NFL Week 9 picks: Rams get much-needed NFC Conference win

Upsets by the Jets, Ravens, Dolphins, and Texans ruined a lot of people’s Week 8 picks. As for now, I am staying above the .600 winning percentage mark after 120 contests.

As for the Los Angeles Rams, they will return to action with a home date against the New Orleans Saints in Week 9. While the Saints are inferior competition to the Rams, LA must get a win coming out of the bye in order to boost its NFC conference winning percentage, a key tiebreaker for playoff standings. Here’s how I see the Rams game and other Week 9 games unfolding…

Week 8 picks: 7-6, Cumulative picks: 72-47-1 (.605)

Week 9 Matchups & Predictions

(Thursday) Baltimore Ravens @ Miami Dolphins, 8:15 PM EST

I don’t understand the Miami Dolphins. When they are supposed to be bad, they win. When you think they will beat a Cleveland Browns team, they get smoked.

Lamar Jackson is expected to return and although there might be some rust, I don’t see how Miami contains Baltimore’s offense with the running threats of Lamar and Derrick Henry.

Pick: Ravens win 30-20

Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 PM EST

Cincinnati’s defense is bad and that will allow Ben Johnson to exploit enough areas to get Caleb Williams operating successfully.

Cincinnati needed that win last week against New York and they might have lost their season with that collapse.

Pick: Bears win 24-20

Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions, 1:00 PM EST

Someone at ESPN wrote about how the NFC North could produce four playoff teams. Talk about clickbait. The NFC North will only produce two playoff teams. Detroit and Green Bay. Chicago and Minnesota don’t have the caliber of quarterback play to make the dance.

Detroit will exploit the Vikings on both sides of the ball. The defense could give up 40 points and the offense will be trying to get out of neutral with JJ McCarthy resuming his role under center.

Pick: Lions 40-17

Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers, 1:00 PM EST

GB is undefeated at home and will take on a Panthers team that is 1-3 on the road. I don’t see the Panthers pulling off an upset in Lambeau.

Pick: Packers win 33-17

Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee Titans, 1:00 PM EST

The Titans are trading away assets, one of which to the Rams. Justin Herbert should be able to expose a thin Tennessee secondary.

Pick: Chargers win 34-14

Atlanta Falcons @ New England Patriots, 1:00 PM EST

The Falcons are a confusing team too. They beat the Bills but lost to the Dolphins. New England is on a heater right now and I’ll take them at home with Atlanta having to play in the northeast, away from their indoor stadium.

Pick: Patriots win 27-20

San Francisco 49ers @ New York Giants, 1:00 PM EST

The injuries for the 49ers are beginning to become insurmountable. Fortunately for them, the Giants have lost Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo, making life for rookie Jaxson Dart...