The two biggest upsets of the 2025 NFL season happened simultaneously on Sunday, upending the NFC North in the process.
The Panthers were 13-point underdogs, but they beat the Packers 16-13 in Green Bay. That was the biggest upset of this NFL season.
At the same time that the Panthers were pulling off their upset, the 9.5-point underdog Vikings were beating the Lions in Detroit. That was the second-biggest upset of this NFL season. Prior to Sunday, teams favored by more than nine points were 11-0 straight up.
The Packers and Lions are the top two teams in the NFC North, and both of them losing, with the Lions losing to an NFC North rival and the Bears also winning, turned the NFC North into the NFL’s most competitive division. The Packers are now in first place at 5-2-1, the Lions are in second at 5-3, owning the head-to-head tiebreaker over the 5-3 Bears, and a game ahead of the 4-4 Vikings.
What once looked like a two-team race between the Packers and Lions now looks like a four-team race, thanks to two major upsets.
Lions Clips
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy made his first start since Week 2 on Sunday and the result was the one the team wanted to see.
McCarthy threw a pair of touchdowns and sealed the 27-24 win with a 16-yard pass to wide receiver Jalen Nailor on a late third down, but he wasn’t totally satisfied with his play in his return from an ankle injury. McCarthy finished 14-of-25 for 143 yards and also threw an interception, which is why his postgame comments focused on a desire to be even better in the coming weeks.
“I’m happy that we got the win, but I’m not proud, to be honest with you,” McCarthy said, via the team’s website. “There’s a lot of meat on the bone, and I feel like I could have played a lot better. But coming into this environment and controlling my emotions, controlling kind of my temperament going into it — I was proud of that.”
Thanks to the ankle injury and 2024’s knee surgery, Sunday’s game was just McCarthy’s third start since being drafted in the first round last year. That makes ebbs and flows in his game inevitable, and there was enough good in a road win to make the Vikings feel good about where things can go for the quarterback from here.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said his team looked unprepared in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings despite having an extra week to get ready coming off their bye, and he puts the blame for that on himself.
“We did everything we needed to do to lose that game. We made every critical error to lose it,” Campbell said. “When you did not play well in all phases that falls on the head coach. That’s me. I did not have them ready after the bye. We made too many critical errors.”
Campbell said he never expected to see his team play the way it did in the 27-24 loss to Minnesota.
“I thought we would play well, I really did. I thought we would play well. and ultimately it’s probably one of the worst games we’ve played in a long time, so it was just the opposite of that. We looked rusty, we looked out of sync,” Campbell said. “That’s evident, that I didn’t have them ready, and gotta do a better job. A much better job.”
The Lions are now 5-3 and have already lost more games than they did all of last season, but Campbell expressed confidence that they can get things turned around.
“I’ve got to clean some stuff up, and we will,” Campbell said. “I will.”
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn did not have much of an update on quarterback Jayden Daniels in his postgame press conference after Washington fell to Seattle, 38-14, on Sunday night.
Daniels departed the game midway through the fourth quarter after injuring his elbow when attempting to scramble on second-and-goal.
“The update on him is he does have a left elbow injury,” Quinn said in his postgame press conference. “I’ll update you know when I know more. But that’s what I know tonight.”
With Daniels departing the field with his left arm in an air cast from wrist to well above his elbow, the quarterback will likely be out for an extended period.
Quinn was asked if the team had given thought to not playing Daniels in that situation with a blowout midway through the fourth quarter. Quinn pointed to hindsight, but also noted that the play call where Daniels was hurt was not designed for him to extend the play.
“Obviously, I’m just gutted by it, just bummed,” Quinn said. “The one he was injured on is usually a run or a throw to the flat — it’s not a scramble. So, it wasn’t a designed read or play into that spot. If we run it 50 times, it’s either hand off or a throw 50 times.
“So, it’s a bummer, man — in a big way.”
While Daniels was able to start all 17 games as a rookie, this is already his third injury suffered this season that will cause him to miss time. Quinn was asked if the Commanders, as an organization, have to do anything different when it comes to keeping him available to play.
“I think the answer to that is we will give him the support to do that,” Quinn said. “I am certain of that — to make sure we do that in every single way. That’s calls, offense, defense — the whole way through, man. I absolutely feel that way. The hamstring injury and tonight with an elbow — yeah, it’s really important we get that part right. And we will.”
In six starts this year, Daniels has completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 1,184 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also rushed for 262 yards with two TDs.
Lions left guard Christian Mahogany injured his knee late in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings.
He was on crutches in the locker room after the game, and coach Dan Campbell delivered a good news/bad news update on Mahogany’s injury.
Mahogany will miss significant time, but the injury is not season-ending. He could return in late December.
“Mahogany is going to be out for a while,” Campbell said. “Long time, probably.”
Mahogany had started all eight games.
The Vikings started today’s game in Detroit with Myles Price’s 61-yard return of the opening kickoff. Late in the game, the Vikings blocked a field goal and returned it 41 yards. In between, the Vikings’ relentless pass rush pressured Lions quarterback Jared Goff all day.
It all added up to a big upset in Detroit, with the Vikings beating the Lions, 27-24.
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy returned from the ankle injury that has kept him out for most of the season, and he threw two first-quarter touchdown passes, but after that the Lions’ defense kept him in check. McCarthy finnished 14-for-25 for 143 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. McCarthy’s best play may have been his last, a 16-yard pass on third-and-5 that allowed the Vikings to run out the clock.
Goff completed 25 of 37 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns, but he was sacked five times. The Lions’ running backs struggled, with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combining for 65 yards on 20 carries.
Today’s results make the NFC North much more competitive: The Vikings improve to 4-4 with the win and the Lions fall to 5-3 with the loss. Combine it with the Packers losing to fall to 5-2-1, and it may be the most competitive division in football over the second half of the season.
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is back from the ankle injury that has sidelined him for most of this season, and he’s looking good in Detroit.
McCarthy has thrown two touchdown passes as the Vikings took a 17-14 lead over the Lions at halftime.
Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson each caught a touchdown from McCarthy and the Vikings also got a 50-yard field goal from Will Reichard.
The Vikings’ pass rush has been relentless at getting to Lions quarterback Jared Goff, and that has caused the Lions’ offense to stall at times. If McCarthy and the Vikings’ defense can play this way for another 30 minutes, an upset could be coming in Detroit.
Lions coach Dan Campbell is the best in the business at knowing when to go for it on fourth down, and he did it again on the opening drive today.
With the Lions facing fourth-and-4 at the Vikings’ 40-yard line on the first drive of the game, Campbell kept his offense on the field. The result was Jared Goff hitting Sam LaPorta for a 40-yard touchdown.
LaPorta was great on the opening possession, catching all three passes thrown to him for 66 yards. Campbell praised LaPorta this week for growing as a blocker, but so far today it’s been his work as a receiver that’s moving the Lions’ offense down the field.
But the Lions’ 7-0 lead didn’t last long: Myles Price returned the ensuing kickoff 61 yards for the Vikings, and with a short field the Vikings had a short drive that ended with J.J. McCarthy hitting Justin Jefferson for a 10-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7-7.
Word on Saturday was that Joe Flacco was on track to start at quarterback for the Bengals in Sunday’s home game against the Bears and official word of his status came on Sunday morning.
Flacco is active despite the right shoulder injury that caused him to miss Wednesday’s practice and limited him the rest of the week. Flacco was hurt on a sack in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s loss to the Jets, but he did not miss any offensive plays.
The Bengals will be without defensive end Trey Hendrickson for the second time in three games. Hendrickson is inactive after being listed as doubtful to play due to a hip injury.
Bears at Bengals
Bears: RB D’Andre Swift, QB Case Keenum, LB Ruben Hyppolite, WR Luther Burden, RB Roschon Johnson, DL Dominique Robinson
Bengals: CB Marco Wilson, LB Logan Wilson, OL Dalton Risner, WR Jermaine Burton, TE Cam Grandy, DE Trey Hendrickson, QB Sean Clifford
Falcons at Patriots
Falcons: CB Billy Bowman, RB Nathan Carter, OL Michael Jerrell, WR Casey Washington, DL Ta’Quon Graham, DL Zach Harrison
Patriots: LB Caleb Murphy, DT Eric Gregory, G Caedan Wallace, S John Saunders, QB Tommy DeVito, RB Rhamondre Stevenson
Chargers at Titans
Chargers: S Tony Jefferson, CB Tarheeb Still, LB Kyle Kennard, G Mekhi Becton, T Austin Deculus, TE Will Dissly
Titans: WR Calvin Ridley, DT Jeffery Simmons, LB Arden Key, OL Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, WR Bryce Oliver, S Xavier Woods, OL Drew Moss
Colts at Steelers
Colts: DE Samson Ekubam, RB DJ Giddens, WR Anthony Gould, DE Tyquan Lewis, S Reuben Lowery, TE Will Mallory, T Luke Tenuta
Steelers: WR Scotty Miller, S Chuck Clark, LB Cole Holcomb, S Jabrill Peppers, OL Andrus Peat, DL Logan Lee
49ers at Giants
49ers: QB Brock Purdy, RB Jordan James, WR Ricky Pearsall, C Jake Brendel, DE Bryce Huff, DL CJ West, S Marques Sigle
Giants: S Jevón Holland, CB Paulson Adebo, CB Cor’Dale Flott, DL Chauncey Golston, T Jermaine Eluemunor, TE Daniel Bellinger, QB Jameis Winston
Broncos at Texans
Broncos: CB Pat Surtain, TE Nate Adkins, WR Marvin Mims, S P.J. Locke, DL Sai’vion Jones, DL Jordan Jackson, RB Jaleel McLaughlin
Texans: QB Graham Mertz, RB Dameon Pierce, T Jarrett Kingston, T Trent Brown, DE Dylan Horton
Vikings at Lions
Vikings: FB CJ Ham, T Walter Rouse, TE Josh Oliver, TE Ben Sims, DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, LB Austin Keys, CB Jeff Okudah
Lions: RB Craig Reynolds, DT Quinton Jefferson, DT Mekhi Wingo, S Erick Hallett, S Kerby Joseph, S Jammie Robinson
Panthers at Packers
Panthers: LB Princely Umanmielen, WR Hunter Renfrow, QB Mike White, C Cade Mays, TE James Mitchell, DT Cam Jackson
Packers: WR Dontayvion Wicks, K Lucas Havrisik, OL Jacob Monk, OL Donovan Jennings, DL Lukas Van Ness, DL Warren Brinson
Lions fans who show up for Sunday’s home game against the Vikings may be feeling a little conflicted.
The visiting team’s quarterback is the former quarterback of the other home team. The one that won a National Championship two years ago. The one that, in the last time McCarthy played a football game in Michigan, saw the Wolverines beat their mortal enemies from Ohio, 30-24.
That day, McCarthy completed 16 of 20 passes for 148 yards. In his only regular-season NFL victory since then, McCarthy completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards in a Week 1 thriller at Chicago.
Six days later, McCarthy suffered a high ankle sprain in a Sunday night loss to the Falcons. He hasn’t played since. He’s back for Sunday’s game, and the stakes are fairly high for McCarthy.
Above all else, he needs to stay healthy. While injuries are, at times, a matter of luck, quarterbacks need to know how to avoid hits. It’s a skill. For those who have it, it’s never noticed. For those who don’t, it becomes obvious.
Beyond avoiding another injury, McCarthy needs to avoid another disaster. He can’t play like he did during the first three quarters of the Bears game; if he does, the Lions won’t let the Vikings hang around long enough to stage a late comeback.
Hovering over the situation is the short- and long-term future of the quarterback position in Minnesota. They let Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones leave in free agency. This year, their teams are a combined 12-3. They said “no, thanks” to Aaron Rodgers, who has held up his end of the bargain in Pittsburgh (even if the defense has not).
A disaster on Sunday would have ramifications. A multi-week injury could prompt the Vikings to break glass on the Kirk Cousins option for the rest of the season. A poor outing could prompt the front office to scour all options at the quarterback position for 2026. At some point this year, they may decide to see what undrafted rookie Max Brosmer can do.
So, yes, there’s a lot riding on this one. Win in Michigan, and multiple questions will be answered positively for McCarthy. Lose, and those questions could prompt an immediate search for answers elsewhere.
