Can the Green Bay Packers Upset the Tennessee Titans? Week Nine NFL Picks

Week Nine of the NFL season is almost here; so, without further ado, here are my Week Nine picks.

   Buffalo took a huge blow to their first-place lead as they were the only team in their division to lose in Week Eight. Brett Favre led his team to a come-from-behind win against the Chiefs, despite throwing three interceptions. Buffalo is 5-2 and tied for first place in the East with New England, and New York is looming close behind at 4-3. I think that the Bills' defense could overwhelm Favre and get a big win at home here.

Bills 26, Jets 20

  The Bears simply overmatch the Lions. There is no reason the Lions should even be in this game.  So why did they sweep the Bears in 2007? Well, because the Bears had Rex Grossman as their QB last year, and this year is a different story.  Kyle Orton is making Lovie wish he could do a 2006 Super Bowl rewind, and the Bears put up 48 points on the supposed best defense in the division. I think the Bears will win big at home.

Bears 38, Lions 10

  Is the draft here yet? "Who Dey" takes on a whole new meaning for the Bengals, as they are actually searching for an identity as a team. Meanwhile, they have to deal with the ferocious running game that is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who desperately need a win to maintain their early season playoff aspirations. I believe they will get it here, and the Bengals improve on their chances to obtain the No. 1 overall pick.

Jaguars 27, Bengals 16

  The Browns were on the outside looking in two weeks ago, with a record of 1-3, but since then they are 2-1, and have a big game at home against the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore has gotten great production from rookie quarterback Joe Flacco, and the Baltimore defense is as good as advertised. I could go either way in this one, but I like the Browns because of their offensive prowess. I think they could force the rookie Flacco to come back and make all the throws, and I'm not yet sold that he can do that.

Browns 24, Ravens 13

  The Chiefs are absolutely horrible, and losing Larry Johnson is not going to help. The Bucs' defense is not the Jets' defense, and Tyler Thigpen will not be able to throw the ball as well as he did. I think Tampa Bay will get out to an early lead and coast the rest of the game. Kansas City needs to start scouting some college quarterbacks.

Bucs 31, Chiefs 12

  This is a very intriguing matchup to me. I really like Houston's ability to rush the passer and move the ball down the field. They are finally starting to look like the playoff team I thought they would be. Minnesota hopes to get the Williams duo back on the D-line this week following their bye, and their offense played well against the Bears. Gus Frerotte has been abysmal and Adrian Peterson hasn't exactly lived up to his lofty expectations. I think the Texans' air game could exploit a weak Vikings pass defense.

Texans 26, Vikings 23

  An NFC West showdown pits two of the more surprising breakout players in the NFL. Kurt Warner of the Cardinals and Donnie Avery of St. Louis have been excellent thus far, and I think Warner could be an MVP candidate. I don't know that St. Louis' offense can keep up with the aerial attack of Arizona, and I think Kurt Warner throws three or four touchdown passes while improving the Cards to a 5-3 record. 

Cardinals 38, Rams 20

  Can the Titans continue their hot streak? After a very impressive performance in every facet of the game on Monday night vs. the Colts, I have become a believer. The Titans are in the top five in rushing and defense, the very essentials for a championship team. Few people know that Aaron Rodgers has been a top fantasy quarterback this season, and Greg Jennings is quietly one of, if not the, very best wideout in the NFL. I still like the hometown kids to continue their magic.

Titans 23, Packers 13

  Denver has struggled since their 3-0 start, going 1-3 since their big win over the Saints. Miami has been up and down this season but has gotten great production out of two players: Ronnie Brown and Joey Porter. Both players could be candidates for MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. Denver also has an MVP candidate in quarterback Jay Cutler, who has been struggling through the injuries of some key teammates. Denver is healthy and usually plays well following the bye.

Broncos 27, Dolphins 20

  Dallas is in must-win mode heading into this matchup against the reigning Super Bowl champions. Brad Johnson has looked terrible in his two starts this season, but the Cowboys are 1-1 nonetheless. If the Cowboys are to make the playoffs, they will need to win this game. Eli Manning and the Giants are coming off of an impressive defensive battle against the Steelers, and I think their pass rush will disrupt Johnson, forcing him to make bad throws.

Giants 29, Cowboys 19

  Is there a more poorly run team in the NFL than the Raiders? The Falcons have been a great story for the 2008 season, and Matt Ryan has been a great rookie quarterback. JaMarcus Russell has been struggling but has a good running game to fall back on. I like the Raiders' defense, but they just havn't proven anything to me yet this season. Roddy White has been a Pro Bowl receiver thus far, and I think he will continue on his impressive start.

Falcons 23, Raiders 14

  Philadelphia is in a similar situation to the Cowboys. They absolutely have to win this game in order to keep their playoff hopes going. Seattle is horrible, especially without Matt Hasselbeck. Seneca Wallace just can't seem to get it done, and the Eagles have back the Brian Westbrook we all expected at the beginning of the season. Philly can rush the passer better than almost everyone in the NFL, and they should see a lot of No. 15 on the turf. 

Eagles 34, Seahawks 17

  The Patriots looked very impressive against the Broncos on Monday night last week, and they snuck out a victory against the Rams? I don't know which team will show up for the Colts, but I will always preach that a win is a win. Something is dreadfully wrong with Peyton Manning, and he has already thrown nine interceptions.  I'm torn on who to pick for this game, so I will take the home team.

Colts 23, Patriots 21

  This game gets my vote for game of the week. I love the Redskins' ability to play solid defense and answer on offense. I also really like the Steelers' ability to rush the quarterback. They won't be so blessed against the Redskins, as Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts could be the best running duo in the NFL. Not to mention, Washington has former NFL MVP Shaun Alexander. Pittsburgh needs better production out of Ben Roethlisberger if they want to come out on top in this one. I like the Redskins.

Redskins 27, Steelers 25