Packers, Titans and more locks for NFL Week 9 | Lorenzo’s Locks
Lorenzo Reyes is back with his favorite picks ahead of Week 9 action in the NFL.
Lorenzo’s Locks
The Philadelphia Eagles are 8-0 for the first time in franchise history.
Philadelphia went into Thursday night’s matchup against the Houston Texans as a heavy favorite, but were challenged by a pesky Texans team playing for pride.
The game was tied 14-14 at halftime, but the Eagles scored the second half’s first touchdown and held on to win, 29-17.
Philadelphia didn’t play its best, but totaled 360 yards of offense and the defense forced two turnovers.
The win improved the Eagles to 6-0 in their all-time series versus the Texans.
Here are the winners and losers in Week 9’s “Thursday Night Football” matchup:
Winners
Jalen Hurts
Hurts was solid playing in an NFL game for the first time in his hometown of Houston. The Eagles starting quarterback finished with 243 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Hurts, who was born in Houston, played high school football at Channelview High School in Channelview, Texas.
Eagles ground attack
The Eagles came into Week 9 leading the NFL with 14 rushing touchdowns. Philadelphia added two rushing touchdowns to its total in Thursday’s win. Miles Sanders and Kenneth Gainwell each had a rushing TD.
The Eagles compiled 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the win. They averaged 4.6 yards a carry.
Credit also has to be given to the Eagles’ offensive line. The unit routinely wins the battle in the trenches.
Philly’s pass-catching trio
Entering Week 9, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert are the only trio of teammates this season to each have at least 30 receptions and 400 receiving yards.
The trio combined for 16 catches, 181 receiving yards and two touchdowns against the Texans.
Eagles opportunistic defense
The Eagles came into Week 9 with an NFL-best plus-14 turnover differential. C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s third quarter interception was the turning point in the game. Hurts and the offense scored the go-ahead touchdown a couple plays after their defense created a takeaway.
Gardner-Johnson has an NFL-best five interceptions this year.
Eagles CB James Bradberry had the game-clinching interception late in the fourth quarter.
Javon Hargrave
Hargrave had himself a night. The Eagles defensive tackle had seven tackles, three tackles for loss and a game-high three sacks. He had three total sacks the previous eight weeks.
Rookie Dameon Pierce
Pierce’s rookie of the year campaign was boosted in front of a national primetime audience, as the running back showcased his skills against the Eagles. Pierce ran hard all night. He was tough to tackle and always fell forward following contact.
Pierce topped 120 rushing yards in the third quarter. He had 27 carries and 139 rushing yards in the loss.
Philadelphia and Houston
Thursday marked only the seventh time that a World Series game and NFL game involving the same two metro areas occurred on the same day, according to ESPN Stats.
Losers
Davis Mills
Mills had a solid start. The Texans quarterback was 8-of-9 passing for 90 yards and had two touchdowns in the first half.
However, Mills’ third incompletion was an ill-advised pass in the third quarter that was intercepted by Gardner-Johnson. The Eagles scored two plays later on a Hurts’ 17-yard touchdown pass to Brown.
Mills threw a second interception late in the fourth quarter. He tossed the football right into Bradberry’s hands.
There were a few times Mills missed open windows downfield to deliver passes. He looked more comfortable throwing balls inside 10 yards.
Mills ranks in the bottom half of the NFL in many major quarterback statistical categories. He finished 13-of-22 passing for 154 yards to go with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Every average or below average performance from Mills increases the likelihood that the Texans will draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Texans
The loss dropped the Texans to 1-6-1 this season. Houston and the Detroit Lions (1-6) are the only two teams in the NFL with just one victory.
Brandin Cooks was inactive
Cooks didn’t play Thursday night. Cooks was expected to be traded prior to the trade deadline but Houston’s trade demands weren’t met by any NFL club. Cooks, who missed practice on Tuesday and Wednesday because of personal reasons, voiced his frustration for not being traded in a cryptic tweet this week.
Houston has a problem because its best receiver is disgruntled. The Texans re-signed Cooks to a two-year extension in April.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on Twitter @TheTylerDragon.
