NFL Week 9: Off The Cover Picks!

The NFL playoff picture is definitely starting to take form, with a handful of division leaders taking full aim at the possibility of home field advantage through the opening rounds. The Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers both appear to be playing to their labelled potential, but this week are faced with an interesting test. The Bills, at 6-1, will visit the NFC North division-leading Vikings, also at 6-1, as the 3½-point favorite. San Francisco, meanwhile, will host the Raiders with Vegas leaning heavily towards a Niners victory against a team that has historically given them some difficulty from time to time. Here is how we see the remainder of Sunday's games playing out, with an additional blurb on Monday night's beauty of a matchup.

SUNDAY: *International Game @9:30AM - Madrid, SPAIN

Cincinnati Bengals (-3)

The international stage in Madrid should provide plenty of fireworks. Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins give Cincinnati an offensive advantage that Atlanta will have difficulty matching over four quarters. The Bengals get our nod.

Afternoon/Evening Games:

Denver Broncos (-3)

Denver has established itself as a legitimate AFC contender, and Carolina represents an opportunity to continue building momentum. Bo Nix has shown an ability to deliver when the game is on the line. We like the Broncos to cover.

Dallas Cowboys (-6)

Dallas needs a convincing performance, and Indy offers an opportunity to get back on track. Dak Prescott has enough weapons around him to exploit a struggling Colts defence. Give us the Cowboys.

Kansas City Chiefs (-9½)

The Jets have struggled to find consistency, and visiting Arrowhead is hardly the ideal prescription. Patrick Mahomes should have enough opportunities to put this one away. Kansas City covers.

Cleveland Browns (+2½)

New Orleans has struggled to find its footing, while Cleveland has quietly put together a respectable season. We like the Browns to take advantage of the short number and leave the Superdome with a victory.

Philadelphia Eagles (+3½)

This is a dangerous spot for the Giants. Philadelphia has underperformed, but the talent remains considerable despite injuries to key players. We're still not sold on the Giants of 2026.

Washington Commanders (+5½)

The Rams have been inconsistent, and Washington could make this considerably more uncomfortable than the spread suggests. We like the Commanders to stay within striking distance and potentially pull off the upset.

Houston Texans (-4½)

Houston gets our vote against the Chargers. The Texans have enough defensive ability to make life difficult for the Los Angeles offence, and we expect them to take care of business.

Las Vegas Raiders (+9½)

Nine and a half points is simply too many to surrender in a divisional-style rivalry atmosphere. San Francisco is clearly the better football team, but the Raiders have enough fight to keep this respectable.

Green Bay Packers (+2½)

This could be one of Sunday's most entertaining contests. Jordan Love and the Packers have the offensive firepower to challenge New England. We like Green Bay to win outright.

Seattle Seahawks (-11½)

Seattle is being asked to cover a big number, but Arizona has struggled to establish consistency. We expect the Seahawks to control the tempo and win comfortably.

Chicago Bears (-5½)

Chicago gets the nod in the Sunday night matchup. The Bears have shown enough to warrant confidence at home, and we like their chances of covering against Tampa Bay.

MONDAY NIGHT: Buffalo Bills (-3½)

This is the game of the week. Two 6-1 teams, two legitimate playoff contenders and an opportunity to establish some separation in the race for conference supremacy. Josh Allen always gives Buffalo the kind of game-changing presence that is difficult to overlook. Minnesota might make this interesting, but we are taking the Bills to win by more than a field goal.

Bye Week: Steelers/Titans