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...
Jaguars Trade Buzz Just Raised A Bigger Brian Thomas Jr Question
With the trade deadline approaching, the Jaguars are being mentioned in the same breath as several teams trying to sort out what they need most and what they might be willing to move. Jacksonville is still looking for help on the defensive line, but the latest buzz has also put wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. into the conversation, which is a notable twist for a team that would normally be expected to build around a young pass catcher like him.
The report does not point to any deal being close, and it is based on insider conversations rather than finalized movement, but it does raise a bigger question about how aggressive Jacksonville wants to be. If the Jaguars are listening on a player with Thomas' profile while also shopping for defensive line help, it suggests the front office may be weighing more than one path as the deadline nears, even as other AFC South teams like the Colts and Titans sort through their own trade calculus. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Get A Huge Thursday Night Twist From Baltimores QB Mess
The quarterback picture in Baltimore has turned into a major storyline for the Jaguars upcoming matchup, with Tyler Huntley done for the season after a turf toe injury and Lamar Jackson now sidelined on injured reserve following thumb surgery. What had already been a complicated week for the Ravens got even more unsettled when the team had to reshuffle its depth chart and keep building out emergency options behind center.
For Jacksonville, the immediate takeaway is simple: the opponent the Jaguars prepare for now looks very different from the one they expected. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano has been named the starter for Thursday night, while Baltimore also added Kedon Slovis as the backup and Austin Reed to the practice squad, leaving the Ravens with a quarterback room that suddenly looks thin and unfamiliar heading into a short-week game. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Suddenly Have A Shot At A Defensive Star Arizona Hates To Lose
The trade deadline chatter around Budda Baker has put a familiar name back into the league-wide conversation, and it is the kind of development that always gets attention from teams looking for help in the middle of a season. According to ESPNs Jeremy Fowler, the Cardinals safety is viewed as a potential trade candidate, with clubs such as the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars among the teams that could be interested if Arizona decides to listen.
For Jacksonville, it is another reminder that the deadline can still bring an unexpected opportunity if the right player becomes available. Arizona is also being linked to other possible trade considerations, including Josh Sweat and Jacoby Brissett, as the organization sorts through contract situations and a changing roster picture, but nothing has been finalized and these remain only reports for now. [Read more 🡒]