NFL Picks Week 9: First Look at Predictions for Every Game
Once the final whistle sounds Monday night, Week 8 of the NFL season will be in the books, which means it's time to make some Week 9 picks.
The division races are all incredibly tight, and just about anyone could get hot in the second half of the season. That makes Week 9 incredibly important for the 26 teams taking the field this week, as a win could be the momentum boost they need to rally into the playoffs.
The picks this week will break down what's at stake this week, why each of the teams will win and who actually will snag the victory.
Let's get started.
Chicago Bears @ Buffalo Bills
1 of 13
What's At Stake: Buffalo is essentially playing for pride at this point in the season. They're 0-7 by virtue of a defense that can't stop anyone and an offense that took two full weeks to get rolling.
Chicago, on the other hand, is trying to rally from a recent 1-3 skid that has seen the offense come to a screeching halt. Quarterback Jay Cutler has been throwing interceptions left and right, but could find his rhythm again this week.
Why Buffalo Will Win: The Bills have looked much better in recent weeks, playing many of the NFL's best teams close. The offense is clicking behind quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, and they get the Bears in Buffalo. The defense, while porous, can snag interceptions, which Cutler can't seem to stop throwing.
Why Chicago Will Win: The Bears have the more talented team. Jay Cutler has shown he's capable of being a good quarterback in 2010, and the defense should be able to handle the Bills' good but not great offense. They're 2-1 on the road, and Buffalo has yet to get that first win.
The Pick: Chicago 24, Buffalo 21. The Bills could snag the upset here, but I think they'll struggle to slow the Bears' deep-throwing offensive attack.
Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings
2 of 13
What's at Stake: The playoffs. Minnesota's playoff hopes are fading fast, as injuries and poor play have them well outside of the playoff contenders at this point.
For Arizona, they've made it to 3-4 on a wing and a prayer, with an offense that's sputtering and a defense that can't seem to stop anyone. They need a win here to pull them back from the brink of being truly terrible.
Why Minnesota Will Win: Even with Brett Favre looking as washed up as he ever has, the Vikings are still one of the more dangerous offenses in the NFL. Adrian Peterson is one of the top three running backs in the NFL, and the wide receiver corps has shown flashes of stellar play this season. The defense is still formidable and could shut down the Cardinals punchless offense with ease.
Why Arizona Will Win: They have Larry Fitzgerald, and two strong-armed quarterbacks. Minnesota doesn't have anyone who can keep up with him and he should get plenty of deep balls, since that's really all they're bringing to the table.
Pick: Minnesota 21, Arizona 10. The Vikes should roll in this one, behind a big day from Peterson.
New England Patriots @ Cleveland Browns
3 of 13
What's At Stake: For Cleveland, this is a chance to score a major upset of a team that has gotten to 6-1 behind the efforts of a motley crew of castoffs, low draft picks and Tom Brady. A win gives the Browns hope of rallying in the second half of the season.
For New England, it's another notch in the belt and a chance to widen their lead in the best record race.
Why New England Will Win: The Patriots are the better team. Their offense has looked excellent and balanced since Randy Moss left town, and the defense is improving slowly. Tom Brady's firing on all cylinders, BenJarvus Green-Ellis is rolling and even the stern test of the Dawg Pound shouldn't phase the Pats.
Why Cleveland Will Win: The Browns have played almost everybody close in 2010 and have already scored a pair of upsets this season, beating Cincinnati and New Orleans. Many have speculated that New England has overachieved a bit this season, so they're ripe for an upset.
Pick: New England 27, Cleveland 17. The Browns just don't have the talent to knock off the Pats, although they should hang around till the second half.
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New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers
4 of 13
What's at Stake: For New Orleans, they have to keep winning to keep pace in the hyper-competitive NFC South. They've struggled with consistency in 2010, but a win would help them build some momentum heading into the second half.
For Carolina, 2010 has been a colossal disappointment, but if they can put together a few wins, anything could happen.
Why Carolina Will Win: The Panthers run game is still their biggest strength, and the Saints have struggled to contain the run all season.
Why New Orleans Will Win: Even as banged up as the Saints are, they're still by far the better team. Their offense is one of the league's most potent, while the Panthers defense doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
Pick: New Orleans 35, Carolina 14. The blowout of the week. Carolina might be the NFL's worst team, even with that win under their belt.
New York Jets @ Detroit Lions
5 of 13
What's at Stake: Both teams need a win to stay alive in their respective divisions. Obviously, a loss hurts the Lions much more than the Jets, but New York can ill afford another performance like last week's debacle against the Packers.
The Lions aren't out of the playoff picture yet in the NFC North, but a loss would all but doom them.
Why New York Will Win: The Jets should win this game. They have an infinitely better defense and an offense capable of having a big game (even if they regressed last week). They're 3-0 on the road and should be looking to prove last game was the exception, rather than the rule.
Why Detroit Will Win: While the Jets defense is good, they're nowhere near the unit they were last season, and the Lions offense looked pretty fantastic last week. Wide receiver Calvin Johnson and quarterback Matthew Stafford give Detroit a puncher's chance, and the defense didn't look awful against the Redskins last week.
Pick: Detroit 35, New York 31. The Lions pull the upset and send hundreds of New York sports columnists into "What's Wrong With the Jets?" mode.
San Diego Chargers @ Houston Texans
6 of 13
What's at Stake: For San Diego, their playoff hopes are on the line this week against the Texans. With Kansas City looking like the class of the AFC West, the Chargers need another one of their patented second-half surges to make the postseason.
For Houston, this could be either a bounce-back game or an opportunity to pull away from their division, depending on how Monday night's clash with Indianapolis goes.
Why San Diego Will Win: The Chargers' passing game has been one of the NFL's best, as the Philip Rivers-Antonio Gates connection gets stronger with each week that passes. The defense has been solid, although they do tend to be vulnerable at the worst possible times. Combine an offense this good with a defense as shaky as Houston's, and you have the recipe for a blowout.
Why Houston Will Win: The Texans have the offensive firepower to keep up with anyone in the NFL, and with the balance provided by running back Arian Foster, they can beat you in a multitude of ways. Their defense can force turnovers, but this team's offense has the weapons to hang with anyone.
Pick: Houston 28, San Diego 24. Houston's offense is just a little too much to handle, while their defense does just enough to snag the win.
Miami Dolphins @ Baltimore Ravens
7 of 13
What's At Stake: For the Dolphins, keeping pace in the AFC East. They're already sitting outside the playoff picture, and they have to keep winning if they hope to gain ground on the Jets.
For Baltimore, a win helps them overtake the Steelers in the AFC North. They can ill afford a loss here if they want to win the division.
Why Baltimore Will Win: The Ravens are the better team in this one. Their offense is explosive behind quarterback Joe Flacco, running back Ray Rice and wideout Anquan Boldin. The defense is solid, but has shown signs of vulnerability in recent weeks. The Dolphins might be the NFL's most boring team, and they thrive on keeping games close to snag wins. Outside wideout Brandon Marshall, they lack a top-tier offensive weapon, and their defense has no real stars either.
Why Miami Will Win: The Dolphins seem to be loaded with toughness and grit in 2010, and the offense has shown that they can click on occasion. The defense has been solid, and Baltimore's offense hasn't exactly been a model of consistency, based on their early-season woes. Miami is 4-0 on the road this season and have looked much better outside Sun Life Stadium this season.
Pick: Baltimore 21, Miami 14. The Fins lack the weapons to keep up with the Ravens this week.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons
8 of 13
What's at Stake: First place in the NFC South.
Why Atlanta Will Win: On paper, the Falcons have more talent at more positions than the Buccaneers. Their offense has shown serious explosiveness in 2010, and the defense seems to be much improved from last year.
Tampa has yet to beat anyone of real consequence and doesn't beat teams by much. Matt Ryan and Roddy White should thoroughly enjoy the Bucs secondary, while Michael Turner should blow up Tampa's front seven.
Why Tampa Bay Will Win: The Bucs have been excellent on the road this year, going 3-0. Quarterback Josh Freeman is a gamer who's fully capable of lighting up the Falcons secondary. This team gets better each week and they're fully capable of beating the Falcons in Atlanta.
Pick: Atlanta 24, Tampa Bay 21. This one's going to be a real nail-biter, but I don't think the Bucs defense has enough to contain the Falcons' offensive weapons.
New York Giants @ Seattle Seahawks
9 of 13
What's at Stake: Both these teams have division title aspirations, and a loss would do serious damage to both of their quests. For New York, it would hurt more than Seattle, who plays in a lackluster division, but the Seahawks can't exactly stink out the joint, either.
Why Seattle Will Win: The Seahawks have been excellent at home, going 3-0 at Qwest Field. The Giants look primed for an upset, with an offense that turns the ball over coupled with the cross-country trip that has doomed so many teams to losses in recent years.
Why New York Will Win: On paper, this one shouldn't be close. The Giants offense well outclasses the Seahawks defensive unit, and the defense should get pressure on Matt Hasselbeck all game long. This team should have no business losing this game, and Eli Manning should be giddy to throw to all the open wideouts he'll have this week.
Pick: Seattle 27, New York 20. The Giants are due for a howler, and the Seahawks have been unbeatable at home.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Oakland Raiders
10 of 13
What's At Stake: The playoffs. Kansas City's got a firm hold on the driver's seat in the AFC West, but the Raiders could easily catch them with a win this week. Who would've guessed that it would be the Chiefs and Raiders leading the AFC West at the midway point?
Why Oakland Will Win: Kansas City hasn't beaten anyone of real consequence in 2010, and the Raiders get them away from the friendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium. The Raiders defense has been getting better every week, particularly against the pass, and their run game is one of the NFL's most explosive week in and week out.
Why Kansas City Will Win: The Chiefs are a tough team to beat, and their smash-mouth brand of football makes it easy for them to grind out close wins, something Oakland can't do. Running backs Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles should run rampant against the Raiders' terrible defense, and the passing game has shown signs of life in recent weeks.
Pick: Kansas City 17, Oakland 10. A low-scoring game, but Kansas City should have enough offensive firepower to pull out the win in this one.
Indianapolis Colts @ Philadelphia Eagles
11 of 13
What's At Stake: For Indianapolis, they could need a win to stay alive in the AFC South, depending on the outcome of Monday's game, or this could be the chance they need to build a lead in their division. For Philly, they need a win to prove they can beat one of the NFL's better teams and to stay in the NFC East title race.
Why Indianapolis Will Win: Even without reliable weapons at tight end and a lack of depth at wideout, this is one of the NFL's best offenses, and the Eagles have no means of shutting them down. Quarterback Peyton Manning should pick Philly's defense apart with ease, while running back Joseph Addai ought to have an excellent game against their shoddy run defense.
Why Philadelphia Will Win: The Eagles offense is almost as explosive as Indy's, with running back LeSean McCoy, quarterback Michael Vick and wideout Jeremy Maclin capable of making plays. With the Colts shoddy run defense, the Eagles should gash them with McCoy and Vick and hang around long enough to pull out a win.
Pick: Indianapolis 35, Philadelphia 27. The Colts defense isn't as bad as people think against the pass, and their offense should run up the score against a Philly team that hasn't stopped anyone's offense all season long.
Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers
12 of 13
What's at Stake: For the Cowboys, nothing. Their 1-6 start has more or less doomed them to miss the playoffs, although they could make an excellent spoiler. For Green Bay, a win is a must, given the state of the NFC North.
Why Dallas Will Win: The Packers have been banged up for weeks now, and they've struggled to find offensive rhythm. They seem like a team primed for an upset, even at Lambeau Field. The Dallas offense wasn't completely hapless last week against Jacksonville, and if they can find the end zone, they'll be in good shape.
Why Green Bay Will Win: The Cowboys defense has been flat-out awful in 2010, struggling to stop anyone. Given that Dallas was waxed by the Jaguars last week, Green Bay should have little trouble shutting down their offense and picking apart their defense.
Pick: Green Bay 35, Dallas 14. The Cowboys have little hope for a victory on the frozen tundra.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals
13 of 13
What's at Stake: The Bengals' playoff hopes have been fading fast during their four-game skid, but they're not out of it yet. A win over the Steelers vaults them back into the thick of the AFC North.
For Pittsburgh, a win is a virtual must if the Steelers want to keep pace with the Ravens at the top of the division.
Why Cincinnati Will Win: The Bengals offense keeps putting up big numbers week in and week out, and they've played spoiler before in this series. The defense, if healthy, has the potential to shut down anyone. If the offense clicks from the get-go, they should snag the upset.
Why Pittsburgh Will Win: The Steelers defense is back as one of the NFL's most formidable units, and the offense should start clicking with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger soon. With the Bengals defense depleted by injury and suspension, running back Rashard Mendenhall should have plenty of room to run.
Pick: Cincinnati 28, Pittsburgh 21. The Bengals stage another upset behind an offense that finds its rhythm.
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