NFL Week 9 Preview: Peyton Returns To Indy

This week sees the halfway point of the 2015 NFL Season, with a handful of teams still maintaining their perfect records through seven games. The New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos are all at 7-0. The Broncos beat the Packers in the big game last week, extending their unbeaten run, whilst stopping the Packers’, dropping Green Bay to 6-1.

Once again, this week sees another important game in the NFC East, as the Philadelphia Eagles travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys. That is arguably the most competitive group, with all four teams in with a shot of winning the division. There are also big match-ups in the AFC East, with the Bills hosting Miami, and the AFC North, with the perfect Bengals hosting a 2-6 Cleveland side looking for some momentum.

Last week also saw the last Wembley game of the season, with Kansas City comfortably defeating the Detroit Lions. Next year, games will be played at Twickenham, as well as Wembley, meaning that London will host at least five games next year.

 

Thursday Night Football

Cleveland Browns (2-6) @ Cincinnati Bengals (7-0)

Week 9 kicks off with an AFC North clash. The Cincinnati Bengals have been superb this season, and stand as one of the four perfect teams through seven. Their opponents, the Cleveland Browns, are struggling with a 2-6, and in the last game between the two, they did not score a point. The Cleveland QB carousel continues to spin and it looks like Johnny Manziel is back to start this week, could it be a change of fortunes for the second year QB this weekend.

 

Sunday Evening Games

Green Bay Packers (6-1) @ Carolina Panthers (7-0)

A massive game in the NFC as the 6-1 Packers travel to Carolina to take on the perfect Panthers. Green Bay have won the last two meetings between the two sides, but this is a much better Panthers team this season. All their weapons are being utilised by Cam Newton and they will be a tough team to beat all year, especially if they can secure a victory over Aaron Rodgers’ and the Packers at the Bank of America Stadium on Sunday.

 

Washington Redskins (3-4) @ New England Patriots (7-0)

Surprisingly, the Redskins won the last game between these two sides, but the 7-0 Patriots will most definitely be favourites for the win in Foxborough on Sunday evening. The Redskins will make the trip north knowing they are still well in the hunt for the top spot in the NFC East. No side in the division has better than a .500, so the Redskins’ record of 3-4 is no problem right now. A win for the Patriots would take them to 8-0, maintaining their perfect record.

 

Tennessee Titans (1-6) @ New Orleans Saints (4-4)

Last week, Drew Brees tied the record for the most TD passes thrown in a game, with seven. It was a record breaking 52-49 victory over the Giants, in which Eli Manning also threw for six TDs. The Saints have the second best offence in the league, but because of their defensive issues, they lie at 4-4. The Titans have been very poor this year, only winning once in seven attempts. They desperately need a win to give themselves any hope of the playoffs.

 

Miami Dolphins (3-4) @ Buffalo Bills (3-4)

This is a big game in the course of the AFC playoff picture, especially in the East division. It looks an almost certainty that the Patriots will go through as group winners, but both these sides are at 3-4 and a victory here puts them closer to January football. Both sides have been to Wembley this season, and both lost in close games, but this is their biggest test so far this year.

 

St Louis Rams (4-3) @ Minnesota Vikings (5-2)

This is a match-up between two sides that are slightly outperforming their pre-season expectations. The Vikings have gone to 5-2 with some clutch victories in recent weeks, while the Rams are 4-3 having beaten the Seahawks this season. The Vikings have won the previous three games, and at the TCF Bank Stadium on Sunday, they will be favourites to make it six wins in 2015.

 

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) @ New York Jets (4-3)

Both these sides took victory away from London this season but it is the Jets have have the better record going into the halfway point of 2015. They have won four games but are still some way behind the perfect Patriots in the AFC East. The Jags are only at 2-5 and will struggling to qualify for the playoffs from here, especially having not beaten the Jets in their last three. It could be a struggle for the travelling Jaguars at the MetLife Stadium this week.

 

Oakland Raiders (4-3) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4)

With Derek Carr at QB, the Oakland Raiders have gone from strength to strength in the last few years, and they are riding high at 4-3 coming into Week 9. The Steelers are 4-4 after an average start to 2015, but with both teams having a 7-0 side in their division, this is a match-up for a Wild Card spot in the AFC picture, with the winner moving into prime position for the 5th/6th seed come January.

 

New York Giants (4-4) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4)

Despite only having a record of 4-4, the Giants lead the NFC East by a victory, but have all three divisional rivals chasing them down. The Bucs are 3-4 and are currently bottom of the NFC South but could still make the playoffs if they put together a good run. To do that, they will have to start with a victory over a side they have not beaten in their last three meetings, but this season, anything is possible.

 

Atlanta Falcons (6-2) @ San Francisco 49ers (2-6)

Also in the NFC South, the Falcons are 6-2, a victory behind the Panthers. They will travel to Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco as the favourites, as the 49ers are just 2-6, but they have a good recent record against the Falcons, including a play-off victory over them in 2013. However, there is talk of Colin Kaepernick not being kept on next season unless his performances perk up. Could that be the case here?

 

Denver Broncos (7-0) @ Indianapolis Colts (3-5)

This one is a homecoming for a future Hall of Famer. The 7-0 Broncos travel to Indy to face the Colts, with Peyton Manning being the only name anyone is talking about. He played for the Colts for 13 seasons, winning Super Bowl XLI in 2006. However, Andrew Luck and the new brand of Colts will be looking to cause an upset against the perfect Broncos. They are top of the worst division in football and a victory will extend that lead in the AFC South.

 

Sunday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) @ Dallas Cowboys (2-5)

The biggest game of the week in terms of this season sees the Dallas Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles in another crunch NFC East clash. All four teams in the division are within two wins of each other. The Cowboys won the first match-up this season, and a second victory would move them level with the Eagles at 3-5. A victory for Philly could see them go level with NYG at 4-4 atop the division standings.

 

Monday Night Football

Chicago Bears (2-5) @ San Diego Chargers (2-6)

The final game of the weekend involves the struggling Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers. Both sides have only won two games so far this campaign and will find it hard to reach the playoffs from here unless they go perfect to the end of the season. The Chargers have the Broncos at the top of their division, so they will know a Wild Card place is their way in, but having lost two of the last three against the Bears, it could be a tricky game for them on Monday.

 

Byes: Arizona Cardinals (6-2), Baltimore Ravens (2-6), Detroit Lions (1-7), Houston Texans (3-5), Kansas City Chiefs (3-5), Seattle Seahawks (4-4)

The bye week comes at the wrong time for the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won their last two games, including thrashing Detroit at Wembley last Sunday. The Lions are struggling, and will need to up their game severely if they are to make the play-offs with both the Packers and Vikings going well in the NFC North.

Both the Cardinals and Seahawks have their bye weeks in Week 9, allowing the Rams a chance to improve in the NFC West. Arizona have control at 6-2, but Seattle have come back from a poor start, climbing back to 4-4 after winning their last two.

At just 3-5, you would think the Texans were struggling, and they are, really.. But, they are joint top of the AFC South in the poorest division so far this season. Between IND, HOU, JAX, and TEN, only nine games have been won out of a possible 30. Not good.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens are struggling at 2-6 and with the Bengals a perfect 7-0 at the top of their division, they may already be focusing on 2016.