NFL picks 2017, Week 9: Experts predict Chiefs, Eagles to keep rolling

I don’t know if the games are getting easier to pick, or if our panel of expects is just getting really damn good at picking them. Whatever it is, our little confab here just about ran the table last week.

Even the computer picked 11 of the 13 games correctly. A DAMN COMPUTER!

So how’s it looking this week?

Let’s start with the easy ones. The Texans went to Seattle and almost beat the Seahawks, almost. There’s no way in hell they’re losing at home to the Colts. Not even Bill O’Brien can outcoach himself against that team.

The fall of the Buccaneers is almost complete. They’re getting no love whatsoever from the panel against the Saints this week. New Orleans is firmly in control of the NFC South at this point. It will take a minor miracle to keep them from winning the division title this year.

The Seahawks are home again this week. Somehow I doubt that Washington will put up the same kind of fight that the Texans did last week. Our panel agrees with that assessment.

Right now, the Ravens are saying that there’s a good chance Joe Flacco will play this week. That’s apparently not enough for our panel, which is overwhelmingly picking for the Titans.

The Broncos might have a new quarterback starting for them this week. Finally. But Brock Osweiler doesn’t inspire much confidence from our panel. It’s unanimous for the Eagles, because the Eagles are very good and Brock Osweiler is himself.

Not much faith in the Brett Hundley Packers against the Lions. I get it.

The battle for second place in the NFC South could be a fierce one. Or it could be really ugly and full of mistakes. I don’t know. The Falcons and the Panthers are both hard to predict. They should be good teams. But they’re really not. It’s a 5-4 split from our panel in favor of the Panthers.

I’m surprised to see the Jets getting as much love against the Bills as they are. We just can’t seem to accept that the Bills might be above average. I know. It doesn’t make sense, but here we are.

Jimmy Garoppolo’s not going to have much more than a psychological boost for the 49ers this week. Our panel is tilted in San Francisco’s favor. That’s more an indictment of the terrible state of the Cardinals, now led by none other than Drew Stanton. Exciting. Hey, why didn’t they maybe try to trade for Garoppolo?

There are two picks for the Giants this week. That doesn’t exactly make their game against the Rams a tossup, but it’s maybe the most encouraging sign you can cling to if you’re a Giants fan this season. The Rams are coming from the West Coast for a 1 p.m. kickoff on the East Coast. Typically teams take a hit in those circumstance, even when they’re way better than the opponent. We’ll see if that’s the case for the red-hot Rams. I’m not convinced it will be.

If a tree falls in the woods, do you really care if the Dolphins or Raiders win? Me neither. Adam Gase trading away Jay Ajayi was supposed to send a message about attitude and being team-first in the locker room. Yes, this is the same coach that had the team bring in Jay Cutler.

I’m a little surprised to see just two picks for the Cowboys to beat the Chiefs. Ezekiel Elliott’s status has yet to be determined as of this writing. With or without Elliott, the Chiefs are the better team here, but they’re hardly perfect and they’re playing in Dallas.

I went with Kansas City, like most of the panel did, but it was the toughest pick to make this week.

These are straight-up picks for the winners. Picks against the spread come later in the week. We also let our panelist change up to two picks by the end of the week to account for injuries, suspensions, and whatnot.

This week’s guest is Kenneth Arthur from Field Gulls, SB Nation’s home for all things Seahawks.

OK, on with the picks!