NFL Week 9 -- A Norris battle beckons

Detroit-Green Bay is way more interesting if Jordan Love plays, but a good game regardless.

Thursday night
Houston at N.Y. Jets (-2/42.5), PRIME

Sunday early
Washington (-3.5/43.5) at N.Y. Giants, FOX
Dallas at Atlanta (-3/51.5), FOX
Miami at Buffalo (-6/49.5), CBS
Las Vegas at Cincinnati (-7.5/46.5), FOX
L.A. Chargers (-1.5/42.5) at Cleveland, CBS
New England at Tennessee (-3.5/37.5), FOX
New Orleans (-7/43.5) at Carolina, CBS
Denver at Baltimore (-9.5/45.5), CBS

Sunday late
Jacksonville at Philadelphia (-7.5/45.5), CBS
Chicago at Arizona (-1/44.5), CBS
Detroit (-3.5/48.5) at Green Bay, FOX
L.A. Rams (-1.5/48.5) at Seattle, FOX

Sunday night
Indianapolis at Minnesota (-5/46.5), NBC

Monday night
Tampa Bay at Kansas City (-9/45.5), ESPN/ABC

Bye
Pittsburgh, San Francisco

Playoffs (if they started today)
AFC
#7 L.A. Chargers at #2 Houston
#6 Baltimore at #3 Pittsburgh
#5 Denver at #4 Buffalo
#1 Kansas City

NFC
#7 Philadelphia at #2 Washington
#6 Minnesota at #3 Atlanta
#5 Green Bay at #4 Arizona
#1 Detroit

Quick thoughts:
* The Jets being favored at home against Houston is something, but the Texans have been pretty unimpressive in their wins and with Diggs done for the season and Collins uncertain, Stroud doesn't have much to work with.
* Absolute must-win for the Bengals. 9-8 may get you a wild card in the AFC, so Cincy can afford maybe three more losses. This ain't one of them.
* Dallas and Atlanta could go over 70.
* Does Pederson still have a place in Philly? He may need a place to crash if the Jags lose again.
* NBC is like, we flexed out of Jags/Eagles to get Joe Flacco on Sunday night?

 

There are some Christ-awful teams this year. The walking wounded Saints favored by a touchdown! The burning bag of poop Titans favored over anybody! The faltering Bengals laying 7.5!

 

Dallas at Atlanta could also go under 40.

NBC is saying, could have been worse -- could have been Anthony Richardson.

 

Fans-in-the-seats betting line:
Chicago (-1,000) at Arizona.

 

Have you seen the Panthers?

 

As an Arizona fan, I can't stress this one enough. Arizona has some decent performances (win at SF and Mia, throttling the Rams at home, beating the Chargers at home, giving the Bills a game in Buffalo in the opener), but some complete duds (getting throttled by Washington and Green Bay).

Even without factoring in last week's finish, I'd have been heavy on the Bears this week. After the Hail Mary, I think they win without much trouble.

 

Jared Goff dinged his ankle in the third quarter of the blowout of the Titans. Hopefully he's been ice bagging it.

 

Saw this graphic and did some quick math. Since high school, Derrick Henry has run with the football for 8,721 miles.

 

Dropping the ball celebrating at TD before the end zone ought to get you cut on the field.

 

LOL, dumbass Jets.

Rookie runs the ball into the end zone on a reverse, but drops it right before he crosses the goal line.

Move over Mark Sanchez. Pending video review, we may have a new winner for Dumbest Play in Jets History.

 

And that's why they're the Jets?

 

If there was a "definitive" Halloween match-up between teams what would it be? Bengals and Ravens? Given Cincy's colors and the Ravens' Poe connection?