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It wasn’t a very merry National Tight Ends Day for the NFL’s two best tight ends of the past decade, George Kittle and Travis Kelce. Both All-Pro tight ends, who are co-founders of Tight End University along with Greg Olsen, did not score a touchdown on the holiday and saw their teams lose for the first time this season. Now the Vikings are the only undefeated team thanks to another historic day of Brian Flores blitzes.
From the 49ers’ and Chiefs’ losses to the Seahawks and Rams rebounding and an unheralded group of tight ends cashing into the end zone, here are this week’s winners and losers.
On a night when the NFL’s leading rusher, Kenneth Walker III, returned to Seattle to face his former team, it was the Seahawks’ rushing attack that shined. Entering Sunday, Walker had rushed for an NFL-leading 665 yards while helping his new team, the Chiefs, begin the year undefeated at 5–0. They were set to face a Seahawks squad that began a disappointing 3–3 and were one of the league’s worst rushing teams, ranking 30th in EPA per rush.
The Seahawks got the better of Walker, with their exceptional defense holding him to 36 yards on 14 carries, an average of 2.6 yards per carry. Meanwhile, even with Zach Charbonnet still sidelined as he returns from a torn ACL, the Seahawks ran the ball well against the Chiefs. They rushed for a total of 153 yards, with Emanuel Wilson leading the team with 100 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in the 20–3 win.
While Kirk Cousins has played well overall for the Raiders, time is ticking on his job as the Raiders’ starting quarterback. After Las Vegas lost their fourth consecutive game on Sunday, coach Klint Kubiak would not commit to Cousins as his starting quarterback going forward.
“I think at this point, we’re thinking about everything,” Kubiak said of potentially moving to rookie Fernando Mendoza.
“If I’m not the best option, then I don’t wanna be out there either,” Cousins said of a possible quarterback change. “I want the football team to have the best chance to win games. … The organization will do what they feel it is best. I feel that Fernando has done a great job and has a bright future ahead. I’m going to try to go out there and play as well as I possibly can and help us win and give him a great example to learn from until he does go out there eventually.”
Raiders QB Kirk Cousins on eventually ceding his position as starter to Fernando Mendoza, following the team’s 4th straight loss.
— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) October 26, 2026
🎥: By @Sean_Zittel pic.twitter.com/SS0xYItSIg
With the Raiders slated to face the Jets next week, it could be an opportune moment for Mendoza to make his first start.
Tee Higgins was the Bengals’ most dominant receiver in their 35–13 win over the Ravens, catching six passes for 148 yards and a touchdown. While Ja’Marr Chase was unable to extend his streak of four consecutive 100-yard receiving games against the Ravens, he was impactful in the game, recording five receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps his most important play of the day was his fiery halftime speech to the team after the Bengals were held scoreless in the first half. The team responded by scoring five touchdowns in the second half en route to a blowout win over their division rival.
“Ja’Marr’s speech in here really fired us up,” tackle Amarius Mims told reporters. “I saw it in his eyes, we were not gonna leave here without a win. I’ve always said, when [No. 1] talks, when he gets that fire in him, everybody needs to shut up and listen. … That was definitely a speech I don’t mind him giving every week.”
Ja'Marr Chase delivered a halftime speech, and the Bengals delivered an unforgettable second half in Baltimore.
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) October 25, 2026
"I've always said, when (No.) 1 talks, everybody needs to shut up and listen."
Amarius Mims via @GSorrentinoTV in Baltimore. pic.twitter.com/SHvkh6LBER
In contrast to Chase, whatever the Ravens are saying during halftime is not working. After coming back in overtime to beat the Falcons on Sunday Night Football two weeks ago, the Ravens have been held scoreless in the second half of losses to the Browns and Bengals. The Ravens went into halftime in both games with a shutout.
Their offense has also gone cold in their Week 2 loss to the Saints and their Week 4 win against the Titans. They managed only a field goal against New Orleans and did not score any points vs. Tennessee as star quarterback Lamar Jackson exited the game with an injury. As a result, the Ravens rank first in the NFL in first-half point differential (+65) and last in the league in second-half point differential (-70), per The Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia. Perhaps the Ravens’ second-half woes will improve with the return of Jackson from an ankle injury, but for now, these showings are costing them.
A week after the Giants’ running backs rushed for just 34 yards in a loss to the Saints and John Harbaugh called for one of his backs to “step up,” three different backs stepped up for the Giants. Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary helped New York record 188 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in a 27–21 overtime win over the Texans.
Singletary rushed for the Giants’ 30-yard game-winning touchdown in overtime, but Skattebo was the story of the day from the New York backfield. A week after he did not receive a single carry following his overtime fumble in the tie against the Commanders, he rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown in the win. This time, he didn’t fumble when the game went into overtime. Rather, he had a 42-yard rush that set up the game-winning score from Singletary.
After Singletary ran in the winning score, all three backs celebrated the victory together.
The #Giants RB room share a moment together after today's win.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 25, 2026
This is a special bond.pic.twitter.com/dxXFIG1cVl https://t.co/sKz33PoNhZ
The 49ers were sloppy in all three phases in their first loss of the season. They committed four turnovers on offense and gave up a couple big returns on special teams. The most disappointing part of the loss, however, was the 49ers’ defense. This game marked 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’s return to the Falcons, where he served as head coach the previous two seasons. Instead of executing a revenge win, Morris’s unit turned in their worst game of the season. After the pass rush recorded nine sacks over the past two games, the 49ers’ rush failed to pressure Michael Penix Jr. even once in the first half, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. The defense also committed numerous sloppy penalties—including an offsides on fourth-and-4—allowing Atlanta to continue driving.
It was one thing for the 49ers to lose to the Falcons while missing their top receivers and Christian McCaffrey missing time with a leg injury, it’s another for them to do so because of self-inflicted mistakes.
This year’s National Tight Ends Day was far from the most prolific edition of the holiday. Its founder, George Kittle, was held without a touchdown, as well as a number of other star tight ends, including Brock Bowers, Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta and Isaiah Likely. While stars at the position such as Trey McBride, Tucker Kraft and Kyle Pitts Sr. did get in the end zone, several lesser-known tight ends starred on the holiday. This includes the Rams’ Davis Allen, Bengals’ Drew Sample and Mike Gesicki, Jets’ Mason Taylor, Panthers’ Darren Waller and Falcons’ Nick Muse.
The best tight end touchdown of the day belongs to the Steelers’ Darnell Washington. The 6’7” tight end hauled in a four-yard contested catch, helping Pittsburgh take down the Saints.
This is the passing version of handing the ball off to Fridge Perry at the goal line pic.twitter.com/3GxnQUlomI
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) October 25, 2026
The Saints’ rushing attack has been dismal, yet it managed to reach a new low in a loss to the Steelers in Paris: Quarterback Tyler Shough led New Orleans in rushing with three carries for seven yards. Seven yards. Their two backs, Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller, averaged 0.8 yards per carry, rushing for 11 yards on 14 carries. The Saints are desperately missing free agent addition Travis Etienne Jr., who is on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury. The Saints have been unable to find any balance offensively, and it’s a key reason they’re 2–5 to start the season.
It took seven weeks, but Jeff Hafley has earned the first win of his NFL head coaching career. After an 0–5 start, Hafley’s Dolphins took down the Jets, 28–25. The Dolphins are a rebuilding squad but are still playing hard behind their coach. They also executed well in a number of spots on Sunday, converting all three red zone trips into touchdowns and all three fourth down attempts, committing five penalties for only 26 yards, avoiding turnovers and controlling the clock as they rushed for 153 yards.
“I wanted them to feel this,” Hafley said after the game. “All the hard work, all the things we’ve been asking them to do since OTAs. The important thing for me was for them to feel this moment. … That’s one I know we’ll all remember as we build this thing, that feeling that we just had in the locker room. I just wanted it so badly for them because they deserve it.”
While the Dolphins’ win over the Jets was a nice moment for Hafley, the same cannot be said for Aaron Glenn, whose seat will only be hotter after another loss, particularly one to a winless team at home. Glenn remains winless against divisional opponents, dropping to 0–8 in AFC East matchups.
In particular, Glenn has whiffed in the final two minutes of the first half. His Jets have been outscored a combined 107–6 in first halves. On Sunday, Dolphins’ quarterback Malik Willis scored a touchdown with six seconds remaining in the first half, helping Miami extend their lead to 21–7. On multiple occasions, Glenn hasn’t called timeouts to give the Jets a chance at getting the ball back before the half.
“Maybe we should’ve called our timeouts to get it back, but at that point, we just felt like we were going to stop them and be able to get the ball back,” Glenn said after the game. “That’s something we should’ve done is use our timeouts.”
" Maybe we should've called our timeouts to get it back, but at that point, we just felt like we were going to stop them and be able to get the ball back"
— SNY Jets (@snyjets) October 25, 2026
Aaron Glenn says the Jets should've used their timeouts at the end of the first half: pic.twitter.com/84J1TdQ6uz
Amid a slew of injuries and questions surrounding the Rams after a 2–4 start and a disappointing loss to the Cardinals, Sean McVay’s squad rebounded in big-time fashion against the Raiders. The Rams dominated the Raiders for much of the game, ultimately defeating them 35–21. They leaned into the run game, rushing for 199 yards while controlling time of possession in the game. Their defense, meanwhile, held the Raiders to 3-of-14 on third down, 2-of-5 on fourth down and 1-of-5 in the red zone. They now head into games against the Chargers, Commanders and Cardinals with renewed optimism about their ability to return to playoff contention.
The Panthers had a prime opportunity to build their lead in the NFC South while facing a 1–5 Buccaneers team. They failed miserably. Instead, Tampa Bay ran all over Carolina, rushing for 258 yards and three touchdowns. In his return from a thumb injury, Baker Mayfield had to attempt just 11 passes in his return because of the success of the run game and the defense. He completed just seven of those passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, yet the Buccaneers scored 43 points and won by 30.
“It’s a shock … because literally I’ve never been a part of a half of football like that,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “To experience it in all phases, a blocked kick, sack-fumble, interception, a dropped punt. And then on the defensive side, really just not getting off the field in different ways. Shoot, the moment just felt so crazy and so egregiously different than the ball that we’re used to playing.”
Bo Nix silenced the concerns surrounding his mobility on Sunday by rushing for a 62-yard touchdown in the Broncos’ win over the Cardinals. Heading into this game, Nix acknowledged that the fractured ankle he sustained in the playoffs last year was a “mental hurdle,” but dismissed the idea that he was still “scared” due to the injury. He also had not scrambled as much this season as in his first two years, another reason the Broncos’ offense hasn’t been as successful early on. He proved that was the case with his long rushing touchdown, which helped propel the Broncos to victory. According to Next Gen Stats, Nix reached 19.9 miles per hour on the touchdown run, the longest touchdown on a scramble since 2016.
Colts kicker Spencer Shrader had been perfect on field goals this season heading into Sunday’s game against the Vikings. That was until he entered the house of Will Reichard. Shrader had made all 18 of his field goal attempts and 12 of his 13 extra-point attempts before Sunday, but he missed two field goals in the 16–10 loss to the Vikings.
Overall, it was a rough day for kickers across the league. Reichard, also wasn’t perfect, missing his first field goal of the season and ending a streak of 36 consecutive field goals made. Outside of the Colts-Vikings contest, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker missed two field goal attempts, 49ers kicker Eddy Piñiero missed an extra point, Packers rookie Trey Smack missed two field goals of 35 yards or less and Giants kicker Dominic Zvada failed to make his two field goal attempts. Panthers kicker Ryan Fitzgerald even had his extra point attempt blocked and returned for a defensive two-point conversion.
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