NFL Week 9 Predictions

Week 9 of the NFL is here! We've got a decent slate of games today. I'm gonna go through ALL of them.

Kansas City @ Buffalo

- A lot of people out there aren't impressed by the Chiefs 8-0 record because of who they played, or the fact that Thad Lewis will be the 4th backup QB they've faced this season. But 8-0 is 8-0. This team is playing amazing defense, that defensive line has been outstanding, and their offense has been efficient, yet inconsistent. Their running game pretty much carries the offense. Jamaal Charles has rushed for over 100 yards in each game this season. Playing in Buffalo is tough. The Bills may be 3-5, but they give opponents a run for their money. They could've beaten New England, they beat the Super Bowl Champions, and had a 14 point lead on Cincy until they made a comeback. Thad Lewis has been impressive so far with his mobility in the pocket and effectiveness throwing the ball down the field. Their running game is ranked 7th and KC is giving up over 100 yards on the ground. But that KC defensive line has been getting better with each game. 

- Lewis is very mobile in the pocket, and can make plays with his feet, but the last two times they've played mobile QB's, Vick ran for almost 100 and Pryor had 56. They'll have to account for the dynamic Lewis brings to the offense. KC's offense is a little inconsistent. Alex Smith doesn't put up big numbers in the passing game, but he goes out there and tries not to lose. A true game manager. He has flashes of brilliance through the air. Smith, for the most part, spreads the ball around, makes good throws, and he's become effective at running to extend the play or even make big plays. All in all, this is going to be a good game. The Chiefs have blown out 3 teams, and had 4 wins where games were one possession games. They know how to clutch it up and win the close games. If this was in KC, I'd say Buffalo gets blown out, but in Buffalo, they're gonna play the Chiefs tight and close. But I say KC pulls out another close win. Even though their defense is ranked 5th, their defense has not allowed over 17 points in ANY game this season. 

But after this, playtime is over. They have a bye, then their schedule looks this: @Denver, Home against San Diego, Home against Denver, @Washington, @Oakland, Home against The Colts, and @San Diego. All these teams have great offenses and score points at will. These slate of games will show what the Chiefs are really made of.

Prediction: Chiefs defeat Bills

Atlanta @ Carolina

- One of the surprises of the year has definitely been the Carolina Panthers. Cam Newton has been playing well, but but he's always been a great QB. The thing now is, he's got a defense that can close out games, ranked #3 in the league overall, and 8th against the run. The Panthers are my surprise pick to get to playoffs now that they've been playing some good Football. Cam Newton is more and more seasoned throwing the ball and making plays with his feet becoming such a dynamic dual threat player. His defense can rush the passer, and get to the QB. They've got 22 sacks on the season and 9 INT's. Cam now has a strong defense to account for his offense playmaking abilities.

- The Falcons come in DEAD LAST in rushing yards, and averaging over 350 yards of total offense. They've got no Julio or Roddy, and even with Steven Jackson back, they've been struggling on offense. Matty Ice had another bad showing against Arizona throwing 4 interceptions. Harry Douglas is a solid deep threat, but without Roddy and Julio out there, their offense lacks that big play ability. Outside of Douglas & Gonzalez, who else do they have? They can beat lowly teams like Tampa Bay, but stepping up against Carolina, at Home, they can't play like this, turn the ball over, and hope to win. Carolina is 2nd is scoring defense, averaging 13.7 points off turnovers. The Falcons have not started the season the way they would like and losing Roddy & Julio just adds to the problem. I'm gonna take Carolina to get the win, move to 5-3 and one step close to challenging the Saints for the NFC South crown. Unfortunately, we don't see Carolina play New Orleans until Week 14. But in between that they've got some tough game against teams like New England and San Francisco. 

Prediction: Panthers defeat Falcons

Minnesota @ Dallas 

- The Vikings are just a mess. They've played Hot Potato at the Quarterback position and now they've decided to just stick with Christian Ponder. Freeman just got put on the team and I guess they expected him to light it up. The Vikings aren't the team they were last season where they were playing good Football on both sides of the ball. Their defense gives up 400 yards of offense per game, their offense can't seem to find consistency and often struggle, and the only person carrying the team is Adrian Peterson. 

- The Cowboys are coming off a heartbreaker against Detroit. Up 10 with 5 minutes to go, The Lions come back and get the W. The Cowboys are a good team, no doubt about it, but they can't blow leads like that. They need to learn to close out games and not choke them away. Romo has even been playing well, but last week is an indication that he gets Dez the ball more as he is the premiere playmaker even though rookie Terrance Williams has emerged as a star. 

- All in all, The Vikings are dysfunctional and can't seem to get things going and they're going on the road to play Dallas who plays very well at Home. The word isn't even out yet that Demarcus is ready to go and he is one of the keys to that defense. But at Home, they're gonna suffocate that poor offensive line of Minnesota and give Ponder a rough day. The Cowboys always seem to bounce back, so I'll take them against Minnesota and their 29th ranked pass defense.

Prediction: Cowboys defeat Vikings

New Orleans @ New York

- There are a couple subplots to this game. The fact that the Jets haven't lost back to back games under Rex Ryan, and the fact that Rex is 4-0 against his brother Rob. The problem with these Jets is their inconsistency. Geno can look good like against the Falcons and Patriots, and then he'll do what he did against The Bengals. Their defense has also fallen off. Dalton had 5 TD passes and the Bengals had over 400 yards of offense. Imagine what Drew Brees can accomplish against this defense. Brees' offensive line has been good this season, and he's got so many weapons to throw to and spread the field with. Guys like Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles in the running and passing game with those screen passes. And he's got deep threats like Jimmy Graham, Kenny Stills, Lance Moore, Marques Colston, etc. Just too much firepower for the Jets defense to handle in my opinion.

- Geno is gonna have his hands full with this defense. Rob Ryan has had this defense playing well. Their defensive line is explosive off the ball and can get to the QB, their secondary plays tight coverage on their receivers and swarm the ball to generate turnovers. Only ONE team has scored over 20 on them and that was New England. The Jets have to play aggressively and effectively run the ball. The Saints only rank 19th in rushing defense giving up over 100 yards on the ground. Effectively running the ball will open up the passing game for Geno. He's got to make those smart throws and not force the issue like against Cincinnati. 

- The Jets have the Homefield Advantage and this spells trap game. Their defensive line has got to pressure Drew Brees into bad throws and get some sacks. If they give him time in the pocket, he will tear them apart. They've got to cover the flat as well. The Saints love dumping it off and gaining some huge yardage on screen plays. It's effective, but almost impossible to stop. Brees has too many weapons. This could be the beginning of the end for the promising season of The New York Jets. 

Prediction: Saints defeat Jets

Tennessee @ St. Louis

- The Rams looked a little lost on offense without Bradford. Clemens only managed to put up 6 points with that offense. Zac Stacy has emerged as a star in the running game averaging almost 5 yards a carry and going over 100 on Seattle. The Titans are 3-4 and still in the AFC South race. Locker is back in the lineup as the playmaker who is efficient at throwing the ball down the field and extending the play with his feet. Their defensive stats aren't in the tops, but they can rush the Quarterback and play good coverage. They were exposed quite a bit against San Francisco and they ran the ball down their throat and made plays in the passing game. The Rams are gonna have to use a heavy dose of Zac Stacy and their defensive line will have to really turn it up if they're gonna pull off the win. Clemens will have to play well and not make any mistakes because this Titans defense can get to the ball with velocity and disrupt the offense's timing. Locker's offensive weapons are dwindling with just Wright and Washington out there making plays. Their offense is gonna have to be aggressive and force the issue against the Rams secondary. Locker will have to get the ball out quick and make his decisions fast. I've got the Titans winning this one.

Prediction: Titans defeat Rams

San Diego @ Washington

- I've got a feeling this will be the highest scoring game of the day. Both these teams are in the Top 10 in total yards per game and passing yards per game, and both their defenses give up 300 yards of offense per game. The Chargers are quietly sitting at 4-3 looking to make some noise in the AFC led by Philip Rivers who has really been playing extremely well. He's got 15 TD's to 5 INT's, a 73.90% completion percentage with over 2000 yards passing on the season. Griffin, on the other hand, hasn't been playing well, in fact he's been inconsistent. His offensive line isn't doing him any favors either. He doesn't make plays with his feet as much because of his fear of getting injured again turning him into a pocket passer which he has not been efficient as this season. He's a dual threat, not just a dropback pocket passer. 

- That being said, I believe both offenses will light up the scoreboards. Rivers has got the weapons to throw the ball to and score points in the passing game. They need to hold their leads because they've already blown 2 games this season. The Redskins were up 21-7 on Peyton Manning and The Broncos and then gave up 38 unanswered. The Redskins can put up points, but aren't a good defensive unit. It all comes down to who can outscore who and which defense can make that stop. The Redskins don't have it anymore, the Chargers have the fire right now.

Prediction: Chargers defeat Redskins

Philadelphia @ Oakland

- UPSET ALERT.....sort of.

- I think the Raiders and Pryor have hit a nice stride. Pryor has emerged as a dynamic runner and he gets better with his passing ability with each game. He can get it done on the ground and through the air. He doesn't have a lot of weapons to throw to, but he makes the throws and doesn't hold on to the ball too long. Also, he's 3-0 at Home so far this season. The Eagles come in with a poor defense, an inconsistent passing game, and a #2 ranked running attack. Running the ball can open up some opportunities in the passing game for whoever it is that's starting. The jury is still out on Foles, Vick is hurt, but Barkley can be a star if he gets some games under his belts and has a better feel for the game. The Raiders themselves aren't a complete team, but they're better than people give them credit for. The Eagles defense don't have the power to keep up with Oakland's offense, but vice versa, the Raider defense are gonna give the QB some problems. I've got Oakland going 4-0 at Home dealing another blow to the Eagles.

Prediction: Raiders defeat Eagles

Tampa Bay @ Seattle

- The Bucs are probably going to release Schiano at the end of the season. His coaching skills are clearly not up to NFL par. They haven't won a game yet, they're 31st in total yards per game, they haven't been running the ball well, and Glennon has looked decent. He hasn't looked exceptionally terrible. He's thrown for almost 1,000 yards with 6 TD's to 3 INT's in his 4 starts. But this is going to be a HUGE test for him. Playing Seattle IN Seattle. The Seahawks energy at Home is amazing. Their defense love to get physical, hit hard and really jam on the line. Russell has been efficient this year with a 60.98% completion percentage, and over 1500 yards passing. He hasn't been throwing the ball a ton this season, balancing out his playmaking abilities through the air with his running. At Home, Seattle is a juggernaut on both sides of the ball. Their offense can move the ball at will and their defense forces turnovers and generate sacks. I would like to say Tampa Bay has a chance, but playing on the road in a place like Seattle is difficult for any team. 

Prediction: Seahawks defeat Buccaneers 

Baltimore @ Cleveland

- The Browns haven't won at Home against Baltimore since 2007. The Browns have fallen apart ever since losing Hoyer. Wheeden hasn't been getting the job done either and now they have Jason Campbell in there. The Browns struggle to score and develop plays in the passing game and here come the Ravens at 3-4, barely being talked about, 1-3 in their last 4 games, and they're the defending Super Bowl Champions. With Jacoby Jones back in the lineup opposite Torrey Smith, and the fact that they're trying to get Dallas Clark more involved in the offense and he's been making some good plays lately. Outside of that, they don't have any consistent playmakers. The Browns play good defense at Home and can keep it close, especially against a division foe. They only lost by 8 in Baltimore and it was 7-6 all the way to the 4th Quarter. But the Browns don't have a great passing attack, their running game is inconsistent and their only saving grace is the fact their defense has flashes of brilliance every now and then. But I've got the Ravens in this one. It'll be a close one, but with the Baltimore's defense, coming off a bye week, and getting their offense together, they'll be ready to make some noise again.

Prediction: Ravens defeat Browns

Pittsburgh @ New England

- The Patriots are lucky to be 6-2 with the way they've played. Their offense continually struggles in games, including Tom Brady. He's thrown 2 TD's and 4 INT's in his last 4 games. He had 116 yards against Miami even with Gronk and Amendola on the field. And now they face a Pittsburgh team that has a stronger defense than Miami that can stifle Brady's offense, or lack thereof. And if they get a 17-3 lead, they won't blow it. Only thing Brady can fall back on is that he's 3-1 vs Pittsburgh in his last 4 meetings against them, unbeaten against them at Home all time, with most of those wins being blowouts. You would think with all this, New England wins this one, but the way they've been playing, I can see Pittsburgh getting a win here.

- The Patriots defense plays better at Home and if Aqib Talib comes back, he can give that secondary a boost in pass coverage. Their defensive line will have to contain Big Ben on the ground and disrupt his passing rhythm. Pittsburgh's defense has a #2 ranked passing defense and with how Brady has played lately, he's going to have a rough time effectively throwing the ball down the field. Knowing Brady & Belichick, they'll try to wear out that defense with constant out patterns, dink & dunk checkdown plays, throwing the ball down the field all led by a fast pace, no huddle offense.  

- This is a must win game for Pittsburgh if they want to stay in the AFC North hunt, but Brady always plays well against the Steelers and has success against them. I want to say the Steelers will take down Brady and his team, but I don't see it happening. Pittsburgh will keep it close and play them tight, but when it's all said and done, I see New England getting the win.

Prediction: Patriots defeat Steelers

Indianapolis @ Houston

- I can see Indy getting the win here, but the thing is, without Reggie Wayne, their offensive consistency is gonna go down. Heyward Bey isn't a reliable deep threat, Hilton is sure to be double covered, making it harder to get him involved and Fleener is inconsistent. Luck and the Colts are going to have adjust to no Wayne. Coming off such a HOT win ending the streak of the Broncos, you would think they can pull this off no problem. But despite being 3-5, Houston has the top ranked defense in the league overall and against the pass, and they seem to have a found a reliable QB in Case Keenum. We saw how he lit up the KC secondary. The kid has the tools to be a good QB. We'll see how he does against the Colts. Their defensive energy is better at Home, but can they do it on the road in hostile territory? 

- We know how good Luck is as QB. The guy is a pure pocket passer, makes good decisions and has the ability to make good throws, but without a reliable receiver out there, how can they contend with Houston when they've allowed just 145.5 yards per game through the air? Let's hope over the course of the bye week, that they have gotten the timing down with routes. Keenum has a few weapons to work with and this is time to shine. The last time Indy played on the road, they suffered from too many dropped passes, and lack of protection. This Houston defensive line is still one of the best in the NFL at getting to the QB and the Colt's offensive line is still inconsistent. These receivers can't drop passes and have missed opportunities against this Houston team. 

- The Colts will have to depend on Heyward-Bey and Hilton to make those big plays and Fleener to hold on to the ball. They've had 2 weeks to figure out how to work this offense, but I don't like their chances against Houston. The Texans record may not show it, but their defense can keep them in this game by getting to Luck, generating sacks and forcing turnovers. Keenum will have a good game and lead Houston to win. The Colts will still win the AFC South, but Houston is a tough place to play.

Prediction: Texans defeat Colts

Chicago @ Green Bay

- The last time we saw Chicago, they were allowing over 400 yards of offense against Washington. Now, they have to face division rival, Green Bay. The Packers, even without Cobb and Jones out there put up 40 points on Minnesota. The Bears defense isn't any better. They've got a 27th ranked pass defense going up against the #2 ranked overall offense averaging over 400 yards of offense per game. Without Cutler, the Bears are going to struggle. Whether people believe it or not, Cutler gives Chicago the best chance to get to the playoffs. McCown can step in and do a solid job and move the ball, but the Packers defense are giving up over 200 yards through the air. Aaron Rodgers has played great this season despite all these injuries on offense, and he's finding his receivers and Jordy Nelson is really stepping up in the passing game making huge plays.

- If The Bears wanna win, that Front 7 is going to have to get off the ball and get to Aaron Rodgers and disrupt his timing and force him into bad throws. I don't believe their passing defense can stop him. McCown should not force the issue. He needs to take his time. The Packers, at Home, are tough to beat. It's gonna take mistake free ball and smart decision making and throwing the ball accurately to get the upset win here. But after all is said and done, it'll come down to if Chicago can stop Aaron Rodgers, and they way they've played, I don't think they can, especially not in Green Bay. I got the Packers in this one.

Prediction: Packers defeat Bears

Enjoy The Games!

By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete