I had a slightly better result last week, but I need to have a few more weeks like that to get back to having more games pick right than wrong so on to this week nine’s picks.

Gee:      Week 8   8-5                       Overall   53-67
Dan:      Week 8  4-9                       Overall   49-71

Dallas Cowboys @ Browns (+7.5)

The Cowboys are looking like one of the class teams of the NFC, but they had a big win in overtime against the Eagles and now they are travelling to Cleveland to face a Browns team who were up 20-7 at half time and still found a way to lose. I’m pretty certain the Cowboys will win, but the points give me pause, but although the Browns usually play fairly well before losing, the games they have kept close were against lesser teams and I think they’re going to struggle in this one.

Gee’s Pick:          Cowboys
Dan’s Pick:          Cowboys

Lions @ Vikings (-6.5)

This is a lot of points for the Vikings to be giving the Lions given that they have lost two straight and just had their offensive coordinator resign, even if amicably. However, they have been on the road for the last two weeks and I have been impressed with the home advantage they have in their new stadium. The problem is that whilst I didn’t think the Lions had the defence to worry the troubled Vikings offensive line, a quick check of the adjusted sack rate on Football Outsiders has them ranked thirteenth, one place behind last week’s Chicago. Ultimately I think the Vikings get things back on track in wins and losses, but I can’t pick them to win by seven. I could regret this…

Gee’s Pick:          Lions
Dan’s Pick:          Lions

Jaguars @ Chiefs (-8.5)

The Kansas City Chiefs keep rolling on whilst the Jaguars are mired in mediocrity again. The Chiefs might be down to their backup quarterback, but I see them winning the game, but the nine points required to cover does give me pause. The Jaguars have just fired their offensive coordinator, and you might well expect a bounce back as they rally round the new coordinator, and with the Chiefs having a backup quarterback and injuries at running back it looks like a good spot for the Jaguars. The problem is that I don’t trust them at all whilst I trust Andy Reid and Arrow Head is a difficult place to visit, still I think this is too many points to give away. Eek!

Gee’s Pick:          Jaguars
Dan’s Pick:          Jaguars

Jets @ Dolphins (-3.5)

This game pits strength against strength as the Dolphins welcome the Jets to Miami and set their running game against the New York Jets’ running defence, which is one of the few bits of their defence that is definitively working. However, whilst the Jets did get a win last week, it was against the Browns and with the Dolphins coming off two straight wins with Jay Ajayi rushing for two hundred yards in both games as the offensive line coming together a bit, I think the Dolphins will run out winners in this one even if Ajayi is unlikely to run for two hundred yards again.

Gee’s Pick:          Dolphins
Dan’s Pick:          Dolphins

Eagles @ Giants (-2.5)

The New York Giants seem to be very up and down, at least they are to me and I struggle to get a feel for them each week. However, I was impressed with the Eagles play last week, even if they did ultimately lose against the Cowboys. This may be their second road game in a row and coming after an overtime loss to face a team coming off their bye, but I think the Eagles are a better team, even if the Giants have far better passing options on paper. I could regret this, but I’m going with the road underdog in a bad spot.

Gee’s Pick:          Eagles
Dan’s Pick:          Eagles

Steelers @ Ravens (-0.5)

The indications are that Ben Roethlisberger might play against the Ravens, which makes this a tricky game to call as these divisional games are often close. The Ravens have lost four straight although they are coming off a bye, but so are the Steelers, yet I think they are the better team and if that offence clicks back into place it is terrifying. However, Roethlisberger often doesn’t look great in his first game back from injury. I’m going to back what I think is the better team in this one, but it is another tricky pick.

Gee’s Pick:          Steelers
Dan’s Pick:          Steelers

Panthers @ Rams (+3.5)

The big question in this game is whether the Panthers we saw las week was a one week blip or if they are back to something more like how they were last season. The complaints from Cam Newton about the calls he’s getting will be music to the ears of an aggressive Rams defence, but they have been struggling to get consistent results and I’m not sure what to expect from them coming off the bye. I can see this one going either way, particularly if Luke Kuechly can’t go having missed practice, so when you’re getting this many points against a team who are only 2-5 this season then you take the points.

Gee’s Pick:          Rams
Dan’s Pick:          Panthers

Saints @ 49ers (+3.5)

There is only one unit I truly trust in this game, which is the Saints offence as Drew Brees continues to be great, and so I’m hitching this pick to his arm and hoping Brees won’t let me down.

Gee’s Pick:          Saints
Dan’s Pick:          Saints

Colts @ Packers (-6.5)

The Colts are not a good team, whilst I was impressed with the Packers play in a close loss to the Falcons in Atlanta. This week they return to Green Bay and with Aaron Rodgers looking a lot more like himself against the Packers, and a defence that is battling through its problems in the secondary, I think they are coming together nicely. I could see Andrew Luck covering this line at the end, but I think the Packers are too good for the Colts.

Gee’s Pick:          Packers
Dan’s Pick:          Packers

Titans @ Chargers (-5.5)

The Titans are coming off a big win and a long week after the demolition of the Jaguars on Thursday night of week eight, but they are travelling to San Diego to face a surging Chargers team. I was totally wrong about the impact of Joey Bosa’s holdout, and he really is coming into his own for the Chargers now rather than having the year written off. This line is really awkward as the Titans’ defence is still top ten and facing a Chargers team who look to be without their rookie tight end Hunter Henry who has got off to a great start. I think that the Chargers are the better team but I don’t know if they are going to win by six. I really don’t want to make a pick in this one…

Gee’s Pick:          Titans
Dan’s Pick:          Titans

Broncos @ Raiders (+0.5)

The Raiders are doing well off the back of their stellar offence whilst the defence has really struggled. They have won all five of their road games whilst only managing a solitary win out of their three home games. This week they welcome the Denver Broncos who have the defence to contain Carr and Amari Cooper, and in what is a pick’em game I am going to back the Broncos as they punish me every time I don’t. They also have a better offence than Raiders have defence, but I’m really looking forward to watching this one.

Gee’s Pick:          Broncos
Dan’s Pick:          Broncos

Bills @ Seahawks (-7.5)

There is talk that LeSean McCoy will be back for this game, but hamstrings are tricky injuries to deal with, and in the meantime the Bills are so desperate for options on offence that they have signed Percy Harvin back from retirement. He is only twenty-eight and they will be hoping that the time off will have helped him heal the nagging injuries that plagued him last season, but it is not an obviously great move. The Seahawks defence has looked as good as ever this season, but their offense has had problems thanks to a shaky offensive line and the resulting injuries to Russell Wilson. I’m putting last week’s loss down to the extra fifteen minutes they played against the Cardinals in week seven, but whilst I expect the Seahawks to with this game, I’m not sure they will win by eight points.

Gee’s Pick:          Bills
Dan’s Pick:          Bills