, 42 yards
• Jeffery Simmons, DT, Titans: 6 total tackles, 3 solo, 3 sacks, 3 TFLs, 4 QB Hits

Last week’s win for the Titans felt bitter-sweet because even though they took over as the top seed in the AFC, they lost superstar running back Derek Henry for what could be the rest of the season. A lot of people, including myself, wrote them off for last night’s game but to Tennessee’s credit, they fought and dominated the Rams in the trenches for another convincing win, which is their fifth in a row.

The Titans will host the Saints next week.

In other Raiders’ links:

• Raiders CRO leaving: Mark Shearer, who has been with the team for 23 years, is leaving the organization as part of the ongoing reconfiguration of the front office, which is not tied to the financial irregularities, per Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Mick Akers.
• #DJaxToLV: it feels like it’s been several years in the making, but DeSean Jackson is finally joining the Raiders to fill the team’s need for a deep threat.
• 5 lessons learned against Giants: check out Williamson’s takeaways from yesterday’s game.
• LV opens as -2.5-point dogs: the Raiders are back to being underdogs this week against the Chiefs, per DraftKings Sportsbook.