5 Bold Predictions for Week 9 of the NFL Season
TJ Inman
Host · Writer
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and the action in the NFL is heating up as we reach the midway point of the campaign. Here are five bold predictions about what the headlines will be after this week’s slate!
1. Texans Stun the Broncos
Two of the hottest teams in the NFL meet in Houston on Sunday afternoon as the 6-2 Broncos take on the Texans. The home team is only 3-4 this season, but Houston began the campaign 0-3 and was left for dead. Since that poor start, DeMeco Ryans has rallied his team, and they have wins over Tennessee, Baltimore, and San Francisco with a narrow defeat at Seattle as the only blemish. The Denver Broncos have won five games in a row, but that streak comes to an end in Houston this weekend as star receiver Nico Collins returns. The Broncos will be without the best cornerback in the league (Pat Surtain II), and C.J. Stroud played his best game in months against the 49ers. That momentum will continue into this Sunday as the Texans throw for 300+ yards and take down the Denver Broncos, putting themselves right back into the AFC playoff picture.
2. Red-Hot Chiefs Top Bills in Buffalo
The Buffalo Bills versus the Kansas City Chiefs is the NFL’s preeminent rivalry, with the two teams regularly battling for the AFC crown. The Chiefs have owned the matchup in the playoffs (four wins in four meetings), while the Buffalo Bills have won four of the five regular-season matchups. This Sunday, the 5-2 Bills host the 5-3 Chiefs in Orchard Park. The Bills are scheduled to get several defensive starters back. Still, they lost Ed Oliver to a torn bicep injury, and they have been porous on defense, outside of an illusory beatdown of the Carolina Panthers with a backup quarterback last weekend. Kansas City’s offense looks better than it has in years, and the return of Rashee Rice only adds to the dangerous options Patrick Mahomes has to throw to. The Chiefs make a statement with a big win in Buffalo.
3. Jonathan Taylor Leads the NFL in Rushing Yards this Week
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the bottom third in the NFL against the run, and the team gives up more first downs than every team in the league not run by Jerry Jones. Pittsburgh is hosting the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday, and the Colts have a player “tailor-made" to exploit their weakness. Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns, and the Steelers have already surrendered 100-yard rushers on three different occasions. Taylor could conceivably run for 200 yards this week, and you know the Colts will feed him, but I’ll settle for a prediction that he’ll lead the league in rushing yards for week nine.
Week 9: Colts (-3.5) at Steelers
4. Lamar Returns and Blows Out the Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins clearly have not quit on head coach Mike McDaniel. They rallied for a surprise blowout win over the Atlanta Falcons last weekend and showed they are not dead just yet. Lamar Jackson will change that on Thursday Night Football. The Ravens are just 2-5, but a win last week over the Chicago Bears gives them a bit of life, and Jackson is returning from injury tonight. He’ll be ready to catapult his team back into the AFC playoff chase. There is no margin for error, but the Ravens do have a very navigable schedule to get back into contention: at Dolphins, at Vikings, at Browns, vs. Jets, vs. Bengals in the next five weeks. Jackson goes for 300+ total yards and starts a run that has the Ravens back in the mix by the time the calendar turns to December.
Week 9: Ravens (-7.5) at Dolphins
5. Lions Hammer the Vikings
J.J. McCarthy is being thrust back into the starting lineup at a very inopportune time. His Minnesota Vikings are travelling to Detroit to play the 5-2 Lions. The Lions have one of the league’s best offenses and are unbeaten at home. On top of that, McCarthy will have to look out for defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, flush with cash from a new contract. Minnesota’s offensive line is not doing a great job, and it has shown no ability to slow down an elite pass rusher like Hutchinson. Everything about this game screams blowout for the Lions. Find an alternate line and take the Lions to win big.
Week 9: Vikings at Lions (-8.5)
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