Welcome to Week 9 of the NFL season and this is officially the half way mark of the season. Last week my string of good luck continued with my 3-1 record, which raises my record to 27-19 and in the process boosting my winning percentage from 57.1% to 58.7%. This week I’ll be predicting seven games, so hopefully my winning ways continues and maybe get to the 60% mark. Let’s Get Started!!!
This is the Thursday night game between a couple of in-state teams that’s going in opposite directions as the Cleveland Browns visit the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns are in the middle of a 3-game losing streak and now with the injury to Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel will be getting the start with hopes of providing some kind of spark for the team. On the other hand, the Bengals are coming off a tough, hard fought road win against the Steelers. This game could actually be pretty good, but I believe the Bengals are far more superior on both sides of the ball and will win.
Bengals Win 31-13
This is possibly what the NFC Championship game may look like as the Green Bay Packers visit the undefeated Carolina Panthers. The Packers are coming off on of their worse performances in recent memory against the Broncos where Rodgers threw for only 77 yards. With Rodgers facing another really good defense, can he rebound from that performance? The Carolina Panthers are coming off a tough win against the Colts this past Monday night in overtime. Can the Panthers continue to come up with that magic that’s lead to their undefeated season? I’m thinking Carolina pulls it out!!
Panthers Win 26-24
This is a match-up that’s getting a lot of attention because of the men in the backfield as the St. Louis Rams visit the Minnesota Vikings. If you haven’t followed sports the past month, then you’ve missed Todd Gurley, who’s off to a blazing start to his NFL career to the point his jersey and cleats are now on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Can the Rams defense do enough for the win? On the other side of the ball, we have Adrian Peterson, who’s arguably the best running back of this generation and a team that’s flying under the radar. I think the Vikings win again!!
Vikings Win 24-20
This is a battle between a couple of teams that could be looking at the final playoff spot at the end of the year as the Oakland Raiders visit the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Raiders come into this game with a 4-3 record, which could easily have been 6-1. They’re lead by QB Derek Carr, who has been one of the top QBs in the league and with rookie WR Amari Cooper, the Raiders future look promising. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been hit by the injury bug this year and they have lost their top running back LeVeon Bell for the year. I think someway Big Ben will lead them to the victory.
Steelers Win 19-17
This is the homecoming game for Peyton Manning back to Indianapolis as the Denver Broncos face the Colts. The Broncos have been led by a stingy defense for most of the year, but last week it seemed like the offense woke up a little bit. With the addition of Vernon Davis, it should give the offense a much bigger boost in the long run. How well will the offense perform against the Colts? Despite having a 3-5 record, the Colts are still tied for 1st place in their division with the Texans and any win will be helpful for them. The Broncos are a better team and will win!!
Broncos Win 31-21
This is the Sunday Night game between a couple of NFC East rivals as the Philadelphia Eagles visit the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles have had a dreadful season so far, but they’re tied with the division leader in the loss column and still have a shot at winning the division. Philadelphia is still dealing with injuries on both sides of the ball and the offense need to perform better than there previous game. The Cowboys are still contenders for the division title despite losing five games in a row and being at least a couple of weeks until Tony Romo return. The Cowboys defense will be the difference and lead them to the win!!
Cowboys Win 19-17
This is the final game of the week and the Monday Night game as the Chicago Bears travel out west to face the San Diego Chargers. The Bears are in the midst of a two game losing streak and things have gotten worse with the injury to RB Matt Forte. The defense of the Bears has been the issues also because they’re giving up around 29 points a game. On the other hand, San Diego is in the midst of a four game losing streak and with the season-ending injury to Keenan Allen the offense will struggle, but Rivers seems to always find a way. I’m going with the Chargers to end their losing streak.
Chargers Win 31-21
My Top 5 Teams in the League
1) New England Patriots
2) Cincinnati Bengals
3) Denver Broncos
4) Carolina Panthers
5) Green Bay Packers
