The best upset picks for Week 9 of the NFL season

Week 8 of the NFL season gave us the biggest upset of the year so far, as the New York Jets overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to shock the Cincinnati Bengals and earn their second win of the season. The Jets did so as an 11-point underdog.

Other notable upsets from the week included the New Orleans Saints defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers defeating the Arizona Cardinals.

As we look ahead to Week 9, here are five upset opportunities to keep an eye on.

Browns vs. Bengals

The Cleveland Browns are a disappointing 4-4 this season. Their defense let them down in several losses, and in Week 8 against the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers, it was their offense that struggled en route to the loss.

Now the Browns face another division foe, the Bengals, who are coming off a loss to the mediocre Jets. New York backup quarterback Mike White threw the ball very successfully against the Bengals secondary, a troubling sign for the surprising contenders in the AFC North.

The Browns are banged up worse than any team in the league, but if Baker Mayfield’s gunslinger mentality opens up downfield opportunities, this matchup could go either way.

The Browns have looked a bit better on the road than at home this year, and their depth may be just enough to overcome all the injuries.

Texans vs. Dolphins

The Texans and Dolphins are two of the worst teams in the NFL this year, along with Jacksonville and Detroit.

Now the Dolphins are a big favorite against a Texans team that got down 38-0 at home last week against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Dolphins offense has been terrible in 2021. They are second to last in yards per play (4.8), and there were rumors they were looking to bring in the Texans’ old quarterback, Deshaun Watson. Although Miami passed on the veteran QB, the rumors have surely shaken starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s confidence, based on his performance in recent weeks.

The Texans are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings between these teams and showed some fight in battling back to score 22 points last week for a miraculous backdoor cover.

The Texans are very bad, but the Dolphins are not a team that should be favored by a touchdown against any team in the league.

Broncos vs. Cowboys

This is definitely going out on a limb, but the Broncos have Teddy Bridgewater, and Bridgewater covers spreads, which means he keeps his team in the game.

The Broncos have won six straight games against the Cowboys, and their offensive line will have a chance to bully a Cowboys defensive front that is below average along the interior.

The Cowboys are 27th in the league defensively in yards allowed per play and are now dealing with banged-up wide receivers on offense.

If the Cowboys offense doesn’t operate at the high-octane pace it has through its first eight games, the defense may not be able to get the stops to secure the win.

Packers vs. Chiefs

This matchup had the Packers as just a one-point underdog against the Chiefs prior to news of quarterback Aaron Rodgers testing positive for COVID-19 and being forced to sit out the game.

The line has skyrocketed above seven, which forces bettors to ask if Rodgers is indeed worth that much value as a single player.

The Packers’ limited history and poor results with Rodgers absent indicates he might be, but this is still a roster that has won seven straight games and is actually getting a bit healthier along the defense.

The Chiefs should win this game, but Packers quarterback Jordan Love was a highly publicized first-round selection, and the roster is a well-rounded group of winners.

If the Packers truly believe Love is capable of being the future of the franchise, this will be a perfect opportunity to get incredible value on Green Bay. 

Eagles vs. Chargers

The Eagles are just 3-5 but have been competitive in several of those losses, as their line play on both sides of the ball is better than average.

The Eagles are coming off a 44-6 thrashing of the Detroit Lions, which may have instilled confidence in their offensive game plan.

The Chargers are overly reliant on Keenan Allen to execute the offense, so if the Eagles can shut him down with Darius Slay, Philly could grind out a gritty home win as short underdogs.