A Look Back at Week 9 of the NFL

Cowboys Beat Eagles, Warner Has Huge Day, Colts & Saints Undefeated

Nov 9, 2009

Week 9 of the 2009 NFL season saw a rivalry play out on primetime TV, another "over-the-hill" QB have a career game, and two teams keep their perfect seasons intact.

The Philadelphia Eagles have a recent history of losses that can be directly attributed to not being able to convert on 4th-and-short situations. But it may have been their decision to kick a field goal on 4th-and-11 with less than five minutes left in their Sunday night game against that Dallas Cowboys that did them in this time. Trailing by seven and left without any timeouts after burning one and being denied on two challenges in the second half, the Eagles cut the lead to four after David Akers connected on a 52-yard FG. But they couldn't stop the Cowboys on 3rd-and-3 just before the two-minute warning and, worst of all, couldn't stop the clock as Dallas let it wind down to secure a 20-16 win that left them in sole possession of first place in the NFC East.

After falling behind early on a 2-yard TD run by Tashard Choice on the Cowboys' second possession of the game, the Eagles were able to slice into the lead with two field goals and entered halftime on the losing side of a 10-6 score. But on their first possession of the second half Philadelphia took control when Donovan McNabb found Brent Celek open in the back of the end zone on an 11-yard hookup. Rookie RB LeSean McCoy, filling in for the injured Brian Westbrook, helped put the Eagles in good shape to score with a 45-yard run during the sequence. McCoy rushed 13 times for 54 yards and caught five passes for a 61 yards, leading the team in both categories.

Dallas was able to tie the score early in the 4th, and jumped ahead when Tony Romo found his favourite target, Miles Austin, open along the left sideline and watched as the speedy receiver raced around the Philadelphia secondary for what would end up being a 45-yard TD reception. For Austin, who had racked up a record 482 receiving yards in his previous three games, the catch that eventually became the difference against the Cowboys' bitter rival was his only one of the game.

Warner Redeems Himself With Massive Outing Against Chicago

How do you follow a game that saw you throw five interceptions? Well, you throw five touchdowns, of course. After a disastrous game against the Carolina Panthers last week, Kurt Warner came alive against the Chicago Bears, tying a career-high with five TD passes (four in the first half) and no INTs as the Arizona Cardinals won their fourth straight road game, 41-21. Good for Warner, and bad for any fantasy owner who decided to sit him in favour of Matt Hasselbeck *gulp*. Last year's NFC champs now sit comfortably in first place in the NFC West at 5-3.

After the Bears matched an 11-yard TD reception by Larry Fitzgerald midway through the first quarter the Cardinals scored five times unanswered (three TDs and two FGs). Chicago never got any closer than 13 points the rest of the way and dropped to 4-4. They are tied for second place in the NFC North with the Green Bay Packers.

New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts Can't Be Beat

After Week 9 just two teams still have a zero in the loss column. But it wasn't easy on Sunday for the Saints or the Colts, now both 8-0.

The Saints, playing the lowly Panthers, fell behind by 14 after two rushing TDs by DeAngelo Williams in the first quarter. They actually entered halftime trailing 17-6. But you can't keep the NFL's #1 offense down for long.

A 10-yard TD run by Pierre Thomas and a 54-yard TD connection between Drew Brees and Robert Meachem, matched only by a FG by the Panthers, tied the score in the third quarter. Then the second most turnover-prone team in the league showed its true colours.

Trailing by just three with more than two minutes left, Williams fumbled the ball at Carolina's own 1-yard line and the Saints scooped up the loose ball and ran into the end zone for the score. The 30-20 margin would prove to be enough.

The Colts also shouldn't have had the trouble that they did with the Houston Texans. After Indianapolis had staked claim to a 13-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter, Houston scored three straight times (a FG and two TDs) and held a 17-13 advantage in the 4th. A two-yard TD run by Joseph Addai midway through the final quarter gave the lead back to the Colts and left the pressure on the Indianapolis defense to keep the perfect season just that.

Matt Schaub was able to move the Texans from their 15 to the Indianapolis 24 on eight passes and without any timeouts to leave kicker Kris Brown in a position to boot a 42-yard FG with one second remaining. But Brown, who had hit earlier from 56 yards and hadn't missed in three tries from 40+ yards this season, sailed the kick wide left.

Peyton Manning's 318 passing yards gave him his seventh 300-yard game of the year (a career-high). He also became the first QB to throw for 40,000 yards in a single decade.

Week 9's Best Performances (by position)

QB - Kurt Warner (Arizona Cardinals 41, Chicago Bears 21): 22/32, 261 yards, 5 TDs

RB - Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons 31, Washington Redskins 17): 18 carries, 166 yards, 2 TDs

WR - Mike Sims-Walker (Jacksonville Jaguars 24, Kansas City Chiefs 21): 6 catches, 147 yards, 1 TD

Defense - Cincinnati Bengals: recorded four sacks and two INTs, and held the Baltimore Ravens to 215 total yards (160 passing; 55 rushing) and just seven points in their 17-7 victory. The total yards, rushing yards and points totals were season-lows for the Ravens.

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