With plenty of reputation dollars on the line, I turned the corner in Week 9, going 10-4 to boost my year-to-date mark to 79-53-1 (.597). Here’s what I think will happen this week.
NOTE: All games are scheduled for Sunday afternoon unless otherwise noted.
Tennessee 30, Indianapolis 16 (Thursday night): The AFC South has sent only two teams to the Super Bowl since the 2002 realignment, tied with the NFC North for the fewest from one division. Will it happen this year? While that remains to be seen, the Titans (who just broke a two-game losing streak) get to stay home on the short week and play an inconsistent bunch of Colts–a squad that has profited from a mostly-soft schedule.
Houston 26, Cleveland 23: Cleveland is at home coming off its goodbye. This game was cross-flexed to Fox in anticipation of getting more viewers, but Houston is off to a slow start and hasn’t gotten much better. Then again, Cleveland can be a self-destructive bunch, too–on the field and off. I’ll play a hunch and take Houston to get back on track.
Philadelphia 20, New York Giants 12: The Giants are coming off a badly-needed win at Washington and are heading for their bye week. The Eagles are just coming out of their vacation, seemingly ready to separate themselves from the NFC East mess. This is one of the NFL’s most underrated rivalries, and it should be fun to watch–if you like physical, low-scoring football. The Giants have to be encouraged. Daniel Jones is coming off his first turnover-free performance of his career.
Detroit 27, Washington 13: It’s this Sunday’s “Game Of The Weak.” These two teams met long ago in the 1991 NFC Championship Game. Neither has been back to the conference title game since. In this one, Matthew Stafford is the better quarterback, and he’s playing at home. Lions.
Green Bay 41, Jacksonville 17: This game was cross-flexed to Fox in the hopes that it would get more viewers, but I’m not sure if anything could save this match-p from oblivion. The Packers will be heavily favored at home. ‘Nuff said.
Tampa Bay 31, Carolina 23: The Bucs have to go on the road to play a Panthers’ squad that was leading defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs for a good portion of last week’s game. But this week, talent and depth should win out … the Bucs’ poor home-showing last week notwithstanding.
Pittsburgh 26, Cincinnati 10: This game was moved to a 4:25 pm start and cross-flexed to Fox. Apparently, the league wants more viewers to see Bengals’ rookie quarterback Joe Burrow, an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate. An Ohio native, he understands what playing in Pittsburgh means–a loss.
Las Vegas 23, Denver 9: These Raiders have outperformed all year. New surroundings, the reason? Naw. Chalk it up to an improved running game and quarterback play. This week, LV gets to host Denver–a team that’s likely to be weary from traveling to Atlanta, going back home, and then making the Vegas trip. I like the Raiders to prevail even though I know LV plays better on the road (4-1) than at home.
Miami 33, Los Angeles Chargers 24: The Dolphins were supposed to be off next week, but their bye had to be taken earlier due to the COVID-related schedule shuffle. That doesn’t seem to matter for a team that’s playing its best ball in five years. Tua Tagovailoa under center is one reason. Now they get to host the Chargers, a talented but hard-luck bunch.
Los Angeles Rams 34, Seattle 31: I really thought Seattle had turned enough of a corner and would win in Buffalo last Sunday. But, as usual, the Seahawks’ defense didn’t show up. Will their woes continue? I think so. Seattle has to go on the road for a tough intradivisional game against a Rams team that’s rested (coming off its bye).
New Orleans 40, San Francisco 13: The 49ers have next week off, and it can’t come soon enough. This week, the battered, defending NFC champions have a game at New Orleans–a team that looked sharp and consistent in last week’s contest at Tampa Bay. Yes, it has been an up-and-down year for the Saints, but they are on a five-game winning streak–soon to be six.
Buffalo 29, Arizona 26: This is one of the week’s most intriguing match-ups. While I usually give the benefit of the doubt to the team from the tougher division, I’ll take the visiting Bills to win a close game. Buffalo’s 7-2 record is the team’s best performance through nine games in nearly 30 years (since 1993, to be specific).
Baltimore 31, New England 16 (Sunday night): ‘Sizzle’ used to be the byline in this matchup, but not these days. Still, a nationwide audience will get to see it. The Ravens are much better and have too much on the line to drop a should-win game.
Minnesota 23, Chicago 17 (Monday night): The Bears are hibernating before winter hits. The Vikes, on the other hand, have awakened. One reason is that Dalvin Cook has 478 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns over the last two games. Perhaps it’s too late for Minnesota to fulfill my pre-season prediction that it would win the NFC North. That’s unlikely now given the way the Packers are playing.
