By Izzy Phillips, NFL Writer
I had a mixed bag of results last week. A couple of wins and one out by 0.5 of a point. Pain.
We move to a new week and I’m so confident in my selections this week I’d put them all in an acca.
Let’s get into it.
Cincinnati Bengals @ Atlanta Falcons
My prediction: Cincinnati Bengals -2.5
We have more international football as these two teams head to Madrid this week.
It was a slow start for the Bengals against the Titans last week, but they got the job done, which is more than can be said for the Falcons.
Atlanta started badly and never really got any better, putting up a big fat duck egg against the Bucs.
The Bengals are a team that have started to get rolling and they need to keep winning to keep up in the ultra-competitive AFC North.
The Falcons struggled to get going on offence last week and they have fewer options this week with new injuries affecting their rushing attack.
I think the matchup really suits Cincinnati if Joe Burrow can get the ball to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins consistently. Atlanta have been inconsistent defensively and I think the Bengals have enough firepower to make them pay.
The Bengals can cut it close at times, so I’m going for them to win by a field goal.
Give me Cincinnati -2.5.
Denver Broncos @ Carolina Panthers
My prediction: Denver Broncos -1.5
The Broncos are sitting at the top of the AFC West and they’ve picked up some victories over some decent teams.
The Panthers are also sitting at the top of their division, the NFC South, but it’s definitely been more of a struggle for them. They’ve only got three wins to their name and they’re top because they’ve lost fewer games than the teams around them.
I don’t think that continues this week.
The Broncos made a statement with their win over the Chiefs last week and I think they’re likely to continue on that upward curve.
I also like the way Denver can make this difficult for Carolina up front. If they can get pressure without having to constantly blitz, it gives them a good chance of making Carolina one-dimensional and forcing them into longer third downs.
I do think the Panthers will put up a fight, though, so I’m going for a smaller-margin win with Denver covering -1.5.
Green Bay Packers @ New England Patriots
My prediction: Green Bay Packers Moneyline
This is a really tough game to call because both teams have been playing well.
The Patriots are favourites for the matchup and they do have home-field advantage in Foxborough.
Both teams need to win to keep their foot on the necks of their league rivals.
The Patriots have had a really inconsistent season. They win the games you don’t expect them to win and lose the games you’d expect them to win.
For me, the big thing is whether Green Bay can make Drake Maye uncomfortable. The Packers have enough defensively to disrupt the Patriots and I think their pass rush could be the difference in a game where I expect the margins to be tiny.
I think this one is incredibly close, but I’m hoping the Packers can edge it to stay in with a chance in the closely matched NFC North.
Packers moneyline. Because obviously.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Chicago Bears
My prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Moneyline
The Buccaneers were in full Shake and Bake mode last week with Baker Mayfield in his second game since returning from injury.
They stopped the Falcons scoring a single point and I think they look a real force, both offensively and defensively.
I can’t be having the Bears for this one in the market… but also, as a Packers fan, I can’t be having the Bears full stop.
Their advantage is that they’re at home at Soldier Field, but I think Tampa can make this uncomfortable for Chicago by forcing them to win through the air rather than letting their rushing attack control the game.
The Bucs have the offensive firepower to put pressure on Chicago if they can get Baker into rhythm early.
And with Baker back and playing well, I’m backing Tampa to take advantage.
The Bucs take this one.
Shake and Bake continues.
Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikings
My prediction: Buffalo Bills -4.5
I’m on the Bills Mafia bandwagon.
I think the Bills are shaping up to be genuine Super Bowl contenders. They got their win over the Ravens last week, although Baltimore were somewhat handicapped by the injury to Lamar Jackson.
Conversely, the Vikings come into this game off a loss, having lost their unbeaten record to division rivals the Detroit Lions.
The Vikings are also dealing with uncertainty at quarterback, which is never ideal against a Bills defence that can make you pay for mistakes.
For me, Josh Allen is the key to this game.
Every game week he gives it his all. Last week, a goal-line play saw Allen get a rushing TD and I think he’s very likely to have another rushing TD this week.
And that mobility is a huge part of why I like the Bills here. If Minnesota can’t contain Allen when the pocket breaks down, it gives Buffalo another dimension that is incredibly difficult to defend.
The Bills are just a team that look like they want it more.
So I’m backing them to win and cover the -4.5.
Week 9:
I’m feeling very confident about this one.
Which obviously means absolutely nothing and I’ll probably be sweating a half-point come Sunday.
Let’s see what happens.
Izzy
Odds correct at time of publication and subject to change. 18+. Please gamble responsibly. For free, confidential support and advice, visit BeGambleAware.org
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