Top 25 Most Pressing NFL Questions Heading into Week 9

Here we are, at the halfway mark of the season already. We have teams that started terribly, but now are right back in the middle of their divisional races, and the quarterback depth charts look completely different than they did in Week 1.

It just goes to show how much things change from week to week in the NFL. 

With the constant turbulence leaves many open questions in the NFL. No one knows for sure how the next two months will unfold, but we do know it will be fun to watch. Week 9 is packed with a slew of juicy games that will have huge implications for both teams. 

Let's take a look at the most pressing questions heading into Week 9.

Will Carson Palmer Start To Look Like the Carson Palmer of Old?

When you give up as much as the Raiders did for a once-retired quarterback that is over 30 years old, he better be good.

If the Raiders get the same Carson we saw in 2009 and 2010, this will end up being a colossal mistake for the Raiders. 

On the flip side, if Carson can become the top player he once was, the Raiders become an immediate contender. In Week 9, look specifically at the velocity Palmer has on the ball to see if he has regained his arm strength. 

Will the Giants' Running Game Ever Come Around?

I love Ahmad Bradshaw as a dual-threat back, but the Giants running game remains grounded. Their inexperience on the offensive line shows.

Luckily, Eli is playing on a very high level and is winning them games, but as their schedule gets brutal (they get an angry Patriots team in Week 9), they cannot rely on Manning alone week after week. 

Not to mention, Brandon Jacobs' clear dissatisfaction with his role is not helping matters. 

Will the Saints Ever Stop the Run?

We know that the Saints offense is what drives this team. But when they are having a bad day, like this past week, they are pretty much doomed. 

We saw Steven Jackson simply impose his will against the Saints front.

What is the most disturbing part is that the Saints were playing eight guys in the box for most of the game, and they still couldn't stop the Rams.

If you can't stop the run with a numbers' advantage, that is a huge issue. 

Can the Bills Defense Play Like This Every Week?

After shutting out the John Beck-led Redskins, the Bills will face a much more talented offense against the Jets.

The Redskins are in contention with the Broncos for the least-scary offense in football, so take that performance with a grain of salt.

The Jets offense has been anything but consistent, but they have really turned it on, especially on the offensive line. Sanchez is getting excellent protection as of late, and with Kyle Williams out, it will be a challenge to stop the run.

If the Bills are up to the task, they emerge as favorites to win the division. 

How Bad Does Tebow Have To Play To Lose His Job?

The Broncos know that they are far from contention and are using the rest of this season for evaluation purposes.

But Tebow has played so poorly, one has to wonder how much John Fox will take before he uses other options. 

At some point, playing a player everyone knows is inferior to the guys on the bench kills the morale of any football team and might make players worse than they really are.

In fairness to the rest of the team, "Tebow Time" might be shorter than anyone expected. 

Is Blaine Gabbert Getting Worse?

Of all of the rookie quarterbacks, Blaine Gabbert has looked, by far, the worst. At times, he looks flat-out scared.

The Jaguars offense has been anemic, as he either stares down recievers or looks at the pass rush. 

If Gabbert never improves, it very well might be the final straw that gets Del Rio fired. 

Will the Ravens Receivers Find Seperation?

Joe Flacco is as inconsistent as any quarterback, but it does not help when your receivers are stride-for-stride with their corners. 

Even when Anquan Boldin is making plays, it's because he is making some tough catches in traffic, not because he is open.

Unless either him or Torrey Smith can start getting open, expect more up and downs from the Ravens offense. 

Can the Jets Defense Keep Playing at an Elite Level?

While the offense must be more consistent, the Jets' eggs are in the defense's basket.

With upcoming games against Buffalo and New England, the Jets need to build on their second-half performance against San Diego if they are to get back to the top of their division. 

Here's an interesting Week 5 storyline: The resurgent Aaron Maybin heading back to face the team that labeled him a "bust," the Buffalo Bills. 

Does Philip Rivers Have an Injury That We Don't Know About?

The drop-off in production with Philip Rivers this year is puzzling, to say the least, which make me think that he has some kind of injury we're unaware of, like with Drew Brees last year. 

What makes this more confusing is that Rivers has had most of his weapons this year, unlike last year, but is not playing at nearly the same level. 

Can Matt Forte Beat the Eagles by Himself?

Looking at this matchup against the Bears and Eagles, I see only one advantage for the Bears: Matt Forte against the weak Eagles run defense. 

But if I am the Eagles, I would forgo the "Wide 9" technique, because the Eagles line can get to Cutler from just about any alignment against this Bears line. 

I doubt the Bears receivers will get open against the Eagle corners, so it will be all on Matt Forte to generate offense for Chicago. 

Will Chris Johnson Look Anything Like Chris Johnson?

Clearly, CJ2K's holdout is having a huge effect on his performance. He looks like he is trying to hit a home run on every play—always recipe for failure as a running back.

The Titans need some return on their huge investment, and they are not likely going to get it next week against the Bengals. 

Do the Indianapolis Colts Have Any Pride?

We all know the Colts looked awful in every phase of the game against the Saints and lost again to the Titans. But now is the real gut-check time for the Colts.

The season is lost, and all they have to play for is building their game-tape resume and pride. But for guys like Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis and Reggie Wayne, it's all about pride. 

This team has a real chance to go winless, and if they don't get some huge performances from the rest of their roster, they will. 

Will Green Bay's Defense Ever Return to 2010 Form?

What has been hidden by Aaron Rodger's MVP-like season is the drop-off in defensive production for the Packers, especially against the pass.

They clearly are missing the underrated Nick Collins at safety. But Clay Mathews is playing at a high level, and they have enough talent to get it turned around. 

Will the Falcons Stay with the Running Game?

The Falcons' season has gone much like that of the Jets in a lot of ways (who both, by the way, use very similar offensive systems).

They fell in love with their new weapons and tried to throw it all over the place, but kept losing games because of it. 

Once these teams got back to running the ball and out of their identity crisis, they have turned it around. If the Falcons can stay patient with what has worked for them over the past few years, they will continue to win. 

Is Colt McCoy Really the Answer in Cleveland?

Despite the switch to an offensive-minded coach in Pat Shurmur, the Browns offense has looked even worse than it did last year.

Losing Peyton Hillis doesn't help, but the Colt McCoy's limitations as a quarterback are becoming glaringly obvious.

If things don't change for the Brownies, Holmgren is going to be in the market for another quarterback this offseason. 

Is Tavaris Jackson Actually Improving?

It's certainly possible. He was able to get the ball to Sidney Rice and put up solid numbers. A lot of it, however, has to do with the improved play off Seattle's offensive line.  

He has a tough task against Dallas this week, but at the very least, he is a huge upgrade over Charlie Whitehurst. 

Are the 49ers for Real?

What is most puzzling about the success of the 49ers so far is how they are winning with almost the same roster as last season.

They have beaten some quality teams in the process, which is just a further testament to the job Jim Harbaugh is doing as head coach.

They have quarterback Alex Smith doing just enough to win the game, all the while avoiding the big mistakes, and their front seven is as good as any in football. 

Barring a total collapse, they should continue to win and lock up their division sooner than later. 

Are the Dolphins Really That Bad?

For a winless team that is without their starting quarterback, I would tend to say no.

The Dolphins have had a lot of leads and have been at least competitive in most of their games. It's just, for some reason, they refuse to win. 

Their defense is good against the run, and the offensive line has improved over last season. If they can get Cameron Wake going again, the Dolphins might finally start to win some games down the stretch. 

Can the Rams Defensive Line Play This Well Every Week?

Against the Saints, Chris Long and company simply took over the game.

With their top four corners out, the Rams are going to need Long and rookie Robert Quinn to build on their masterful performance against the Saints, when they shut down the run and got to Brees. 

While their schedule gradually gets easier, I would expect the Rams to pick up a bunch of wins and take the heat off Coach Spagnuolo. 

Is the Eagles Offensive Line Finally Starting To Gel?

With a bunch of new starters, we should have known this was going to take time, but their performance against the Cowboys was spectacular.

You could have drove a truck through the holes they gave LeSean McCoy, and they gave Vick plenty of time to build a huge lead and play defense like they have wanted to all along. 

I am not a huge fan of this odd style of play because if things don't go according to plan, the Eagles are doomed. But when things do go right, the Eagles are a very scary team. 

Was the Cowboys' Defense Against the Eagles an Anomaly?

I tend to think it was. The Eagles were just perfect Sunday night, and losing MLB Sean Lee killed them in pass coverage.

I didn't love Rob Ryan's game plan of using a lot of soft-zone concepts to take away the deep ball, but I trust Ryan to make adjustments as the season goes on.

Ryan underestimated the Eagle's line and ability to run the football. 

Believe it or not, Ware had four sacks in the game. He has a legitimate chance to shatter Michael Strahan's single-season sack record. 

Are the Bengals Good Enough on Defense To Contend in the AFC North?

The Bengals front seven is very deep. They are loaded with talent along the defensive line, and guys like LB Rey Maualuga are playing up to their potential. 

However, if you are going to attack the Bengals, you attack their safeties and the corners not named Leon Hall.

But I like what I have seen from the Bengals defensively so far, and if they can continue to get good play from Dalton, they will be right in the mix come December. 

Is Josh Freeman Regressing?

This offseason, it seemed like everyone was anointing Josh Freeman like one of the best quarterbacks in football. It looks like those praises need to be tempered. 

Freeman has been just trying to do too much by himself. He is missing basic reads, and his accuracy isn't quite where it needs to be.

Like Rivers, he may have an injury we don't know about, but Buccaneer fans have to be a bit concerned with what they have seen from their quarterback. 

What Has Gotten into the Chiefs?

Usually, when a team gets blown out in its first two games, loses its two best players, then loses another divisional game, their chances of getting back to the top of the division are pretty slim. 

The Chiefs are defying the odds and have won three straight to get right back into the thick of things in the AFC West. 

Why? It's hard to point out exactly why. The defense is playing much better, especially Brandon Flowers.

Derrick Johnson is a tackling machine, and Tamba Hali is his usual disruptive self. Maybe the Chiefs just came out flat. Very flat. 

Can Benie Wells Stay Healthy and Be the Lead Back for the Cardinals?

When RB Beanie Wells is healthy, he can be a very tough and physical presence that is difficult for teams to deal with.

However, when he's out, the Arizona running game struggles, to say the least, and the Arizona offense is completely ineffective. 

With Kevin Kolb's status for Week 9 in question, the Cardinals are going to need a healthy Beanie to show up and control the game.

If the Rams defensive line plays anything like they did against the Cardinals, it will not be an easy task.