NFL Week 9 Predictions: Early Vegas Odds Advice, Lines and Spread Picks

The Los Angeles Rams are still the NFL's lone undefeated team after beating the Green Bay Packers 29-27 on Sunday. While they look like the Super Bowl favorites, numerous teams are separating from the middle of the pack and cementing themselves as championship contenders as well.

We'll take a look at a few of them below and guess how their Week 9 matchups may play out. You can also find the odds, per OddsShark, and some picks.

Week 9 Vegas Odds and Picks

Oakland Raiders at San Francisco 49ers (-3.5, 47 O/U): Raiders +3.5

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings (-6.5, no O/U posted): Vikings -6.5

Chicago Bears at Buffalo Bills: Bears (Line Not Posted)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers (-6, 53.5 O/U): Panthers -6

Kansas City Chiefs (-8, 52 O/U) at Cleveland Browns: Chiefs -8

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins (-3, 45.5 O/U): Dolphins -3

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-3, 47.5 O/U): Ravens -3

Atlanta Falcons at Washington Redskins (-2.5, 48 O/U): Redskins -2.5

Los Angeles Chargers at Seattle Seahawks: Seahawks -2.5

Houston Texans at Denver Broncos (-3, 47 O/U): Texans +3

Los Angeles Rams (-1, no O/U posted) at New Orleans Saints: Saints +1

Green Bay Packers at New England Patriots (-6, no O/U posted): Packers +6

Tennessee Titans at Dallas Cowboys (-6, 42 O/U): Cowboys -6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers

The 5-2 Carolina Panthers posted a strong 36-21 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, who had allowed the fewest points per game in the NFL leading into Sunday.

They face an interesting matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9. On one hand, the Bucs have next to no chance stopping the Panther attack led by quarterback Cam Newton. Tampa is last in points per game allowed in the league and has significant problems stopping the run and pass.

However, the Tampa offense caught fire Sunday with the insertion of backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in the third quarter of the team's game with the Cincinnati Bengals. Down 34-16, Fitzpatrick led the Bucs to 18 unanswered points before the Bengals won on a late field goal.

Fitzpatrick replaced a struggling Jameis Winston, who has now thrown 10 interceptions in five games. While the team has not named a Week 9 starter, Fitzpatrick gives the Bucs the better chance to win (he's thrown 13 touchdown passes and completed 68.1 percent of his attempts). If he goes, then this game could develop into a shootout as Fitzpatrick throws darts to his talented pass-catching core.

However, the Panthers are home and can at least slow down the Bucs attack somewhat thanks to linebacker Luke Kuechly, defensive tackle Kawann Short, the talented cornerback duo of James Bradberry and Donte Jackson and others. Carolina gets the edge.

Atlanta Falcons at Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are the NFL's most bizarre team.

They are 5-2 and have wins against the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers on their resume.

They also scored just nine points at home to the Indianapolis Colts and dropped a 43-19 game to the New Orleans Saints that seemed worse than the score indicated.

However, the 'Skins are now on top of the NFC East and holding their conference's No. 3 seed heading into the midway point of the season.

The pass-catching core has been banged up, but the one constant has been a player who wasn't on the team until August.

Running back Adrian Peterson has caught fire of late and gained 156 scrimmage yards and scored twice against the New York Giants in a 20-13 win on Sunday. He's now had 96 or more rushing yards in five games.

The key is whether he can keep it up against the Atlanta Falcons, who are missing three defensive starters (safeties Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal and linebacker Deion Jones) but recently returned stout defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who could most recently be seen performing a textbook swim move for a sack against the Giants in Week 7.

Jarrett should help slow down the 'Skins rushing attack, but the Washington pass game (especially tight end Jordan Reed) could spring to life a bit against a pass defense that has struggled nearly all season (of note, they've allowed 8.0 yards per pass attempt). Because of that notion, look for Washington to hold serve at home.

Los Angeles Chargers at Seattle Seahawks

The Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks have caught fire after sluggish starts. The Bolts are 4-0 since beginning the year at 1-2, while the Seahawks are 4-3 overall and 4-1 in their past five.

The Chargers' run is undoubtedly impressive, as they (a) have won five of seven sans injured edge-rusher Joey Bosa (23.0 sacks in his first two years) and (b) their only losses were to the 8-0 Rams and 7-1 Kansas City Chiefs.

Unfortunately, Bosa may still be out a while, per a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN, but the Bolts offense has been dominant thanks to quarterback Philip Rivers (17 touchdowns, 69.1 completion rate), running back Melvin Gordon (745 yards from scrimmage, nine touchdowns) and a host of versatile pass-catchers who are hard to defend.

The Seahawks have shocked many and proved some people wrong (including this writer) following the season-ending injury to All-Pro safety Earl Thomas in Week 4.

The defense has been ferocious of late, as the team allowed just three points on a neutral field to the Oakland Raiders and 14 on the road to the Detroit Lions.

The offense is now built around a successful rushing attack led by Chris Carson, who ran for 105 yards versus the Lions.

Quarterback Russell Wilson still has some talented and versatile targets to throw to, but the most intriguing one may be wideout David Moore, a second-year pro who has four touchdowns in his past four games.

This should be one of the best games of the week, but if Bosa can't go, then the slight edge goes to the Seahawks at home in a seesaw battle.