The Sunday afternoon slate for Week 9 is headlined by two big AFC matchups with playoff implications. In the early afternoon window, it’s two first-place teams facing off when the Indianapolis Colts (7-1) head to Pittsburgh (4-3) for a showdown with the Steelers.
Indianapolis has surprised the entire league, with RB Jonathan Taylor looking like an MVP candidate (named AFC Player of the Month) as he leads the NFL with 850 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, while quarterback Daniel Jones looks to have been resurrected by head coach Shane Steichen. Meanwhile, the Steelers have been up and down behind Aaron Rodgers and have lost two consecutive games coming into this matchup.
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Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more from Week 9’s early and afternoon Sunday game slates:
Bears vs. Bengals, 1 p.m. on CBS
Vikings vs. Lions, 1 p.m. on Fox
Panthers vs. Packers, 1 p.m. on Fox
Broncos vs. Texans, 1 p.m. on Fox
Falcons vs. Patriots, 1 p.m. on CBS
49ers vs. Giants, 1 p.m. on CBS
Colts vs. Steelers, 1 p.m. on CBS
Chargers vs. Titans, 1 p.m. on CBS
Saints vs. Rams, 4:05 p.m. on Fox
Jaguars vs. Raiders, 4:05 p.m. on Fox
Chiefs vs. Bills, 4:25 p.m. on CBS
Teams on a bye: Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFL Week 9 Sunday live updatesLive53 updates
Kate Magdziuk
Boutte leads the team with five receiving touchdowns and ranked second in receiving yards through the first eight games of the season.
Kate Magdziuk
It will be Davis Mills at quarterback the rest of the way, NFL insider Josina Anderson reports.
Kate Magdziuk
The Green Bay Packers may have suffered a huge blow to their offense, as tight end Tucker Kraft went down with an apparent lower leg injury in the third quarter, exiting the field with the assistance of trainers and heading into the medical tent.
After he was evaluated in the tent, he was carted to the locker room. Kraft is officially questionable to return with a knee injury, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports.
Kraft has been a staple of the Packers’ passing game this season, coming off a career game against the Steelers last week, where he hauled in seven of nine targets for 143 yards and two touchdowns. It was his second game this year with 100-plus receiving yards and a score. Ahead of Week 9, Kraft led the team in receptions (30), receiving yards (469) and receiving touchdowns (6).
Criss Partee
Denver muffs the punt and Houston recovers at the Broncos’ 30-yard line with 37 seconds left in the first half.
After the recovery, Davis Mills found Xavier Hutchinson for a five-yard gain and Nico Collins for an eight-yard gain before taking a sack for a four-yard loss. Luckily, that sack wasn’t enough to take them out of field goal range, and Ka’imi Fairbairn drills it in from 40 yards.
Kate Magdziuk
With less than 90 minutes remaining until the first games in the afternoon slate kick off, inactives are starting to roll in.
Here’s a full look at the Week 9 inactives for the afternoon games, to be updated as teams around the league make their announcements:
Saints vs. Rams
Saints inactives: S Ugo Amadi, CB Rejzohn Wright, TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, OL Xavier Truss, DT John Ridgeway III, DT Khristian Boyd
Rams inactives: RB Jarquez Hunter, QB Stetson Bennett (Emergency 3rd QB), CB Darious Williams, OL Beaux Limmer, OT David Quessenberry, DL Desjuan Johnson
Jaguars vs. Raiders
Jaguars inactives: TBA
Raiders inactives: TBA
Chiefs vs. Bills
Chiefs inactives: TBA
Bills inactives: TBA
Kate Magdziuk
Now *that* is how you do it.
Higgins has now scored a touchdown in three of Joe Flacco’s four starts with the Bengals. He and teammate Ja’Marr Chase both have three receptions for 63 receiving yards so far, with just under a minute to go in the first half.
Criss Partee
Kate Magdziuk
Have a day, Drake!
Falcons wide receiver Drake London was set up for his second touchdown of the day from Michael Penix Jr., thanks to a strip-sack fumble against Drake Maye from first-round rookie Jalon Walker, recovered by James Pearce Jr., and returned for 21 yards.
Falcons cut the lead to seven points with a successful extra point attempt from Parker Romo following the two-yard touchdown pass to London.
It officially marks the second time in London’s career with multiple receiving touchdowns, with just over two quarters of football remaining.
London has now caught six of Penix’s 10 career passing touchdowns.
Criss Partee
The San Francisco 49ers lead the New York Giants 17-7 at the half. Niners quarterback Mac Jones was a perfect 14 of 14 for 143 yards passing and two touchdowns in the first half.
Criss Partee
Los Angeles Chargers left tackle Joe Alt was carted off the field after having his legs rolled up on. Alt missed time earlier this season with an ankle injury.
Criss Partee
New York’s defense comes up big on this play as Brian Burns forces the ball out of Mac Jones’ hand and Abdul Carter snags it for the recovery. This was recorded as a fumble and recovery for the Giants, not an interception.
Kate Magdziuk
Defense has been a big point of contention for the Steelers as of late, struggling under defensive head coach Mike Tomlin and DC Teryl Austin.
But Pittsburgh has given fans a little hope in Week 9.
Linebacker Payton Wilson came up with an interception from Colts quarterback Daniel Jones — just his fourth of the season. That turnover was Indy’s third of the day, having entered the game with just four turnovers total through the first eight weeks of the season.
That pick and 17-yard return set the Steelers up in the red zone, where Aaron Rodgers found Pat Freiermuth down the middle for a 12-yard score. With the extra point from Chris Boswell, the Steelers take a 14-7 lead over the Colts with just under four minutes left in the half.
Criss Partee
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix finds wide receiver Courtland Sutton on a 30-yard pass down the sideline for the touchdown.
Kate Magdziuk
In the first quarter, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has come out to have an efficient start in Week 9, completing nine of 12 pass attempts for 112 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
The Vikings have now scored on each of their first three possessions, including a 10-yard touchdown to star receiver Justin Jefferson, a seven-yard touchdown to T.J. Hockenson and a 50-yard field goal from Will Reichard.
The run game has been a strong complement to McCarthy’s passing efforts so far, as running back Aaron Jones leads the backfield with six carries and 63 rushing yards, including a long of 31.
With under five minutes to go in the first half, the Vikings hold a three-point lead over the Lions.
Criss Partee
The Chargers take the lead on this Justin Herbert pass to wide receiver Quentin Johnston for a touchdown.
Kate Magdziuk
The Indianapolis Colts have been safe with the ball so far in 2025, tied for the second fewest turnovers in the league. But when T.J. Watt is involved in any pass rush, you can take nothing for granted.
Watt comes up with the strip-sack fumble, followed by a facemask penalty on the Colts to set Pittsburgh up in Colts’ territory.
Criss Partee
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud left the game against Denver after taking a legal hit but subsequently smacking his head against the turf and being slow to get up. He did walk off the field under his own power but is being evaluated for a concussion. Backup quarterback Davis Mills has replaced Stroud.
Kate Magdziuk
The Green Bay Packers got a spark back in the offense last week as wide receiver Christian Watson made his return from a torn ACL that ended his 2024 season. Watson reminded everyone why his big-play ability can be a game-changer on Sunday, hauling in this 51-yarder from QB Jordan Love.
Criss Partee
Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Chimere Dike takes it to the house on this 67-yard punt return against the Chargers.
Criss Partee
Houston Texans safety Calen Bullock picks off Broncos’ Bo Nix. It’s a defensive battle in Houston thus far as the Texans lead, 3-0.