The 2021 NFL regular season is officially past the halfway mark, and the greatest sporting soap opera served up some tantalising storylines this week as underdogs came out on top. The Green Bay Packers - without unvaccinated quarterback Aaron Rodgers after he tested positive for Covid - lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Jacksonville Jaguars surprised the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams fell to the Derrick Henry-less Tennessee Titans.

No Rodgers, lots of problems for Packers in loss to Chiefs

There was a lot to unpack before, during, and after the Green Bay Packers’ 13-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Packers struggled without the unvaccinated MVP, but their offensive output in Jordan Love’s first start was remarkably comparable to Patrick Mahomes, whose struggles in 2021 continued.

Kansas City Chiefs ensured they fired shots at Green Bay's absent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who lied about his vaccinated status earlier this year
Kansas City Chiefs ensured they fired shots at Green Bay's absent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who lied about his vaccinated status earlier this year

Let’s start with the Packers. I don’t want to go into Rodgers’ inexplicable-yet-somehow-painfully-captivating interview in which he spouted baseless claim after baseless claim, but the immunised quarterback proved to be exactly not that as he caught Covid and was ruled out of a mouth-watering clash with Mahomes. Football is all about ‘next man up’ - so could Love deliver?

The 2020 first-round pick looked uncomfortable and particularly nervous against the Chiefs, missing a number of throws throughout the night. It was understandably daunting for Love as it is remarkable how little football the 23-year-old has played since he was drafted 18 months ago: his first preseason was cancelled due to Covid, and he was usurped by Tim Boyle as the backup, so Love was inactive for every game the Packers played last season.

Love, with the unwanted honour of being the only first-round quarterback to not take a single snap in their rookie campaign, struggled against a Chiefs defence that has been ridiculed on a near-weekly basis since the 2021 season kicked off. He failed to identify the blitz, particularly on crucial third downs - he went two-of-12 on such attempts after starting zero-of-nine - and finished 19-of-34 for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Jordan Love (no.10) was constantly hurried by the Chiefs defence in a debut to forget
Jordan Love (no.10) was constantly hurried by the Chiefs defence in a debut to forget

The young quarterback was not helped by coach Matt LaFleur, who abandoned the run game rather early at times, and he failed to establish a connection with star wideout Davante Adams, who hauled in six catches for 42 yards. He was in danger of becoming the first quarterback to get shutout in his first start since Johnny Manziel in Week 15 of the 2014 season against what is a poor defensive unit.

It’s perhaps worrying for the Chiefs that their offence appeared as out-of-sync as the defence. Mahomes constantly looked to be the hero by overlooking easy gains in favour of hitting a deep pass that never came, going zero-for-five on such plays. The Chiefs offence generated just 237 total yards, averaging 3.8 yards per play - a horrible stat for a unit led by the former MVP.

Mahomes had an inefficient night, completing just 20 of 37 passes for 166 yards and one TD while earning 4.5 yards per attempt. After scoring a touchdown on the opening drive, the Chiefs scored just two field goals, earned eight additional first downs and went three-and-out on four occasions. Throughout this season, the Chiefs were criticised for turning the ball over on offence but now they can’t seem to move the sticks. They can thank Love and the Packers for going 5-4 - and with five division games remaining, a sixth-straight AFC West title is certainly on the table.

Patrick Mahomes just about led his Chiefs team to a win against the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers
Patrick Mahomes just about led his Chiefs team to a win against the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers

The Packers had a legitimate shot to win this game thanks to another dismal offensive performance by the struggling Chiefs, but Green Bay was shut out until there were five minutes remaining and ultimately lost. Sure, Love wasn’t helped by an incredibly ordinary special teams outing - two missed field goals hurt in a six-point game - but it is not unfair to believe Rodgers would have won this game for Green Bay.

Hopefully renowned medical specialist Joe Rogan will be able to mend Rodgers in time for the Packers’ clash with the Seattle Seahawks next week.

Jaguars defeat Bills to win the Josh Allen Bowl

On Sunday, we saw something extraordinary. Extraordinary moments are common in the NFL, but Week Nine gave us something we never knew we needed: the Josh Allen Bowl.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen faced Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Josh Allen to secure just the second matchup between a quarterback and a defensive player with the same name since the AFL and NFL merged in 1970. However, what went from an amusing undertone became the dominant narrative in perhaps the strangest game of football this season.

Jacksonville's Josh Allen (no.41) sacked, intercepted, and recovered a fumble against Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen
Jacksonville's Josh Allen (no.41) sacked, intercepted, and recovered a fumble against Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen

Jackonville’s Allen saved the best game of his career against his namesake, snatching the first interception of his career as well as his first fumble recovery to help the heavily unflavoured Jaguars somehow defeat the Bills 9-6. He registered a sack to complete the trifecta and finished with a career-high in tackles, four of which were on Josh Allen. Still with me? This is what the poor announcing team had to deal with in Florida after Allen was picked by Allen:

“Pressure coming again, Josh in trouble … gets rid of it, fires it down the middle, picked off, intercepted by Josh Allen. Josh Allen of the Bills is picked off by Josh Allen of the Jaguars. Josh Allen of the Bills threw a horrible pass, under pressure again, and Josh Allen of the Jaguars was sitting there waiting for it.”

It was truly unbelievable to witness. Josh Allen of the Jaguars was the winner of the inaugural Josh Allen Bowl, tallying a team-best eight tackles, two tackles for loss, an interception and fumble recovery. The former number seven overall pick highlighted his underrated quality and disrupted the Pro Bowl quarterback of the same name to no end. Josh Allen will be having nightmares about Josh Allen.

The match was an exceptional performance from Allen’s Jaguars who, despite having the NFL’s worst defence according to DVOA (defence-adjusted value over average), kept the league’s leading offence - averaging 32.7 points per contest when they rolled into Jacksonville - out of the end zone entirely. Against the Bills, the Jaguars had three takeaways, more than their season total from weeks one through eight. They were the first team in the Super Bowl era to have fewer than three takeaways in the first seven games of a season, but Josh Allen ensured they put the record straight on Sunday.

Are the Buffalo Bills Super Bowl contenders after their loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars? Let us know in the comments section.

Josh Allen struggled under pressure, but this was a day and a win the Jaguars and Josh Allen should savour.

Tennessee's defensive titans shock big-swinging Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Rams went all-in at the NFL trade deadline, placing their remaining chips on Denver Broncos legend Von Miller - but as Tennessee proved on prime time and without injured star Derrick Henry, there are plenty of hands yet to be dealt in this unpredictable campaign.

Miller is the latest star to be cast in a role supporting leading man Aaron Donald on the blockbuster Rams defence, but tonight was not his opening night as the former Super Bowl MVP recovers from an ankle issue. In fact, the Titans defence stepped up and overshadowed their glitzy opponents.

Jeffery Simmons sacked Matthew Stafford three times in the first half as the Titans stunned the Rams in Los Angeles
Jeffery Simmons sacked Matthew Stafford three times in the first half as the Titans stunned the Rams in Los Angeles

Jeffery Simmons - with three sacks in the first half - led a unit including Harold Landry, Denico Autry and Kevin Byard that set the tone early against an explosive Rams offence. They held Sean McVay’s side to a season-low 16 points as the defensive line bullied the Rams offensive line to pressure quarterback Matthew Stafford on a remarkable 28.3% of drop backs.

The physicality of the Titans helped them sack Stafford four times in the first half without even blitzing, and their unbelievable performance ensured the absence of MVP candidate Henry was barely felt. The offence managed just 195 yards on what should have been a dismal evening but for the defence, with ancient replacement Adrian Peterson registering 21 yards and a touchdown from 10 carries - but the Titans scored on all three of their red zone trips to win 28-16.

With pressure from all angles, Stafford threw picks on successive passes in the first half and it was an evening to forget for the Rams, even if Cooper Kupp became the first receiver to break 1,000 yards this season and the second player in NFL history - along with Jerry Rice - to accomplish such a feat along with 10 receiving touchdowns in his team’s first nine games.

Monday night showed that Tennessee can win without their poster boy by holding the ball and dominating on defence. They better not let such a secret out, especially with the league on notice as the Titans sit atop the AFC.