Week 9 Preview

Thursday Night was one to watch! Below is everything you need to know heading into another great slate of Sunday and Monday football!

Dallas Cowboys @ Atlanta Falcons

1:00pm EST / FOX

The Reserves Picks

DAL: Charlie, Adam, Dillon, Zach

ATL: Jesse & Ian

There’s no way around it, this is not the Dallas Cowboys team we expected when the season started. The defense has been bad (and made even worse by injuries) and while the offense has shown bright flashes, it seems like they have simply been spinning their wheels for the most part. But things can’t get worse… right? The Falcons, however, must be pretty happy with their season so far, sitting atop the NFC South at 5-3 with one of the better offensive attacks in the entire NFL and a defense that has been playing fairly well. Just one thing, the Dallas Cowboys aren’t the Buccaneers… Things could get very interesting in Atlanta this Sunday afternoon. This should be an intense Cowboys team that should unload everything at their disposal in order to capture a much-needed win. On the flip side, the Falcons are healthier and riding a 4-1 hot streak. Are the Cowboys just going to continue to Cowboys or can they get it together and stop their two game skid? - Adam Houston

Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens

1:00pm EST / CBS

The Reserves Picks

DEN: N/A

BAL: Charlie, Jesse, Adam, Dillon, Ian, & Zach

Both teams enter this Week 9 matchup at 5-3. While most Ravens fans might’ve expected these kinds of results so far (some might even call it a disappointment), the same can’t necessarily be said for all Broncos fans. The Denver defense has been stellar, but it has been the emergence of the offense, led by dual-threat rookie QB Bo Nix, that has put this team in the spot that they are in. Unfortunately for the Broncos, they will face an offensive attack that has proved to be unstoppable regardless of whoever is on the other side of the ball. If there is any hope for the Broncos, it’s the fact that the Ravens haven’t been that great against the pass, and we expect them to be throwing from behind a lot. Regardless, we do not expect this one to go Denver’s way.  - Adam Houston

Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills

1:00pm EST / CBS

The Reserves Picks

MIA: Adam & Zach

BUF: Charlie, Jesse, Dillon, & Ian

Round 2 of this AFC East matchup takes place in Orchard Park this Sunday. These two teams met in Miami back in Week 2 where the Bills won 31-10. A scary concussion knocked Dolphins QB, Tua Tagovailoa, out of that Week 2 game and sidelined him until his return last week in their 1-point loss against the Arizona Cardinals. The return of Tua definitely improves the Dolphins chances. RB De’Von Achane and WR Tyreek Hill are still very explosive offensive weapons for head coach Mike McDaniel to use all over the field. On the other hand, Buffalo is hitting their stride. They roll into Week 9 after consecutive victories over the Jets, Titans, and Seahawks. Josh Allen has been playing well and the running game was working last week against Seattle. The Miami defense is middle of the pack against the run this season. It would not surprise us if James Cook went over 100 yards again. A couple of our writers are taking the Miami upset, but majority rules here so look for the Bills to further increase their strong lead in the AFC East standings. (P.S. The AFC East is over already. Bills are locked in the playoffs as AFC East champs.) - Dillon Draughn

New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers

1:00pm EST / CBS

The Reserves Picks

NO: Charlie, Jesse, Adam, Dillon, Ian, & Zach

CAR: N/A

There’s not much to say here. Although he left the team at 2-3, the probable return of Derek Carr is a much-welcomed sight to a New Orleans team that tacked on three more losses in his absence; especially when you consider that two of Carr’s losses were by three points to Philadelphia and by two points to the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons. Regardless of who is under center for the Panthers, it doesn’t change the fact that this is a woefully bad team that just traded arguably their best receiver. While it’s not likely that the Panthers lose out the rest of the year, we don’t expect that Sunday will be the day that they get another win. - Adam Houston

Las Vegas Raiders @ Cincinnati Bengals

1:00pm EST / FOX

The Reserves Picks

LV: Ian

CIN: Charlie, Jesse, Adam, Dillon, & Zach

Without looking, guess what the Bengals’ home record is this year… No, no… Guess… They are 0-4 at home. You’re telling me Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are winless in The Jungle?! So if you’re a strict believer in current trends, the Raiders are going to win this game. The Raiders showed last week that they can play a good team tough in their 27-20 loss against the Chiefs. But this is a must-win game for Cincinnati. The Bengals need to reel off some consecutive wins if they want to re-enter the AFC playoff picture. With the Ravens coming up next on the schedule for a Week 10 Thursday Night Football showdown, Cincinnati absolutely CAN NOT lose this game with the Raiders. Expect Joe Burrow to come through in the 4th quarter in another close game. - Dillon Draughn

Los Angeles Chargers @ Cleveland Browns

1:00pm EST / CBS

The Reserves Picks

LAC: Jesse, Adam, & Zach

CLE: Charlie, Dillon, & Ian

Browns QB Jameis Winston, added another chapter to his storied NFL career last week when he led Cleveland to a 29-24 victory over the Ravens last week. Winston threw for 334 yards and 3 touchdowns in that game. Cedric Tillman led the Browns in receiving and caught 2 of those TD passes from Winston, including the winning score with 0:59 seconds left on the clock. To make things even better, a healthy Nick Chubb is finally back in the backfield, which is enough to frighten any opposing defense. This Week 9 matchup with the Chargers, who are starting to come into their own under first year head coach Jim Harbaugh, should be a fun one to watch. Our Reserves Picks are split down the middle on this one. Can Jameis Winston provide a lasting spark for the Browns’ passing attack, or was last week just a fluke performance? - Dillon Draughn

Washington Commanders @ New York Giants

1:00pm EST / FOX

The Reserves Picks

WAS: Charlie, Jesse, Adam, Dillon, & Zach

NYG: Ian

Leave it to the one Giants fan in our group to pick Danny Dimes over Jayden Daniels and the Commanders in this game (this is why we love Ian). But in all seriousness, what would have to happen for the Giants to win? One guy would need to take over the game and that guy is Dexter Lawrence (a.k.a. “Sexy Dexy”). The 340-lb nose tackle for the Giants is the current sack leader in the NFL. If he could provide some pressure right up the middle in the face of Jayden Daniels, maybe this could cause some miscues and problems for the Washington offense. However, I would assume that the gameplan for the Commanders will be to utilize Jayden’s mobility to get him outside the pocket away from the A-gap pressure of the Giants defensive front. The Heisman winning QB has surely proven himself so far, and a slip up here would be surprising. This is why the rest of The Reserves pick the Commanders to continue their hot streak of winning football.    - Dillon Draughn

New England Patriots @ Tennessee Titans

1:00pm EST / FOX

The Reserves Picks

NE: Charlie, Jesse, Adam, & Dillon

TEN: Ian & Zach

Here we have two struggling teams who are currently in QB limbo. As of Friday morning when this was written, both the Patriots and Titans are unsure of who will get the start at QB in this game due to injuries/concussion protocol. The Patriots are waiting to see if Drake Maye will be cleared from concussion protocol, and will start Jacoby Brissett if Maye is kept listed inactive. The Titans are waiting on Will Levis as he is recovering from a sprained AC joint in his shoulder. If Levis is unable to go, Mason Rudolph will be granted the starting job. Regardless of who is under center for either squad, we expect both offenses to struggle as this game may turn into a field goal kicking contest with a final score of something like 12-9. Take the under and watch a different game! - Dillon Draughn

Chicago Bears @ Arizona Cardinals

4:05pm EST / CBS

The Reserves Picks

CHI: Charlie, Jesse, Adam, & Ian

ARI: Dillon & Zach

Oh Chicago… last week’s loss to the Commanders will not be forgotten for some time. Everybody has seen the final Hail Mary play where cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was prematurely celebrating and mocking the Washington crowd (while the play had already started), and then proceeded to run over to the other side of the field, tip the ball up into the air, and watch it fall into the waiting arms of WR Noah Brown for the walk-off TD. That’s a sequence of events for Stevenson and Bears fans that has probably caused some nightmares this week, but the season continues on. The Bears will have to turn the page as they now face an Arizona Cardinals squad that I personally have been very impressed with. The Cardinals are a solid team that finds themselves at 4-4 in prime position to jump ahead in the NFC West standings. The 49ers are on a bye week, and the Seahawks and LA Rams play each other this week, so another win here for QB Kyler Murray and Arizona would be HUGE going forward. - Dillon Draughn

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Philadelphia Eagles

4:05pm EST / CBS

The Reserves Picks

JAX: N/A

PHI: Charlie, Jesse, Adam, Dillon, Ian, & Zach

Jaguars fans have enjoyed one confusing season thus far: QB Trevor Lawrence is currently top 10 in most major passing statistics, RB Tank Bigsby has begun to emerge out of the backfield (much to the dismay of Travis Etienne fantasy owners), and WR Brian Thomas Jr. is having a breakout rookie campaign. However, with a passing defense that has been akin to swiss cheese, Jacksonville now stands at 2-6. At 5-2 and one game off of the NFC East lead (Washington), the Philadelphia Eagles have quite the opposite season. RB Saquon Barkley is currently the second-leading rusher in the NFL. QB Jalen Hurts, WR AJ Brown, and WR DeVonta Smith are all healthy and playing extremely high levels. The defense? Well, they are as stout as ever. With all things considered, especially with a banged-up Jaguars team, we expect this one to be all Eagles. - Adam Houston

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers

4:25pm EST / FOX

The Reserves Picks

DET: Charlie, Adam, Dillon, & Ian

GB: Jesse & Zach

The 6-1 Detroit Lions travel to Lambeau Field to take on the 6-2 Green Bay Packers in one of the biggest games of the season thus far. Since falling to the Buccaneers in Week 2, Dan Campbell and company have been smacking teams around left and right, coming into this matchup as perhaps the hottest team in the entire league. The passing game is on fire, the Jahmyr Gibbs - David Montgomery backfield is unworldly, and the defense is leading the Lions to the second-best turnover differential in the NFL at +10. While Detroit seems to be unbeatable at this point, Green Bay also happens to be pretty good at football too, but could be at a significant disadvantage heading into this highly-anticipated matchup. 

Jordan Love, who has continued to ascend as one of the best young quarterbacks in the game, has added yet another injury to his list of ailments. This time, a groin strain. While reports are positive in terms of his availability for this week, if he can’t go, it could spell very bad news for the Packers. Even if he does, his practice reps will likely have been limited in some capacity. Having Josh Jacobs, who has the fourth-most rushing yards in the NFL, and a defense that leads the league in takeaways certainly helps, but will it be enough? Divisional games have shown the ability to be close regardless of the surrounding circumstances, especially when playoff implications are involved. This will be an exciting one to watch. - Adam Houston

Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks

4:25pm EST / FOX

The Reserves Picks

LAR: Charlie, Adam, Ian, & Zach

SEA: Jesse & Dillon

It is getting wild in the west; the NFC West that is. A matchup within the division is always an important game on the schedule, and this contest is no exception. The NFC West standings currently look like this: Arizona (4-4), San Fran (4-4), Seattle (4-4), Los Angeles (3-4). Any of these four teams can emerge as the frontrunner over the next few weeks. It’s just a matter of finding out which one will. The Seahawks and Rams will definitely have an impact on the trajectory of the division race when they play this Sunday. This may very well be the “most important” game on the NFL slate this weekend. To look at some of the factors that will decide the outcome of this game, Rams WRs Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp will be healthy and on the field together again this week. Last week in their win over the Vikings on Thursday Night Football, the two wideouts combined for 12 receptions for 157 yards and a TD. They will look to continue that success against the Seahawks this week as well. Another key factor will be Rams RB Kyren Williams vs. the Seattle run defense. The Seattle defense is allowing 148.4 rushing yards per game which is 4th-worst in the league. This game should be a real test for the Seahawks defense as the Rams offense has been picking up confidence over the past few weeks. A very competitive game should be in store. - Dillon Draughn

Sunday Night Football

Indianapolis Colts @ Minnesota Vikings

8:20pm EST / NBC, Peacock

The Reserves Picks

IND: Ian

MIN: Charlie, Jesse, Adam, Dillon, & Zach

With all of the negativity and questions surrounding the Indianapolis Colts this season, it’s a little shocking to find them at 4-4 and just a couple of games behind the Texans for the top spot in the AFC South. To put it lightly, former first-round QB Anthony Richardson has not taken the steps forward that the team might’ve expected coming into this season and after posting a 44.4% completion percentage (59 for 133) through six games played, coach Shane Steichen has turned the offensive keys over to veteran QB Joe Flacco whose super power appears to be stepping into a starting role for random franchises and producing wins. Unfortunately for the Colts, they face off against the Minnesota Vikings, one of the hottest teams in the league who will only enter this game stronger with the return of TE T.J. Hockenson and addition of OT Cam Robinson. While most of us expect Sam Darnold, Justin Jefferson, and the Vikings to snap their two-game losing streak and get things rolling once again, Ian has elected to put his faith in Joe Flacco. Things could get dicey in Minnesota in Week 9’s Sunday Night Football showdown. - Adam Houston

Monday Night Football

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Kansas City Chiefs

8:15pm EST / ESPN, ABC

The Reserves Picks

TB: Jesse & Ian

KC: Charlie, Adam, Dillon, & Zach

With the most passing touchdowns, second-most passing yards, and sixth-highest passer rating in the NFL, it is hard to deny the success that QB Baker Mayfield has had. However, facing Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes without your top two receivers and a banged-up, underperforming defense, while also riding a two-game losing streak is not exactly a great recipe for success. But FAR crazier things have certainly happened. Despite a statistically down year from Patrick Mahomes who is tied for league-lead in interceptions and only 16th in passing yards, the Chiefs have still found ways to win games, all of them in fact. For that, Steve Spagnuolo and his stellar defense deserve a significant amount of credit.

Can Kansas City continue their quest for the second undefeated season in history? Some of us say yes. We believe that the defense will continue to cause problems that the Bucs won’t be able to overcome, especially considering that they are short-staffed. Not to mention that they have Patrick Mahomes and enter the game as 8.5-point favorites. However, some of us (Jesse and Ian), choose to stick on the Baker Mayfield train and rightfully so. After all, the Bucs only lost to the Falcons by one possession without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. This Monday rendition of Monday Night Football could be an interesting one to watch. - Adam Houston