NFL Game Picks: Week 9
Coming into Week 9, we already have season ending injuries, lawsuits, underdog stories, blockbuster trades and free-agent signings before we have reached the Thursday night game.
Let’s make some predictions before any more news breaks.
New York Jets (2-5) @ Indianapolis Colts (3-5)
Following an injury to rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, Mike White stepped in for his first career start against the Bengals and pulled off the upset, throwing for 405 yards and three touchdowns.
The Colts, coming off a tough overtime loss to division foe Tennessee Titans, will go back, watch the film, and send White back down to earth this week.
Prediction: Colts 31, Jets 17
New England Patriots (4-4) @ Carolina Panthers (4-4)
With a quarterback controversy and the Panthers defense not as consistent as they were propped up to be at the beginning of the season, the hot Patriots steal one in Carolina.
Prediction: Patriots 24, Panthers 18
Buffalo Bills (5-2) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)
The Bills were slow to get things going last week versus Miami but will have no trouble scoring through the air to the same team that let Geno Smith leave with a QBR of 136.8.
Prediction: Bills 28, Jaguars 6
Atlanta Falcons (3-4) @ New Orleans Saints (5-2)
Whoever is at the helm for the Saints, Trevor Siemian or Taysom Hill will get the job done to hold off the Falcons who will be hurting without Calvin Ridley.
Prediction: Saints 28, Falcons 21
Las Raiders (5-2) @ New York Giants (2-6)
With all the news breaking on both these teams it is hard to picture what the game will look like on Sunday. The Giants were able to hang with the Chiefs, but the Raiders provide a tougher matchup.
Prediction: Raiders 24, Giants 14
Minnesota Vikings (3-4) @ Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
Baltimore is fresh off the bye week and the Vikings are coming off of a brutal loss to the Cooper Rush-led Dallas Cowboys. The Vikings will score more than they did on Sunday night, but Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will score just a bit more than that.
Prediction: Ravens 33, Vikings 30
Cleveland Browns (4-4) @ Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)
The Browns continue to struggle as Baker Mayfield is visibly not himself while suffering from the shoulder injury. The league is counting out the Bengals after an upset loss to the Jets, forgetting this was the team who beat the Ravens the week before.
Prediction: Bengals 33, Browns 16
Denver Broncos (4-4) @ Dallas Cowboys (6-1)
The Cowboys are quite successful whether it is Dak Prescott or Cooper Rush at the helm.
The Broncos’ offense was only able to get 17 points on the board versus Washington. The struggling Washington offense held onto the ball for almost 32 minutes, which is more than enough time for the Cowboys to create a lead.
Prediction: Cowboys 27, Broncos 13
Houston Texans (1-7) @ Miami Dolphins (1-7)
If Tyrod Taylor is healthy enough to return, he will improve the offense but won’t be able to work at 100%.
Assuming Davis Mills gets the start, it will be a low scoring affair with Tua Tagovailoa proving why the Dolphins kept him and cancelled their pursuit for Deshaun Watson.
Prediction: Dolphins 28, Texans 16
Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (3-5)
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles are coming off a spooky win on Halloween against the Lions, giving the momentum into the game versus the scuffling Chargers.
Herbert’s completion percentage being around 50% the past two weeks will not be able to outlast the Eagles, who have faced a tough schedule so far.
Prediction: Eagles 30, Chargers 28
Green Bay Packers (7-1) @ Kansas City Chiefs (4-4)
This game will be a depiction of what life will be like without Aaron Rodgers with quarterback Jordan Love at the helm.
Love won’t be a 1:1 match, but he will be able to outscore a struggling Chiefs team with help from Aaron Jones. Green Bay’s defense has held up and the Chiefs will have to look at another team to be the game that turns around their season.
Prediction: Packers 23, Chiefs 20
Arizona Cardinals (7-1) @ San Francisco 49ers (3-4)
The Cardinals had a hard time stopping Aaron Jones in their previous game and have to control Elijah Mitchell who ran for over 100 yards against the Colts. Jimmy Garoppolo is back for the 49ers and will lead to a late victory against the banged up Cardinals.
Prediction: 49ers 24, Cardinals 21
Tennessee Titans (6-2) @ Los Angeles Rams (7-1)
The Titans will have to adapt to a new style offense with the injury to Derrick Henry, which will force Tannehill to throw the ball more. The Rams’ defense has not been up to par, but leaves teams just out of reach.
Prediction: Rams 31 Titans 23
Chicago Bears (3-5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
After sneaking out of Cleveland with a win, the Steelers will be able to have a little better time moving the ball around against a Chicago defense that allowed almost 500 total yards of offense to the 49ers. Chicago has the ability to take control of time of possession but not seal the deal in the red zone.
Prediction: Steelers 20, Bears 19
Matthew Gelhard is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email him at mgg5264@psu.edu.
