NFL Week 9 predictions feature several intriguing matchups, with the Jacksonville Jaguars favored to defeat the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night and the Cincinnati Bengals expected to edge the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid on Sunday. Analysts also project the Green Bay Packers to spoil Tom Brady's return to Foxborough, the Chicago Bears to outlast the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a clash of top rushing attacks, and the Buffalo Bills to overcome the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.
Jaguars at Ravens (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
The Ravens enter the game with severe quarterback uncertainty: Lamar Jackson is headed to injured reserve with a thumb injury, and backup Tyler Huntley is unlikely to play due to a toe injury. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, who is also dealing with an ankle injury, may start, potentially forcing Baltimore to employ a wishbone or wing-T offense. The Jaguars, under head coach Liam Coen, are 10-1 when rushing for at least 110 yards and rushed for a season-high 183 yards in a 42-7 win over the Colts in Week 8. Trevor Lawrence completed just 10 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns with a 153.3 passer rating, becoming the first player since Roger Staubach in 1971 to achieve at least 200 passing yards, three touchdowns, and a 150+ rating on 10 or fewer completions. Pick: Jaguars 30-13.
Bengals vs. Falcons in Madrid (Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET)
Both teams will spend the practice week in Madrid, neutralizing any travel advantage. The Falcons defense struggles against the run, but the Bengals offense has difficulty running the ball. Cincinnati's defense has allowed 621 yards to tight ends, the second-highest in the NFL, setting up a favorable matchup for Kyle Pitts. Atlanta's Bijan Robinson averages 5.2 yards per carry against a Bengals defense yielding 4.8 yards per carry. However, Joe Burrow has thrown at least four touchdowns with a 70% completion rate in three straight games, a first in NFL history, and is highly motivated to play in Spain. Pick: Bengals 34-31.
Packers at Patriots (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)
Tom Brady returns to Gillette Stadium as a Fox broadcaster, and Rob Gronkowski will be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has totaled three touchdowns in five straight games, the second-longest streak in franchise history behind Brady's 2007 run, and has seven touchdown passes of 30+ yards over the past four games, the most by any NFL quarterback since 2019. However, against teams with winning records, New England is 2-3 with Maye throwing six touchdowns and eight interceptions. Green Bay's defense has been surprisingly effective even without Micah Parsons. Pick: Packers 23-20.
Buccaneers at Bears (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Tampa Bay has embraced a run-heavy approach, completing zero passes in a win over the Falcons and just seven total passes over the past two games while outscoring opponents by 46 points. The Buccaneers lead the NFL in rushing at 168.6 yards per game, while Chicago ranks second at 150.8 yards per game. The Bears come off a Monday night win in Seattle on a short week. Pick: Bears 23-20.
Bills at Vikings (Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Minnesota's offense has struggled with Kyler Murray at quarterback; Justin Jefferson has just 28 catches, ranking outside the top 50 in receiving yards. The Vikings defense is elite, but the Bills defense allows 254.7 passing yards per game (third-worst). Josh Allen faces a strength-on-strength matchup against Minnesota's defense. Pick: Bills 24-17.
Remaining Week 9 Picks
Cowboys 23-16 over Colts; Chiefs 27-20 over Jets; Lions 31-17 over Dolphins; Giants 24-16 over Eagles; Rams 30-22 over Commanders; Broncos 24-17 over Panthers; Texans 27-16 over Chargers; Browns 20-17 over Saints; 49ers 30-23 over Raiders; Seahawks 30-20 over Cardinals. Byes: Titans, Steelers.
