As we look into NFL Week 9, this past weekend in the NFL brought some interesting results. The rise of Trevor Siemian in Denver seems to be just about over, with Jon Gruden openly speculating about the Denver Broncos sliding Paxton Lynch into that starting role as soon as his shoulder is healthy (and how much money is Brock Osweiler making per hour for just strolling the Denver sideline in one of those big ponchos?)
The six-game suspension of Ezekiel Elliott appears set to begin (finally) this Sunday, as Roger Goodell got the process moved into a courtroom that gave him the answer he wanted for DeflateGate and gave him a similar answer with Elliott’s case. Oh, and what on earth is going on in Oakland? The Raiders just went to Buffalo and got steamrolled by the Bills, of all teams.
With all this to think about and with the NFL odds already out, let’s take a look at your best NFL Week 9 betting picks for the coming week. As always, home teams are in all caps.
The Giants are still a team looking for an identity. They have an aging quarterback in Eli Manning who is struggling to get the ball down the field, and they don’t have an elite running back to support him. They also have a Swiss-cheese offensive line and a secondary that struggles to cover long enough for the pass rush to get to the opposing quarterback. I see the Rams winning this one going away.
NFL Week 9 Pick: LA Rams
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Week 9 NFL Power Rankings (via @HarrisonNFL): 1. @Eagles 2. @RamsNFL 3. @steelers 4. @Chiefs 5-32. https://t.co/ho1U2iLJOb pic.twitter.com/poNOUCCEzz
— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2017
Thursday, November 2
Buffalo (-3.5) over N.Y. JETS (8:25pm ET, NFL Network)
One of the most intriguing matchups out of the AFC East so far this season won’t feature Tom Brady, for once. Instead, it will feature a Bills team that is undefeated at home but has just won once in three times on the road against a Jets team that has quarterback Josh McCown putting up unreal numbers, even though his defense keeps letting opponents back into games at just the wrong time. The Bills are using a physical, run-first approach to wear opponents down, and they also have a bruising defense that is learning how to stop the pass. I see the Bills picking up a big win in Gotham to keep pace with New England at 5-2 in the East. NFL Week 9 Pick: BuffaloSunday, November 5
L.A. Rams (-3.5) over N.Y. GIANTS (1:00pm ET, FOX)
The Los Angeles Rams return from their bye week to take on a New York Giants team that is just 1-6 — and whose lone win came over the Denver Broncos. The Rams have shown that they can score in bunches with both the run, thanks to Todd Gurley’s resurgence, and with the pass, as Jared Goff is showing considerable maturity in his second season. Their defense leaves some room to be desired, particularly against the pass, but they have shown that they can keep up with most of the opposition.
The Giants are still a team looking for an identity. They have an aging quarterback in Eli Manning who is struggling to get the ball down the field, and they don’t have an elite running back to support him. They also have a Swiss-cheese offensive line and a secondary that struggles to cover long enough for the pass rush to get to the opposing quarterback. I see the Rams winning this one going away.
NFL Week 9 Pick: LA Rams
