NFL Predictions Week 9: Odds, Predictions and Advice for Ideal Underdogs

Sometimes it's just fun to root for an NFL underdog. The only problem with doing so is that teams are underdogs for a reason. They're not expected to win.

In Week 8, for example, only two underdogs—based on the midweek odds—actually came out on top. Against the spread, however, seven came through.

For many fans, the betting line helps to add another exciting layer to NFL games. It also makes it a little easier to back underdogs in games that don't appear so evenly matched. The trick, of course, is identifying the game in which it's smart to go against the favorite.

Here, we'll examine some of the most promising underdogs of Week 9, along with the latest odds and over/unders from Caesars.

NFL Week 9, Lines, Over/Unders and Predictions

San Francisco 49ers (-10, 43 O/U) at Arizona Cardinals: San Francisco 38-22

Houston Texans (-1.5, 46.5 O/U) at Jacksonville Jaguars: Houston 26-22

Chicago Bears (+5, 43.5 O/U) at Philadelphia Eagles: Philadelphia 22-20

Indianapolis Colts (-1, 43 O/U) at Pittsburgh Steelers: Indianapolis 25-22

New York Jets (-3.5, 40.5 O/U) at Miami Dolphins: New York 18-16

Minnesota Vikings (no line) at Kansas City Chiefs: Minnesota 28-22

Tennessee Titans (+3.5, 42 O/U) at Carolina Panthers: Carolina 27-21

Washington Redskins (+9.5, 37 O/U) at Buffalo Bills: Buffalo 23-13

Detroit Lions (+2, 50.5 O/U) at Oakland Raiders: Oakland 30-27

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6, 51) at Seattle Seahawks: Seattle 30-23

Cleveland Browns (-3.5, 39 O/U) at Denver Broncos: Cleveland 21-14

Green Bay Packers (-3.5, 47.5 O/U) at Los Angeles Chargers: Green Bay 27-20

New England Patriots (-3.5, 44.5 O/U) at Baltimore Ravens: New England 22-21

Dallas Cowboys (-7.5, 48 O/U) at New York Giants: Dallas 31-21

Miami Dolphins

It may seem odd to view the winless Miami Dolphins as an ideal underdog, but if there is a week to do so, it's this week. The Dolphins host the New York Jets, who—aside from a fluky win over the Dallas Cowboys—have been equally inept this season.

The Jets may still win on Sunday, but they're mistake-prone enough to make it difficult to believe that they'll win by more than a field goal. Quarterback Sam Darnold has been the culprit of several mistakes and has been responsible for nine turnovers in four games.

Darnold is also dealing with a thumb injury to his non-throwing hand. While it may not affect his ability to throw the ball, it may make it harder to keep two hands on it when and if the pocket collapses around him.

According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, head coach Adam Gase believes the injury will affect Darnold all year.

Picking the Dolphins is really about a lack of faith in the Jets. Given their lack of offensive chemistry—they've averaged just 11.1 points per game—and their position on the road against a divisional opponent, that lack of faith looms large.

Chicago Bears

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

The Chicago Bears have dealt with their own offensive struggles this season, but a matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles could help cure them for a week. While the Eagles are stout against the run—just 90.5 rushing yards per game allowed—they've been leaky against the pass.

Philadelphia has surrendered 256.1 passing yards and two passing touchdowns per game.

This could be the game in which coach Matt Nagy and quarterback Mitchell Trubisky finally get something going. The bigger reason to back Chicago, though, is its defense.

Despite getting no consistent help from the offense, the Bears defense has been tremendous this season. It has allowed just 316.6 yards and 17.4 points per game, seventh- and sixth-fewest in the NFL, respectively.

Chicago's defense should help keep this game close, and it won't be surprising if the game comes down to a last-second field goal, just like last year's playoff matchup with Philadelphia at home. While the Eagles may again come out on top, that five-point line is inviting.

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are underdogs because they're playing the undefeated New England Patriots. However, the Ravens match up extremely well with New England and may win the game outright.

Baltimore's offense is based around the running game. As the Cleveland Browns showed last week, the Patriots defense can be attacked successfully on the ground. Cleveland racked up 159 rushing yards against New England.

The Ravens also have the premier dual-threat quarterback in Lamar Jackson. He's improving as a passer and won't allow New England to key in entirely on the ground game. He's also elusive enough to make the Patriots pay when they bring a heavy blitz.

Baltimore's defense has been suspect, especially against the pass (26th in the NFL), though the addition of cornerback Marcus Peters improved the secondary. The problem for New England is that its offense has lacked both explosiveness and consistency.

The Patriots rank first in scoring offense (31.2 points per game), but many of their points have been a result of the defense providing good field position or scoring itself. Against the Browns, for example, 17 points came off turnovers and seven came from a defensive touchdown.

As long as Baltimore can protect the football, it should be able to take the game down to the wire, winning or losing by the narrowest of margins.