KSL.com Sports' Pro Football Pick'em Week 9 preview

SALT LAKE CITY — As the calendar flips to November, playoff races across the NFL are starting to take shape.

Week 9 brings a slate packed with statement opportunities — from J.J. McCarthy's long-awaited return in Detroit, to a red-hot Denver squad testing Houston's top-ranked defense, to another heavyweight duel between Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen in Buffalo. Here's what to watch for in this week's KSL.com Sports Pro Football Pick'em preview.

Minnesota Vikings (3-4) vs. Detroit Lions (5-2)

Sunday, Nov. 2, 11 a.m. MDT – Ford Field (FOX)

The Lions and Vikings meet in an NFC North matchup in Detroit.

Why Minnesota will win:

The Vikings will finally be getting quarterback J.J McCarthy back after the second-year pro out of Michigan missed the previous five games with an ankle injury. With McCarthy on the bench, Minnesota turned to Carson Wentz to keep the team afloat but he wasn't able to. The blame doesn't necessarily belong to Wentz, who left it all on the field for his childhood team after being put on season-ending injured reserve earlier this week.

With McCarthy back in the fold for the Vikings, head coach Kevin O'Connell will hope the quarterback he helped select 10th overall will get the team back on track. McCarthy's fourth quarter performance against the Bears in week 1 gave fans a lot to be excited about but a disappointing performance the following week against Atlanta dampened those hopes.

If McCarthy can get back to the level he played like in his first start, Minnesota should like their chances going forward. With plenty of offensive playmakers, like star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the Vikings should be able to help their young quarterback find his groove again.

On the other side of the ball, Brian Flores' defense remains among the top units in the league but after a bad showing last week against the Chargers, Minnesota should be playing for their pride with a much better performance this week.

Why Detroit will win:

The Lions are coming off a bye week and extra time of preparation for this game. Detroit just extended pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson to a massive contract, continuing to show that they are all in on this core of players as they seek the franchise's first Super Bowl.

After a disappointing showing in week 1 against the Packers, the Lions have bounced back well, finding their groove again and what has made them special over the past three seasons.

The newly extended Hutchinson has a chance to be a gamewrecker this week against the Vikings as their offensive line hasn't played great and with McCarthy being an unknown at this point, Detroit could have a field day on defense.

Shutting down Jefferson and Jordan Addison will be key for the Lions' defense in preventing McCarthy from finding a rhythm and possibly turning around Minnesota's season.

Detroit's offense should still be able to find ways to put points on the board even against a strong Vikings defense. Jared Goff has plenty of offensive weapons at his disposal including Pro Bowl wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Both have accounted for seven touchdowns each this season and will be heavily relied upon in this one.

Line: DET -9.5

Over/Under: 48.5

Denver Broncos (6-2) vs. Houston Texans (3-4)

Sunday, Nov. 2, 11 a.m. MDT – NRG Stadium (FOX)

The Texans host the red-hot Broncos in an AFC showdown.

Why Denver will win:

The Broncos have won five straight games and show no signs of slowing down after their offense exploded for 44 points against the Cowboys last week. Bo Nix threw four touchdown passes in the win and looks like one of the most polished young quarterbacks in the NFL. The Texans defense will be a much tougher test for Denver's offense as they are ranked first in total defense.

However, the Broncos are fifth in total defense while Houston's offense has been up and down this season. Denver can definitely slow down C.J Stroud and this offense as the Texans' offensive line has struggled this season while Bronco's linebacker Nik Bonito is fourth in the NFL in sacks with 8.0.

Look for the Denver pass rush to affect this game while the Broncos have a chance to dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball in order to pull out a win in a potential defensive battle.

Why Houston will win:

Demeco Ryans found a way to get the job done against his former team last week when Houston defeated San Francisco 26-15. The former 49ers defensive coordinator found a way to shut down San Francisco's offense as the Texans got a much needed win.

A win against Denver would go a long way in putting Houston back into the AFC playoff picture and they get a much needed break with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II out due to injury.

The Broncos defense is still formidable but this could be the crack in the armor that Stroud and this offense needs to find a way to win. Stroud passed for a season-high 318 yards in last week's win without his number one receiver Nico Collins. Collins will be back for Sunday's game which will give Stroud another valuable target but last week's game gave others a chance to make an impact and showcase their skills.

Ryans will need his defense to put together another great performance if it has any chance of beating the Broncos. If Houston was able to slow down Kyle Shanahan's offense, they'll likely be able to find ways to make things tough for Sean Payton and Denver's offense.

Line: HOU -1.5

Over/Under: 40.5

Indianapolis Colts (7-1) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)

Sunday, Nov. 2, 11 a.m. MDT – Acrisure Stadium (CBS)

The AFC leading Colts travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in a battle of AFC division leaders.

Why Indianapolis will win:

The Colts have played like one of the best, if not the best, teams in the NFL this season thanks to a career-reviving season from Daniel Jones and an MVP caliber season from Jonathan Taylor. Taylor leads the league in rushing with 850 yards and has also accounted for 14 touchdowns this season and has helped power this team to a 7-1 record.

Indianapolis' offense should have no problem continuing to dominate as the Steelers' defense has been gashed in back-to-back games, allowing 30 or more points in losses to the Bengals and Packers.

Both Joe Flacco and Jordan Love threw for over 340 yards against Pittsburgh and it would be safe to assume that Jones could see similar success in the passing game. Taylor should also be in line for another big game after both Cincinnati and Green Bay found success on the ground as well.

Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has given the team more consistency on offense than they had seen over the past few seasons but they have still faced problems on offense like not having a true number two receiver opposite of DK Metcalf. The Colts should be able to do enough to slow down Pittsburgh's offense and allow their offense to do its thing.

Why Pittsburgh will win:

After two straight losses, the Steelers are feeling the pressure and now their rival, the Baltimore Ravens are back in the hunt for the division. This is a big game for Pittsburgh and their fans know it and they will do anything to make the home field advantage in this game affect Indianapolis.

The Steelers have invested the most money in the league on defense and made a trade to acquire safety Kyle Duggar from the Patriots earlier this week. Mike Tomlin will need his defense to have a much better showing this week and play like the way many expected they would before the season began.

Slowing down Taylor will be key for Pittsburgh if they want to successfully pull off the home set. Making the Colts one-dimensional may put more pressure on Jones and cause him to make mistakes with the Steelers will need to capitalize on.

Indianapolis ranked 24th in total defense but sixth in scoring defense, meaning Rodgers and this offense will need to finish drives with touchdowns and not stall on the opponent's side of the field like they did against Green Bay last week.

Pittsburgh went 1-for-1 in redzone trips but were just 1-of-10 on third down and forced to kick four field goals in the loss. A better offensive performance from the Steelers should give them a chance in this one.

Line: IND -3.5

Over/Under: 50.5

Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) vs. Buffalo Bills (5-2)

Sunday, Nov. 2, 2:25 p.m. MDT– Highmark Stadium (CBS)

A rematch of last season's AFC championship game takes place in Buffalo as the Chiefs face the Bills.

Why Kansas City will win:

Since losing to the Jaguars, Kansas City is red-hot and on a three-game winning streak. They are starting to look more like the team that has been to three straight Super Bowls and after getting wide receiver Rashee Rice back, Patrick Mahomes has a full cast of playmakers at his disposal.

With the offense starting to regain its form, the Chiefs will face a defense that ranks 12th in total defense but number two in pass defense.

Buffalo's pass defense has been mostly unchallenged this season as the Bills have only faced one team that currently has a record over .500. That team was the Patriots, and quarterback Drake Maye was able to carve up Buffalo's secondary on the way to a road win. The Lamar Jackson led Ravens also torched the Bills' defense for 40 points but collapsed late in the game and lost.

With Kansas City looking like a top offensive unit in the league once again, Mahomes and Andy Reid should be able to find ways to attack Buffalo and put points on the board.

Running back James Cook has been the key to the Bills' success on offense this season and shutting him down will be key for the Chiefs if they want to contain Josh Allen and Buffalo. If Kansas City can slow down Cook and continue their roll on offense, they will have a chance to pick up a playoff picture defining win in Buffalo.

Why Buffalo will win:

During the Josh Allen era in Buffalo, the Bills are 4-1 against the Mahomes led Chiefs in the regular season but 0-4 in the playoffs. It is almost a guarantee at this point that Buffalo will beat Kansas City in the regular season but lose to them in the playoffs.

I'm sure that the Bills and their fans would much rather win in January than November but getting a win on Sunday will push Buffalo closer to home field advantage in the playoffs.

Allen needs to be on top of his game in this one as the reigning NFL MVP will likely need to outduel Mahomes in order to get a win. The Chiefs once again have a great defense under Steve Spagnuolo but teams have found ways to score on them.

Offensive coordinator Joe Brady will need to scheme open receivers for Allen and take the load off Cook. Wide receivers Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir will need to step up, especially Coleman, who hasn't shown any real production since week 1.

On the other side of the ball, the Bills' defense will need to find a way to stop Kansas City's offense that has looked much better since a slow start to the season. Buffalo's biggest weakness on defense has been their run defense but the Chiefs have one of the worst running games in the league.

One of these teams will have a chance to flip the script but if the Bills can keep Kansas City one-dimensional, they should have a good shot to pull out the win at home.

Line: KC -1.5

Over/Under: 52.5

Seattle Seahawks (5-2) vs. Washington Commander (3-5)

Sunday, Nov. 2, 6:20 p.m. MDT – Northwest Stadium (NBC)

The Seahawks and Commanders square off in a Sunday Night Football matchup.

Why Seattle will win:

The Seahawks sit atop the NFC West as the whole team has been great to begin the 2025 season. The addition of quarterback Sam Darnold has been an upgrade over Geno Smith and his connection with receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has turned the Ohio State product into a star this season.

Darnold has thrown for 1,754 yards and 12 touchdowns while Smith-Njigba has hauled in 50 receptions for 819 yards and four touchdowns. They will pose a lot of challenges for a Washington defense that is a bottom five ranked unit in the league.

Jayden Daniels will return to the lineup for the Commanders after missing last week's game against the Chiefs but the second-year quarterback has been banged up multiple times this season and will be without his top target Terry McLaurin once again.

Seattle should be getting back their top cornerback, Devon Witherspoon, this week after the Pro Bowler missed the team's last three games and five total this season.

It remains to be seen if Daniels will still be slowed down by his second injury of the season but the Seahawks should be in a good position to win this primetime matchup.

Why Washington will win:

The Commanders have not looked like the same team that reached the NFC Championship game a year ago but injuries have played a part in their slow start. The team is still bitten by the injury bug but if Daniels is back to being 100%, this team is still very capable of beating good teams in the NFL.

Washington looked its best in their week 5 win over the Chargers in what was Daniels first game back after a knee injury. Rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt had his best game of the season in that one, rushing for 111 yards and two touchdowns. The Commanders will need to get him going if they want to unlock the full potential of their offense.

Head coach Dan Quinn has been a great defensive coach during his time in the NFL and he will need to find a way to get the most out of his defense in this one. Darnold has been prone to making mistakes throughout his career when under pressure so dialing up blitzes and getting to the Seahawks' signal caller should help Washington in this one.

Line: SEA -2.5

Over/Under: 48.5

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