Week 9 Weekly Pick'ems

Football fans what a year it has been with highs, lows, surprises and fashion statements. If I told you at this point of the season Matt Ryan and Derek Carr were in the conversation for MVP and the Carolina Panthers are fighting for their lives you would of casted me away to the Cleveland Browns.

But here we are and this crazy and wonderful season has us up in arms with so many questions left unanswered…Who will be win the AFC West, Will Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot both win offensive rookie of the year? Will Tom Brady after missing the first 4 games be MVP?

I cannot answer these questions but I can answer your queries on who will win this week..As my weekly ‘Pickems’ are as accurate as Adam Vinatieri’s right leg.

Detriot Lions 23, Minnesota Vikings 20

Although the Lions fell short in week 8 against the low flying Texans; Detroit is a frisky team that with Matt Stafford can cause trouble to most teams in the league. The Vikings are a side that have been decimated by injuries before the season even started and off a two game losing streak even their own coaches are departing Minnesota as Norv Turner decided to hang up the…Clipboard? Regardless, the Vikings offense may need time to gel under Pat Shurmur so giving the edge to Jim Bob Cooter’s offense seems like the natural thing to do.

New York Giants 24, Philadelphia Eagles 20

The NFC East is delivering the goods in terms of quality games; look no further than last week where the Eagles lost a heart breaker to rookie sensation Dak Prescott. The Giants are boasting a solid defense this year and Carson Wentz has fallen back into reality of where a promising rookie quarterback SHOULD be. The Eagles need this win to stay worthy of a division title because if they are to fall to New York they will be 0-3 in the division.

New York Jets 17, Miami Dolphins 16

This game will be the defensive or shall I say offensive disabled contest for the week. The Jets front seven is solid against the run but are finding it challenging to get consistent pressure on the quarterback. Maybe it’s because they are all big bodies with more run stopping capability then pass rushing prowess. Either way I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Jay Ajayi won’t go over 200 rushing yards….It’s going to come to whether Ryan Tannehill can exploit a porous Jets secondary.

Kansas City Chiefs 35, Jacksonville Jaguars 13

The Tennessee Titans dominated the Jaguars last week on Thursday night and the final score didn’t represent how badly Blake Bortles and company actually played. Kansas City runs the ball well even without their top two options which will follow a similar game script to last week for the Jags. The difference this time is that Bortles doesn’t have the luxury of garbage time to pad his fantasy value.

Dallas Cowboys 30, Cleveland Browns 10

I tried Cleveland …I really did, your feisty team is fun to watch and if you were ever going to win it was going to be in the last two weeks. However, your looking up at the 6-1 Cowboys who are an elite team at running the football with a young rookie quarterback who is leaps in bounds in front of expected progression.

Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Baltimore Ravens 14

This game with or without Big Ben will be a classic AFC North slugfest between two teams in desperate need of a win. Baltimore is sliding hard off a four game losing streak so they need this one badly. Unfortunately, the Steelers will take advantage of a porous Ravens secondary wth Big Ben likely back.

New Orleans Saints 23, San Francisco 49ers 21

The only way the 49ers steal this one is if the running game prevails and chews up enough clock to play keep away from a salivating Tim Hightower and Mark Ingram. The 49ers defense might be the league’s worst in terms of run defense and if the Saints can establish any sort of ground game Drew Brees will feel like this is a training camp first week practice.

Carolina Panthers 16, Los Angeles Rams 13

The Panthers may be on the brink of rolling here with a great win against Arizona now play a Rams team that is winning close games. However, the Panthers defense has struggled to stop the pass so the matchup between the Panthers secondary and Case Keenum will dictate the winner. Look for Carolina’s front seven to wreak Green Bay Packers havoc stunting any Rams final drive heroics.

Green Bay Packers 34, Indianapolis Colts 30

The weekly juggernaut game will feature two elite Quarterbacks that are literally carrying their respective teams. Aaron Rodgers is the leading rusher for the Packers through the last two weeks and everyone knows Andrew Luck has been a punching bag for five straight years because opposing defenses know the Colts only pass. Expect a shootout in the best way with both quarterbacks orchestrating quality drives towards the end of the game.

Oakland Raiders 24, Denver Broncos 26

This game can go either way here; the matchup of the entire week is Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree against the ‘No Fly Zone’ of the Denver Broncos. Not to mention an offensive line that allows the least sacks and quarterback hits in Oakland squaring off with the NFL’s best in terms of sacks and quarter back hits in Denver. Defense usually wins championships however , Jack ‘BlackJack’ Del Rio may have a trick or two up his sleeve to win this all important game for early AFC West supremacy. Oakland will need to establish a running game to have any chance as its Denver’s only chink in an otherwise impenetrable armour. Aqib Talib’s absence is a significant loss but they contained a feisty San Diego passing attack last week.

Buffalo Bills 23, Seattle Seahawks 28

This will surprise fans as both teams are feeling the injury bug to a few key players. If LeSean McCoy is limited then Buffalo may find it difficult to run the ball which will be the only chance of stealing this one. The Bills passing attack attempting to throw on Seattle’s vaunted secondary will be an ugly site for Bills fans.