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Following a strong Week 8 performance going 11-3 against the spread and 10-4 straight up, CBS Sports expert Dajani provides game-by-game predictions and expert picks for NFL Week 9. The season-long records heading into this week stand at 19-20-1 for top five picks against the spread, 62-57-2 overall against the spread, and 72-48-1 straight up, utilizing odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers
The Denver Broncos hit the road to face the Carolina Panthers as 2.5-point favorites, with kickoff scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on CBS. Denver enters the matchup following a fourth-quarter comeback led by Bo Nix, who ranks first in the NFL since 2000 with 9.1 yards per attempt when trailing by one score in the fourth quarter and holds 15 game-winning drives in less than three full seasons. The Carolina Panthers recently fired their defensive coordinator, are dealing with mounting offensive line injuries, and have allowed Bryce Young to be sacked 11 times over the last two games. Carolina is tied for the second-most sacks allowed with 23, while facing a Denver defense that ranks in the top five with 23 sacks. Additionally, the Panthers defense has surrendered an average of 42.7 points per game at home this season, including 59 points to the Chicago Bears in Week 1, 26 points to the Detroit Lions in Week 4, and 43 points to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7. The pick is Broncos -2.5, with a projected score of Broncos 24, Panthers 20.
Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints
The 2-5 New Orleans Saints host the Cleveland Browns as 3-point favorites coming off their bye week and playing their first home game in nearly a month. The Saints could welcome back offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., offensive guard Cesar Ruiz, and rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson for his NFL debut. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns suffered a 27-6 defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, are playing their third straight road game, and face uncertainty at quarterback with Deshaun Watson in concussion protocol. The pick is Saints -3, with a projected score of Saints 23, Browns 17.
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks host the Arizona Cardinals as 8.5-point favorites on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox. Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold will miss the contest due to a quad injury, leaving Drew Lock to start under center. Lock previously defeated Arizona 31-7 in Week 2, completing 19 of 26 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns while out-gaining the Cardinals 381 yards to 151 yards. The Arizona Cardinals are also starting a new quarterback in Gardner Minshew, who threw three touchdowns in relief during a comeback against the Dallas Cowboys last week. The pick is Seahawks -8.5, with a projected score of Seahawks 24, Cardinals 13.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as 6-point favorites on Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams has led his team to 30-plus points with zero turnovers in three straight games, while D’Andre Swift leads the NFL with 10 rushing touchdowns and Jeffery Simmons anchors the defense. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter after a game played in a hurricane where Baker Mayfield did not need to complete a pass to defeat Atlanta, giving him a combined 64 passing yards over the last two games. Furthermore, Mayfield holds a 1-12 record in prime time games since 2021, the worst in the NFL. The pick is Bears -6, with a projected score of Bears 30, Buccaneers 20.
Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings host the Buffalo Bills as 3-point underdogs on Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN, following a line movement in favor of Minnesota after Kyler Murray was ruled out. Carson Wentz takes over the passing attack, having previously thrown three touchdowns in a 39-22 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, which marked Justin Jefferson’s best game of the season with eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns. The Minnesota defense leads the NFL in points per game allowed (13.3), passing defense (154.9 yards allowed per game), red zone touchdown percentage (25%), and sacks per game (3.6). The pick is Vikings +3, with a projected score of Vikings 24, Bills 23.
Additional Week 9 predictions feature the Jaguars by 10 over the Ravens, the Falcons by 3 over the Bengals, the Chiefs by 9 over the Jets, the Lions by 15 over the Dolphins, the Cowboys by 8 over the Colts, the Rams by 10 over the Commanders, the Giants by 3 over the Eagles, the 49ers by 4 over the Raiders, the Texans by 4 over the Chargers, and the Packers by 3 over the Patriots.
