NFL Picks Week 9: 3 Biggest Trap Games That Will Rattle Favorites

The New England Patriots found out firsthand in Week 8 that trap games can be a bummer.

Tom Brady and Co. were shocked at Heinz Field, with the Pittsburgh Steelers' defense holding the high-scoring Patriots to 17 points and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger blasting the New England secondary.

All of a sudden, the Patriots appeared vulnerable and actually fell behind the Steelers in a lot of power rankings after the loss.

Well, there's more where that came from.

Here are the biggest trap games of Week 9. 

3. Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets

While Jets head coach Rex Ryan claims the Jets are back after two straight wins, not everybody's so sure.

As for the Bills, they're coming off their best defensive performance of the season, shutting out the Washington Redskins and registering a whopping nine sacks in the process.

The Bills' defense is improving, and given their explosive offense, that's a bad sign for the rest of the NFL.

However, I'm not counting the Jets out of this game, especially with their secondary. The truth is, the Jets have the same problems this season as last, and last season they made it to the AFC Championship Game.

Never count the Jets out of a game, because they've shown in the past that they can surprise.

Remember, they weren't supposed to beat the San Diego Chargers in Week 7, and they weren't supposed to beat the Patriots in the playoffs last season. 

2. Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Titans running back Chris Johnson still hasn't gotten it together, and it's starting to be a big concern for the team.

If he fails to produce in Week 9 against a strong Bengals rush defense, he'll make it hard once again for the passing game. Given that the Bengals have a solid pass defense, there's definitely the potential for Cincinnati to actually beat the Titans.

There's also the fact that Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and receiver A.J. Green are more accustomed to the NFL now. 

1. Steelers vs. Ravens

The Steelers and Ravens are coming off two completely different performances.

The Steelers had their biggest win of the season last week, and the Ravens are coming off a 30-27 victory over the lowly Arizona Cardinals.

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is still having difficulties, and the Steelers' defense isn't exactly the most forgiving.

But, the Ravens have always played the Steelers tough, including when they beat Pittsburgh, 35-7, in Week 1. With this defense, allowing the second-fewest points per game in the league (15.3), the Ravens are always in the game.

I certainly don't see Roethlisberger having the kind of game he had against the Patriots.

And, look for Ravens rookie receiver Torrey Smith in this game. He's beginning to assert himself in the NFL, and his sprawling 36-yard catch late against the Cardinals set up the Ravens' game-winning field goal. I'm a big believer in him.