NFL Week 9 2009 Predictions

Week 9 is here! We’ve been a bit hit and miss recently, and have got caught out on a couple of occassions on games that really shouldn’t have gone the way they did.

13 games again this week, let’s see how we fare this time with our predictions…

Sunday November 8th

Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars
A – Maurice Jones-Drew gave a masterclass last week, but the team as a whole couldn’t hang with a resurgent Titans.
The Chiefs are getting better. Slowly. But have beaten nobody of note (oh, that hurt to type that). I expect the Jaguars to find a way to win a close game.

G – This could end up being a good game to watch, but as Andrew says, the Jaguars should come good.  For my fantasy team at least I will be hoping for another good performance from Maurice Jones-Drew.

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
A – The Texans are 2 games above .500 for the first time ever, and as well placed to improve on their franchise record of 8 wins and challenge for a spot in the post-season.
The Colts are unbeaten, but have a tough five weeks coming up with the Texans twice, the Patriots, Ravens and Titans. I can seem them splitting the games with the Texans (who continue to confound us, and everyone else, with their erratic play) so will go with the home team here: Colts to win a close game.

G -I dread predicting the Texans game each week.  What team will turn up?   Well, this week I am confident that no matter which one we see, it won’t be good enough to beat the Colts.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
A – The Ravens looked great last week against the Broncos, playing a strong defense but also putting up points with apparent ease. The Bengals have some impressive wins so far this season, including the Steelers and already the Ravens. So a really tough game to call, but I’m going to stick my neck out and go with the Bengals.

G -I like the way the Ravens are playing.  This should be a close game, but I see the Ravens coming good here.

Arizona Cardinals @ Chicago Bears
A – The Cardinals had a bad, bad game against the Panthers last week. It was just one of those games where everything was going wrong – a lot of teams have one of those, it’s how they respond that is telling. They’ve already showed strong character in coming back from 1-2 to head the (admittedly weak) division. Their schedule looks… alright, but how they do in the four remaining divisional games will be critical, but they must be confident at the moment.
Jay Cutler’s “Don’t believe the hype” after their win over Cleveland puts perspective on their season so far. Other than the Steelers, it’s hard to pick out a notable win of their 4 so far this season and I think the Cards will have enough to get past them here.

G -  I have been thinking on this one for sometime.  Maybe I am just still upset that the Cards let us down last week?  Well, I am giving them another pick this weekend.  Lets hope it does the job.

Washington Redskins @ Atlanta Falcons
A – Well here we go again. Coming off the bye-week so refreshed and re-energised. But still with a decimated O-line and without Chris Cooley… Excuse me (*cries a little*). On the brightside, we can’t be worse than we were before the break, and our D can still play a bit. But I suspect we’re going to struggle – again – to put up points.
I expect a low scoring game, with the Falcons leading pretty much throughout. Falcons’ win.

G -The Redskins could do without a meeting with this strong Falcons team.  Falcons win for me.

Green Bay Packers @ Tampa Bay Bucanneers
A – Phew! An easy game to call! Packers to win, Freeman to not look very good.

G -Lets hope that the Bucs picked up a bit of magic during their London visit.  As much as I want to see them put up a good fight, it will be a Green Bay win.

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots
A – Another juicy AFC East matchup. This division sure has a lot of them.
We saw the Pats win at a canter at Wembley. Well, a canter for half the game and a brisk walking pace for the second half. The Dolphins couldn’t produce anything offensively against the Jets, but found a way to win through the D and the special teams. I can’t see them managing that in the cold and wet weather of New England this weekend.

G -I don’t see this being a walk over, and it is great to see Ted Ginn back on form, but the Pats are on top form at the moment.  Lets just hope they don’t have their lucky snow.  Pats win.

Detroit Lions @ Seattle Seahawks
A – One win aside, the Lions are still on the long road to recovery. And can you beleive that Matthew Stafford was getting booed against the Rams? MJD covers this nicely at his blog (which is worth reading for the comments as much as the articles).
The Seahawks aren’t the unit that I thought they would be this season. And it could have gone well, but too much just isn’t happening for them. In Detroit, I might have rooted for the Lions, but in Seattle the home team will win this game but aren’t doing much else this season.

G -Seahawks win here for me.

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints
A – The Saints aren’t gonna go 16-0 are they? Surely…
They’ve made a good start though, and their comprehensive beating of Atlanta last week was actually their closest game yet. Whilst any game can go either way, the Patriots and the Cowboys are the most obvious spoilers in their remaining games. But with the Panthers, Rams and Bucs up next nobody would be surprised to see them 10-0.
The Panthers had a great win last week against the Cardinals. Was it just one of those games where everything came together, or have they really turned a corner after their appalling start? We’ll see, but I expect the Saints to win this, and Jake Delhomme to be turning the ball over more often than is good for his team.

G – Expect the Saints to continue their wonderful form at home this week.

Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers
A – Gah, here we go with the tricky games for this week! The Titans no longer have a 0 in the win column and although they did a good job against the Jaguars last week, I think they’re done for the season.
The 49ers are coming off a 3 game losing streak, but thanks to the weakness of the NFC West are still in second with enough time to make a run for a post-season spot. Alex Smith, a player whom I like, is starting at QB and they gave the Colts a good game last week. I’ve got to back them here.

G – Ah, that’s better, I get to pick the 49ers again.  Don’t read too much into this though, I have been wrong a few times, but I still feel there is more to come from them.

San Diego Chargers @ New York Giants
A – And another tricky one. The Giants are also coming off a 3 game losing streak, and their early season wins don’t look so impressive now their opponents have been beaten by pretty much everyone else.
The Chargers are doing their usual mid-table thing. They’re both better and worse than their record suggests and are always a team that you ignore at your danger. Philip “You Suck” Rivers is having another good year, numbers-wise and over the last two weeks the whole team has turned up.
However, I cannot see the Giants losing four straight games. And with the advantage of being on the east coast, I think they’ll rise to the challenge here.

G -Well, we lost one of our ‘bankers’ on the Giants last week.  It was not bad enough that I wouldn’t call them here though.  Giants win.

Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles
A – We didn’t anticipate this, but with the Cowboys finding some form and the Giants struggling this game should go some way to shaping the NFC East. The rematch is in week 17, and both teams will be hoping the division is settled by then.
I’m going with the Eagles. McNabb and the receivers are dangerous, and I don’t like the Cowboys’ chances of stopping them.

G – Eagles for me too.  They look great at the moment.

Monday 9th November

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos
A – The Broncos came up short against the Ravens last week, and the Steelers are coming out of the bye-week on a four game winning streak. I can see them making it five.
The Broncos and rookie coach McDaniels have been surprisinng, but I’m expecting them to slow and struggle in the second half of the season.

G – I am looking forward to this one and I think the Broncos will bring out something special to take the win.

	ANDREW	GRAHAM	ACTUAL
Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
Arizona Cardinals @ Chicago Bears
Washington Redskins @ Atlanta Falcons
Green Bay Packers @ Tampa Bay Bucanneers
Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots
Detroit Lions @ Seattle Seahawks
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints
Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers
San Diego Chargers @ New York Giants
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos

Image Credit: Deon14