The Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 26-21, the Detroit Lions beat the Miami Dolphins 19-9 and the Seattle Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals 17-3 on a Sunday of NFL action that completed Week 9’s programme.
The results, confirmed by Picksy, Flashscore and Sportradar, came on a day dominated by the Bengals’ Madrid win, the Chiefs’ rout of the Jets and the Bears’ walk-off victory on Sunday night. But each of the three games mattered for the teams involved — and for the playoff races in both conferences.
Denver’s win takes the Broncos to 7-2, Detroit’s to 6-2 and Seattle’s to a winning record, while Carolina, Miami and Arizona all fall further behind.
Broncos hold off the Panthers
Denver’s 26-21 win at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte was a hard-fought afternoon for a Broncos side who have been one of the surprise packages of the season. At 7-2, Denver are firmly in the AFC playoff race, and their ability to win tight games on the road is a hallmark of a team who believe they can go deep into January.
Carolina, at 3-5, will rue a game they could have won. The Panthers were competitive throughout, but Denver’s experience and composure in the closing stages proved decisive.
Lions and Seahawks in control
Detroit’s 19-9 win over Miami was a workmanlike performance from a Lions side who have been one of the best teams in the NFC this season. At 6-2, Detroit are firmly in the playoff race, and their defence — which held the Dolphins to nine points — was the foundation of the win.
Seattle’s 17-3 win over Arizona was equally comfortable. The Seahawks’ defence dominated, holding the Cardinals to a single field goal, and Drew Lock — starting in place of the injured Sam Darnold — completed 19 of 28 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown to AJ Barner, who scored both of Seattle’s touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air.
What comes next
Week 9 concludes on Monday night with Buffalo visiting Minnesota in a battle of two 6-1 teams, while the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers were on their bye week. For Denver, Detroit and Seattle, the wins keep their playoff pushes on track — and for Carolina, Miami and Arizona, the defeats make the road ahead that much harder.
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