An in-depth look at Week 9 of the NFL, featuring analysis of key matchups including the Vikings vs. Lions, and Cardinals vs. Cowboys, along with expert insights from ESPN analysts on game predictions, fantasy projections, and player performance. The Broncos face a tough challenge without their top coverage player, while the Texans' defense poses a strong test for opposing offenses.
face each other again for what's expected to be another thriller. The Vikings and Lions will square off in an NFC North battle, and Saints rookie QBWe have you covered with everything you need to know.
Our NFL Nation reporters take you inside the locker room with the best thing they heard this week, and ESPN Research provides a key stat to know and anugget for each contest. Plus, analytics writer Seth Walder makes a bold prediction for each matchup, and fantasy analyst Eric Moody shares matchup quality ratings and game projections, and three analysts -- Pamela Maldonado, Moody and Walder -- give us final score Let's get into the full Week 9 slate, which culminates with the"Monday Night Football" matchup between the Cardinals and Cowboys on) starting this week. For a team that plays the most man-to-man coverage in the league -- the Broncos are the only team that plays at least 60% of coverage snaps in man -- missing the league's best coverage player is significant. The Broncos might have to pick and choose how aggressively they pursue QBor play more zone than they have all season. It was a difficult balance for the Broncos the last time they faced Stroud while the Texans' offensive line ranks 28th in pass block win rate . One group is perceived as a strength, and the other group is slowly improving. Last week, Houston gave up zero sacks for the first time this season, so the hope is the line can carry that momentum against one of the NFL's top defenses.will record a 12% target rate or lower. Moss' season average is 18%, but that number was inflated by playing opposite Surtain. Even when Surtain was opposite him, Moss allowed 1.1 yards per coverage snap this season, average for an outside CB.this week with four teams on bye, but it's important to set realistic expectations, given the matchup. The Texans' defense has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to QBs and the fourth fewest to WRs.The Colts have been thriving in spite of an injury-plagued defense that is starting to show some cracks. Facing the-led Steelers offense could be a revealing moment. Indianapolis has the league's No. 1 offense and has played with sizable leads all season, and that has resulted in the defense giving up tons of yardage. The Colts rank 24th in yards allowed per game and 30th in third-down defense. They have the firepower to win a potential shootout, but they'll need to make consistent defensive stops., but he might not be ready to fully take over Elliott's role on short notice."It's only but one DeShon, and you don't want everybody to be DeShon. You want DeShon to be DeShon," CBsaid."You want whoever playing his position to be them. So, we just go out here and just compete, play together."has scored 14 touchdowns this season, which is equal to or more than five NFL teams thus far.will record fewer than 4.0 yards per carry for the first time in October. The Steelers run inside zone 30% of the time, third most in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Colts are allowing just 2.3 yards per inside zone run this season, which ranks first.. both have favorable matchups this week. Metcalf has scored 16 or more fantasy points in two of his past three games while averaging seven targets per contest. Pittman has gotten nine targets and topped 20 fantasy points in each of his past two outings. Both receivers face defenses that rank inside the top 5 of fantasy points allowed per game to wideouts.The Colts are 6-2 ATS, tied with the Patriots for the best record in the NFL. Indianapolis is 4-1 ATS as favorites and 6-0 ATS in conference play.The Lions' offense has largely dominated Minnesota, scoring at least 30 points in the past four matchups. Though most defenses set out to stop the run first against Detroit, which ranks 10th in win probability added on rushing plays, the Vikings' real antagonist has been QB. In those four games, Goff has an 80.6 QBR, having completed 78.5% of his passes for 1,020 yards, 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. The Vikings will have to reverse those trends Sunday., a matchup Hutchinson described as being"exciting" because of their strong relationship. Hutchinson and McCarthy played at Michigan in 2021, when they won a Big Ten championship and dreamed of reaching this point in their careers. Now, they will compete for the first time in the NFL."I think I texted him when he got drafted, telling him, ''I'll roll off a little bit on the end' and not try to ... you know," Hutchinson said, smiling."But it's going to be fun."Goff will record a QBR under 50. Minnesota's defense hasn't been the same this season as it was in the recent past. But it is a zone-heavy team, and the Lions have severe man-zone splits, averaging 0.44 EPA per dropback versus man and 0.09 versus zone.and Goff should shine at home. Goff has averaged 16.8 fantasy points per game this season -- giving him a reliable floor -- but he has been even better at home, with an average of 20.1 points per game. The Vikings' defense gave up big fantasy performances to Chargers QBThe Vikings are 14-7 ATS on the road since 2023. All four Vikings road games this season have gone over the total., calling what Dowdle has done"excellent.'' Running against the Packers, who have the league's third-best rush defense, will be key to keeping the pressure off Young to carry the offense., when he completed 20 straight passes."I knew it was going well," coach Matt LaFleur said."But I guess in the moment, I didn't realize it was going that well." Love's start to this season -- 13 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and a 70.9% completion rate -- is reminiscent of his eight-game stretch to finish the 2023 season ."Obviously, when your quarterback is playing really good football, it's good for everybody," LaFleur said.The Packers have only four takeaways this season, which is tied with the Ravens for the second fewest in the NFL., managed 85 yards on just 23 routes. If he gets a target, there's always a great chance it'll be a big gain. Last week, 52% of his routes were verticals.finished with a season-high seven receptions and tied his season high with 10 targets last week. He has averaged 12.5 fantasy points per game, but his ceiling could rise against a Packers defense that has struggled against outside receivers over the past month.The 49ers are averaging just 20 points per game, their lowest mark through eight games since coach Kyle Shanahan's first season . This week, they face a Giants defense that has allowed 215 points, its most in an opening eight-game stretch since 2019. For the 49ers to take advantage of that, they will need their offensive line to protect better than it did against Houston." similar in the fact they have an elite defensive line, as good as there is from the five rushers that they get on the field at the same time and the depth they have behind them," Shanahan said." as good as it gets from a pass rush standpoint."is allowing 1.5 yards per coverage snap, the most among all slot corners with at least 100 coverage snaps. Stout has a shoulder issue, and if he cannot go, then Robinson would face a fill-in. Either way, he's got a good matchup.) have gutted the 49ers' defense, leaving the unit last in pressure rate and struggling with tackling, coverage and consistency. Tracy and the Giants' offense should capitalize on that weakness.The key for the Bears' offense will be converting on red zone opportunities, which has been a struggle since Week 3. Chicago has the NFL's second-lowest red zone TD percentage and scored a league-low 3.9 points per red zone drive in that span. Going against a Cincinnati team that ranks 30th in red zone defense could help the Bears break through."We place a lot of onus on being able to run the ball down there," Bears coach Ben Johnson said."I thought we could have done a little bit better inside the 10 . We had some negative plays that certainly didn't help the cause. I feel good about the plan that we put into place.", who has eight interceptions this season. The Bears lead the league in interceptions and turnover margin. Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said,"We've just got to play every down with a clear plan as to what you're going to do with the football and know your keys and play with vision, don't guess, and make responsible decisions."The Bengals are allowing an NFL-worst 31.6 points per game this season and are seeking to avoid allowing 30-plus points in three straight games.will record 100-plus rushing yards for the third time in four games. Chicago runs outside zone on 50% of its designed runs, the third-highest rate in the NFL. And the Bengals are allowing 5.9 yards per carry against outside zone, also third most.added 17.0 on 10 touches. With Flacco potentially out, Cincinnati could lean on its backs against a Bears defense that ranks 25th in run stop win rate and allows the sixth-most rushing yards per game .was the first QB to throw for over 200 yards against the Falcons' defense. Now, Atlanta has the task of containing QB." Expect continued aggression from a defense that leads the league in blitz rate on opposing dropbacks and has allowed the fewest passing yards per game .). Maye noted the Falcons' stingy pass defense and blitz-heavy approach, and considering Stevenson is also the Patriots' most reliable RB in pass protection, whether he can play is a top storyline.has a receiving touchdown in three straight games. He could become the third Patriots player in the past 10 seasons with a receiving score in four straight games.Maye will lead the league in QBR this week. He has been great in 2025, but his numbers have been particularly exceptional against man coverage . Now, he faces the Falcons, who play man coverage 58% of the time, which is second most in the NFL.Damien Woody says Drake Maye is playing like a top-5 quarterback and is the best QB from the 2024 draft class.. has piled up 19 targets over his past two games and scored at least 13 fantasy points in each. Though the Patriots' defense is formidable, it allows the fifth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. The unit also just gave up big performances to Browns TEsSunday will be somewhat of a revenge game for many in the Chargers' locker room, as seven players spent time in Tennessee. That group includes cornerstones of their defense, DTfor a seventh-round pick after training camp last season, said he doesn't have added motivation playing the Titans."The move was great for me. So, it's almost like, 'Thank you,'" he said while laughing.The Titans are seeking to avoid losing four straight games by double digits for the first time since the franchise relocated to Tennessee ahead of the 1997 season.will record two or more sacks. He has recorded six sacks this season, and everyone has a better chance of a multi-sack day when facing QBhas been superb since taking over. He has accumulated 21 or more touches in two of his past three games and scored at least 19 fantasy points in both. Vidal is in another great spot this week. The Chargers are heavy favorites, which could create positive game flow, and Tennessee's defense allows the third-most fantasy points per game to backs.will make his first start of the season. Coach Kellen Moore said he didn't want to flip-flop quarterbacks, and expects Shough to be the quarterback for theThey have had back-to-back games with four or more sacks. According to ESPN Research, another such game would tie their longest streak with four or more sacks since Sean McVay took over in 2017. McVay pointed to the group's efficiency on early downs."That's one of the best defenses that I've ever been around or gone against," he said.had a season-low 21 rushing yards against the Bucs last week. He has failed to reach 40 rushing yards in each of the past four games, which is tied for the longest streak of his career .will record an interception. Not only is he facing Shough, but Williams is having a strong season with 0.6 yards per coverage snap , seventh best among outside corners with at least 100 coverage snaps.Mike Clay explains why Alvin Kamara's decreased fantasy production this season barely makes him a top-20 running back in Week 9.was on a hot streak before the Week 8 bye, scoring at least 25 fantasy points in three of his previous four games. The stage is set for Stafford and WRsto deliver big performances against a Saints defense that has allowed 14 touchdown passes, the sixth most in the league.To snap a two-game losing streak, coach Liam Coen stressed the importance of being balanced offensively. The Jaguars threw 90 passes and ran it 38 times combined in losses to the Seahawks and Rams, a significantly higher pass-run split than the first five games, when they averaged 37 passes and 28 runs."I need to call more runs," Coen said earlier in the week. What also would help is the Jaguars cutting down on penalties to avoid getting behind the sticks .. On Wednesday, Carroll called Hunter a savvy football player who is aggressive in coverage. Even though Carroll knew the Raiders didn't think Hunter would fall to the No. 6 pick, he was impressed by the Heisman Trophy winner during the interview process."I would have loved to have had the chance to ," Carroll said."That's what we talked about in the interview, and he was right on it as far as the mentality that it would take to do something like that." The Raiders have been held to fewer than 30 points in 27 consecutive games. That's the longest active streak in the NFL and third-longest streak in franchise history.will allow a touchdown in coverage. Newsome has played just 24 coverage snaps in two games as a Jaguar sinceHunter set season highs in targets , receptions and fantasy points before the bye. The rookie has a great chance to keep that momentum going.. is limited because of a shoulder injury, and the Raiders' defense is allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wideouts.One reason many of the Chiefs players love their rivalry with the Bills is how both fanbases support their team and hate the other team."They do not like the Chiefs," QBsaid of the Bills' fans."It is a cool environment. I love playing in historic stadiums and that stadium has had so many great players play in it." Sunday's game could be the Chiefs' last appearance in Highmark Stadium. Mahomes hopes Kansas City can pull together for its first victory in Buffalo since 2020.is off to an explosive start, questions linger about the recent struggles of the outside passing game. The defense is also dealing with injuries and will have to keep pace with a Chiefs offense that has gotten hot after."Anytime you're playing against a good team and a good quarterback, you have to get to play at the top of your game in order to win a football game," Allen said."So, not that you don't go out there and try to play your best all the time, there is a heightened sense of awareness to that, of understanding who's on the other side of the football."This is the 10th matchup between Mahomes and Allen, including the playoffs. Since 1950, no QBs under 30 have faced off more from different divisions.The Bills will record multiple 30-plus-yard gains on crossing routes. They run crossing routes 13% of the time, second most in the NFL, while the Chiefs -- despite having a good pass defense -- have allowed 0.77 EPA per play against targeted crossing routes .Louis Riddick explains why a Week 9 loss to the Chiefs at home would be a devastating blow for the Bills.. Hunt's nose for the end zone has kept him on the fantasy radar, scoring five total touchdowns in eight games. The Bills' defense also allows the sixth-most fantasy points per game to RBs.. Coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday that they don't need drastically different game plans for either because Washington runs the same offense regardless."I think both operate it really well, both have really great arm talent, both can extend plays, both are really fast," Macdonald said.Washington's defense continues to allow explosive plays. The Commanders have allowed 27 pass plays of at least 20 yards, and only four teams have yielded more. Only one team has allowed more total yards on such plays. It's due to myriad problems, from communication to discipline and sometimes just getting beat. Meanwhile, in only seven games, Seahawks WRleads the NFL with 14 receptions of 20-plus yards -- and has 101 more total yards off such plays than any receiver in the NFL.has had 19 completions of 20-plus air yards, most in the NFL this season. The most by a Seattle player in the first eight games over the past 20 seasons is 20 bywill lead all players in combined tackles in Week 9. If Seattle gets out to a lead, it'll want to run the ball plenty -- hence giving Wagner tackle opportunities. Plus, my tackle model gives Wagner a 46% chance to reach double-digit tackles -- the highest of any player this week.is in a great spot behind an offensive line that ranks 10th in run block win rate , facing a Commanders defense that's middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to the position. Charbonnet has had 10 or more touches in every game this season. He finished with a season-high 19.5 fantasy points before the bye.They are at the proverbial fork in the road with their season. If all the tweaks they made during the bye week pay off with a win, they could salvage a season that has been marred by a five-game losing streak. If they extend that streak to six games, the season could be hanging on by a thread."I think the main thing for us is you can't look into the future. You can't look back now. We are where we are. We got to do everything that we need to do to try to win a game," coach Jonathan Gannon said.At 3-4-1, the Cowboys are in must-win territory at the midway point of their season -- not just for playoff purposes, but for feeling like 'the-season-isn't-slipping-away' purposes. Since 2000, the Cowboys are 15-10 in games before their bye week. In the past 10 seasons they have made the postseason, they have lost the game before their bye only once and still made the playoffs . That year, they made aThe Cowboys are the first team in NFL history to average 30.0 points per game and have a negative point differential through the first eight games.) will record his highest air-yards-per-attempt game of the season . Cowboys opponents have averaged 8.6 air yards per attempt this season, highest in the NFL.. has been underwhelming so far, topping 13.0 fantasy points in only three games and reaching 10 or more targets just once. Things are looking up against a Cowboys defense that has struggled against outside receivers and is allowing the most fantasy points per game to wideouts.
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