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NFL Week 9 Bold Predictions, Including J.J. McCarthy’s Big Day
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- NFL Week 9 Bold Predictions, Including J.J. McCarthy’s Big Day
We're roughly halfway through the NFL's regular season schedule . Next up, is NFL Week 9, where there are 14 football games to preview, with only four teams on a bye.
Below, we make a bold prediction for each game on the Week 9 NFL schedule, from Thursday to Monday.
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Related: NFL Power Rankings 2025: Week-by-Week NFL Evaluations of All 32 Teams
Ravens Beat Dolphins in Game Featuring 50+ Points
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Both the Ravens and Dolphins have fallen well short of expectations this season. Their defenses have been among the worst in the NFL. Yet, their offenses have explosive potential to score 30 or more on any given Sunday. Perhaps this is the game we see both teams run out of fireworks.
J.J. McCarthy 's 300-Yard Day Lifts Vikings Past Lions
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J.J. McCarthy's return to the lineup comes against agreat Lions team that ranks ninth in yards allowed and sixth in interceptions. It's a tough matchup, but you can bet coach Kevin O'Connell will have a gameplan that fits McCarthy's skillset and will likely pepper a lot of targets toward Justin Jefferson . With a strong day through the air and some open rushing lanes, a 300-yard day from McCarthy could give the Vikings their biggest win of the season.
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Trey Hendrickson 's 3 Sacks Help Bengals Past Bears
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Trey Hendrickson re-aggravated his hip injury in last week's loss. He's labeled as day-to-day, which lends us to believe he'll play in another pivotal Bengals game. After leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024, Hendrickson has recorded just four through seven games. A big three-sack game against a young Caleb Williams would him back on track, and help keep Cincinnati 's playoff hopes alive for another week.
Carolina 's 200 Rush Yards Propel Panthers Past Packers
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The Panthers have finally developed an offensive identity under Dave Canales, averaging 136 rushing yards per game. We've even seen them top the 200-yard barrier twice this season. Meanwhile, the Packers have one of the NFL's best rushing defenses (third in yards allowed). Only the Cowboys crossed the 100-yard rushing mark against Green Bay this season, but the best way for Carolina to win is trying to establish the rush anyway.
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Chargers Force 4 Turnovers in Big Titans Loss
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The Titans haven't been able to do anything right on offense, ranking last in points, and turning the ball over 1.6 times per game. With a recent coaching shift to interim Mike McCoy, things are still in flux in Tennessee , which could lead to more ugly moments before things improve for good. Meanwhile, the Chargers have been battling injuries, but have a chance to take out their frustration on a bad Titans team. Last week LA won by 27, expect an even bigger margin of victory this time around.
Kyle Pitts ' 100-Yard Game Helps Falcons Past Patriots
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A former No. 4 overall pick, Pitts still hasn't quite lived up to his full potential, but we've seen plenty of flashes. He hasn't had a 1,000-yard season since he was a rookie in 2021. Now he goes up against a Patriots team coached by Mike Vrabel, who did some spot duty as a tight end on occasion. How sweet would it be for Pitts to have his first 100-yard game against a red-hot Patriots team that's won five in a row?
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49ers Intercept Jaxson Dart 3 Times in Giants Loss
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While Dart looks like the Giants' franchise QB of the future, he's still a rookie who's prone to mistakes. Meanwhile, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will find ways to create more pressure than Dart has ever seen. Without Cam Skattebo , Dart may feel more pressured to make plays on his own, and that doesn't always go well when adjusting to the size, speed, and skill of the NFL.
Steelers Win, Hold Colts Under 300 Yards
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The Colts have proven hard to stop, leading the NFL in points through eight weeks. They've gone over 400 yards four times, with at least 317 in the other four. The Steelers' defense hasn't been elite this year, they've allowed over 400 yards in their past two games. But they've also made some personnel changes, including trading for Kyle Dugger . If the Steelers can pull this one off, it could be the type of galvanizing win that turns around their season.
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Houston 's 400-Yard Day Helps Texans Maul Broncos
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The Texans' defense is shutting opponents down, allowing the NFL's fewest points. If Houston's defense can create turnovers and extra possessions, it could lead to another big day on offense. They've racked up over 400 yards in two of their past three games, but doing so against the NFL's fifth-best scoring defense would be an incredible achievement.
Ashton Jeanty 's 150-Yard Day Helps Raiders Past Jaguars
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The Raiders selected Jeanty with the sixth overall pick, hoping he could help transform their offense. That hasn't happened yet. He did have one game with over 150 yards from scrimmage, but that was four weeks ago. He's due for another breakout game, and the Raiders need a win in the worst way.
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Tyler Shough 's 3 TD Helps Saints Shock Rams
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Nine weeks into the season, we're finally seeing the Saints start their second-round rookie QB. Tyler Shough has seen some spot duty in two games, but now that he's taking over as the Saints' starter, we'll finally see what he's capable of. An 'experienced' college player, the 26-year-old could be more prepared than most.
Mahomes, Allen Reach 400 Yards, Bills Win in OT
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Two of the NFL's best quarterbacks going head to head. Kansas City's offense has taken off since Rashee Rice returned from suspension. James Cook is running wild. These scoring attacks are definitely in mid-season form, meaning we could see an offensive explosion on Sunday.
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Commanders' 40-Point Day Crushes Seahawks
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We've seen the Commanders' rushing attack be a more consistent threat than their passing offense this season. But it's only a matter of time before Jayden Daniels , Deebo Samuel , and Terry McLaurin start firing on all cylinders again. Unfortunately, Scary Terry won't be available on Sunday night, but with their rushing attack in sync, we could see it all come together for a big blowout over the Seahawks.
Related: NFL Report Card: Grading All 32 Teams Before Week 9
Marvin Harrison Jr 's 150-Yard Day Lifts Cards Over Cowboys
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The Cardinals will need a big day on offense to match wits with the Cowboys' high-powered scoring attack. Luckily, Dallas ' defense is having trouble stopping opponents too, so Arizona 's breakout game could come at the perfect time. If so, they may need some help from their most capable playmaker Marvin Harrison Jr putting up a new season-high 150 yards.
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