The Buffalo Bills moved to 7-1 on Monday with a 23-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, joining the San Francisco 49ers at the top of the NFL standings as the regular season reached its halfway point. The Bills defense limited Minnesota quarterback Carson Wentz to eight completions on 25 attempts before he was benched in the fourth quarter. The Vikings dropped to 6-2 and fell from first to third in the NFC North, where all four teams now have at least six wins.
The Denver Broncos set a new NFL record on Sunday by extending their streak of regular-season wins in one-score games to 16 consecutive victories. Denver scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and sacked Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young in the final minutes to secure a 26-21 road win. The victory was the Broncos' fifth straight and moved them to 7-2 atop the AFC West heading into their bye week.
The Cincinnati Bengals improved to 6-2 with a 34-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium in the seventh of nine international games this season. Quarterback Joe Burrow completed 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards and was involved in four touchdowns, while wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase recorded a season-high 155 receiving yards. The Bengals scored more than 30 points for a fourth consecutive game, tying a team record, and moved into a tie atop the AFC North with the Pittsburgh Steelers at 6-2.
The Chicago Bears also reached 7-2 after Cairo Santos made a 38-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-24. The victory was Chicago's fourth straight win and moved them into second place in the NFC North. The 49ers, who defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 38-17, remain 7-1.