The back-half of the NFL season is here, and Week 9 is kicking off with some wild matchups we need to talk about right now. First up, undrafted rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano is making his *first career start* for the Ravens on Thursday night. Seriously, his first start. He struggled mightily in relief duty last week, going just 10 for 21 with 91 yards and an interception. Honestly, after that performance, you have to expect more of the same from him tonight.
Quarterback Woes and Injury Worries
The Fagnano situation is absolutely brutal. He’s facing a Bengals team that just put up 41 points and a whopping 510 yards of offense against the Titans, averaging an impressive 7.3 yards per play. That’s a high-powered offense to go up against for a struggling rookie making his debut. It’s not going to be easy, folks.
And if Fagnano isn’t enough to worry about, there are whispers about Matthew Stafford’s shoulder. Last week, the reigning MVP only threw for 157 yards and was hesitant to throw the ball deep at all. You gotta think we’re looking at another quiet day for him. That’s a massive concern for his team.
It’s not just QBs, either. Saquon Barkley for the Eagles is clearly nowhere near 100 percent healthy. The dude ran for only 30 yards last week! The Giants are threatening to run away and hide in the NFC East, taking on a beleaguered Eagles squad. Betting against a beat-up Barkley’s rushing prop in that matchup just makes a lot of sense.
Defensive Headaches and Underdog Bites
Defense, or the lack thereof, is a huge story for a bunch of teams right now. The Falcons defense has been inconsistent, and if they’re squaring off against those high-powered Bengals, getting stops is going to be a serious challenge. Their inconsistency could cost them big.
Then you’ve got the Lions. They grabbed a massive division win against the Vikings last week, which is awesome, but it came at a cost: a number of key injuries on defense. That’s a tough blow for a team trying to keep momentum. On the flip side, the Dolphins have been feisty as an underdog all season. You gotta back them getting seven points here to keep it close. They’ve proven they can hang.
And what about the Raiders defense? Dreadful is an understatement in recent weeks. They just allowed 33 points and 439 yards to the Jets last week! The 49ers are coming off a bye, they should be getting healthier, so you better believe they’re going to light up the scoreboard against that Raiders unit.
Speaking of defense, or the lack of it, the Cowboys suffered one of the most embarrassing losses you can have last week. They blew a 17-3 home lead to the Cardinals! They’re favored by 5.5 here, but with that kind of lack of defense, you honestly can’t trust them to win by that many points against *anyone*. That collapse last week tells you everything.
Shifting Momentum and Bye Week Boosts
Momentum is a weird thing in the NFL. The Broncos pulled off a wild comeback last week, winning a game where they trailed by double-digits in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs. That’s a huge win, but sometimes a big comeback can lead to a letdown. I think they’re ripe to get tripped up against a Panthers team that’s hungry off two straight losses and well-rested, having not played since last Thursday. The Panthers could absolutely catch them sleeping.
Meanwhile, the Jets are sitting near the bottom of the AFC standings with a 1-5 record in one-score games. They’re not good, but here’s the kicker: they’ve been competitive in nearly every game, which makes them a bit underrated. Give them 10 points and see what happens.
The Saints are coming off a bye week, they’re playing at home, and they’ve got too much offense. They should absolutely get by what looks like a limited Browns offense, especially with Shedeur Sanders getting the start at quarterback for the Browns on Sunday.
And then there are the Chargers. Winless as the calendar hits November, they’ve yet to cover a single point spread all season. It’s gotta happen eventually, right? They can’t go the *entire* season without covering one. But who knows when that “eventually” is. It’s a rough scene.
Week 9 is shaping up to be absolutely wild. From rookie quarterbacks making their debut to teams struggling to cover spreads and major defensive lapses, there’s so much to watch. Keep an eye on those injury reports and see which underdogs come out swinging. Every single game means something as we head deeper into the season, and the stakes are getting higher!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
Leave a Reply