Which NFL teams are guaranteed to lose in Week 10 of the 2024 season? Which teams are we certain will fall when we look into our proverbial crystal ball to determine the results of this week's games?
Well, the reality is, we really can't know for certain, but there are some matchups on the schedule for Week 10 that definitely stand out more than others. Last week, I accurately predicted three "guaranteed" winners, so what could possibly go wrong this week?
All kidding aside, these are the types of predictions that land you on Old Takes Exposed. I hate to be negative, but there are some teams who definitely give off the vibe that they're going to lose more than others, and there are certain teams who are just being put in brutal situations.
At the risk of ticking off a bunch of fans, let's predict this week's top three guaranteed losers.
3 teams guaranteed to lose in Week 10 of the 2024 NFL season
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (home vs. 49ers)
I hate to do this to the Bucs, because they are honestly one of my favorite teams in the league this year. The injuries to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin might be the final nails in the coffin for this Bucs team, which faces a brutal task in Week 10:
Try to beat a Kyle Shanahan-coached 49ers team coming off of a bye.
Not only are the Bucs getting Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers off of a bye week, but the 49ers are slated to get Christian McCaffrey back in the mix as well. Although the 49ers face the difficult task of traveling from coast to coast and playing in the early window, they are going to come out looking focused after the bye week with the Bucs coming off of a short week (and overtime) in a loss against the Chiefs on Monday.
2. Tennessee Titans (road game vs. Chargers)
Even with Will Levis coming back into the mix, and even with the Titans coming off of a win, I just don't see this team going to Los Angeles and beating the Chargers right now.
The Chargers have the #1 ranked scoring defense in the entire NFL right now. The Chargers don't turn the ball over much offensively. Justin Herbert has just one interception this year and is starting to build a rapport with the receivers he actually has available.
Levis coming back for the Titans is such an intriguing wild card for that team. He obviously provides them with a much higher ceiling than Mason Rudolph, but is he going to come out there and make a bunch of bone-headed mistakes against a defense that has been lights out all year?
The odds heavily favor the Chargers here.
3. Washington Commanders (home game vs. Steelers)
How can we possibly pick the Washington Commanders, who have been one of the best teams in the NFL so far this season, to be a guaranteed loss when they are playing at home in Week 10?
The Pittsburgh Steelers, that's how.
The Steelers are another team that's coming off of a bye this week and as good and exciting as Jayden Daniels has been this year, he's coming up against a buzzsaw this week. The Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL that causes problems for opposing quarterbacks every single week. Now, they are coming off of a bye and traveling to the nation's capital to take on a Commanders team that just pulled off a hard-fought win against the Giants last weekend.
The Commanders feel kind of "due" while the Steelers are playing exceptional football and have had time to rest over the last couple of weeks. It's going to require the Commanders forcing Russell Wilson to make a number of bad mistakes in order for them to win this game.