Week 9 Belonged to the Backups and the Returning Quarterbacks
Drew Lock won hurt in Seattle, Shedeur Sanders threw for 297 yards in his first start of the season, and JJ McCarthy came back from a hip injury to beat Philadelphia.
- Drew Lock started in place of the injured Sam Darnold and led the Seahawks to a 17-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals, completing 19 of 28 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown with no turnovers and no sacks, despite suffering an oblique injury during the game. m:…2797
- Shedeur Sanders completed 19 of 31 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns in his first start of the 2026 season, but the Browns lost 23-22 in overtime to the Saints after head coach Todd Monken went for a two-point conversion to win rather than kick to tie. m:…4279
- JJ McCarthy returned to the game after a hip injury as the Giants beat the Eagles 19-11 in Philadelphia, improving to 5-2-1 in John Harbaugh's first season as head coach. m:…5359
- Lamar Jackson told his teammates he plans to return this season after suffering a fractured and dislocated thumb against the Buffalo Bills; he is expected to be out six to nine weeks, and the Ravens traded for 11-year veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett. m:…4600
- Rookie linebacker Arvell Reese anchored the Giants' defense with 12 tackles and three sacks, and kicker Dominic Zvada hit all four field goal attempts from 53, 46, 38 and 49 yards. m:…5359
Lock wins hurt
Drew Lock started at quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks in place of the injured Sam Darnold, who missed Week 9 with a quadricep injury, and led Seattle to a 17-3 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. He completed 19 of 28 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown to AJ Barner, added 16 rushing yards, and committed no turnovers while taking no sacks. He did it on limited practice reps, with the team managing a lingering elbow injury all week. m:…2797 m:…1825
Lock added another injury to the list during the game, hurting his oblique in the second half and going to the injury tent after an incomplete pass on third down, but he returned the next time Seattle took the field and said the injury did not affect his ability to throw. Head coach Mike Macdonald said the team is not sure of Lock's status for next week's game against the Raiders, nor of Darnold's. Seattle's defense dominated the Cardinals' offense, and Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price combined for 101 yards on 25 carries. Head coach Mike Macdonald praised the medical staff for their preparation plan for Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe. m:…1825 m:…2797
Sanders' first start
Shedeur Sanders made his first start of the 2026 season for the Cleveland Browns and threw for 297 yards and two touchdowns, completing 19 of 31 passes. He was named the starter on Friday after taking first-team reps all week while Deshaun Watson was in concussion protocol. Rookie receiver KC Concepcion Jr. scored his first career touchdown on a 64-yard catch from Sanders late in the fourth quarter and finished with four receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown, plus one carry for three rushing yards. Concepcion has recorded 37 receptions, the second-most by a Browns rookie after the first nine weeks of the season. m:…4279
It was not enough. The Browns lost 23-22 to the Saints in overtime. Head coach Todd Monken chose to go for a two-point conversion in overtime to win the game rather than kick an extra point to tie. The attempt failed, and the Browns went home with a loss despite Sanders' 297 yards. The Browns' defense has totaled 11 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries during the 2026 season. m:…4279
McCarthy comes back
The New York Giants beat the Philadelphia Eagles 19-11, improving to 5-2-1 in John Harbaugh's first season as head coach. Quarterback JJ McCarthy returned to the game after suffering a hip injury. Rookie linebacker Arvell Reese finished with 12 tackles and three sacks. Kicker Dominic Zvada hit all four field goal attempts, from 53, 46, 38 and 49 yards. m:…5359
Jackson's message from the sideline
Lamar Jackson told his Baltimore Ravens teammates that he plans to return this season. Jackson suffered a fractured and dislocated thumb against the Buffalo Bills and is expected to be out six to nine weeks. The Ravens traded for 11-year veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett on Friday to cover the absence. Baltimore is 4-5. m:…4600
Head coach Jesse Minter declined to say on Thursday night whether Jackson has had surgery yet. That question will decide whether Jackson's return still matters when he is ready. m:…4600
What is still unresolved
- The extent of Drew Lock's oblique injury and his availability for the Raiders game
- The return timeline for Sam Darnold
- The long-term impact of JJ McCarthy's hip injury on his availability for the Thursday game
- Whether Lamar Jackson has had surgery on his thumb
- Deshaun Watson's concussion recovery and availability
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