Breaking down the NFL Week 9 schedule with score predictions for every game.
The NFL season is at its midpoint as division races and playoff chases come into clearer focus.
And as always, there are storylines aplenty in Week 9.
The Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots headline the Sunday slate before the NFL’s top scoring team (the Buffalo Bills) takes on the league’s stingiest defense (the Minnesota Vikings) on Monday night.
All the while, can J.J. McCarthy continue to defy expectations for the New York Giants? Can Joe Milton’s canon of an arm spark the sagging Philadelphia Eagles? Can the Tampa Buccaneers keep winning while getting nothing from QB Baker Mayfield? Does Gardner Minshew have any magic left in his bag for the Arizona Cardinals?
And are the Chicago Bears about to assert themselves as top Super Bowl contenders following the trade for and dazzling debut of DT Jeffery Simmons last week?
Stay tuned!
NFL Week 9 Schedule With Score Predictions
(All game times ET; all point spreads via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Thursday
Jacksonville Jaguars 33, Baltimore Ravens 10: The Ravens’ playoff hopes are on life support awaiting the arrival of QB Jacoby Brissett, who was acquired from the Cardinals this week with both Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley out for the season. In the meantime, Baltimore leaned on undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, who threw for just 60 yards and 2 interceptions. Trevor Lawrence threw for 242 yards and a TD for Jacksonville as the Jags cruised to victory and a sterling 6-2 record.
Sunday 9:30 a.m. in Madrid, Spain
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons: In progress …
Sunday 1 p.m.
Dallas Cowboys (3-5) at Indianapolis Colts (2-6): The Colts are stripping their roster down and selling off parts with QB Daniel Jones and RB Jonathan Taylor available in trade talks. And yet, can the Cowboys even be trusted in this matchup? Dallas has been one of the league’s biggest disappointments, including blowing a 14-point fourth quarter lead in a loss to the Cardinals last week. Coach Brian Schottenheimer should be on one of the hottest seats in the league. The NFC East is crumbling around Dallas and it still might miss the playoffs barring a run of consistently strong play it hasn’t shown the ability to deliver. Dallas is a 4.5-point favorite. Prediction: Cowboys 27, Colts 20
New York Jets (2-6) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-2): The Chiefs have lost two straight games — to the Seahawks and Broncos — after a 5-0 start while RB Kenneth Walker III has been contained in each of those defeats (105 rushing yards combined) after running wild over the league to start the season. Kansas City needs to get Walker (770 rushing yards, 131 receiving yards and 8 total TDs) going again. Meanwhile, the Jets blew prime opportunities against the Dolphins and Raiders the last two weeks as Aaron Glenn looks to be overmatched as a head coach. New York will be without top WR Garrett Wilson (concussion), but RB Breece Hall returns after missing the last five games with a quad injury. His backup Braelon Allen actually performed quite well in his stead with 445 rushing yards in that span. Kansas City is a 9.5-point favorite. Prediction: Chiefs 24, Jets 20
Detroit Lions (5-2) at Miami Dolphins (1-6): The Dolphins have been quite competitive of late despite their dismal record, including pushing the Patriots for four quarters last week in a 24-19 loss. With Detroit’s defense, which is now missing star LB Jack Campbell indefinitely, anything is possible, but the Lions should take care of business in this one with the NFL’s top-ranked offense (395.4 YPG) and Jahmyr Gibbs working on his NFL Offensive Player of the Year case with 773 rushing yards, 285 receiving yards and 10 total TDs. Detroit is a 6.5-point favorite. Prediction: Lions 31, Dolphins 21
Cleveland Browns (5-3) at New Orleans Saints (2-5): QB Shedeur Sanders makes his first start of the season for Cleveland with Deshaun Watson working through the concussion protocol this week. Sanders threw 7 TDs and 10 INTs as a rookie last season. The Saints get boost with left tackle Kelvin Banks returning from injury and first-round draft pick WR Jordyn Tyson expected to make his NFL debut after having his rookie season delayed by a preseason hamstring injury. New Orleans badly needs a win to stay alive in the perpetually wide-open NFC South. New Orleans is a 3.5-point favorite. Prediction: Saints 27, Browns 13
New York Giants (4-2-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-6): The Eagles are hoping a change at QB can spark their underwhelming, injury-depleted offense as Joe Milton makes his first start for the team, replacing backup Tanner McKee. But they’ll continue to be without WRs DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks due to injury. The Giants, meanwhile, are hoping J.J. McCarthy’s first start for the team wasn’t merely a mirage after the former Vikings first-round pick has thrown for 495 yards in his first five quarters for New York. The Giants will be without RB Cam Skattebo due to a hamstring injury. New York is a 3-point favorite. Prediction: Eagles 24, Giants 21
Los Angeles Rams (4-4) at Washington Commanders (2-4-1): Star EDGE Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, returns to action Sunday for the Rams after being sidelined since the season opener with a knee injury. Los Angeles has won two straight games while trying to find some momentum with little margin for error the rest of the way after its surprising early struggles. But the Rams will be without their top two cornerbacks as Jaylen Watson is now on injured reserve and Trent McDuffie is inactive with a back injury. Can Washington make it matter? The Commanders are down two of their top receivers as Treylon Burks (foot) is out this week while Terry McLaurin (knee) is done for the season, leaving rookie slot WR Antonio Williams (23 catches for 259 yards and a TD) and veteran Stefon Diggs (27-252-5) as the top targets for QB Jayden Daniels. They’ll need to keep pace with a Rams offense that ranks fourth in the league at 384.4 YPG and 10th in scoring at 24.3 PPG, led by reigning MVP Matthew Stafford (2,146 yards, 15 TDs, 8 INTs) and WR Puka Nacua (56-565-3). Los Angeles is a 4.5-point favorite. Prediction: Rams 27, Commanders 23
Denver Broncos (6-2) at Carolina Panthers (3-4): The Panthers have played two of their worst games back-to-back in losses to the Buccaneers and Packers with QB Bryce Young losing his early season momentum and throwing for just 372 yards, 2 TDs and 3 INTs combined in those defeats. Carolina will need a lot better from Young against a Broncos team riding a four-game winning streak. It still hasn’t been pretty for QB Bo Nix overall (1,493 yards, 9 TDs, 3 INTs), but he continues to find the fourth quarter magic he’s showed throughout his career. Denver also got a spark from rookie RB Jonah Coleman, who had 104 combined rushed/receiving yards and a TD last week. Denver is a 2.5-point favorite. Prediction: Broncos 28, Panthers 20
Sunday 4:05/4:25 p.m.
Houston Texans (2-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (0-7): The Texans’ season is on life support while the Chargers’ playoff hopes are already dead. Houston had won two straight games before losing in overtime to the Giants. Needless to say, the Texans need this one. RB David Montgomery remains sidelined, leaving Woody Marks (271 yards and 2 TDs on 3.5 YPC) to lead a thin backfield while most of the pressure falls on QB C.J. Stroud (1,867 yards, 11 TDs and 1 INT). The Chargers, meanwhile, are simply a mess, starting with QB Justin Herbert (1,398 yards, 5 TDs and 10 INTs) and an offense that has just not clicked under OC Mike McDaniel. Houston is a 5.5-point favorite. Prediction: Texans 21, Chargers 17
Green Bay Packers (5-3) at New England Patriots (5-3): The best game on the Sunday slate. The Packers have really found something while winning four of their last five games, thanks mostly to solid play from QB Jordan Love (2,246 yards, 16 TDs and 6 INTs), the emergence of WR Matthew Golden (43-619-4) to form a dynamic tandem with Christian Watson (42-708-6) and a defense that is playing well while awaiting the eventual return of star EDGE Micah Parsons. New England has also won four of its last five games after a rough start despite getting next to nothing from star WR A.J. Brown, who will miss his sixth game of the season Sunday while now battling a knee injury. RB TreVeyon Henderson (illness) is also out. Regardless, QB Drake Maye has been dialed in after a brutal start to the season, again looking like an MVP-caliber star while throwing for 14 TDs with 2 INTs (and 3 rushing TDs) over the last five games. New England is a 3-point favorite. Prediction: Patriots 31, Packers 28
Las Vegas Raiders (4-4) at San Franciso 49ers (6-1): Veteran 38-year-old QB Kirk Cousins remains among the NFL’s passing leaders with 2,124 yards, 19 TDs and 5 INTs while keeping the Raiders competitive every week. Rookie Mike Washington Jr. has seemingly usurped former first-round pick Ashton Jeanty as the lead RB, which is a storyline to monitor in this game. The 49ers are coming off a bye week after taking their first loss of the season, at Atlanta. Brock Purdy (1,748 yards, 15 TDs and 4 INTs) and Co. will look to get back on track against a vulnerable Raiders defense, though the Niners will again be without top WR Mike Evans (Achilles). San Francisco is a 9.5-point favorite. Prediction: 49ers 34, Raiders 21
Arizona Cardinals (3-5) at Seattle Seahawks (4-4): It’s the Gardner Minshew show in Arizona now with former starting Brissett being shipped to Baltimore. Minshew took over in the Cardinals’ overtime comeback win over the Cowboys last week, completing 17 of 23 passes for 188 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs. He’ll face a much tougher task Sunday, though, against a Seahawks defense giving up the fewest yards in the league (250.0/game) and tied for the sixth-fewest points (19.9/game). Seattle turns to its backup QB as well with Drew Lock stepping in for Sam Darnold (quad injury). Lock made two starts earlier this season and has thrown for 422 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs. Nothing seems to affect WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s production, meanwhile, as the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year is off to a blistering start with 64 catches for 985 yards and 9 TDs. Seattle is an 8.5-point favorite. Prediction: Seahawks 24, Cardinals 13
Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. on NBC)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5) at Chicago Bears (6-2): The Buccaneers have won their last two games with a formula that simply cannot sustain. QB Baker Mayfield has incredibly completed just 7 passes for 64 yards over those games against the Panthers and Falcons while the Bucs have won both thanks to a defense that is playing like one of the best units in the NFL of late and a strong rushing attack led by Bucky Irving (728 yards and 5 TDs on 5.0 YPC). WR Emeka Egbuka is expected back from injury Sunday, which should help Mayfield a little, but can the Bucs keep their improbable momentum going against a surging Bears team? Doubtful. Chicago might be playing better than any team in the league at this point with three straight wins and at least 30 points in each game, led by Caleb Williams (1,267 yards, 6 TDs and 1 INT in five games). The bigger story last week, though, was the impact trade addition Jeffery Simmons made at DT, causing havoc all game in a Monday night 34-17 win over Seattle. If the Bears are going to look like that defensively and play to their potential offensively, this could be a Super Bowl team. Chicago is a 6-point favorite. Prediction: Bears 26, Buccaneers 13
Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. on ESPN/ABC)
Buffalo Bills (6-1) at Minnesota Vikings (6-1): It just feels right having arguably the league’s best player headlining the final game of the week. Josh Allen is working on another potential MVP season with 1,793 yards, 11 TDs and 5 INTs through the air and 270 yards and 9 TDs rushing. He benefitted last week from the return of WR1 D.J. Moore, who had 82 yards and a TD after battling a nagging shoulder injury through the first part of the season. If Moore can stay healthy, the Bills offense — including RB James Cook III (707 yards and 7 TDs on 5.1 YPC) — might truly be ready to take off, which is saying something as they already lead the NFL in scoring (33.3 PPG) and rank second in yards (393.1/game). The Vikings were the last undefeated team in the league before losing last week to the Lions, and their offense has yet to take off in any way this season. They’ll now turn to backup QB Carson Wentz with Kyler Murray dealing with a hamstring injury. Murray hasn’t been very good anyway so the change can’t hurt at this point. Minnesota has relied heavily on a defense giving up the fewest points in the league (13.3/game) thanks to an aggressive pass rush. Allen is a hard QB to rattle, though, so this could be a long night for the Vikings. Buffalo is a 3-point favorite. Prediction: Bills 26, Vikings 20
