Week 9 of the NFL season is here, and the Kansas City Chiefs are still unbeaten at 7-0.
Their NFL odds for the Super Bowl are +400, and you can bet online right now at the BetMGM online sportsbook on this wager and more.
Below, you’ll find my predictions and picks for this week’s slate of games.
Houston Texans at New York Jets
The Texans are dealing with yet another injury at wide receiver, with Stefon Diggs tearing his ACL.
Still, the Jets have had a disastrous season, coming off a 25-22 loss to the New England Patriots.
The Texans still have running back Joe Mixon, who rushed for over 100 yards last week and will take on a Jets defence that surrendered three rushing touchdowns over the past two weeks.
PICK: Texans +2 (-110)
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers
It’s unclear who the starting quarterback for either team will be. Either way, despite back-to-back dismal offensive performances, I’m leaning toward the Saints.
The Panthers have given up 26 points or more in every game and are ranked dead last in scoring defence.
PICK: Saints -7 (-110)
Washington Commanders at New York Giants
The Giants played better than expected on the road in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.
Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. rushed for over 100 yards. Now, he’ll face a Commanders defence that’s given up five rushing touchdowns to running backs over the last three games.
The Giants will be able to run the ball well enough to keep this close.
PICK: Giants +3.5 (-110)
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
I lean toward the Bills here, as the Dolphins have not played well against opposing running backs. They allow 1.43 rushing touchdowns per game to the position (second-most).
Their defence allows less than one passing touchdown per game, but context matters.
They held Anthony Richardson, Jacoby Brissett, and Will Levis to zero touchdown passes — three QBs who combined for just 11 touchdown passes this season.
PICK: Bills -6 (-110)
Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns
The Chargers defence has been fantastic. They allow 210 passing yards and less than one passing touchdown per game. They average nearly one interception and surrender just one rushing touchdown per game.
Expect them to slow down this Jameis Winston-led Browns offence, considering the quarterback has 99 interceptions in his career.
PICK: Chargers -2 (-110)
New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans
The Patriots are coming off a win, but the Titans offence showed some spark in Week 8. Yes, they lost 52-14 to the Detroit Lions and turned the ball over four times, but they had 416 yards of offence (258 passing and 158 rushing) and averaged 5.9 yards per play.
The Patriots’ offence is led by the running game, and the Titans hold opposing running backs to 85.43 rushing yards per game (4.01 yards per carry).
PICK: Titans -3.5 (-115)
Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons
The Cowboys surrender 1.29 rushing touchdowns per game to opposing running backs, the third-worst average in the NFL. That bodes well against a backfield comprised of Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, who’ve combined for five rushing touchdowns this season.
The Falcons defence averages nearly one interception per game and Cowboys QB Dak Prescott has thrown two interceptions in each of the last three.
PICK: Falcons -2.5 (-115)
Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals
The Raiders and Bengals are two of the worst rushing offences in the league. They both rank inside the bottom five in rushing yards per game.
The Bengals have been susceptible to opposing tight ends, allowing over 57 receiving yards per game. In Week 9, they’ll face Raiders TE Brock Bowers, who leads the league in receptions.
The Bengals win, but the Raiders cover.
PICK: Raiders +7.5 (-110)
Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens
Derrick Henry has been dominant this season, leading the league in rushing, while opposing running backs have only scored three rushing touchdowns against his Ravens this year.
The Achilles’ heel for the Ravens is they are letting up a league-high 311.62 passing yards per game.
Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix has multiple touchdown passes in three of his last four games.
PICK: Broncos +9 (-115)
Chicago Bears at Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals defence allows 0.88 rushing touchdowns to opposing running backs per game, tied for sixth-worst in the league. They’ll attempt to slow down Bears RB D’Andre Swift, who’s scored in four straight games.
Opposing QBs are passing for 245.62 yards per game (seventh) against Arizona. Bears QB Caleb Williams didn’t perform well in Week 8, but had six touchdown passes combined in Weeks 6 and 7.
PICK: Bears +1 (-115)
Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles offence has been rolling, scoring 37 points in Week 8 against the Bengals.
They take on a Jaguars defence that allows 281 passing yards and more than two passing touchdowns per game. The defence has also allowed seven rushing touchdowns this season through eight games.
PICK: Eagles -7.5 (-110)
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
The Rams, with wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp back in the lineup, are coming off a 30-point performance against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Seahawks have allowed multiple touchdown passes in four of the last five games. They’ve been terrible against opposing running backs, who have run for 118-plus rushing yards in all but two games this season, with a high of 194 in Week 6. Rams RB Kyren Williams has eight rushing scores this season.
PICK: Rams ML (-125)
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
It’s unclear if Packers QB Jordan Love will suit up after suffering a groin injury last week. If he can’t go, Malik Willis will be under centre. The former Liberty standout has 380 yards passing, three touchdowns, and zero picks subbing for Love this year.
However, the Lions defence allows less than one passing touchdown to opposing QBs per contest and ranks ninth in points allowed (19.1)
PICK: Lions -3.5 (-110)
Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings
The Colts announced that Joe Flacco will start in place of Anthony Richardson. In two starts, Flacco threw five touchdowns, one interception, and an average of 274 yards per game.
Opposing QBs average 284.43 passing yards and two passing touchdowns per game against the Vikings. They allowed four touchdown passes in Week 8 against the Rams.
PICK: Colts +5.5 (-110)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Kansas City Chiefs
The Buccaneers are without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, but they still managed to sport a solid offence in Week 8. They scored 26 points, and QB Baker Mayfield passed for 330 yards and three touchdowns in a loss to Atlanta.
The Chiefs will win this game at home, but Mayfield’s performances this season, regardless of his weapons on the field, have shown he can lead this offence well enough to keep this game within the nine-point spread.
PICK: Buccaneers +9 (-110)
