Week 9 predictions
Sunday 6:00
New York Jets 20-23 Buffalo Bills
A big AFC East showdown that the Jets simply cannot afford to lose if they want to stay in the playoff hunt. Mission 1: Stop Fred Jackson. Not easy, as the Jets have failed to stop the run at all this season. The Bills shut out the Redskins last week, racking up 9… yes 9 sacks in the process, and if they step up to the same plate this week, you have to go with Buffalo.
Seattle Seahawks 23-34 Dallas Cowboys
Dallas’ defense was horrible last week, and the loss of Sean Lee won’t help at all. But you have to think that Rob Ryan will be hurting after the Eagles dismantled his secondary, and will come back with some kind of reaction. Despite the Seahawks finding yards easy to come by, Dallas will win this.
Cleveland Browns 13-27 Houston Texans
Cleveland are the worst 3-4 team I have seen in a long time, and Houston will expose this, especially if Andre Johnson comes back this week. The Browns can stop the run however, and Arian Foster will find it harder than usual this week, but I still think you can expect 80 yards and a touchdown. But that should be irrelevant as Matt Schaub could have a season best day.
Atlanta Falcons 38-10 Indianapolis Colts
Things just aren’t getting any easier for the poor Colts, now they have to contend with an Atlanta side looking more fluid and effective every week, and have the advantage of a bye week’s rest. Michael Turner is getting better and better, and 120 yards and a TD is more than achievable in an Atlanta offense that will run to set up the pass, and will do both with ease.
Miami Dolphins 19-27 Kansas City Chiefs
I said it last week, and I’ll say it again, the Chiefs have impressed me so much, grinding out wins despite losing their best player in Jamaal Charles and a good TE in Tony Moeaki. Miami however have not. They look bereft of ideas and when Reggie Bush is your main offensive weapon, you have to worry about where your team is headed. Oh yeah I forgot, Luck.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-33 New Orleans Saints
Crisis in the Superdome? Drew Brees not as good as he once was? I think not. This could be a high scoring affair with Legarette Blount returning for the Bucs, but last week’s blip for the Saints was just that. Tampa’s young defense has been improving, but it won’t stop Brees, Graham, Sproles and Colston this week.
San Francisco 49’ers 24-6 Washington Redskins
No Santana Moss, no Tim Hightower = no wins for the Redskins. They are now the whipping boys of the NFC East, and the 49’ers will take full advantage. Frank Gore will have another big day and the defense could hand Washington their second shutout in two weeks. But I’ll be nice and give them a couple of FG’s. Things are falling very nicely indeed for the Playoff-bound San Francisco team.
Sunday 9:05
Denver Broncos 20-33 Oakland Raiders
ITS TEBOW TI… ok I won’t. Tim was terrible last week, and so were the Broncos, but he has a chance this week to put up some respectable numbers on an Oakland defense that isn’t all that. But you have to think that after a bye week where Carson Palmer had time to learn the offense and where Darren McFadden hopefully had time to get healthy, the Raiders will blow away poor Tim.
Cincinnati Bengals 17-13 Tennessee Titans
What is wrong with CJ2K? It seems the Titans can’t work that out either, so they just gave more carries to the impressive Javon Ringer last week. The Titans are hurting without Kenny Britt, and unless Chris Johnson can step it up, the pain has to go on here against the awesome Bengals defense. Andy Dalton and AJ Green will carry on doing their thing, and Cedric Benson’s return coincides with a game against a Titans run defense that is beginning to leak like a dodgy drainpipe.
Sunday 9:15
St Louis Rams 30-27 Arizona Cardinals
You wouldn’t have expected an NFC West game to be game of the weekend, but I have a feeling this one could be serious entertainment (so much so that I have Steven Jackson, Beanie Wells and Brandon Lloyd in my fantasy team). The Cardinals need Wells to be fit, otherwise they fall just short of the rapidly improving Rams offense. But with the status of Kevin Kolb up in the air, I have to side with the Rams anyway.
New York Giants 27-34 New England Patriots
Here we go again, the Giants’ blitz against Tom Brady. Osi Umenyiora has a sack in every game he’s played this season, while Brady hasn’t had a huge performance in the last few weeks, one is due. The Pats need to get something from this one, or risk Buffalo streaking away at the Top of the AFC East, while a loss for the Giants and wins for both the Eagles and Cowboys would stir the pot nicely in the NFC East.
Green Bay Packers 31-20 San Diego Chargers
San Diego have yet again flattered to deceive this season, and many Green Bay fans had pinpointed this game as the biggest threat to the ‘u’ word. Threat? What threat? Green Bay go 9-0, and in some style, San Diego won’t be able to live with the passing game, but then again, who can?
Monday 1:20 am
Baltimore Ravens 16-13 Pittsburgh Steelers
I am really looking forward to this one. Both teams sound pumped up and ready for a battle. This game will be dominated by defense, not like the earlier game this season, and whoever comes out on top could well be the AFC’s representatives in the now annual Green Bay Challenge in February. The problem is, I genuinely cannot separate the two. It might come down to whoever’s QB is injured first, and with Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata in the mood, Baltimore’s pass rush is frightening.
Tuesday 1:30 am
Chicago Bears 17-30 Philadelphia Eagles
Finally the Eagles hit stride against divisional rivals the Cowboys, and decimated Dallas. Chicago’s secondary isn’t exactly full of Darelle Revises either, and Philadelphia will pass all over the Bears. Where would Chicago be without Matt Forte as well? Give the man a contract! He will keep the Bears relatively in touch against an Eagles run defense that is still poor, but it won’t be enough.
