The Bills get the next chance against a top team – can Buffalo beat Seattle? Also: The Ravens want to get back on track in Baltimore, the Bucs urgently need a win against New Orleans and – and will the Jets get their first win against the Patriots of all people? This year, too, the SPOX editor taps Adrian Franke every week all games – the complete game day is in the RedZone conference on DAZN to be seen live every Sunday evening from 7 p.m.
NFL Predictions Week 9 2020
Bye-Weeks: Bengals, Browns, Rams, Eagles
San Francisco 49ers (4-4) – Green Bay Packers (5-2) (Fr., 2.20 p.m. LIVE on DAZN)
After the positive corona test by Niners receiver Kendrick Bourne on Wednesday, the game was seriously in danger. There were no further positive tests, but the close contact regulations weaken the already plucked Niners: Left tackle Trent Williams and wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel are missing as contact risk candidates – in addition to Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle, Jeffery Wilson, and Raheem Mostert, among others. In short: The Niners are extremely weak in this game, the only chance should be to completely dominate the game in the run game. And it wouldn’t be the first time that San Francisco has managed that against the Packers. Green Bay, on the other hand, is particularly weak in the backfield, with AJ Dillon and Jamaal Williams missing, while the game for Aaron Jones will probably come too early. The Packers should – with the run-game rub against Minnesota in the back of their minds – fully focus defensively on the running game and be able to score enough offensively with Rodgers and Adams.
Tipp: 49ers vs. Packers 17:24.
Atlanta Falcons (2-6) – Denver Broncos (3-4) (Sun., 7 p.m.)
The fact that the Falcons offense is still good enough to win games was impressive against Carolina. Julio Jones took over the game and if Calvin Ridley can play again this week, Denver’s good defense should also run into problems here. Especially since the pass rush meets a solid Falcons-O-Line and cornerback AJ Bouye is still in the Concussion Protocol. Slot corner Bryce Callahan (ankle) is also hit. So the question is: could Denver keep up in a possible shootout, should it come to that? The fourth quarter of Drew Lock against the Chargers was impressive, but his performances are still more of the roller coaster ride category. This Falcons secondary is absolutely beatable, but does Lock make it countable over an entire game?
Tipp: Falcons vs. Broncos 24:20.
Buffalo Bills (6-2) – Seattle Seahawks (6-1) (So., 19 Uhr)
Looking at the respective Seahawks offense matchup, a simple point emerges: A defense needs several good cornerbacks in order to eliminate Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf – otherwise one of the two puts on a monster game. It was Lockett against Arizona, last week against the 49ers Metcalf. And the Bills are in exactly this dilemma, because with Tre’Davious White they have a top corner – but behind it a clear dropoff. The slot is also problematic, so Seattle should find enough approaches to score here. All the more so since the Bills cannot assume that they will come to Russell Wilson without Blitzing. On the other side of the ball, the Seahawks defense approach becomes interesting: Seattle was extremely strong against the 49ers, but against Josh Allen that’s not necessarily the ideal remedy. With the return of Jamal Adams, the Seahawks get completely new opportunities in the pass rush, but at the same time Seattle does not have the cover quality to switch off the three Bills receivers.
Tipp: Bills vs. Seahawks 30:34
Tennessee Titans (5-2) – Chicago Bears (5-3) (So., 19 Uhr LIVE on DAZN)
How stable is this Titans team really? After the bankruptcy against Cincinnati, there is now a Bears team that brings with it massive question marks – but that Tennessee can also cause problems. The focus is of course on the defense: Chicago has a top 5 defense and should be able to control the line of scrimmage against the Titans. That would significantly limit Tennessee’s offensive possibilities and force the Titans more into the dropback passing game. At the same time, the Bears in Kyle Fuller have a corner that can take on AJ Brown and then you are quickly in the analysis at a point where the offense for Tennessee could shake quite a bit. And the defense? After the desperate appearance of the own pass rush against the backup line of the Bengals, there is now a beatable Bears line. But can the Titans take advantage of that? If Foles gets a clean pocket, he’ll make some big plays at some point. It would be all the more important that Tennessee’s secondary receives reinforcements. New signing Desmond King first and foremost, the game could come too early for Adoree ‘Jackson.
Tipp: Titans vs. Bears 23:20.
Indianapolis Colts (5-2) – Baltimore Ravens (5-2) (So., 19 Uhr)
The Colts could annoy the Ravens in this duel. Baltimore has shown again and again against Pittsburgh that you get problems when the offense goes into the regular passing game – the Colts with their front and generally a very good run defense should at least be able to limit the Ravens on the ground, which makes the game clear would get tighter. It gets more problematic for Indy on the other side of the ball: The Ravens are missing top corner Marlon Humphrey, but with his aggressive defense Baltimore should get Indianapolis’ run game and short passing game under control – and the Colts Outside currently don’t have the firepower to really challenge Baltimore’s secondary. TY Hilton is playing too shakily for that this year, especially since he is currently in trouble again. All of this speaks in favor of a more defensive game in which one or two critical turnovers could make the difference.
Tipp: Colts vs. Ravens 20:24.
Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) – Carolina Panthers (3-5) (So., 19 Uhr)
Small glimmers of hope for the Panthers defense: Rasul Douglas will play again this week, his absence was clearly noticeable against Atlanta. In addition, Brian Burns and Derrick Brown should be able to take advantage of the problems in the Chiefs O-Line that are visible again and again much better than the jets in the previous week, for example. But to what extent can the Panthers really significantly limit the Chiefs Offense? Kansas City should have a lot of success in this game, especially with the underneath and intermediate passing game. At least that can also be transferred to the other side: Carolina’s greatest quality lies in the short passing game with yards after the catch, and while the Chiefs Defense has clearly established itself in the top 10, they are in in the slot and at the linebacker level Coverage remains vulnerable. That’s where Carolina should attack. In addition, you can definitely run the ball against Kansas City, and the Panthers should try their luck early in the game. Even more so since Christian McCaffrey is finally fit again.
Tipp: Chiefs vs. Panthers 31:24.
Minnesota Vikings (2-5) – Detroit Lions (3-4) (So., 19 Uhr)
Does Matt Stafford play or not? Detroit’s quarterback was placed on the Covid-19 list on Wednesday, but has not yet tested positive, but “only” had direct risk contact. Should his tests turn out negative over the next few days, Stafford could still play on Sunday. The Vikings also have some questionable personal details, especially in the secondary, where Cam Dantzler, for example, is still in the Concussion Protocol. However, since Detroit competes without Kenny Golladay, the Lions are likely to shift back to the run game and the short passing game – Minnesota should play that into the cards. On the other side of the ball, the Vikings against Green Bay once again showed a completely different face because they could run the ball and set individual big plays with screens and play action. And you can run against this Lions defense.
Tipp: Vikings vs. Lions 23:16.
.