NFL 2024 Week 9 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was Week 9 brought us some interesting storylines. Such storylines like, the Cowboys losing again in Atlanta, overtime thrillers in Tennessee and Seattle, a rain soaker in Green Bay, an upset in Carolina and a duel in Kansas City. All those games and more in this week's recap post!

NFL Week 9 Freaky Stat

The Lions have won three straight games at Lambeau for the first time since 1986-1991. For context, the Lions won in Lambeau in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991. They won in Milwaukee County Stadium in 1988. The Lions are 7-1 for the first time since 1956.

NFL Week 9 Recap

Houston 13, NY Jets 21

Pick: Texans

A defensive struggle for the Texans in New Jersey. CJ Stroud hit 11 of 30 passes for 191 yards. He would have a rough night as he would get sacked eight times in the loss for 56 yards. Joe Mixon had a solid night with 24 carries for 106 yards with a touchdown. Tank Dell had six catches for 126 yards and had the longest play for the Texans with a 50-yard gain. Houston had a solid game on offense with 322 yards, just not in the points department. The Texans had the offensive numbers to back them up but going 6 for 17 on 3rd down won't get it done. There was also a fumble in the game. It was a game where they really should've won but pass protection broke down and the defense couldn't quite stop them when it mattered late in the game. For the Texans, they drop to 6-3 with a break to rethink their plans. 

Aaron Rodgers and company had a good day at the office. Rodgers hit 22 of 32 passes for 211 yards with three touchdowns. Davante Adams had one and Garrett Wilson had two of the touchdown passes. Breece Hall had 15 carries for 74 yards in the win. Malachi Corley had a carry of 18 yards in the game but will be known for more than just that. He had a Leon Lett play (youtube the name it if you need to) where he dropped the ball just before crossing the endzone thus making his touchdown a fumble. Davante Adams had seven catches for 91 yards and had the longest play for the Jets on a 37-yard play. New York had 293 total yards in the game. The game was a better showing for the Jets in terms of points after letting their rival New England win a game. At least for now, their season is still alive. For the Jets they improve to 3-6 and will enjoy a break before heading west. 

Next week:

Houston: vs Detroit (Sunday night)
NY Jets: @ Arizona

TW: 0-1

Dallas 21, Atlanta 27

Pick: Falcons

The Cowboys keep it close but lose in Dallas. Dak Prescott started for the Cowboys and hit 18 of 24 passes for 133 yards with a touchdown pass to Rico Dowdle that cut the Falcons lead to a 14-10 margin with the point after. Prescott would not finish the game after suffering a hamstring injury during the game. Cooper Rush would come in relief and hit 13 of 25 passes for 115 yards with a touchdown pass to Jake Tolbert that would come in the 4th quarter. Rico Dowdle had 12 carries for 75 yards in the game. Jake Ferguson had seven catches for 71 yards to be the leading receiver for the Cowboys and had a 27-yard play for the longest gain for Dallas in the game. It was a contest where the Cowboys looked off on offense for a good duration of the game but that had to deal with Prescott being injured. Not quite the result that head coach Mike McCarthy would've wanted as he would toss his tablet into the ground. Dallas had 378 total yards in the game. For the Cowboys, they drop to 3-5 on the season and have the 2nd worst losing streak in the Mike McCarthy era with a date against the Eagles next week. 

Kirk Cousins hit 19 of 24 passes for 222 yards with three touchdowns. Darnell Mooney, RayRay McCloud and Drake London were the Falcons that caught the passes from Cousins. It was a good day for him. Bijan Robinson had 19 carries for 86 yards in the game. Tyler Allgeier had six carries for 18 yards with a touchdown. Darnell Mooney had five catches for 88 yards and had the longest gain for the Falcons on a 36-yard play. Drake London wouldn't finish the game as he had a hip injury that would keep him on the sideline and eventually given the out designation by halftime. Atlanta had 310 total yards in the game. For the Falcons, they improve to 6-3 and have 1st place in the wild NFC South. 

Next week:

Dallas: vs Philadelphia
Atlanta: @ New Orleans

TW: 1-1

Denver 10, Baltimore 41

Pick: Ravens

The Ravens dominant against the Broncos. Bo Nix hit 19 of 33 passes for 223 yards with an interception that wasn't entirely his fault. His wide receiver bobbled the ball up in the air and a player in a purple jersey caught it. It was in the 1st quarter. Cortland Sutton hit a pass to Bo Nix in a "Philly Special" play to give Nix his first receiving touchdown. Javonte Williams had 12 carries for 42 yards in the game. Cortland Sutton had seven catches for 122 yards in the game. Javonte Williams had a receiving play that was the result of the longest gain for the Broncos with a 34-yard play. Denver had 319 total yards in the game. For the Broncos, they drop to 5-4 on the season. 

Lamar Jackson had 16 of 19 passes for 280 yards with 280 yards with three touchdowns. Patrick Ricard had had one and Zay Flowers had two catches for touchdowns. Derrick Henry had 23 carries for 106 yards with two touchdowns. Zay Flowers had five catches for 127 yards in the game and had the longest play for gain for the Ravens with his 53-yard play for a touchdown. It was a game where the Ravens dominated pretty much all game as by halftime, the Ravens were up 24-10. It would be a lead that they would not relinquish after dropping the ball against the Browns last week. Baltimore had 396 total yards in the game. For the Ravens, they improve to 6-3 on the season. 

Next week:

Denver: @ Kansas City
Baltimore: vs Cincinnati (Thursday night)

TW: 2-1

LA Chargers 27, Cleveland 10

Pick: Chargers

Justin Herbert and company overwhelm the Browns. Justin Herbert hit 18 of 27 passes for 282 yards with two touchdowns to Quentin Johnston and Josh Palmer. JK Dobbins would also come alive and roast the Browns as he rushed for 85 yards with two touchdowns on 14 carries and had a 34-yard gain for a rush. Quentin Johnston had four catches for 118 yards and the 66-yard gain for a touchdown was the longest play for the Chargers in the game. The game was a good one for the Chargers defense who took advantage of turnovers and made use of them to keep the ball away from the Browns. It didn't look like that on the scoreboard but the Chargers looked great. Los Angeles had 342 total yards in the game. For the Chargers, They improve to 5-3 on the season and usurp the Broncos for 2nd place in the AFC West.

Jameis Winston hit 26 of 46 passes for 235 yards with a touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman. It was a rough one as the passer hit three passes that were intercepted by the Chargers. It was even during the 2nd half when they were down by 15+ points. Nick Chubb had 39 yards with 15 carries in the loss. Cedric Tillman had six catches for 75 yards in the game. Jordan Akins had the longest play for the Browns on a 21-yard play. The Browns offense would not do a lot in this game as they would just have a field goal by halftime and wouldn't get the Tillman touchdown on their last drive of the game. Cleveland had 292 yards of offense in the game. For the Browns, they drop to 2-7 on the season with a break next week.

Next week:

LA Chargers: vs Tennessee
Cleveland: Bye

TW: 3-1

Las Vegas 24, Cincinnati 41

Pick: Bengals

A rough one for the Raiders as Joe Burrow threw for five touchdowns. Gardner Minshew hit 10 of 17 passes for 124 yards in the game. He would have a fumble in the 3rd quarter that would put him on the bench on the next Raiders drive. Desmond Ridder a recent pickup from Arizona's practice squad, hit 11 of 16 passes for 74 yards with a touchdown to Brock Bowers. Not a bad game for him. Alexander Mattison had nine carries for 36 yards in the game. Zamir White had six carries for 10 yards and included a touchdown. Jack Jones of the Raiders defense intercepted a Burrow pass for a pick six that gave the Raiders a touchdown on defense. Jakobi Meyers had eight catches for 105 yards and had the longest play for the Raiders on a 23-yard gain. A good game for him. The Raiders were down for most of the game and was a glimpse to their season so far, bad play and the opposition getting on top of them and dominating them. Las Vegas had 217 yards in the game. For the Raiders, they drop to 2-7 on the season.

Joe Burrow had a big day as he threw 27 of 39 passes for 251 yards with five touchdowns (a career high for him) and an interception. Mike Gesicki had two, Chase Brown had one, Drew Sample had one and Andrei Iosivas had the other touchdown for the Bengals. A long list for sure. Chase Brown had 27 carries for 120 yards in the game. Mike Gesicki had a big day as he caught five passes for the 100 yards and had a touchdown for 47 yards that was the longest play for the Bengals. It was a needed win for the Bengals as they are trying to keep pace with the Ravens and the Steelers in the AFC North. For the Bengals they get 373 total yards of offense and improve to 4-5 on the season.

Next week:

Las Vegas: Bye
Cincinnati: @ Baltimore (Thursday night)

TW: 4-1

Miami 27, Buffalo 30

Pick: Bills

The Dolphins and Bills slug it out by Tyler Bass called game for Buffalo. Tua Tagovailoa hit 25 of 28 passes for 231 yards with two touchdowns. Jaylen Waddle waddled his way into the endzone for a score and Devon Achane made his way into the endzone as well from balls thrown from Tagovailoa. Achane had 12 carries for 63 yards with a touchdown. A good day for him as he had 31 fantasy points. Tyreek Hill had four catches for 80 yards in the game and had the longest gain for the Dolphins on a 28-yard play. It was a competitive game for the Dolphins who made the game far more closer than Bills fans would've wanted. Miami had 373 total yards of offense in a game that was the total opposite of the last time they met in a Week 2 Thursday night matchup. For the Dolphins, they drop to 2-6 but have some signs of hope for the rest of the season if Tua plays well like this.

Josh Allen hit 25 of 39 passes for 235 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Ray Davis had one, Mack Hollins had one and Quintin Morris had the other touchdown that was thrown by Allen. Josh Allen had a pass that was intercepted and resulted in a Dolphins touchdown that gave the fish a 10-3 early lead. James Cook had 10 carries for 44 yards in the game. Ray Davis had two catches for 70 yards and one of those catches was on a 63-yard play that was the longest play for the Bills that resulted in the touchdown. It would give the Bills their 2nd lead of the game. Kicker Tyler Bass hit three field goals but none was more important than the one from 61 yards that gave the Bills the lead and game for good. For the Bills, they improve to 7-2 on the season with 325 yards of offense.

Next week:

Miami: @ LA Rams (Monday night)
Buffalo: @ Indianapolis

TW: 5-1

New England 17, Tennessee 20 (F/OT)

Pick: Patriots

Drake Maye gives the Patriots a chance to win in OT but it was in vain. Maye hit 29 of 41 passes for 206 yards with a touchdown pass to Rhamondre Stevenson that gave the Patriots a 17-17 tie that gave way to overtime. Maye had his struggles as he gave up a fumble and tossed two interceptions in the game and was sacked four times in the game. Drake Maye was also the leading rusher for the Pats with eight carries for 95 yards and had the longest play for the Pats with a 26-yard gain. Rhamondre Stevenson had 10 carries for 16 yards with a touchdown. Hunter Henry had seven catches for 56 yards in the game. It was a game despite the turnovers was a game they could've won. For the Patriots they gained 295 total yards and drop to 2-7 after upsetting the Jets last week.

Mason Rudolph hit 20 of 33 passes for 240 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Nick Vannett and Nick Westbrookikhine were the players that caught the passes from Rudolph. If you were named Nick chances are you were going to catch a pass for a score. Tony Pollard had no issues with running over the defense with 28 carries for 128 yards. Pollard had the longest play for the Titans on a 32-yard gain for a run. Calvin Ridley had five catches for 73 yards in the game. The defense would take advantage of the turnovers but wouldn't do a whole lot with the gifts. For the Titans, they get to 2-6 and end a three game losing streak with 400 total yards.

Next week:

New England: @ Chicago

Tennessee: @ LA Chargers

TW: 5-2

New Orleans 22, Carolina 23

Pick: Panthers

A shocking result for the Saints. Derek Carr hit 18 of 31 passes for 236 yards with a touchdown pass to Foster Moreau. Taysom Hill tried to hit a pass but was incomplete. Despite that he did score a rushing touchdown on a 7-yard run that gave the Saints a 13-7 lead with the point after. Alvin Kamara had 29 carries for 155 yards and had six catches for 60 yards. Juwan Johnson had the longest play for the Saints on a 25-yard gain while catching a couple of passes for 41 yards. Perhaps the strangest bit of news out of this game was tweets made by Michael Thomas in regards to Derek Carr throwing a pass to Chris Olave that resulted in Olave getting a concussion. A strange story for sure. Suffice to say, they drop to 2-7 despite getting 427 total yards.

Bryce Young would be the winning quarterback for the Panthers. He hit 16 of 26 passes for 171 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown pass went to Xavier Legette. Chuba Hubbard was the workhorse for the Panthers with 15 carries for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Jatavion Sanders had four catches for 87 yards and his 46-yard play was the longest play for the Panthers in the game. Carolina would hang around with the Saints and it paid off as the 2nd Hubbard touchdown resulted in a 23-22 lead but they did fail on the 2-point conversion attempt with 2:18 left. The Panthers defense held and would give them the win. Carolina had 246 total yards in the win and improve to 2-7 on the season and tie with the Saints for the worst record in the NFC South.

Next week:

New Orleans: vs Atlanta
Carolina: vs NY Giants (Sunday morning; Munich, Germany)

TW: 6-2

Washington 27, NY Giants 22

Pick: Commanders

Jayden Daniels leads Washington to a win against rival New York. Daniels hit 15 of 22 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns and had eight carries for 35 yards. Both touchdown passes went to Terry McLaurin. Chris Rodriguez Jr had 11 carries for 52 yards in the game. Austin Ekeler had 11 carries for 42 yards in the game with a touchdown run on a 1-yard run. Noah Brown had five catches for 60 yards in the game. The longest play for the Commanders was froma Olamide Zaccheaus 42-yard catch play. It was a bit of a closer game than probably the Commanders would've wanted. It was their first game since winning on a hail mary game last week against Chicago. For the Commanders, they improve to 7-2, their best record since 1996, with 358 total yards of offense.

Daniel Jones had 20 of 26 passes for 174 yards with two touchdowns. Chris Manhertz and Theo Johnson were the Giants that caught the passes from Jones. Daniel Jones had seven carries for 54 yards with a touchdown run. He essentially did all of the scoring for the Giants. Tyrone Tracy Jr had 16 carries for 66 yards. Malik Nabers had nine catches for 59 yards to be the leading receiver for the G-men. The longest play for the Giants was a 35-yard pass play to Theo Johnson that was his touchdown that cut the Commanders lead to a 27-22 margin. The Giants would try a 2-point conversion but failed as Jones was sacked with 2:48 left in the game. For the Giants, they drop to 2-7 on the season with 326 total yards in the game. 

Next week:

Washington: vs Pittsburgh
NY Giants: @ Carolina (Sunday morning, Munich, Germany)

TW: 7-2

Chicago 9, Arizona 29

Pick: Cardinals

Caleb Williams and company fall short in the desert. Williams hit 22 of 41 passes for 217 yards with no touchdowns but no interceptions either. Dandre Swift had 16 carries for 51 yards in the game with a 13-yard run being the longest rush for the Bears. Rome Odunze had five catches for 104 yards with a 44-yard play being the longest for the Monsters of the Midway. It would be a tough one to watch for pass protection as the Cardinals sacked Caleb Williams six times in the game. Which is interesting as the Cardinals defense isn't that great. The Bears had 241 total yards in the game. For the Bears, they drop to 4-4 on the season as they venture back to .500 football.

Kyler Murray hit 13 of 20 passes for 154 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions either. James Conner had 18 carries for 107 yards in the game. Emari Demercado had four carries for 59 yards with a touchdown. He had the longest play for a gain for the Cardinals on a 53-yard run for the touchdown. Trey Benson had eight carries for 37 yards with a touchdown as well. The Benson touchdown was a result of a Bears mistake as three plays earlier had Gervon Dexter flagged for trying to use leverage to leap into the air and block a Cardinals kick. The Cardinals had a safety on a Caleb Williams play that resulted in a penalty on a chop block on Dandre Swift. Chad Ryland would do the rest of the scoring with two field goals. For the Cardinals they had 350 total yards in the game while improving to 5-4 with a three game winning streak.

Next week:

Chicago: vs New England
Arizona: vs NY Jets

TW: 8-2

Jacksonville 23, Philadelphia 28

Pick: Jaguars

Jacksonville's comeback falls short in Doug Pederson's return to Philadelphia. Trevor Lawrence wasn't much of a factor as he hit 16 of 31 passes for 169 yards with two interceptions in the 2nd and 4th quarter. The 2nd one happening in the last drive of the game that resulted in the Eagles running out the clock. Travis Etienne had three carries for 24 yards in the game. Despite throwing two interceptions in the game, Trevor Lawrence scored two touchdowns on runs. He had eight yards rushing on five carries. Evan Engram was the leading receiver with five catches for 45 yards with the longest play for the Jags on a 24-yard play. The Jaguars were down 16-0 at halftime but 16 points in the 3rd quarter made this one a game. They would sadly not get a lead in the game. For the Jaguars, they get 215 total yards in the game and drop to 2-7 on the season.

Jalen Hurts had 18 of 24 passes completed for 230 yards with two touchdowns to Devonta Smith and Saquon Barkley. Barkley had quite the day as he had 27 carries for 159 yards with a touchdown and three catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. Jalen Hurts had 13 carries for 67 yards with a touchdown. Devonta Smith had four catches for 87 yards to be the leading receiver for the "Kelly Green" clad Eagles with a 46-yard play being the longest for Philly. For the Eagles, their offense put up numbers as they had 447 total yards in the game and improve to 6-2 with a date with rival Dallas next week.

Next week:

Jacksonville: vs Minnesota
Philadelphia: @ Dallas

TW: 8-3

Detroit 24, Green Bay 14

Pick: Lions

In rain soaked Lambeau Field, the Packers put up numbers just not points. Jared Goff hit 18 of 22 passes for 145 yards with a touchdown. The touchdown went to Amon Ra St. Brown. Jahmyr Gibbs had a rushing touchdown while getting 11 carries for 65 yards. The leading rusher was David Montgomery who had 17 carries for a gritty 73 yards. The longest play of the game went to St. Brown who caught a pass for 26 yards and finished with seven catches for 56 yards. Kerby Joseph had a pick-six on a Jordan Love pass that was thrown in the Packers own 27-yard line for a 27-yard score with just 32 seconds left in the 1st half. It was really a moment that sealed the deal for the Packers. Detroit put up just 261 total yards in the game but they were a buzzsaw when it mattered most and took advantage of Packers mistakes. It was also the first game for the Lions that was outside of a dome this season. They still won despite the fact. For the Lions, they improve to 7-1.

Jordan Love hit 23 of 39 passes for 273 yards with the aforementioned interception. Josh Jacobs had 13 carries for 95 yards. Elijah Wilson had four carries for 28 yards and a touchdown. Jayden Reed had five catches for 113 yards and had the longest play for the Packers with a 41-yard play. Another Packers mistake was a missed field goal for Brandon McManus but the kicker did hit two field goals in the loss and the driving rain. It was also a windy game as gusts at the time of around 10-15 miles per hour. Green Bay's offense had a good game with 411 yards but the mistakes piled up on them and in a game of the elements it was something that could not happen. For the Packers, they drop to 6-3 but have a winning record still.

Next week:

Detroit: @ Houston (Sunday night)
Green Bay: Bye

TW: 9-3

LA Rams 26, Seattle 20 (F/OT)

Pick: Rams

Demarcus Robinson called game in Seattle. Matthew Stafford hit 25 of 44 passes for 298 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Both of them went to Demarcus Robinson on 1 and 39 yard plays with the latter being the game-winner. Kyren Williams had 22 carries for 69 yards in the game. Cooper Kupp had 11 catches for 104 yards. Demarcus Robinson had six catches for 94 yards with the 39-yard play being the longest in the game for the Rams. The Rams defense had a pick six on a Geno Smith pass that was caught by Kamren Kinchens for a 103-yard return. He would also have another interception and Jaylen McCollough had one. Some controversy in the game as Puka Nacua was tossed out of the game after throwing a punch at a Seahawks player. For the Rams, they improve to 4-4 and had 366 total yards in the game.

Geno Smith hit 21 of 34 passes for 363 yards with three touchdowns but also threw three aforementioned interceptions. Two of those three touchdown passes went to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the other went to Tyler Lockett. Kenneth Walker had 25 carries for 83 yards in the game. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a good game with seven catches for 180 yards with the longest play for Seattle with a 46-yard play. His 14-yard touchdown was the game-tying score with the point after. In overtime, the Seahawks had the ball first but would only go for seven plays for 54 yards and was a turnover on downs. For the Seahawks, they had 424 total yards in the game but without the turnovers it might've been a different game. With the loss, they drop to 4-5 on the season and back to last place in the NFC West.

Next week:

LA Rams: vs Miami (Monday night)
Seattle: Bye

TW: 10-3

Indianapolis 13, Minnesota 21

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings prevail over the Colts. Joe Flacco hit 16 of 27 passes for 179 yards with an interception in the 3rd quarter. The Colts fumbled on their first drive. If there was a consolation Minnesota also intercepted on the next drive. Jonathan Taylor had 13 carries for 48 yards. Josh Downs had six catches for 60 yards in the game. The longest play for the Colts went to both Adonai Mitchell and Kylen Granson with 22 yard plays each. Indianapolis had a fumble recovery that was grabbed by Kenny Moore for a touchdown. The Colts wouldn't score a touchdown for the rest of the game. Matt Gay would hit two field goals in the game with a 54-yard field goal being the last points in the game but would not recover the onside kick. It was a quiet game for Joe Flacco who had been leading the Colts to a multitude of scoring drives when he started or came in relief. The game was a change as they went with Joe Flacco over Anthony Richardson. Richardson made comments as to "needing a break." For the Colts, they had 227 yards in the game but drop to 4-5 on the season.

Sam Darnold had 28 of 34 passes for 290 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Josh Oliver, Jordan Addison and Justin Nailor were the players that caught the passes from Darnold. The game was not without mistakes for the Vikings as they had two interceptions as well as a fumble. Justin Jefferson played quarterback for one snap and threw a pass for a 22-yard gain. Aaron Jones had 21 carries for 64 yards. Justin Jefferson had seven catches for 137 yards and had the longest play for the Vikings with a 41-yard gain. Not a shock really. Despite the mistakes the Vikings would have this game in hand for most of the game as their defense kept the Colts from really getting going on offense. Holding Joe Flacco to under 200 passing yards definitely has to mean something. The Vikings had 415 total yards in the game. For the Vikings, their 2-game losing streak ends and they get back to a winning column with a 6-2 record.

Next week:

Indianapolis: vs Buffalo
Minnesota: @ Jacksonville

TW: 11-3

Tampa Bay 24, Kansas City 30

Pick: Chiefs

The Buccaneers hang in there but Patrick Mahomes guide the Chiefs to a win in Overtime. Baker Mayfield hit 23 of 31 passes for 200 yards with two touchdowns. Cade Otton and Ryan Miller were the players that caught the passes from Mayfield. Keep in mind, no Chris Godwin or Mike Evans. Rachaad White had a touchdown run while getting three carries for 19 yards in the game. Bucky Irving had the most yards for rushing with 24 yards and seven carries. Cade Otton had eight catches for 77 yards in the game. Trey Palmer had the longest play for the Buccaneers with a 19-yard gain. The Buccaneers had 284 total yards in the game. It was a quiet game for turnovers as the Buccaneers would conjure up one fumble and recover it. It was a good game regardless. For the Buccaneers, they drop to 4-5 on the season. 

Patrick Mahomes hit 34 of 44 passes for 291 yards with three touchdowns. Two of the touchdowns went to DeAndre Hopkins, a newest addition to the team via trade from Tennessee. The other went to Samaje Perine in the win. Kareem Hunt had 27 carries for 106 yards with a touchdown in what would be the game-winner from 2 yards out. Travis Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards in the game. It would be his teammate Hopkins that had the longest play for a gain in the game on a 35-yard play. The Chiefs would conjure up 384 total yards in the game. It was a back and forth affair with both teams trading blows. It might be a game where both teams might see each other again perhaps? Who knows. For the Chiefs, they get to 8-0 on the season and stay as the league's only undefeated team. 

Next week:

Tampa Bay: vs San Francisco

Kansas City: vs Denver

TW: 12-3

Records

2024:
Week 1: 14-2
Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 10-6

Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 3-11

Week 6: 13-1

Week 7: 13-2

Week 8: 9-7

Week 9: 12-3

Total: 94-44

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2
2023: 161-111

See you all on Wednesday/Thursday for the Week 10 Picks post! Enjoy your week!

-Tom

NFL 2024 Week 9 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again. The week that was Week 9 was a decent week for picks as I finished with a record. We are almost to the halfway mark on the regular season with a little bit of a margin below 50 percent. We still haven't quite had a lot of teams on a bye yet but eventually it will be coming. In this post I will be doing a preview of the week's action, my picks to the games and the Early and Late TV broadcasting pairings that FOX and CBS will have for the early and late game windows. This post will be the last one without a playoff picture as I will be doing one next week for Week 10. A bit early for it I know but I like looking at it. For games this week, I'm keeping an eye on: Cowboys-Falcons, Commanders-Giants, Broncos-Ravens, Lions-Packers and Buccaneers-Chiefs. Anyway, let's get to work!

Week 9 Preview

The Ninth week of the National Football League's regular season will start in East Rutherford, New Jersey and finish up in Kansas City, Missouri. The week will have a 15-game slate where 30 teams will play. Teams on a bye this week are the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers. Week 9 will have five divisional games, three interconference games, five AFC games and two NFC games. There will be a Thursday night game, eight early games, four late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. The doubleheader this week goes to FOX and CBS will have the single, regional game. Let's get to the picks!

Week 9 Picks

Note: All game times are in US Eastern. TW is me.

Houston (6-2) @ NY Jets (2-6) (Amazon; 8:15 pm)

Pick: Texans

The Texans beat the Colts and the Jets lost to the Patriots last week. The Texans last week got a good result but it was a close one. The offense did a solid job in the passing game and the running game. Joe Mixon has been a solid contributor that you expect him to get a 100-yard game on the ground. The game was a defensive one but you have to expect their defense to hang tough in games. I think the game against the Jets will be a good test as to how their run game can handle the front seven of the Jets.

The Jets have had a tough season despite all the high expectations of the team. They seem to not be able to get out of their own way as they shoot themselves in the foot a lot of times. The play last week against New England was sloppy as they called timeouts early, Aaron Rodgers seemed off at a lot of times, the defense was starting to crack a bit as well. The path to the playoffs for the Jets is starting to shrink as they lose a game and teams in the AFC with better records solidify their position. If there is a "Run the Table" for the Jets it has to start this game but it is a tough test. I think the firing of Robert Saleh will come back to bite them. I'll take the Texans.

All-time series: Jets lead 7-3

Dallas (3-4) @ Atlanta (5-3) (FOX; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Falcons

The Cowboys lost to the 49ers and the Falcons beat the Buccaneers last week. Dallas has had a rough one of a season as of late. They have played awful at home as usually they are being blown out. They somehow have a better record on the road. Granted it isn't that much of an improvement. They played a better game in some aspects against the 49ers. They still gave up the ball a fair amount but CeeDee Lamb was nearly unstoppable. It has to account for something. They have a fighting chance to get back into winning against Atlanta.

The Falcons have had some better luck on offense. Kirk Cousins seems to be gelling well in Atlanta. He has a good rapport with Drake London and Darnell Mooney. They have some good runners in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. I think it's the defense that is the more questionable thing that the Falcons are concerned. They are somewhat in the middle of the pack in terms of defense. They'll be facing against a tough test against the Cowboys who have a good plethora of wide receivers that can get chunks of yardage. I'll go with the Falcons for at least another game as I can't trust the Cowboys.

All-time series: Cowboys lead 19-11

Denver (5-3) @ Baltimore (5-3) (CBS; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Ravens

The Broncos beat the Panthers and the Ravens lost to the Browns last week. Denver has been playing well this year. They have perhaps the frontrunner of the quarterback class of this past year's draft in Bo Nix. He finally started to break out as a passer with three touchdowns in the win last week. This week will be the Broncos biggest test of the season so far. They have to be on their toes against a Ravens team that is hungry to get back to a win.

Baltimore really should've won last week against Cleveland. Their offense played a solid game with probably more pass than run than what we're accustomed to. The defense had a letdown as Jameis Winston had a lot more of an impact on their secondary than previous teams have found. May have even found a weakness in the Ravens defense. While I do think the Ravens should get back on track and get a win in this game, I urge caution to not let Denver go lightly. They do have a good defense and can stop the run if need be. I think the Ravens are still a bit too much for them.

All-time series: Ravens lead 10-6

LA Chargers (4-3) @ Cleveland (2-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Chargers

The Chargers beat the Saints and the Browns beat the Ravens last week. The Chargers got back to a winning result last week against the Saints. A Saints team that is spiraling out of control. Remember that they were the highest scoring team for the first two weeks of the season. Justin Herbert had a good game as he dismantled the Saints defense. With a little help with his friends as well. I think they will be facing a good test in Cleveland.

Cleveland had a good win last week against rival Baltimore. They might've found a quarterback that is not getting paid DeShaun Watson money in Jameis Winston. Winston willed the Browns offense to a win in an upset against arguably the best team in the AFC. The crazy thing is that it is with Jameis Winston who hasn't played a lot of meaningful football for at least a year. Not since he was with the Saints for a spell. I'm not sure how well they can do against the Chargers. I think the Chargers defense will like the turnovers that Winston will toss their way. If they can take advantage of it and get the opportunities, I like their chances.

All-time series: Chargers lead 19-9-1

Las Vegas (2-6) @ Cincinnati (3-5) (FOX; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Bengals

The Raiders lost to the Chiefs and the Bengals lost to the Eagles last week. The Raiders in 2024 is kind of a mess. They had a better showing against rival Kansas City. It was certainly a better game for starter Gardner Minshew. Maybe it was their play against a rival that made the difference. Still the Raiders lost and their record is as such. Their play with the quarterback has been the biggest piece of evidence of their record. They have a shot to win against the Bengals but they need to get their running game going.

Cincinnati has had a better amount of success than their opponents but that's saying a lot. A 3-5 record going into this game has the Bengals season slipping away. With the Steelers ahead of the division and the Ravens close behind, the only hope for the Bengals is to get a win and get the final playoff spot. It'd be better to go a winning streak the rest of the way and hope for the best. The Bengals should be able to win this game but they need to do better on offense and keep going.

All-time series: Raiders lead 21-13

Miami (2-5) @ Buffalo (6-2) (CBS; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Bills

The Dolphins lost to the Cardinals and the Bills beat the Seahawks last week. Miami had a game that might've been one that should've won. They got Tua Tagovailoa back and they still lost. The offense was doing its job but the defense wasn't. Sadly it isn't something that won't get fixed this season likely. It'll have to be something the Dolphins will address in the draft but until then Tua will have to will his way to win. He isn't alone as he does have a good running game and wide out group. I just don't think they can win against the Bills.

Buffalo has been running away with the division it seems. They have six wins when the entire division has that exact amount of wins among the three teams. Josh Allen is having a great season with 14 touchdowns and just one interception. The lone interception happened last week against Seattle. They should find a way to win using their same formula that they used the last time they met in Week 2. In that game, the Bills went with a run heavy attack with James Cook getting two touchdowns. Granted that was also the game that Tua got a concussion in. It should be a Bills win.

All-time series: Dolphins lead 62-59-1

New England (2-6) @ Tennessee (1-6) (FOX; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Patriots

The Patriots beat the Jets and the Titans lost to the Lions last week. New England got out of their six-game losing streak last week. They found a way to win by using their running back Rhamondre Stevenson for the two touchdowns towards the end of the game. They won it despite losing Drake Maye just before halftime. He was ruled out of the game with a concussion. Ultimately it is up to him and the protocol for him to get going into this game. Otherwise Jacoby Brissett will start. Either way, I like the Patriots chances to win this game.

Tennessee has been kind of a rough team in 2024. They have been expected to be that way. Last week's game against Detroit was more of the same of them. They turning the ball over a lot and the defense is saddled to help out a bit more than often as they were tired probably by the end of it. The Lions offense took advantage of the turnovers and then the scoring would be well in favor of the Lions. It'll be a bit more of an even matchup and the Titans defense might have a decent chance for rest. I think it'll be a toss up as both teams aren't really going anywhere this season but I'll go on a whim and take the Pats.

All-time series: Patriots lead 26-18-1

New Orleans (2-6) @ Carolina (1-7) (CBS; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Panthers

The Saints lost to the Chargers and the Panthers lost to the Broncos last week. The Saints are not marching into the playoffs. At least at the current moment. The fact that the loss of Derek Carr to injury and the Saints lack of an competent quarterback in his stead has been something to be in awe of. Spencer Rattler hasn't been the answer. Maybe Jake Haener to be the one guy that you could look to to provide help. I just don't know who can win this game, especially the Saints.

Carolina has been a mess of a team. Their quarterback situation is one of many problems with them. I don't know what's even worse the offense or the defense. Safe to say, the offense has been the brunt of the issues. They give up the ball a lot and they don't score a lot of points. You have to remember that this team beat the Raiders and that was back in Week 3. The Saints are the likely better team in this matchup between the two cellar dwellers of the NFC South right now but I'll go on a whim and take the Panthers. I might get it wrong.

All-time series: Saints lead 32-28

Washington (6-2) @ NY Giants (2-6) (FOX; 1:00 pm)

Pick: Commanders

The Commanders beat the Bears and the Giants lost to the Steelers last week. Washington had quite the game last week. They certainly had quite the finish as they somehow got a hail mary win against Chicago. It has to be the best win for them in years. Possibly beyond the Dan Snyder year's in the early to mid 90's. I have to think that the win might get a bit hectic for them with a new game on the horizon. The Commanders are a bit of a concerning team with the health of Jayden Daniels. Can his rib injuries be enough to keep him on the field? A fair amount of questions but I like the Commanders in the game.

New York has been a bit of a rough team to watch. They can take some solace as this game is not a primetime game. There is also rougher news as running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. is injured with a concussion. he was a non-participant in Wednesday's practice which might prove to be a questionable to out status for this game. Devin Singletary has decent numbers but he hasn't been much of a factor at least for the Giants to keep him on the starting lineup. The Giants have some help with Malik Nabers and have a solid pass defense. The Giants could make this a contest but I think the Commanders successful season continues.

All-time series: Giants lead 108-72-5

Chicago (4-3) @ Arizona (4-4) (CBS; 4:05 pm)

Pick: Cardinals

The Bears lost to the Commanders and the Cardinals beat the Dolphins last week. The Bears really had to grind it out against Washington last week. They had the game well in hand until the last play of the game. Tyrique Stevenson is now a meme in the sports circles now that he talked with Bears fans before the Hail Mary happened. The Bears coming into this game should have an alright time with moving the ball. The Cardinals are a decent defense but can bend at times. Hopefully this week the Bears can find their way to a win and prevent any last second things from occurring.

The Cardinals in 2024 have been a bit of a surprise at 4-4. They have an offense with a healthy Kyler Murray at the helm. As long as he is upright, the Cardinals have a chance to win. He still has a good running game to back him up when he himself isn't running around taking names. This year he has a star in Marvin Harrison Jr. who just catches balls and runs forward for yardage. He has a shot to be Offensive Rookie of the Year if he keeps it up but I think he needs a few more good games to get it locked up. The defense of Arizona will be a thing that will be looked at in this one. They're a bend but not break defense. I think the Cards find a way to win and get to 5-4.

All-time series: Bears lead 58-29-6

Jacksonville (2-6) @ Philadelphia (5-2) (CBS; 4:05 pm)

Pick: Jaguars

The Jaguars lost to the Packers and the Eagles beat the Bengals last week. Doug Pederson makes his return to Philadelphia. Pederson was the winning coach in their Super Bowl LII run. His new team has had a tough go of it in 2024. The Jaguars had been playing a little better of late. A big win against the Patriots was big for their case. They sadly lost in a close game against the Packers. A Brandon McManus field goal put their hopes of a winning streak to an end. I'm not sure how well the Jaguars can do against a Eagles team that is playing better.

The Eagles earlier in the season was back to their old ways that they had going in the later part of last season. A collapse of epic proportions. The Eagles had probably their best game of the season in a whooping of the Bengals. Jalen Hurts was hitting on all cylinders as he the passer and runner. They even had the Tush Push going in quite a few plays. The Eagles should be able to handle the Jaguars in this game. They have had times of playing down to competition but I think the Eagles should win this game.

All-time series: Eagles lead 4-3

Detroit (6-1) @ Green Bay (6-2) (FOX; 4:25 pm)

Pick: Lions

The Lions beat the Titans and the Packers beat the Jaguars last week. A big NFC North rivalry renews another chapter. Plus it'll be a Tom Brady game as well. The Lions coming into this game with a 6-1 record. They have an offense that is just spectacular and well balanced. Jared Goff is a nearly 100% efficient quarterback who hasn't quite had a game below 60% in pass completion. They have a running game and a passing game that has many players that can hurt you. The Lions don't quite have the defense that they had in recent years but with the loss of Aidan Hutchinson to injury has to mean a little something.

Green Bay has a 6-2 record coming into this game. They haven't had a bye week yet but they have a big test ahead. The Packers in 2024 doesn't quite have the offensive firepower that their rivals have. Jordan Love has also spent a few spells in the injury list. They would need him to play in this game I think to win. The Packers defense might be the biggest factor in this game. The packers are a very opportunistic defense who are not afraid to go after the ball and attempt to make a turnover. I don't know how well Malik Willis will play if he can win this game for the Pack. I think the Lions are too good at the moment to let this game slip through their fingers.

All-time series: Packers lead 106-76-7

LA Rams (3-4) @ Seattle (4-4) (FOX; 4:25 pm)

Pick: Rams

The Rams beat the Vikings and the Seahawks lost to the Bills last week. The Rams got back on track last week. They got back their offensive weapons in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua from lengthy injuries. Their defense has gotten a little better. They managed to shut down the pass offense of the Vikings which has to say for something. They will likely need to get back to the same gameplan against the Seahawks. The running game has been a decent one to watch with Kyren Williams.

Seattle has been a bit of a strange team this season. They have a head coach that is a defensive minded one but has had a defense that has given up 30+ points in many games this season. It doesn't help their cause much as their quarterback hasn't played his best football either. He has just eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. The offense should be better but the defense needs to play better as well. I am a bit high on the Rams for now and I'll take them in this one. I have taken the Seahawks a bit too much this season. I'll go with the Rams.

All-time series: Seahawks lead 27-26

Indianapolis (4-4) @ Minnesota (5-2) (NBC; 8:20 pm)

Pick: Vikings

The Colts lost to the Texans and the Vikings lost to the Rams last week. Indianapolis lost last week with Anthony Richardson with just 10 of 32 passing. He is not quite the passer that is a stereotypical one. He is more of a runner than a passer. His comments about him being tired after last week seems to speak a bit to me. I really think that the passer isn't the answer for the Colts. I'd rather see Joe Flacco in this game. He is probably their best shot at winning.

The Vikings had a 5-0 record and then they are now at 5-2. It seems like at the blink of an eye. Their recent losing streak reminds Vikings fans of 2016 where they had a 5-0 record and then they fell apart and ended up with a 8-8 record. It seems that they need to win games to avoid that average mark. Granted teams aren't going to have an even record by the end of the season. I think the Vikings should try to get back to their running game. If they can do that it should fall back in line with their passing game. They have a solid passing attack. The defense should do fine as well.

All-time series: Colts lead 18-8-1

Tampa Bay (4-4) @ Kansas City (7-0) (ABC; 8:15 pm)

Pick: Chiefs

The Buccaneers lost to the Falcons and the Chiefs beat the Raiders last week. Tampa Bay has been playing well for the most part during the season. Then the injuries began to pile up. The injuries to Chris Godwin and Mike Evans has been a bit of a troubling one. The turnovers by Baker Mayfield have also been piling up. I think he's just trying too much. He has a good running back group. Let them and the defense start taking on the weight. I would give targets and catches to Cade Otton as well. Safe to say, the Chiefs will take advantage of turnovers.

Patrick Mahomes in 2024 hasn't had quite the season that he'd like to remember. He has 1,651 yards with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. Whether it be the pressure to make history or him seeing ghosts at time, Mahomes will likely play better. Kareem Hunt has been a good pickup as Isiah Pacheco has been injured since the early part of the season. The defense will get a bit of help as Josh Uche from New England will come and help the pass rush and take pressure off of Chris Jones. As if the Chiefs needed more star power for their team. I don't know when the undefeated season will happen but I don't think it will end with the Buccaneers handing them their first loss. I think it lasts for another season.

All-time series: Buccaneers lead 8-7

Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings

Note: Games in bold are being shown in my area, check local listings

FOX Early

Dallas @ Atlanta

Adam Amin, Greg Olson

Washington @ NY Giants

Chris Myers, Mark Sanchez

New England @ Tennessee

Jason Benetti, Mark Schlereth

Las Vegas @ Cincinnati 

Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston

FOX Late

Detroit @ Green Bay

Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady

LA Rams @ Seattle

Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

CBS Single

Miami @ Buffalo

Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Denver @ Baltimore

Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

LA Chargers @ Cleveland

Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

New Orleans @ Carolina

Tom McCarthy, Jay Feely

Jacksonville @ Philadelphia (Late)

Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Jason McCourty

Chicago @ Arizona (Late)

Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2024 Week 9 Maps

Records

2024:
Week 1: 14-2
Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 10-6

Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 3-11

Week 6: 13-1

Week 7: 13-2

Week 8: 9-7

Total: 82-41

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2
2023: 161-111

See you all after the Monday night game for the Week 9 Recap! Enjoy the games!

-Tom