NFL Week 9 Preview
November 3, 2016
Every week Andrew, Obaid, Jacob, and Nithin will be previewing four primetime NFL games and giving predictions. Then they will pick their fantasy football sleepers for the game, players who aren’t widely owned but can potentially make a big impact. They will also be predicting the winners of every game under the Pick’em section, and they will keep a record for correct predictions over the weeks.
Falcons vs Buccaneers 7:25 PM Thursday
The Falcons are coming off a close win against the Packers giving them a record of 5-3. The Falcons offense has been hot all year but their defense has been struggling a bit. As for the Buccaneers, they come off a tough overtime loss to the Raiders and now have a record of 3-4. The offense been a little inconsistent this year and the defense hasn’t been to good either. They gave up 500 yards passing to Derrick Carr last week. I expect the Falcons to take this game 30-21
Sleeper: Austin Hooper (owned in 12.6% of ESPN standard leagues) played really well against the packers and with starting TE Jacob Tamme questionable Hooper will see more of the field this week.
Colts @ Packers 3:25 P.M Sunday
The Colts will be fighting for their playoff lives as they enter Lambeau Field Sunday. At 3-5, the Colts are third in their division, and if they wish to make the playoffs they can not afford to lose anymore. The Packers meanwhile, are also struggling to secure a playoff spot as they stand only 4-3 in a season that many believed would see them standing at the top of the league. Neither team has played up to their potential, but the Packers have started to show signs of life. Struggling Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has seemingly hit his stride, as he threw for 4 TDs last week, and the defense has remained solid, especially against the run. The Colts on the other hand, have not seen much improvement, as their Offensive Line continue to surrender big hits to QB Andrew Luck. Ultimately, I think the Colts fold under pressure and the Packers win handily.
Packers 28, Colts 17
Sleeper: Dwayne Allen
After missing two straight games, Dwayne Allen appears to be on track to return vs. Green Bay. Allen served as the lead Tight End for the Colts when healthy, and though he may not get many yards, he is always a red zone threat. If you are in need of a TE or FLEX this week, consider Allen.
Broncos @ Raiders 7:30 P.M Sunday
This AFC West tilt features two respected 6-2 teams. Coming off a thrilling overtime winner at Tampa Bay last Sunday, Oakland have a lot of momentum going into this game. Derek Carr, the Raiders QB, has been putting up MVP numbers this season with 2,321 yards thrown, 17 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. However, he faces his biggest test yet this Sunday against a tenacious Denver defense that leads the league in passing yards against, with 189 yards per game. On the other side, Trevor Siemian has been quietly efficient helping the Broncos string together wins. He’s done what he’s been asked to do by playing smart football and limiting turnovers with only four interceptions. In the end, I see the Raiders prevailing mainly because of the way Derek Carr’s been playing thus far this season. If he continues to play the way we’ve seen, and the defense plays as well as it has been, the Raiders should come out on top and take control of the AFC West.
Raiders 24, Broncos 17
Fantasy sleeper: Seth Roberts
Although Seth Roberts hasn’t had any big breakout games, he’s gone under the radar and thrown together several solid weeks. He’s caught four touchdown passes this season proving he’s capable of getting into the endzone. If you’re in extremely desperate need of a receiver this week, consider Roberts.
Seahawks vs Bills, Monday, November 7, 7:30 PM on ESPN, CenturyLink Field
The Seahawks offense has struggled mightily all year. Through seven games Russell Wilson only has 5 passing TDs. He’s on pace for only 11 passing TDs that would be his lowest total in a season by touchdowns. Rushing wise, he is also having his worst year. He’s only running for 1.8 yards per carry and no touchdowns. On the other side of the ball Seattle has once again been one of the best in the NFL. They ranked 6th in the NFL in yardage per game allowed, and 2nd in points per game allowed. As for the Bills, they are very similar to Seattle in that they have struggled at times offensively while besides from last week their defense has excelled. If the Bills are going to win they need to put up at least 20 points, otherwise we might see a run away game for the Seahawks.
Seahawks 17, Bills 13
Sleeper: Jermaine Kearse
When Russell Wilson is playing well he’s hard to stop. If he gets on a role, then you can count on secondary receiving options like Kearse to catch multiple passes and possibly a touchdown. Doug Baldwin has been playing well of late, so he could expect some tight coverage by the secondary. If so then Kearse could be primed for a big day.
Pick’em Picks:
Overall Record:
Obaid: 35-19-2
Andrew: 30-24-2
Nithin: 26-28-2
Jacob: 28-26-2
Last week’s record:
Obaid: 6-6-1
Andrew: 6-6-1
Nithin: 7-5-1
Jacob: 10-2-1
Buccaneers vs Falcons
Obaid: Falcons
Andrew: Bucs
Nithin: Falcons
Jacob: Falcons
Ravens vs Steelers
Obaid: Steelers
Andrew: Ravens
Nithin: Steelers
Jacob: Steelers
Browns vs Cowboys
Obaid: Cowboys
Andrew: Cowboys
Nithin: Cowboys
Jacob: Cowboys
Chiefs vs Jaguars
Obaid: Jaguars
Andrew: Chiefs
Nithin: Chiefs
Jacob: Chiefs
Dolphins vs Jets
Obaid: Dolphins
Andrew: Jets
Nithin: Jets
Jacob: Dolphins
Giants vs Eagles
Obaid: Eagles
Andrew: Giants
Nithin: Eagles
Jacob: Eagles
Vikings vs Lions
Obaid: Vikings
Andrew: Vikings
Nithin: Vikings
Jacob: Vikings
Rams vs Panthers
Obaid: Panthers
Andrew: Panthers
Nithin: Panthers
Jacob: Panthers
49ers vs Saints
Obaid: Saints
Andrew: 49ers
Nithin: Saints
Jacob: Saints
Chargers vs Titans
Obaid: Chargers
Andrew: Chargers
Nithin: Titans
Jacob: Chargers
Packers vs Colts
Obaid: Packers
Andrew: Packers
Nithin: Packers
Jacob: Packers
Raiders vs Broncos
Obaid: Broncos
Andrew: Raiders
Nithin: Broncos
Jacob: Broncos
Seahawks vs Bills
Obaid: Seahawks
Andrew: Seahawks
Nithin: Seahawks
Jacob: Seahawks