NFL 2024 Week 9 Prequel
Thursday, October 31, 2024, 8pm
Houston Texans at New York Jets (-1 1/2) — The Texans are good. The Jets are bad. They have been overrated all season. They just lost at a New England team that had lost 6 straight. The Jets are at home. Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams do practice together. This is the very last time to give the Jets the benefit of the doubt. Jets cover
Sunday, November 3, 1pm
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (-6) — Tua Tagovailoa’s return briefly sparked the Dolphins, but they lost last week anyway. The Bills are a much better team and they are at home. This could get ugly early. Josh Allen should be able to run his offense at will. Bills cover
Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens (-9 1/2) — The Broncos are improved, but the Ravens will be an angry bunch at home after seeing their 5 game win streak snapped by lowly Cleveland. Lamar Jackson will rebound, and the Baltimore defense is one of the better ones Bo Nix has faced. The spread is a bit high given that the Broncos are far from scrubs. They can play defense as well, which keeps games manageable. Ravens win but fail to cover
Los Angeles Chargers (-2) at Cleveland Browns — The Browns got a shocking win over Baltimore and are due for a letdown. The Chargers are the better team. Justin Herbert is a better quarterback than anyone Cleveland starts. Chargers cover
New Orleans Saints (-7) at Carolina Panthers — These are two of the worst teams in the league, but the Saints should get a lift from the return of Derek Carr from injury. The spread is too high for a road team that has lost five straight, even if Carr is rusty. Saints win but fail to cover
Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals (-7) — Three years ago, the Raiders made the playoffs and took the eventual AFC Champion Bengals to the limit. Yet Mark Davis inexplicably blew up the coaching staff, and hired a horrendous coach in 2022 who gutted the team. The Raiders are still picking up the pieces. They have lost four straight. These Bengals are not nearly as good as in recent years, but they are good enough to steamroll the Raiders. This could be over by halftime. The Raiders normally fight hard and then the exhausted defense collapses in the fourth quarter. This time they won’t have to wait. Bengals cover
Washington Commanders (-3 1/2) at New York Giants — The Commanders dominated chicago last week for 59 minutes, lost the lead in the final minute, and won on a spectacular Hai Mary. Jayden Daniels is the real deal. Daniel Jones is not. He fumbles a lot. These teams often play close games, but do not expect the Giants and their untalented roster to defeat a better Commanders team. Commanders win but fail to cover
Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons (-2 1/2) — Both of these teams are vastly overrated, but the Cowboys play worse at home. On the road, they have enough offensive talent to get the win. Kirk Cousins is not getting much help. Dak Prescott will get a strong running game this week to allow him to do less. Cowboys cover
New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans (-3 1/2) — This is the stupor bowl. Two of the worst teams play because league rules prevent the NFL from canceling the game. The Patriots snapped their six game losing streak last week. Drake Maye has shown flashes of promise. This should be a close game in a battle of who wants it least. Go with the home field. Titans win but fail to cover
4pm
Chicago Bears at Arizona Cardinals (-1) — Somewhere in football heaven, Dennis Green is screaming that “The Bears are who we thought they were!” That just never gets old. This Bears team is good despite losing on a Hail Mary last week. They showed grit at Washington in coming back to begin with. The Cardinals are inconsistent. At home, give the Cardinals the benefit of the doubt because Caleb Williams is still not getting the maximum help from his offense. Kyler Murray can run around too. Cardinals cover
Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles (-7 1/2) — Doug Pederson led the Eagles to their only franchise Super Bow victory. Then Jeffrey Lurie fired Pederson. The Jaguars still haven’t recovered from their late season collapse last year. The Eagles are playing better football but not blowing teams out. Their 20 point win at Cincinnati last week is deceptive. The game was tied until late. A garbage touchdown is certainly possible but an upset is doubtful. Eagles win but fail to cover
Detroit Lions (-3 1/2) at Green Bay Packers — This is a big one as the 6-1 Lions take on the 6-2 Packers. The Lions went into Minnesota and hit them in the mouth. The 30 year reign of the Packers automatically beating the Lions is over. The Lions have twice gone into Green Bay and whipped them. Jordan Love is playing well but Jared Goff has more offensive weapons. This could be an NFC Title Game preview. It is hard to bet against a good Packers team at home, but Dan Campbell has turned the Lions into a roaring beast. Lions win but fail to cover
Los Angeles Rams (-1 1/2) at Seattle Seahawks — Neither team is playing good football although the Rams did get a quality win over Minnesota last week. Now they have Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp back from injury. Home field is not what it was during the Legion of Boom days, but Geno Smith does have plenty of offensive weapons. Matthew Stafford has his weapons back but they might still be rusty. Go with the home field. Upset special, Seahawks win outright
8pm
Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings (-5 1/2) — The Vikings lost two straight after a 5-0 start but should handle the Colts. Anthony Richardson is healthy and Jonathan Taylor can run the ball, but Minnesota has so many weapons. An early Vikings lead could make Taylor a non-factor. Go with the home crowd and expect the Vikings to bounce back. Vikings cover
Monday, November 4, 8pm
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Kansas City Chiefs (-9) — The Buccaneers lost at home to Atlanta. Now they take on the two time defending world champions who are unbeaten and looking to make three-peat history. The Chiefs do not blow teams out and the Buccaneers have offensive talent. A garbage touchdown to defeat the spread is very realistic. Chiefs win but fail to cover