As we begin to get in to the season’s second half, every matchup means more, as the race for the postseason continues.

Week 9 is highlighted by a game that will take place somewhere that has never seen the NFL before: Frankfurt, Germany. Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and the high-powered 6-2 Miami Dolphins offense takes on Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and a defending Super Bowl champion 6-2 Kansas City Chiefs team that needs a bounce back win after last week’s loss to the Broncos. Besides a gain in the win column and bragging rights for winning the NFL’s first game in Germany, this game could ultimately be a tiebreaker between the Chiefs and Dolphins in the final AFC standings.

In an inter-conference matchup, the NFC West-leading 5-2 Seattle Seahawks and AFC North 6-2 Baltimore Ravens go head-to-head.

Other marquee matchups include the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, a classic NFC East battle, the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football, as two AFC powerhouses pose a rematch of last year’s divisional round, and the Los Angeles Chargers and New York Jets, both hoping to establish themselves in the AFC playoff picture on Monday Night Football.

Read on for my 2023-24 NFL Week 9 Picks, and if you’d like to debate or discuss any predictions, join the conversation with @SakSports on Twitter.

Picks Record

Week 8 Picks: 11-5

Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 12-4

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 12-4

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 11-4

Week 7: 5-8

Week 8: 11-5

Overall: 75-47 (61%)

Week 8 highlights:

  • Predicted Bills to beat Buccaneers 24-17, actually beat them 24-18

Thursday Night Football

Tennessee Titans (3-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3): Titans win 27-24

Sunday Games

The 3-5 Los Angeles Rams and 2-5 Green Bay Packers square off in Wisconsin, with both teams desperate for a win to save their season. (Photo: Orange County Register)

Game in Germany Miami Dolphins (6-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-2): This should be a really fun one, for the NFL’s first-ever game in Germany, if you wake up in time (9:30 ET/6:30 PT.) This is also the Sak Sports Blog Game of the Week. On paper, this could be a thrilling shootout between Tua Tagovailoa and Patrick Mahomes, but the Chiefs offense hasn’t exactly been explosive recently, especially in last week’s 24-9 loss to the Broncos. Still, I think Kansas City finds a way to bounce back and win this huge AFC matchup. Chiefs win 27-24

Minnesota Vikings (4-4) at Atlanta Falcons (4-4): I have no idea how the Atlanta Falcons have stumbled in to a 4-4 record, and it might get even better here: the 4-4 Minnesota Vikings are hot, but just lost Kirk Cousins, and even if they recover, it might not happen in one week. Falcons win 24-16

Arizona Cardinals (1-7) at Cleveland Browns (4-3): The Arizona Cardinals might be tanking, after trading away Joshua Dobbs despite play that.. wasn’t horrible? With Kyler Murray injured he was still the team’s best option. Now Arizona turns to a rookie, and faces an increasingly healthy Cleveland Browns team with a ferocious front line. Browns win 30-10

Los Angeles Rams (3-5) at Green Bay Packers (2-5): The majority of America will get this game in the Sunday early afternoon slot: two big-name teams, that haven’t exactly enjoyed big-time results this season. The Los Angeles Rams are better assembled overall, but keep letting me down when I pick them: still, I’ll try my luck one more time against a Green Bay Packers team that has lost four straight. Rams win 33-22

Washington Commanders (3-5) at New England Patriots (2-6): After giving the Philadelphia Eagles a run for their money not once but twice this season so far, the 3-5 Washington Commanders are scarier than they seem on paper. The 2-6 New England Patriots are more than a win behind Washington in the talent department. Commanders win 31-17

Chicago Bears (2-6) at New Orleans Saints (4-4): Without Justin Fields, the Chicago Bears pose even less of a threat than they did before. The New Orleans Saints have been sliding a bit, but can get back above .500 here. Saints win 26-13

SEE ALSO: Post-Week 8 Power Rankings

Seattle Seahawks (5-2) at Baltimore Ravens (6-2): In one of the bigger matchups of the week, two-loss teams clash as the Baltimore Ravens host the Seattle Seahawks. The Ravens aren’t invincible (the Cardinals gave them a hard time in the 4th quarter last week) but Baltimore is better overall and has a higher ceiling than Seattle. With that being said, a feisty Seahawks upset wouldn’t surprise me either. Ravens win 27-24

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) at Houston Texans (3-4): C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans allowed the Carolina Panthers to win their first game of the season last week in a slight embarrassment. But Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost four out of five games, failing to eclipse 20 points in any of those losses. Texans win 23-17

Indianapolis Colts (3-5) at Carolina Panthers (1-6): While Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers are coming off their first win of the season, they’re still no match for a Gardner Minshew-led Indianapolis Colts team that can still put up points. Colts win 34-23

New York Giants (2-6) at Las Vegas Raiders (3-5): The New York Giants are quickly becoming a hot contender for a top pick in next year’s draft. The Las Vegas Raiders aren’t exactly a model team at the moment, and yet, they’re still favored by 2 points in the desert, with a whopping over/under of 37.5 points. Raiders win 23-16

Dallas Cowboys (5-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (7-1): In a classic NFC East matchup typically reserved for prime time (it will be on December 10), the 7-1 Philadelphia Eagles host the 5-2 Dallas Cowboys. Last season, each team only got a look at each other’s backup quarterbacks. This season, Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott might just get a chance to go shot for shot, as the Eagles defense can have trouble putting the game away late. Eagles win 35-28

Sunday Night Football

Photo: Yahoo Sports

Buffalo Bills (5-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-3): In a rematch of both last year’s suspended Monday Night Football game as well as the AFC Divisional Round, the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals get another shot at each other. Cincinnati came out on top last postseason, and is playing better football by the week, which is why I’ll take Joe Burrow and the Bengals at home on Sunday Night Football.

Monday Night Football

(Chargers Wire/USA Today)

Los Angeles Chargers (3-4) at New York Jets (4-3): People seem to forget the New York Jets were 7-10 last season without Aaron Rodgers and could have been a playoff team if a couple games broke differently. The Jets have been figuring out how to win games with Zach Wilson and a stiff defense. The Los Angeles Chargers have underwhelmed a bit through seven weeks, but still posses a lethal arm in Justin Herbert. I like the Jets long-term outlook this season, but don’t think Wilson can go blow-for-blow if the Chargers get in to the high 20’s or low 30’s. Chargers win 28-20

Bye Weeks

Denver Broncos (3-5), Detroit Lions (6-2), San Francisco 49ers (5-3), Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2)

SEE ALSO: Nuggets Beat Mavericks 125-114 on NBA’s 1st Ever In-Season Tournament Night

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