PAYTON OUT IN 2016: It could happen. The Saints head coach, Sean Payton, might be coaching elsewhere next season.
Everything you need to know for Week 9 in the NFL
It’s Sunday, and we’re here to get you ready, from gambling picks to fantasy football to the big stories for each game this week.
Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports
WHO KILLED THE THOMAS TRADE: One report says the guaranteed money the Broncos were offering Joe Thomas killed the deal. Another report says otherwise.
INJURY REPORT: Sammy Watkins is playing, so is DeSean Jackson. But what kind of impact will they have? Consult the injury report.
PLACE YOUR BETS: Picks against the spread for all the Week 9 games. Here are your five best bets this week.
FANTASY CORNER: You still have time to get your lineup questions answered in the war room. HURRY!
Packers at Panthers, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)
- Have the Packers revealed an easy formula for beating them?
- Keep an eye on the Panthers offensive line and their running game. They’re better than you think.
Washington at Patriots, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)
Titans at Saints, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- New Orleans is suddenly a little thin at the QB position.
- Marcus Mariota is back.
Dolphins at Bills, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Miami activated rookie running back Jay Ajayi.
- Sammy Watkins will play, but how much? Karlos Williams’ concussion symptoms were TERRIFYING.
Rams at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET (Fox)
- Todd Gurley is making the Rams fun again. Will it be enough to win the division?
- A win today, and the Vikings have a real shot at overtaking the Packers in their division.
Jaguars at Jets, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Allen Robinson is getting a trip to Revis Island.
- The Jets should be able to win this one, but much of that will hinge on how healthy Ryan Fitzpatrick is. Expect the announcers to beat you over the head with the fact that Jags OL coach Doug Marrone was very good against the Jets during his time in Buffalo.
Raiders at Steelers, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- The key to victory for the Raiders: “Grown man strength.”
- DeAngelo Williams leads the Steelers rushing attack now, and it should still be very good even without Le’Veon Bell.
- Here’s Big Ben and his GIANT jaw eating a taco.
Giants at Bucs, 4:05 p.m. ET (Fox)
- Jason Pierre-Paul is returning this week, but what should the Giants reasonably expect from him?
- Jameis Winston is getting better. The Bucs defense is not.
Falcons at 49ers, 4:05 p.m. ET (Fox)
- The 49ers are their own worst enemy. And planting stories about Colin Kaepernick doesn’t help anyone.
- Atlanta’s defense needs to dial up the pressure this week, especially after word leaked out about the 49ers thinking their soft defense would be a good way to ease Blaine Gabbert into the mix.
Broncos at Colts, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
- What’s the new Colts offense going to look like? And will it even help?
- T.Y Hilton is a long shot to play this week.
- The Broncos could be looking at a trap game. But Vernon Davis should help them score more points.
- The Broncos defense is so good, it’s boring.
Eagles at Cowboys, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
- The Cowboys should really dump Greg Hardy, who is a garbage person.
- Hardy expressed regret for his actions, in the wake of Deadspin releasing disturbing photos of his domestic violence incident, but he did it with his tweets and not his behavior.
- This is a winnable game for the Eagles, but they need to establish themselves on offense early.
- Matt Cassel gets the start for the Cowboys again this week. In order to work around that and win, the Cowboys need to lean heavily on their running game and Cassel needs to clean up his game a little, too. Their pass rush will be key too.
- Then again, maybe Dallas should just let Stone Cold Steve Austin play QB, like he wants to.
See More:
