NFL Week 9 Picks
Week 8 Totals (Overall)
Mario: 9–4 (73–47)
Parker: 7–6 (70–50)
Mike: 8–5 (70–50)
Hunter: 8–5 (64–41)
Teams on bye: Arizona, Houston, New England, Cincinnati, Washington, Chicago
Thursday Night Football
Atlanta at Tampa Bay, 7:25 p.m. (NFL Network)
Mario’s pick: Atlanta
Atlanta’s high-flying offense should be able to hold off the mistake-prone Jameis Winston. The Bucs also haven’t won a home game this year, while the Falcons are 3–1 on the road.
Parker’s pick: Atlanta
Mike’s pick: Atlanta
Hunter’s pick: Atlanta
Atlanta silenced many of their critics with a nail-biting win against Green Bay last Sunday. Things get a little easier this week as they take on the lowly Buccaneers. The Falcons offense will be too much to handle for Tampa Bay, even a few injuries.
Sunday
12 p.m. Games
Pittsburgh at Baltimore (CBS)
Mario’s pick: Pittsburgh
Parker’s pick: Baltimore
Mike’s pick: Pittsburgh
Hunter’s pick: Pittsburgh
There have certainly been better games in the past with these two. Baltimore is always tough at home, but I’ll give the edge to a Pittsburgh team that’s still without Big Ben.
Dallas at Cleveland (FOX)
Mario’s pick: Dallas
#PrayersForParker
Parker’s pick: Dallas
Mike’s pick: Dallas
Hunter’s pick: Dallas
Jacksonville at Kansas City (CBS)
Mario’s pick: Kansas City
Kansas City is consistent. Jacksonville is anything but. Especially with the Arrowhead Stadium crowd at their back, this could be a beatdown.
Parker’s pick: Kansas City
Mike’s pick: Kansas City
Jacksonville doesn’t seem to have the passion to play as a cohesive unit anymore, the exact opposite of Andy Reid’s bunch. Even with Nick Foles, the Chiefs should roll and cement their status as legitimate AFC Contenders.
Hunter’s pick: Kansas City
New York Jets at Miami (CBS)
Mario’s pick: Miami
Parker’s pick: Miami
Mike’s pick: Miami
The Jets secondary’ is an abomination, and the Dolphins receivers have really started to come into their own now that the Dolphins have a running game to balance it out.
Hunter’s pick: Miami
Philadelphia at New York Giants (FOX)
Mario’s pick: New York Giants
The Eagles are 1–3 on the road this year, and I see Eli Manning spreading the ball around rather easily. Then again, their running offense is whatever’s worse than non-existent (or should I say, worse than this year’s Vikings running game).
Parker’s pick: New York Giants
Mike’s pick: Philadelphia
After a heartbreaking game, look for Brandon Graham and company to get after Eli Manning and cause havoc for the Giants’ offense. And New York’s defense doesn’t have the speed to keep up with Carson Wentz’s quick hitting group.
Hunter’s pick: Philadelphia
Detroit at Minnesota (FOX)
Mario’s pick: Detroit
I’m going to start a Hunter-esque method of picking against the Vikings. Norv Turner is no longer the offensive coordinator, and I think that helps this offense shift from shotgun running plays to quick-hitting passes to Stefon Diggs and (hopefully still a real person) Laquon Treadwell.
Parker’s pick: Minnesota
Mike’s pick: Detroit
Unpopular pick, but the Vikings are really reeling with no offensive line and Sam Bradford starting to get jumpy. The Lions are getting a much improved pass rush from Ziggy Ansah and a secondary on the rise. I like Matt Stafford and his offense in this game, but not by much.
Hunter’s pick: Minnesota
The Vikings have gone downhill in the last two weeks, but they return to the stadium where they have not lost. The defense needs to create turnovers, and I think they will against a one-dimensional Detroit offense. Please Minnesota, break my drought in picking Detroit Lions games.
3:05 p.m.
Carolina at Los Angeles (FOX)
Mario’s pick: Carolina
Cam Newton should be wary of this Los Angeles defensive line, but then again this is the Rams we’re talking about. And the Rams’ offense is bad.
Parker’s pick: Carolina
Mike’s pick: Carolina
Hunter’s pick: Carolina
New Orleans at San Francisco (FOX)
Mario’s pick: New Orleans
Parker’s pick: New Orleans
Mike’s pick: New Orleans
Hunter’s pick: New Orleans
3:25 p.m.
Indianapolis at Green Bay (CBS)
Mario’s pick: Green Bay
Parker’s pick: Green Bay
Mike’s pick: Green Bay
Indianapolis has some firepower, but they don’t have the offensive line to stop any sort of pass rush and Clay Matthews is expected back. Plus, Aaron Rodgers seems to be rejuvenated in their new spread offense. This game reminds me a lot of 2010 when the Packers went on their run with a ton of injuries. They need this game badly.
Hunter’s pick: Green Bay
Tennessee at San Diego (CBS)
Mario’s pick: Tennessee
Tennessee’s defense is good this year: Fifth in run defense and 13th in pass defense. The Chargers’ run defense is 27th in the league, which could hurt them in this game.
Parker’s pick: San Diego
Mike’s pick: San Diego
Hunter’s pick: San Diego
Sunday Night Football
Denver at Oakland, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
Mario’s pick: Oakland
Could this be the monstrous game from Khalil Mack we’ve been waiting for? If Oakland is going to make a move as a rising power in the AFC, this is a game they need to win.
Parker’s pick: Denver
Mike’s pick: Oakland
The Raiders are looking for a statement win over a contender, especially in the division. In the Black Hole, they’ll get it. Derek Carr is a different monster in the Bay Area, and that pass rush for the Raiders is starting to rev up. Khalil Mack is back on the warpath and will get after Trevor Siemien early and often, leading to the biggest upset of the week.
Hunter’s pick: Oakland
Monday Night Football
Buffalo at Seattle, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Mario’s pick: Seattle
Parker’s pick: Seattle
Mike’s pick: Seattle
I almost went with Buffalo just because of the Seahawks’ inconsistency on offense, especially on the line. But I can’t look past Pete Carroll’s defense at home. With Shady McCoy still limited, I don’t think the Bills can score much in this game, which plays right into the hands of Russell Wilson and company. I think this game ends up something like 13–7.
Hunter’s pick: Seattle
Game to Watch
Mario’s pick: Denver at Oakland
Parker’s pick: Denver at Oakland
Mike’s pick: Denver at Oakland
Hunter’s pick: Denver at Oakland
