Burrow bails out the Bengals — again
The Cincinnati Bengals got out of their own way just in time. Their November 1 game against the Tennessee Titans was marred by turnovers, penalties and, for the second week in a row, an early 13-0 deficit. But Cincinnati survived the Titans 43-36 in overtime at Paycor Stadium. Quarterback Joe Burrow was the reason. He completed 38 of 48 passes for 462 yards and five touchdowns, then rushed for the game-winning score in overtime. The Bengals committed four turnovers and eight penalties, and had to overcome a career day from Titans quarterback Cam Ward, who threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns. Cincinnati’s defence closed the game with a stop on fourth-and-3, with Tennessee on its own 35-yard line. The win improved the Bengals to 5-2 ahead of their November 8 game against the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid, to be staged at the 80,000-plus capacity Santiago Bernabéu stadium. There was a milestone tucked into the comeback, too: Ja’Marr Chase’s 30-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter made him the fourth player in the Super Bowl era to reach 60 career touchdowns in his first 85 NFL games.
Jaguars humiliate the Colts
The Indianapolis Colts’ fourth straight loss was their worst yet: 42-7 to the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars. Daniel Jones went 19-of-28 for 144 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions — one returned for a Jaguars touchdown — before Anthony Richardson made his season debut in the fourth quarter, going 2-of-2 for 8 yards with 4 rushing yards. Jacksonville led by 35 points early in the third quarter. Trevor Lawrence passed for 210 yards and three touchdowns, and Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 104 yards, added 55 receiving yards and scored twice. Indianapolis, now 2-6, has not won in Jacksonville since 2014 and hosts the Dallas Cowboys on November 8.
Rams end the Chargers’ winless misery — by extending it
For the first time since the 2022 season, the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers met in a regular-season game, at SoFi Stadium. The Rams, 3-4 and searching for back-to-back wins, won 24-9 — leaving the Chargers still searching for their first victory of the 2026 campaign. The Rams sleepwalked through the first half, then took control after the break. Blake Corum capped a five-carry, 55-yard drive with a 23-yard touchdown run to make it 17-9, and after an interception, Matthew Stafford hit Puka Nacua on a quick screen for an 18-yard touchdown. The Rams then held the ball for nearly seven minutes, riding Kyren Williams, to close the game out.
Cardinals stun Dallas in overtime
The day’s most improbable result came in Dallas, where the injury-riddled Arizona Cardinals beat the Cowboys 33-30 in overtime in a game that took 3 hours and 36 minutes at AT&T Stadium. Head coach Mike LaFleur was almost at a loss for words afterwards — and with reason. His defence held a very good Cowboys offence to 261 yards and 3.6 yards per play, forced a three-and-out in overtime when a field goal would have won the game for Dallas, and allowed only two plays of 20 yards or more all day. The headlines belonged to quarterback Gardner Minshew II, running back Tyler Allgeier and wide receiver Michael Wilson, who played through two broken ribs and led a resurgent offence. But LaFleur’s point was about the other side of the ball: “Our defense kept us around and held a really good offense.”
Patriots edge Miami
In the day’s other divisional game, the New England Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins 24-19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, adding another win to a season in which the balance of the AFC East continues to shift.
| Bengals vs. Titans | Cincinnati 43, Tennessee 36 (OT). |
| Jaguars vs. Colts | Jacksonville 42, Indianapolis 7. |
| Rams vs. Chargers | Los Angeles Rams 24, Los Angeles Chargers 9. |
| Cardinals vs. Cowboys | Arizona 33, Dallas 30 (OT). |
| Patriots vs. Dolphins | New England 24, Miami 19. |
What to watch next
Next Sunday takes the league overseas, with the Bengals facing the Falcons at the Bernabéu in Madrid, while the Colts host the Cowboys trying to stop a five-game slide and the Chargers keep searching for a first win. Week 8’s lesson was simple: in this league, no lead is safe, no winless team can be overlooked — and no quarterback, on his day, is more dangerous than Joe Burrow with the game on the line.
Sources: Cincinnati Enquirer, November 1, 2026; Indianapolis Star, November 1, 2026; USA Today Rams Wire and Cardinals Wire, November 1-2, 2026.
