Week 9 is almost here, and the calendar turning into November only raises the stakes. With the trade deadline looming after this slate, every result starts to feel heavier.
The playoff picture in both conferences is tightening, too, and the league still looks wide open. You can make a real case that about 10 teams can win the Super Bowl, and even both teams from last year’s title game are sitting at a combined 9-7 so far.
Here are the picks and score predictions for the Week 9 matchups covered so far.
Thursday night brings Jacksonville to Baltimore, and the Ravens’ quarterback situation is the whole story. Baltimore is down to its third-string quarterback, and that may be all anyone needs to know here.
The Ravens are 4-4, Lamar Jackson may not be back this season, and Joe Fagnano isn’t even guaranteed to play. That leaves a team in a rough spot against a Jaguars squad that looks ready to take advantage.
Jacksonville is a strong team, and this matchup could turn into a rough one fast if Baltimore is forced to lean on a battered third-string passer. Sometimes the NFL just hands you a brutal setup, and this feels like one of those cases. The Jaguars should roll.
Prediction: Jaguars win 30-10
Sunday morning in Spain gives us Cincinnati against Atlanta, and this one feels a little more interesting than it might look at first glance. The Bengals needed overtime to get past Tennessee, while Atlanta got hammered by Tampa Bay. Still, on a neutral field, there’s a case for the Falcons here.
Atlanta’s defense is aggressive, and outside of that ugly Week 8 showing in the rain, Michael Penix Jr. and the offense have looked excellent this season. If the Falcons come out with a little edge and try to wipe away what happened last week, they can spring the upset. Cincinnati’s defense has been inconsistent enough to make that possible.
Prediction: Falcons win 27-24
In Other News...
Falcons Injury Update Puts Focus On James Pearce At Last
The Falcons settled into Madrid on Wednesday and got their first walkthrough of Week 9 against the Bengals, with the trip carrying a little extra attention because of the injury report. James Pearce Jr. finally took part in a full practice for the first time this season after serving his suspension, a notable step for a defense that has been waiting to see what the edge rusher can add once he is cleared for game action.
Atlanta also had a few moving parts elsewhere on the report, with Zachariah Branch ruled out because of a hamstring injury and several others limited. For a team trying to keep the week clean in an unusual setting, the bigger question now is how quickly Pearce can slide into the mix and what kind of role he can handle once the Falcons get to game day. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Plan To Protect Michael Penix Jr. Is Starting To Show
The Falcons offseason blueprint is starting to take shape around one clear priority: making life easier for Michael Penix Jr. Sports Illustrateds latest mock draft has Atlanta looking hard at the offensive line, a move that fits the teams broader effort to fortify protection for its young quarterback while also keeping an eye on looming free-agent decisions and the long-term health of the front five.
There is also a bigger roster-planning element to the approach, with the Falcons expected to have significant salary cap space available in 2027 to keep improving the roster. For now, though, the direction is obvious enough. Atlanta appears intent on building stability up front first, and the way it handles that spot could shape not just Penixs development, but the next phase of the offense as a whole. [Read more 🡒]
Jahan Dotson Is Giving Falcons Fans Real Hope After Rough Loss
Jahan Dotson has quickly become one of the more encouraging pieces in Atlantas offense since signing his two-year deal, giving the Falcons a legitimate deep threat to pair with the rest of their skill talent. Through eight weeks, he has been one of the leagues most explosive receivers on a per-catch basis, and his latest outing showed why the team believes he can stretch defenses in ways that change how opponents have to play them.
Even in a Week 8 loss, Dotson turned in his best receiving day in nearly three years, a reminder that the Falcons may have found a useful answer on the outside after moving on from other options at the position. For a team still trying to find more consistency, his ability to threaten downfield has offered a real bright spot, and it has only added to the sense that Atlantas passing game may have another layer it can lean on as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]