The drama of the NFL gets more and more intense every week. With the way things have gone this season, we could be seeing some of the best midseason drama in Week 9 that anyone could have possibly imagined when the schedule was released.
There are a handful of elite matchups on the docket for this weekend, including one game everyone has marked at the start of every season: Chiefs vs. Bills. The reigning NFL MVP, Josh Allen, will host the guy who looks like he's about to steal the award back for himself, Patrick Mahomes. We are also getting the potential return of another MVP candidate in Lamar Jackson, with the Steelers leaving the door open in the AFC North.
We're making all of our NFL picks and score predictions for every game on the Week 9 schedule, with some blowouts on the way, some games with major playoff implications, and teams trying to get back on track after tough Week 8 losses. The trade deadline looming in the on-deck circle adds even more intrigue. Let's dive in.
NFL Picks and Score Predictions for Every Week 9 Game
Teams on a bye: Browns, Jets, Eagles, Buccaneers
Baltimore Ravens (2-5) @ Miami Dolphins (2-6)
Thursday, October 30, 8:15 PM ET
Well, this matchup isn’t going to bring the excitement the NFL hoped it would when they put it in a primetime slot, is it? The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the league’s most shocking disappointments this season at 2-5, and even with Lamar Jackson, they’ve struggled to close games on both sides of the ball.
With that being said, Snoop Huntley helped get the ship going in the right direction again, and it might have been just in time. The Ravens got a win against the Bears, and there was some thought that Lamar could come back on Sunday, so will we see him play against the Dolphins on Thursday?
Maybe.
That’s where the intrigue is going to come from for the league in this one. Obviously, having Lamar Jackson return would be huge, but the Dolphins could also be playing their last game with the current players on the roster all in place. If the Dolphins can’t win this game against the Ravens, they’re going to be completely buried (they’re already buried, let’s be real), and perhaps some of the most obvious trade deadline “sellers” in the league.
The Ravens are opening as 7.5-point favorites on the road, so that tells you exactly what Vegas thinks about Jackson’s possible return. I think we’ll see the Dolphins give a good fight in this one, but if Lamar is back, I’m taking the Ravens.
Prediction: Ravens win 31-26
Chicago Bears (4-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)
Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET
I don’t know that you can be gifted a better chance at getting right than what we’ve seen from the Bengals the past two weeks.
They won a shootout against the Steelers in what was shockingly one of the most entertaining games of the season so far, and they followed it up with another nail-biter against the winless New York Jets. Unfortunately for the Bengals, they couldn’t find a way to close that one out, even though they were firmly in control in the second half.
Joe Flacco has been solid for them since coming over in the trade from the Browns, but losing against the Jets was a back-breaker for this Bengals team. They now have to bounce back against a Chicago Bears defense that has been tough this year, but can the Bears outscore the Bengals?
We’ve seen the Bears’ offense play pretty well at times this season, but for the past couple of weeks, it’s been tough sledding for Caleb Williams. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in a couple of weeks, and on top of it, he’s got a pair of interceptions and a pair of fumbles.
Vegas is expecting this to be a relatively high-scoring game with an initial over/under of 51.5 points, and the Bears are 2.5-point favorites on the road. If Joe Flacco takes care of the ball, I don’t know that Chicago has the offensive firepower to keep up. If Flacco is reckless with the ball, the Bears might be able to squeak out an ugly one.
Prediction: Bengals win 27-24
Minnesota Vikings (3-4) @ Detroit Lions (5-2)
Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET
Every week, there is at least one game on the schedule that just feels like a complete guarantee. When you look at every game on the slate for Week 9, this has got to be the most obvious shot to call from long distance.
The Detroit Lions are winning this game, sorry to break it to you this way Vikings fans.
We don’t have a crystal ball, but for this matchup, you don’t need one. The Lions are one of the best teams in the NFL and they’ve had an entire bye week to get ready for the matchup against their division rivals.
The talent discrepancy between the Vikings and Lions right now is more of a chasm than a crack. The Vikings have done so well under Kevin O’Connell, and you can never count out an NFL team on a given week, but do we really think the Carson Wentz-led Vikings are going to be able to beat the Detroit Lions?
Jared Goff has played some of the best football we’ve seen from him this season. The Lions have picked up steam since their disappointing Week 1 performance against the Packers. I would say it’s even a little bit shocking that Detroit is only an 8.5-point favorite at home this week.
With the additional time to get rested up for this game as well as prepare for attacking that Brian Flores defense, I don’t see any way this isn’t a foregone conclusion. But this is the NFL. Just when you think something is a foregone conclusion, the Vikings will come out of nowhere and blow the Lions out or something weird.
Prediction: Lions win 34-20
Carolina Panthers (4-4) @ Green Bay Packers (5-1-1)
Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET
After what we saw in Week 8, the Carolina Panthers desperately need Bryce Young back in the lineup. Even if he is in the lineup against the Green Bay Packers in Week 9, it might not matter.
Let’s talk for a second about the Andy Dalton experience for the Panthers in Week 8. It was the type of stuff you have nightmares about for weeks. It’s spooky season right now with Halloween on Friday, but you might not see anything scarier than Andy Dalton’s performance on Sunday.
From a long-tenured veteran and experienced player at the position, the game he played was simply unacceptable. It might be time for the Panthers to give him the old Cooper Rush treatment.
The idea of the Panthers coming into Green Bay and beating the Packers is already far-fetched, but at least Bryce Young being out there wold give them a fighting chance.
The Packers are one of the best and most well-rounded teams in the NFL right now. They got Christian Watson back this past week and he adds such a fun dynamic to their offense as a vertical threat. The real star of this Packers offense, however, is tight end Tucker Kraft. And NFL teams don’t really have answers for athletic options like that in the passing game.
Jordan Love is spreading the ball around really well, so Carolina is going to have to hope to get him off his game early and force a couple of turnovers. Even that might not be enough. At 12.5-point favorites, the Packers are not even the biggest favorites this week, believe it or not.
Prediction: Packers win 33-18
Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) @ Tennessee Titans (1-7)
Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET
Alright, I may have spoken too soon. We called the Detroit Lions over the Minnesota Vikings as the lock of the week, but this one might take the top spot if you’re in a survivor pool and haven’t taken the Chargers yet.
I will say, the one caveat here is the fact that West Coast teams traveling to the East Coast and playing in the early time slot (something I have mentioned a million times in these NFL picks and predictions posts) is a real issue for teams. That’s not to say the Chargers are guaranteed to lose, or anything, but it does perhaps increase the chance that something weird could happen.
The Titans are one of the worst rosters in the NFL, and as of right now, they could be set to move on from a variety of notable veterans who could be traded by November 4 (Roger McCreary was traded to the Rams as this post was being written). At some point, you figure that’s going to happen, so will it get worse before it gets better? Or will we see the Titans have a “last gasp” with the current group on the roster?
They are fresh off of getting whooped by the Colts this past weekend, and the Chargers put the Vikings in a blender. If Justin Herbert plays as well as we saw against the Vikings, the Chargers should easily win this game by two touchdowns. They are favored by 10.5 points on the road and I think they could easily win by 14 or more.
Prediction: Chargers win 34-17
Atlanta Falcons (3-4) @ New England Patriots (6-2)
Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET
As long as the Falcons don’t get out to an early 28-3 lead, you have to think they’ve got a good shot in this one.
The New England Patriots have been one of the most impressive teams in the league under the direction of new head coach Mike Vrabel, and the results we’re seeing on the field are not at all surprising. Drake Maye has taken the step into the NFL’s elite at the quarterback position, and what we saw against the Cleveland Browns this past week is that the Patriots have also bought themselves margin for error as a team.
Maye was sacked five times last week by Myles Garrett, alone, and the Patriots still won the game handily. This team is rolling, tied for the longest winning streak in the league at five straight games.
The Falcons, on the other hand, have been one of the hardest teams in the NFL to figure out up to this point. They played Kirk Cousins this past week because Michael Penix Jr. was out with a bone bruise.
And if Cousins was hopeful of that outing being an audition for a trade and starting gig elsewhere, it’s probably not going to happen after what we saw on Sunday. While the Falcons are tough to figure out, they’ve got the playmakers to hang with the Patriots if they’re right. But when they’re not? This team just gets blown away. They’re 5.5-point underdogs on the road against New England and I think the Patriots win by at least 6.
Prediction: Patriots win 28-21
San Francisco 49ers (5-3) @ New York Giants (2-6)
Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET
I’m just going to throw it out there one more time because it’s worth mentioning every time it comes up. West Coast teams going out to the East Coast and playing in the 1:00 PM ET time window is anything but a “gimme”.
The 49ers are the better team in this matchup, but weird stuff happens in games like this.
The really unfortunate aspect of this game is the number of injuries that have absolutely ravaged these two teams. I’ll bet if you put a hot mic on Kyle Shanahan and Brian Daboll before the game, you’d catch them having a conversation about just how brutal both of their injury luck has been this season.
The latest injury for the New York Giants was an absolutely disgusting dislocated ankle for rookie sensation Cam Skattebo, who had been one of the most exciting developments in the league so far this season. Skattebo was a legitimate contender for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year prior to that injury.
The 49ers have been in “next man up” mode all year long, to the point that I don’t even know who Mac Jones is throwing the ball to these days. Demarcus Robinson and Jake Tonges? Vegas is giving respect to the Giants despite all their injuries, making the 49ers just 2.5-point favorites on the road despite having a far better record.
I think Kyle Shanahan will have his guys prepared for this one.
Prediction: 49ers win 23-19
Indianapolis Colts (7-1) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET
Just a couple of weeks ago, it was really looking like the Pittsburgh Steelers had it “made”. At least, as far as you have have it “made” this early in the season.
Joe Burrow – out for the year. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens struggling, followed by Jackson going down with an injury of his own. The Browns doing what they usually do.
The Steelers were 4-1 with everything trending in their direction, but they’ve now blown it two games in a row and are still going to be looking over their shoulders. With the Ravens potentially getting Jackson back this week, and beating the Bears on Sunday, the Steelers will head into Sunday’s game against the Colts at least hearing footsteps.
And they have the brutal task of trying to slow down the hottest team in the NFL, the 7-1 Indianapolis Colts, who are like the NFL’s version of A Thousand Ways to Die. The Colts have one of the best collections of offensive weapons in the league, so many guys who can win individually as well as take advantage of the attention their teammates get.
Daniel Jones is playing a great “point guard” right now, and Shane Steichen is getting his guys prepared really well each week. Still, with their backs against the wall, you feel like the Steelers are going to play a tough game here and Vegas is expecting that as well. The Colts are just 3-point favorites in this one.
I’m almost inclined to pick an upset here because of the Steelers’ desperation. But if I were a betting man, I wouldn’t be putting money on it. I think the Colts will maybe have a little bit of trouble with the Steelers, but ultimately pull out a win.
Prediction: Colts win 30-28
Denver Broncos (6-2) @ Houston Texans (3-4)
Sunday, November 2, 1:00 PM ET
After starting the year 0-3, the Houston Texans have caught a little bit of fire and are now 3-4 with a Wild Card playoff spot in their sights.
CJ Stroud has played much better as of late, although the Texans have really not beaten the best teams in the NFL during this streak. With wins against the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens and the Titans prior to beating a very beat-up 49ers team, the Texans were just looking to get right, regardless of their opponent.
And there’s no denying that they have one of the best and most aggressive defenses in the NFL. That defense is going to be tested by a Denver Broncos offense that has miraculously scored 77 points in its last five quarters.
The Broncos finally put together a complete game in all phases with their 44-24 win on Sunday over the Dallas Cowboys, proving they could play great offense and great defense in the same afternoon. It was a welcomed sight for Broncos Country.
Heading into Week 9, this is one of the most underrated games on the schedule. The outcome of this one could have massive implications for both teams because the Texans obviously need to keep stacking wins, and the Broncos have beaten up on NFC teams. They have just three wins against AFC teams so far this season, and will need wins against teams like Houston down the stretch.
Vegas is liking this one as a possible nail-biter, which Broncos fans have gotten used to these days. They’re favored by just 1.5 points early in the week.
With two elite defenses, this one has the lowest over-under of the week as well at 39.5 points.
Prediction: Broncos win 23-20
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) @ Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)
Sunday, November 2, 4:05 PM ET
The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off of an embarrassing blowout across the pond in London at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. In that particular game, they gave Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ offense a whopping eight first downs via penalty.
Since the Jaguars beat the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football a couple of weeks ago, they’ve only mustered 19 points and have looked like a bottom-feeder. It’s been bad enough that there are even rumors of the Jaguars looking at the idea of trading Brian Thomas Jr.
Do you think rookie GM James Gladstone is wishing he had his 1st-round pick back?
This game looms pretty large for the Jaguars, who are taking on a Raiders team coming off its bye week, but also coming off of a horrendous loss in which they were allowing the Chiefs to kneel with over three minutes left. It was unlike anything we’ve seen in the modern era of football.
The Jaguars should win this game, fairly handily at that. Even with a young head coach and a pretty young roster overall, they are just flat-out more talented than the Raiders. The one way this goes sideways for Jacksonville is if they can’t stop the run. They are three-point favorites on the road here and I think they find a way to get it done.
This could be an ugly game all-around.
Prediction: Jaguars win 23-16
New Orleans Saints (1-7) @ Los Angeles Rams (5-2)
Sunday, November 2, 4:05 PM ET
Alright, we’ve mentioned a couple of games on the slate this week should be guaranteed wins for certain teams. The Chargers made the list, the Lions made the list, and now the Rams are making the list.
It’s going to be about not only getting the win, but making sure you come out of this game healthy if you’re the Rams. And for the New Orleans Saints, this could be the last time a lot of these teammates are together. You can almost feel the trades ascending from the depths of secrecy to the surface.
The Saints made a concerted effort to get both Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed 12 targets each in their loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday. That could be them just involving their top guys, or maybe a little bit of a showcase.
Either way, they don’t have what it takes right now to beat the Rams, especially with the Rams coming off of a bye week. And speaking of trades, the Rams just added cornerback Roger McCreary from the Titans to address their most obvious roster weakness.
If this Rams team is healthy, and they should be coming off of their bye, they are one of the top teams in the entire NFL. Anything can happen any given Sunday in the NFL, but the Saints are not winning this game. The Rams are favored by 13.5 points, and even that doesn’t feel like it’s going to be a low enough bar to clear.
Prediction: Rams win 41-16
Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) @ Buffalo Bills (5-2)
Sunday, November 2, 4:25 PM ET
The biggest matchup on the NFL schedule in Week 9 is your annual preview of the AFC Championship Game. The Kansas City Chiefs are traveling on the road to face off against the Buffalo Bills, and both teams have shown a little bit of vulnerability at different times this year.
The Bills have struggled defensively at times this season, and they’re hoping the additions they made in free agency that finally were eligible to play this past week (Michael Hoecht, Larry Ogunjobi) can make a massive impact. Especially with Ed Oliver now out with an injury, those guys are going to need to have huge games.
Patrick Mahomes has played exceptionally well over the majority of the last month, and after two years of seemingly being dragged down by his playmakers, the Chiefs have a full complement of weapons for him to spread the ball to.
That could be bad news in this game for a Buffalo defense that has not been able to stop many teams so far this season.
When you get these two teams together, you expect the fireworks. You expect late-game heroics. You expect both Mahomes and Josh Allen to play the best version of their respective games.
The Chiefs opened as 1.5-point road favorites, and I could see them staying hot on the road, getting one against their bitter AFC rivals here in the middle of the season. No matter what happens, there will be “see you in January” vibes at the end.
Prediction: Chiefs win 32-31
Seattle Seahawks (5-2) @ Washington Commanders (3-5)
Sunday, November 2, 8:20 PM ET
For a good portion of the country, this could be a great bit of exposure to the Seattle Seahawks, who might be the most underrated team in the NFL right now. The Seahawks have caught a bit of fire over the first two months of the season. They got off to a rough start with a loss in Week 1, but since then, they’ve been one of the most consistently complementary teams in the NFL.
And Sam Darnold is playing at a high level without being tethered to Kevin O’Connell, which answered one of the biggest offseason questions facing both him and the Seahawks.
Seattle is traveling on the road to face off against the Washington Commanders, who are reeling a little bit at this point in the year. This is a tough draw for the Commanders after facing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Week 8, but it’s a chance for them to bounce back and get in the thick of the NFC Wild Card race again.
The question for the Commanders is going to be whether or not Jayden Daniels is healthy. And the follow-up to that is whether or not he’s able to play at the level we saw during his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign.
The Commanders were expected to be true contenders in the NFC this season, but they’ve struggled to keep their heads above water with injuries. This is not a good draw for a team trying to get back on track, and the West Coast team traveling East doesn’t apply in this scenario, because the game is being played at night.
Don’t ask me why it doesn’t matter, it’s just NFL science.
The Seahawks win this one, a game in which they are favored by 3.5 points on the road.
Prediction: Seahawks win 24-23
Arizona Cardinals (2-5) @ Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1)
Monday, November 3, 8:15 PM ET
At this point in the season, you might look at a team like the Dallas Cowboys and think they’re a little difficult to figure out. This is a team that is 3-4-1, and has been one of the best offenses in the entire NFL all year.
With that in mind, the Cowboys have been a vastly different team at home this season compared to on the road. On the road this season, the Cowboys are averaging 24.4 points per game (still good), and even less (23) if you take out Joe Milton’s garbage time touchdown throw (a great throw, nonetheless) vs. Denver.
At home, the Cowboys have averaged 41.3 points per game. Even with the Arizona Cardinals coming off of their bye week this week, it’s hard to see the Cowboys dropping this one at home, coming off of a loss.
The Cowboys’ offense has been unstoppable when they are playing in Dallas and even though the Cardinals have made life tough on pretty much everyone they’ve played this season, they’ve struggled to close games.
We don’t have any proof at this point or reason to believe Arizona is going to be able to go into Dallas and slow down that offense, even with the Broncos putting a lot of good stuff out there on tape this past week. I think we see the Cowboys get on track with a little nostalgia involved. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman calling Cowboys games just feels right.
Prediction: Cowboys win 41-27