Last week I picked the Patriots, the Bengals and the Eagles to be on upset watch. I got the Patriots games right but both the Bengals and the Eagles won their games without much resistance. The upsets are getting harder and harder to pick but I think I have a pretty good handle on which favored teams are in a little bit of trouble this weekend. Here are the three teams I think need to be on upset alert in Week 9.
NFL Week 9 Upset Watch Includes 49ers, Titans And Patriots
The 49ers, Titans and Patriots are on upset watch in Week 9 of the 2011 NFL season.
Where: Washington D.C.
Spread: 49ers by four
Why:
I’m picking the Redskins to possibly beat the 49ers on Sunday for two reasons. One: any team that travels from one extreme side of the country to the other to play a football game usually has a pretty tough time. There’s a lot of miles between the two cities and a considerable amount of jet lag and even though these guys are professionals , that does make a difference.
The other reason is because with a 3-4 record, the Redskins aren’t necessarily out of the running in the NFC East quite yet. If they win on Sunday, they can start to build their way back into the running but if they lose they’ll have a hard time battling back. They know this and they’ll do everything they can to win.
Where: Nashville, Tennessee
Spread: Titans by three
Why:
The Bengals are riding a four-game win streak and after winning in Seattle in Week 8, they head to Tennessee to play the 4-3 Titans. The reason I'm picking this game is because of the Bengals defense. The Bengals have the fourth best defense in the league and the second best defense against the run. When you combine that with the Titans' inability to run the ball with Chris Johnson and Javon Ringer, you get a recipe for an upset. I'm thinking that the bengals offense won't need to score too many points to get the win.
Where: Foxborough, Massachusetts
Spread: Patriots by nine
Why:
The Steelers showed the entire NFL how to beat the Patriots and that is to attack them in the air and play tough defense. The Giants don't have the leagues No. 2 ranked defense like the Steelers do but their defense can be tough at times and if they show up to Foxborough passing the ball against the league's worst defense, they could put themselves in a position to win. This one is kind of a reach, I know, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
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