The 2011 NFL season enters the month of November with even more momentum this year thanks to the absence of the NBA and some highly entertaining games each week.
Questions surrounding the games this week range from can the New England Patriots bounce back from some questionable coaching decisions and will the Philadelphia Eagles be able to ride their magic to a win on Monday night?
Here are the NFL Predictions for Week 9 as I continue my trend of another nine win week. See if I can maintain my pace in the NFL Pick’em contest.
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
The time has come for the Bills to show that they can run with the elite teams in the NFL when they play host to the Jets. So far this season, the Jets have been unable to win on the road and will need to find their running game if they are going to have a chance to knock off the Bills. Expect both young quarterbacks, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Mark Sanchez to put on a show.
Bills 31 Jets 21
Cleveland Browns vs. Houston Texans
The Texans need to increase the distance between them and the Tennessee Titans and this home game versus the Browns is the perfect chance to do so. They have played great at home with a 3-1 record and will be relishing the fact that their running game, led by Arian Foster, is going to take on one of the worst run defenses in the game that gives up over 127 yards per game.
Texans 24 Browns 10
San Francisco 49ers vs. Washington Redskins
The 49ers continue to roll with an easy win over the Cleveland Browns last week. Now they will be facing a Redskins unit that is struggling in so many stages of the ball. Despite the holes, the Redskins are going to make this game closer than what it should be and will only lose by less than a touchdown. The 49ers will continue their improbable roll to an easy NFC West division title.
49ers 28 Redskins 24
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints
The Saints are going to find a way to bounce back from a disappointing loss last week when they play host to another NFC South contender, the Buccaneers. Despite their recent turn around, the Bucs are going to find they are up the creek without the proverbial paddle thanks in part because of the energy the Saints get from the home crowd.
Saints 31 Buccaneers 17
Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Even though the Dolphins should benefit from playing the Chiefs, fresh off their Monday night game with the San Diego Chargers, they are going to be struggling with the fact that they lost for the second straight week when they held the lead late. The Chiefs, once given up for dead, will find a way to knock the Dolphins off in front of their home crowd.
Chiefs 24 Dolphins 17
Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys, who were dominated in every possible way by the Philadelphia Eagles last week, come into this game in the standard ‘Must-win’ mode. Thankfully for the Cowboy faithful, their team will be taking on the Seahawks who have struggled to do anything with the ball. The Dallas defense, led by Ware, should have a field day in front of their home crowd as they jump back into the race for the NFC East.
Cowboys 31 Seahawks 10
Atlanta Falcons vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts, who enter this game without a win during the 2011 NFL Season, will play host to the Falcons, who are rested after their bye week. The Falcons running game should have a field day against a Colts defense that has allowed opponents to run at will. Though it should not be, this game will be close and be decided by a field goal.
Falcons 24 Colts 21
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tennessee Titans
The Bengals continue to roll and prove that any preseason predictions about them were dead wrong. They will carry their 5-2 record into Tennessee as they try to keep pace with the rest of the AFC North. The Titans also have something to prove, especially running back Chris Johnson, who has yet to get things on track this season. The game will be hard fought but the Bengals will come out with their sixth win of the 2011 NFL Season.
Bengals 28 Titans 21
Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders
The Tim Tebow experiment in Denver took a major step backwards when they were dominated by the Detroit Lions at Mile High stadium. They are going to try to rebound this week when they head out to Oakland to face the Raiders. The good news is that the Raiders do not rush the passer as effectively as the Lions do. The problem is that the Raiders had an extra week to prepare for this game.
Raiders 24 Broncos 14
St. Louis Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals
These two teams, who will meet on Sunday, have managed to win only 2 games combined during the 2011 NFL season. The Rams will be riding the high of their win over the New Orleans Saints will need to find a way to maintain the intensity they had on the defensive side of the ball. The Cardinals will have a more balanced offense and keep the Rams in check during this contest.
Cardinals 24 Rams 10
Green Bay Packers vs. San Diego Chargers
This game was going to be the premier matchup of the season when quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Phillip Rivers went head to head. While Rodgers and the Packers have been playing unbelievable football, the Chargers have not been living up to their potential, especially their offensive unit. The Packers are going to suffer some from flying out West, making the contest closer than it should be.
Packers 34 Chargers 24
New York Giants vs. New England Patriots
The Patriots will be looking to rebound after the close loss to the Steelers but they will not expect a pushover in Week 9 when they take on the top team in the NFC East. The Giants passing game has been on the mark and that is bad news for a Patriots defense that has struggled this entire season. Despite this, the Patriots will do enough at home to earn a win.
Patriots 31 Giants 24
Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Ravens showed last week that they could overcome a deficit when they stormed back thanks to the arm of Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice. Things will be different this week when they travel to take on the Steelers, fresh off a convincing win over the New England Patriots. Do not expect an aieral show as both defenses will step up to make this a tight contest.
Steelers 21 Ravens 17
Chicago Bears vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Bears, who are rested from their bye week, will be traveling to Philadelphia to take on a team who seems to have righted the ship with a dominating win over the Dallas Cowboys. The keys to a Bears win is going to be their ability to keep the game close through the first half so they can play their style of ball. Bears running back Matt Forte should find some open room catching the ball but it will not be enough for a win.
Eagles 24 Bears 17
2011 NFL Season Record 72-39