Week Nine in the NFL

November 3, 2007 | By Chris White | Discuss

Was able to put together a solid week eight, although my Monday Night ineptitude is still very concerning. Looks to be a very difficult week for those folks remaining in Suicide Pools. If you can still use the Pittsburgh Steelers, that’s your best bet. Oh crap, that’s a Monday Nighter!

Sunday
Washington at Jets: Don’t care for the game. Washington certainly had a stinging week of practice off their embarrassing loss at the hands of New England. The Jets formally ended the Chad Pennington Era, and I’ll be very interested to see how many new plays NY will now be able to run. Should be a low scoring affair but in the end, I have more faith in the Skins secondary then in young Kellen Clemmons…
Redskins 23 - Jets 17.

Green Bay at Kansas City: Game #2 is another tough play. I don’t’ foresee any surprises by either team. You kinda know what you get with both squads. Green Bay hasn’t been lighting up the board lately, don’t run well, and get by on the plays Favre writes in the dirt. Defensively, they are very solid. KC can run the football or should be able to, but are “Herm Edwards-esk” in the passing game. Another good defense. Chiefs have fared well vs. the Pack, and they’re home. I’ll take them, sitting a possible Packer MNF letdown…
Chiefs 20 - Packers 17 (OT).

Arizona at Tampa Bay: Cardinals have been a solid road bet this season, and have actually covered 11 of their past 14 vs. the line. Kurt Warner is expected to start off Arizona’s bye week, in what I envision as a very tight battle. I’ll give the edge to the tough home Bucs off the loss, but not much more…
Buccaneers 21 - Cardinals 20.

Carolina at Tennessee: Panthers are really in a bad spot with their quarterback situation. Carr is expected to start, but a good sneeze at the wrong time and he’ll scratch. Come to think of it, a good sneeze and one hit could knock both QB’s off the field Sunday, turning the reigns over to Oregon State's rookie Matt Moore. Titans aren’t ones for putting a lot of space between winning and losing margins, last week winning but not covering. Make that two weeks and running …
Titans 17 - Panthers 14.

San Francisco at Atlanta: Who cares?
Falcons 19 - 49ers 13.

Jacksonville at New Orleans: Its gut-check time for New Orleans. Three straight victories albeit against the likes of the inconsistent Seahawks, the plain ole sucky Falcons and 49ers (see above), and now a big test that could set the course for the rest of their season. This week they face an NFL caliber defense and a team that can run the football straight ahead. While I certainly think the Saints have sorted out their passing game, I’m not sure they’re ready to run it up on Del Rio’s boys...
Jaguars 26 - Saints 20.

Denver at Detroit: I can’t lie to you; I haven’t a freaking clue on this one. The Broncos have lost four of five, and have not been good vs. teams with winning records. The Lions are home, have won three of four, and are in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt. I guess my options are momentum vs. that NFC/AFC thing…
Lions 27 - Broncos 23.

Cincinnati at Buffalo: The Bills are 4-0 at home this season vs. the spread, and host the inept Bengals, who’ve lost five of six (beating the Jets really didn’t count as a win either). I think JP Losman plays with a big chip on his shoulder, and that could be the difference here for the Bills. It’s always easier when you don’t give a damn anymore…
Bills 20 - Bengals 19.

San Diego at Minnesota: Not really sure about San Diego playing indoors. All I know is that they are firing on all cylinders, and could make scoring a rarity Sunday afternoon for the guys in purple…
Chargers 31 - Minnesota 10.

Seattle at Cleveland: Here’s another head-scratcher. Seattle is not a great road team, but has had two weeks to prepare for their visit to the Rust City. The upstart Browns just knocked off two NFL powerhouses, St. Louis and Miami to get to 4-3. A virtual coin flip is your best bet there. Heads, Browns…
Browns 29 - Seahawks 26.

New England at Indianapolis: For the first time in the history of the NFL, two 7-0 teams meet up in what appears to be the most highly anticipated regular season game in recent memory. The Super Bowl Champs, who haven’t lost and are at home, are 4 ½ point dogs to Tom Brady & Co. Even though Indy has won three straight, I don’t see it being close. In all my years of watching and covering the NFL, I’ve never seen a team look so strong, while making it look so easy…
Patriots 34 - Colts 20.

Houston at Oakland: Matt Schaub is out again this week for the Texans, who have won both regular season match ups vs. Oakland. A classic game pitting an offense that can’t start, vs. a defense that can’t stop. I’m referring to the Raiders abysmal 11 PPG the past three outings, vs. the Texas 37 PPG against. Another game to steer clear of at all costs. I’ll take the points, hoping last December’s win in the Black Hole was a pleasurable experience for Gary Kubiak…
Texans 22 - Raiders 20.

Dallas at Philadelphia: Just Philadelphia Eagle football talk from me here, as I implore the media’s talking heads to leave the Reids alone. It’s true, the Eagles have had they’re fare share of success vs. their arch rival Dallas Cowboys in the recent past. Tony Romo has been both sensational and terrible in the national spotlight, and has the big Sunday Night lights in his face again. I wasn’t really all that impressed by Philadelphia’s win last week in Minnesota, in what was probably one of their best games. I just don’t think the Eagles are in the same company this season as their NFC East counterparts…
Cowboys 30 - Eagles 20.

Monday
Baltimore at Pittsburgh: Traditionally the home team between these two rivals has fared very well. The Steelers return home off a two game road trip, and are hoping to shine in the nationally televised Monday knighted. The Ravens swept the 2006 series, and have won three straight vs. the black and gold. Their road play of late has been lousy, and I think Big Ben will use all his weapons to cover in a big ‘message’ game…
Steelers 34 - Ravens 17.

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