Week 8 gave us a bunch of blowouts with only one game being decided by less than double digits. That also happened to be the game that gave the Jets their first win of the season as they managed a last-minute touchdown pass from Breece Hall to Mason Taylor to pull out the one-point win over Cincinnati. While that may have come as a shock to many, the biggest upset of the week had to be the Dolphins dominant performance in Atlanta as they throttled the Falcons 34-10. This week’s slate will be a slightly more substantial 14 games, as only 4 teams will have their bye. Let’s take a look at this weekend’s schedule to see what we can expect.
Ravens @ Dolphins (+7.5)
The Thursday night game features two teams that managed to grab their 2nd wins of the season last weekend. Miami shocked the shorthanded Falcons 34-10, while the Ravens were able to win at home without Lamar Jackson under center. Lamar should be back for this game, as he has already begun the week with a couple of full practices. To say that neither of these defenses had been very good heading into week 8 would be an understatement. Both teams were able to stop the run in their respective games, which will be an important fact this week, and this game will feature two of the more dynamic backs in the league. The books feel like this will be a convincing Baltimore win, and I tend to agree. In short weeks, we like to go with the more talented rosters, and a healthy Lamar Jackson is easily worth a touchdown. While the hook makes me nervous to lay the points on the road, Baltimore just feels like a team that is ready to make a run.
Ravens 31 – Dolphins 20
Falcons @ Patriots (-5.5)
The Falcons have been one of the most Jekyll and Hyde teams in the league thus far in 2025. They entered the week as a touchdown favorite for their home matchup against a reeling Miami team. When we finally got to kick off, that number had shrunk all the way down to 1.5 as both Michael Penix and Drake London missed the game with injuries. Even without their two offensive stars, most figured that Atlanta had enough talent with Bijan Robinson alone to handle business at home, but the game was all Miami from the first quarter on as the Dolphins took a 17-3 lead into halftime. Kirk Cousins was unable to connect with his receivers all day, while Miami stifled Bijan and the Falcons running game as they could only manage 45 yards on 17 carries. This is the second time this year that Atlanta was blown out in a game they entered as the favorite, as they had their doors blown off 30-0 in week 2 by a winless Carolina Panthers team. How can this be the same Atlanta team that was able to beat the Buffalo Bills 24-14 in week 7? This week, they travel to New England to take on the first-place Patriots, who are coming off their 5th straight win and their second straight game of scoring over 30 and allowing only 13. On paper, it looks like this should be an easy Patriots win, but I don’t truly believe in the Pats just yet. Their last three wins have come over three teams that just can’t move the ball at all on offense. If Michael Penix and Drake London are able to suit up, this will be a competitive game. The Patriots defense isn’t a shutdown unit, and they will struggle to hold down the Falcons receivers and Bijan Robinson. The game should be much closer than the 5.5 point spread, so we’re going to go ahead and call the outright upset.
Falcons 27 – Patriots 24
Chargers @ Titans (+10.5)
The Titans actually have won a game this year. I know it’s hard to remember, and even harder to imagine repeating, but there was a game this year when Tennessee was able to leave the field as victors. That game very well may be the only game they win this year, as they have not been very competitive in any of their other 7 games. In their defense, they have played a tough schedule and losses against teams like the Colts, Rams, Broncos, and Patriots seem downright acceptable. When you consider they also lost by two scores to the Raiders and Geno Smith, it makes you wonder how the Cardinals coach wasn’t fired immediately after losing to them back in week 5. The Chargers have been a bit up and down this season themselves, but they are coming off of an impressive Thursday night win over Minnesota and enter this game with the benefit of a “mini-bye”. Cam Ward has been learning on the job, and while there have been a few moments where he looks like he’s going to be OK, there have been far more moments that show us he really isn’t quite ready for the NFL. Unfortunately, as a pocket passer, he lacks the ability of Jayden Daniels or Jackson Dart to use his legs when his line breaks down and when his receivers are unable to get open. This matchup is going to be a tough one as the Titans rank 31st in the league against the run, which means we should see a healthy dose of Kimani Vidal mixed with Justin Herbert and the Chargers passing game. Once they get the lead, the Titans won’t have the firepower to compete against a Charger defense ranked in the top 10 against the pass. Maybe the Titan can keep it close at home in the early going by mixing Tajai Spears and Tony Pollard against a Charger front 7 that has been beatable this year, but in the end, it should be all Bolts.
Chargers 31 – Titans 17
Bears @ Bengals (+2.5)
Both teams are coming off a loss, and both teams really need to win this game to avoid falling out of their respective division races. The Bengals dropped a heartbreaker to the Jets, and Joe Flacco was a bit banged up in the process. They still sit just a game and a half behind the Steelers, in an AFC North division that should stay close all season long. If Flacco’s shoulder injury keeps him out of this game, the Bengals will be forced to go back to Jake Browning under center this weekend against a Bears defense that has been solid against the pass this season. The Bears dropped their game in Baltimore to the Lamar-less Ravens, thanks to two scores by Derrick Henry. Their run defense has been one of the weaker units in the league, and they will need to tighten up and contain Chase Brown, who seems to finally be hitting his stride for Cincinnati. Although the Bengals have been one of the more pass-heavy teams in the league, that may change a bit this week if they are forced to go with Browning at QB. The Bears should be looking to run the ball right down the throats of this Bengal defense that was shredded last week by Breece Hall and the Jets to the tune of 254 yards and 2 scores on 37 carries for a whopping 6.9 yards per carry average. Expect a lot of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, as well as Caleb Williams, all day long. With Flacco, this could be a close game. Without Joe Cool 2.0, this game should be an easy Bears victory. Keep an eye on the injury report, but for now, we are going to assume Flacco will either miss the game or, at the very least, be limited.
Bears 24 – Bengals 16
Colts @ Steelers (+3.5)
The Colts just keep rolling week in and week out. This past week it was another 30+ points thanks to yet another 3-touchdown day by Jonathan Taylor. That makes a total of 4 games this season in which Taylor has scored 18 points by himself. The Steelers dropped to 4-3 on the season with a 35-25 loss at home to the Packers. It was an especially tough loss to watch as they were dressed like a bunch of dudes who just ran “The Mustard Marathon” and were covered in every shade of yellow, gold, and tan imaginable. Can we put those uniforms away for good and just go back to the classic black and gold that we all know and love? Aaron Rodgers will look to bounce back, and this week he gets a Colts defense that is very beatable. It remains to be seen if the Pittsburgh pass attack can take advantage using their 3 and 4-tight end sets, but there is room here for Rodgers and DK Metcalf to do some damage. The Steelers will need to address their leaky secondary, as they were shredded again last week by Jordan Love and now sit as the bottom-ranked unit in the league against the pass. Daniel Jones will be looking for Michael Pittman, Tyler Warren, Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs all day in a game that could potentially become a shootout. If it does shoot out, it will be the Colts and their heavier arsenal that should come out on top. Pittsburgh will need to maintain long drives ending in the end zone, while holding the Colts to field goals if they want to win this one at home. T.J. Watt needs to have a signature game and force a turnover, while the secondary needs to have a day that matches the collective reputation of the names on the backs of those jerseys. I’m probably going to go broke doing it this year, but I’m going to pick against the Colts again. Hopefully, they thank me at the end of the season when they finish 16-1 and roll to a Super Bowl title.
Steelers 28 – Colts 22
49ers @ Giants (+2.5)
There are losses, and then there are LOSSES. The Giants suffered a big one last week as they not only were bested on the scoreboard, but their very hearts may have been ripped out as rookie sensation Cam Skattebo suffered a season-ending injury in the process. Picking up the pieces will be tough, to say the least. This week, they welcome into Met Life Stadium a 49ers team that was just embarrassed by a Texans team that played without their best two wide receivers. Houston managed to still throw for 300+ yards while doing enough on the ground to control the clock on their way to a 26-15 victory. Mac Jones struggled to move the offense, and for some reason, they went from overusing Christian McCaffrey to hardly using him at all. CMC ended the game with just 8 rush attempts and 3 receptions, marking his lowest total on the season by over 10 touches. That is going to change this week, as they should get Brock Purdy and possibly Ricky Pearsall back. Look for the 49ers to spread the ball around while still getting the ball into their best players hands at least 20 times. The Giants are going to struggle to score enough points to keep up, and while Jackson Dart will keep it close on guts and sheer will alone, it won’t be enough in the end.
49ers 27 – Giants 20
Broncos @ Texans (-1.5)
The Broncos offense has scored 77 points in their last 5 quarters. That’s quite a bit. This week, they get to test their mettle against the best defense in the league, and it should be a fun one to watch. The Texans just took it to San Francisco in Houston this past week and now welcome Bo Nix and friends into town. While the Texans D should slow down the Broncos, they won’t shut them down completely. The Denver defense is leading the league in quarterback sacks, and that may spell doom for CJ Stroud, who is playing behind a suspect offensive line. I didn’t think the Texans would be able to pull the game out last week against the 49ers, and they proved me wrong. I’m going back to the well this week and taking Denver to be able to score enough points to allow their pass rushers to make life a living H-E-double hockey sticks for CJ Stroud this Sunday.
Broncos 22 – Texans 16
Vikings @ Lions (-8.5)
The Vikings are coming off an embarrassing defeat on the Thursday Night Prime Time game at the hands of the Chargers. Not only were they unable to run the ball, but they also had little luck slowing down the Los Angeles running game as Kimani Vidal, Justin Herbert, and company rumbled for over 200 yards and a score on 43 carries. The return of Aaron Jones in the Minnesota backfield did little to enhance a Vikings run game that only totaled 34 yards on the night. Carson Wentz spent the game running for his life and ultimately couldn’t finish the contest with a shoulder injury that will require surgery, ending his season. J.J. McCarthy watched the game from the safety of the sidelines, but there won’t be any place to hide this week as the Vikings travel to Ford Field to take on a Lions team that is coming off of their bye week. Jared Goff and company will look to stay atop the NFC North with yet another home victory to stay undefeated at home this season. These division games are traditionally tight, but the Lions have been on both sides of two two-score games thus far against division rivals, and this week they’ll likely be on the winning side of another one. Look for Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to both have big games on the ground and for Goff to find his receivers enough to light up the scoreboard in what may be a higher-scoring affair.
Lions 37 – Vikings 27
Panthers @ Packers (-12.5)
The Bills showed us last week that the Panthers may very well be nothing more than paper tigers this season. Carolina entered the game undefeated in 3 home contests and 4-3 overall on the season, led by a top 10 run defense. I was curious to see how they would fare against a team committed to the run like Buffalo, especially if the score started to tilt in their opponent’s favor. We found out last week that they weren’t quite up to the task of a heavyweight bout as James Cook ran up and down on them all day for a total of 216 yards and 2 scores. That game alone was enough to move the Panthers from 8 overall against the run to 16th. This week, they will get a Packer team that just hung 35 points on the Steelers in Pittsburgh. This is another matchup that’s more than Carolina will be able to handle, with or without Bryce Young under center. Look for Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson to lead the Green Bay run game while Jordan Love continues to spread the ball around to a pass-catching room led by Tucker Kraft, Romeo Doubs, Matthew Golden, and an as of now, healthy Christian Watson.
Packers 31 – Panthers 13
Jaguars @ Raiders (+3.5)
Both teams are entering this game off a much-needed bye week. The Jaguars limped into the bye after suffering 2 straight losses to the Seahawks and Rams. The Raiders sit at 2-5 on the season, and the last time we saw them, they were being absolutely boat raced by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Geno Smith looked absolutely lost in that game and was eventually replaced by Kenny Pickett. The leash may be short on the veteran going forward, and this game may be his last chance to prove to Pete Carroll that he can be trusted to lead the charge. The Raiders should be getting back both Brock Bowers and Jakobi Myers, and they will need all the help they can get against a Jacksonville defense that is still a top 5 team in forcing turnovers. Trevor Lawrence will try and get the offense back on track and will hopefully have Brian Thomas Jr. back after he left their week 7 game with a shoulder injury. The Jaguars are the better team right now, but Vegas is dangerous with their full offense at their disposal. If Smith can avoid turnovers, he can exploit a very beatable Jacksonville secondary. Look for Ashton Jeanty to continue to be featured in the passing game as well, and let’s go with the Raiders to defend their home turf and pull off the upset.
Raiders 27 – Jaguars 26
Saints @ Rams (-13.5)
The Rams had the week off in week 8, and I’m betting the Saints fans have to be wondering when it’s their turn to get a break from having to watch this dumpster fire of a team. Kellen Moore finally had enough of Spencer Rattler and turned to Tyler Shough at halftime of last week’s beatdown by the Bucs in front of their home faithful. The results were more of the same, and at this point, the season looks to be a total loss. Shough will remain the starter for now, but it really isn’t going to matter. The Rams will do enough to win this game, and they shouldn’t have to break much of a sweat doing it. Stafford should be getting Puka Nacua back, but he won’t need to be pushed too hard as the Rams won’t need much more than 2 scores to win this one.
Rams 24 – Saints 9
Chiefs @ Bills (+1.5)
This is easily the game of the week, as it very well may be an AFC Championship Game preview. In fact, it was these same two teams in that game last year, and it was the second time they’ve met in the final game before the Super Bowl since 2020. Overall, since 2020, they have met 4 times in the postseason, with the Chiefs coming out on top in every game. Vegas clearly is aware, as they’ve set the Chiefs as a slight road favorite for their week 9 matchup this Sunday. If the Bills want to get to the promised land, they will need to get past the Chiefs, and this week is going to be a big step in that direction. The Commanders showed everybody just how you can beat Kansas City, by exhibiting both what you should and shouldn’t do when playing the Chiefs when they met on Monday night. Washington, led by Marcus Mariota, marched up and down the field to start the game but only came away with 7 points total. Their first three drives all ended in Kansas City territory without a score, despite only turning the ball over one time. Had they taken the points when they had the chance, the second half may have gone differently. While the Bills won’t look to settle for field goals, they know that empty possessions and missed opportunities against a team like this are disastrous. Look for Buffalo to establish the run early and for Josh Allen to use both his arm and legs to keep the Bills moving. Kansas City may be without Isaiah Pacheco and may not fully be able to take advantage of the weak Bills run defense. I’m taking the Bills to win round one of what I think will be the first of two meetings between these teams.
Bills 29 – Chiefs 27
Seahawks @ Commanders (+3.5)
Washington should hopefully be getting Jayden Daniels back, but may be without Terry McLaurin yet again, as he aggravated his quad injury on Monday night. The Seahawks should be at full health as they are coming off their bye and heading across the country to take on the Commanders in this Sunday Night game. The Seattle defense has been stout, ranking number 1 in the league against the run and #10 overall in the league. While the Commanders have been a better team at home than on the road, this Seahawks team is going to be able to score more than even a fully healthy Jayden Daniels with his full complement of weapons can handle. This game could potentially get ugly as Washington has been getting gashed by opposing run games lately, allowing about 150 yards per game and 5 yards per carry over their last 3 contests. Look for Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet to keep hammering the Washington defense all game long. Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have been more than the Seattle opponents have been able to handle every week, and this game should be no different.
Seahawks 28 – Commanders 17
Cardinals @ Cowboys (-2.5)
The Cowboys have yet to lose at home this season. Dak Prescott has done his best to keep Dallas competitive each week, but their defense is simply awful. This is likely a matchup that won’t be too much for Dak and company to overcome, but it won’t come easily. Look for a high-scoring affair, again, as the Cowboys will have to outscore their opponent to earn the win. Kyler Murray will most likely be a game-time decision, but I think he’ll end up playing on Monday Night, and he should have a great game, if not for any reason other than he’s playing this Cowboys defense. The Cardinals have shown a unique ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, and I expect Murray or one of the other Cardinal offensive players to make a key error that turns the tide at a pivotal moment in Dallas. Look for the Cowboys to remain unbeaten at home as they come out on top in a shootout.
Cowboys 41 – Cardinals 31
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