KSL.com Sports' Pro Football Pick'em Week 10 preview

SALT LAKE CITY — We have reached the halfway point of the NFL season and many intriguing matchups headline this week's KSL.com Sports' Pro Football Pick 'em.

Lamar Jackson is looking to help the Ravens continue their midseason turnaround against the Vikings, while the Patriots and Buccaneers face off against each other in a battle of two of the NFL's best squads.

The Eagles and Packers meet at Lambeau Field on Monday night as both teams look to pick up a major win in the NFC playoff picture to close out this week's slate of games.

Baltimore Ravens (3-5) vs. Minnesota Vikings (4-4)

Sunday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m. MST – U.S. Bank Stadium (FOX)

With both starting quarterbacks looking to turn things around after injuries, the Ravens travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings.

Why Baltimore will win:

Lamar Jackson's return last week may be the spark that can power Baltimore to a midseason run that propels the team to the playoffs. Jackson threw for four touchdown passes while Derrick Henry rushed for 119 yards. While the Ravens' offense is returning to form, the biggest change might have come from their defense.

Since trading pass rusher Odafe Oweh to the Chargers for safety Alohi Gilman on October 7, Baltimore went from allowing 35.4 points per game to just 13.0. Some people aren't convinced yet since they beat Chicago and Miami but the Bears scored 47 points the following week and in the Ravens' first game with Gilman, they held the explosive Rams offense to just 17 points despite the loss.

J.J. McCarthy did enough to help lift the Vikings over the Lions last week but can he keep it up against a defense that is so much better when Baltimore is able to play star safety Kyle Hamilton in the box? This game is going to come down to which team's quarterback can play better and at this point, it's hard not to go with the two-time MVP Jackson.

Why Minnesota will win:

Minnesota picked up a much-needed win in Detroit last Sunday and they will hope to build on that this week at home against a surging Ravens team. The Vikings have rallied around their young quarterback, McCarthy, and you can tell how much the team loves his grit and determination.

McCarthy made some big-time throws against the Lions as he threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. None of them might have been bigger than a clutch back shoulder fade to Jalen Nailor on third down to seal the win. McCarthy faces a Baltimore defense that still has holes, especially with their pass rush.

Minnesota has struggled at protecting their quarterbacks this season but a better showing against Detroit last week is something to build on. The Ravens have struggled to get to the quarterback, managing just 11 sacks this season. If McCarthy can have plenty of time in the pocket, this Vikings receiving core could wreak havoc on Sunday.

On the defensive side of the ball, Brian Flores' defense could cause problems for Baltimore and Jackson. When Flores was the head coach of the Dolphins in 2021, his team held the Ravens' offense to 10 points as Miami took home the victory. Flores decided to run cover 0 blitzes to get to Jackson and force him to make quick decisions but the Dolphins' secondary held up.

Minnesota will likely use a similar game plan this week and if they can get to Jackson, they could shut down Baltimore's offense.

Line: BAL -4.5

Over/Under: 49.5

New England Patriots (7-2) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)

Sunday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m. MST – Raymond James Stadium (CBS)

Two of the top teams in the NFL face off in Tampa Bay as the Patriots take on the Buccaneers.

Why New England will win:

The Drake Maye era has arrived as the second-year quarterback has already transformed the Patriots into contenders. New England is leading their division and riding a six-game winning streak into Sunday's game. They escaped the Falcons' late comeback attempt after Atlanta missed the PAT that would have tied the game.

The Patriots have found ways to win this season, whether it has been the arm of Maye or the defense coming through by forcing multiple turnovers. This week will likely require a combination of both in order to beat the Baker Mayfield-led Buccaneers.

Maye has thrown for 2,285 yards and 17 touchdowns this season despite not having an elite receiver. Stefon Diggs leads the team with 508 yards but Kayshon Boutte has been New England's deep threat. His status is questionable for this matchup but Demario Douglas stepped up after Boutte went down with an injury, as he finished with 100 yards and a touchdown against Atlanta.

The Patriots were able to hold the Bills to just 20 points at home, so their defense is capable of slowing down Tampa Bay's offense. New England will need a performance like that if they want to give their offense a chance to win this one.

Why Tampa Bay will win:

The Buccaneers will be just the third team that New England has played that has a winning record. It is no discredit to what the Patriots have been able to accomplish this season, as you play who's in front of you, but Tampa Bay may give the Patriots challenges they have seen this season.

New England did a good job of bottling up running back Bijan Robinson last week but struggled to stop Drake London and the rest of the Falcons' passing attack. This week should be a tougher task with the way Mayfield has played this season. The Buccaneers are also coming off their bye week with a chance to get healthier going into this game.

Running back Bucky Irving has missed the past four games due to injury and is currently questionable for this matchup. Even if he is still unable to go, Rachaad White has filled in well and gives Tampa Bay plenty of upside. Mayfield has found success with whoever he has shared the field with as the team has faced many injuries.

Rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has begun blossoming into a star and he has the number one spot locked up with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin sidelined with injuries. Fellow rookie receiver Tez Johnson has also seen an uptick in production as these Buccaneers continue to step up.

With the Patriots likely to be without Boutte this week, their offense could be without their top deep threat, it may be harder for them to keep up with Tampa Bay's offense.

Line: TB -2.5

Over/Under: 48.5

New Orleans Saints (1-8) vs. Carolina Panthers (5-4)

Sunday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m. MST – Bank of America Stadium (FOX)

An NFC South battle takes place in Charlotte with the Saints and Panthers squaring off.

Why New Orleans will win:

Head coach Kellen Moore made the decision to go to rookie quarterback Tyler Shough for the rest of the season after up-and-down performances from Spencer Rattler. It didn't work out in last week's loss to the Rams but that is to be expected against one of the top teams in the NFC.

Carolina has been all over the place this season, looking like a playoff contender at times but also getting blown out a few times. NFC South matchups can be tricky and even though Halloween has passed, the Saints can still get some treats.

Despite trading wideout Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans opted to hold onto Chris Olave, who leads the team in receiving yards (560) and touchdowns (3). Running back Alvin Kamara was also not moved at the deadline so Shough will still have his top two weapons for this matchup. Taysom Hill may also see an increased workload in his utility role.

The Saints will need their defense to force turnovers and get timely stops against Bryce Young and this Panthers' offense if they want to give their offense a chance in this one. Slowing down Rico Dowdle will be key as he has been dominant in the rushing game since Chuba Hubbard went down with an injury.

Dowdle has taken over the number one spot in the backfield and his performance has helped open up Carolina's offense. If New Orleans can contain Dowdle, they will have a chance at the upset.

Why Carolina will win:

The Panthers came away with a gritty win against the Packers on the road in Young's return from a one-week absence. Dowdle continued his great stretch of games with 130 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday and he is now up to 735 yards on the year.

Young struggled but Carolina found a way to win behind a great defensive performance and dominant ground game. The Saints are allowing 27.0 points per game so this is a prime opportunity for Young and the passing offense to find more balance with the team's ground attack.

The Packers outgained the Panthers by over 100 yards but key stops and turnovers from Carolina's defense helped them escape with a win. Facing a rookie quarterback this week will be an easier test for the Panthers and with Shaheed not in the fold anymore, Carolina can put more focus on stopping Olave.

If the Panthers can play the way they did last week and when they have been at their best this season, they should be able to pick up a big division win.

Line: CAR -5.5

Over/Under: 38.5

Los Angeles Rams (6-2) vs. San Francisco 49ers (6-3)

Sunday, Nov. 9, 2:25 p.m. MST– Levi's Stadium (FOX)

NFC West rivals meet for the second time this season as the Rams head north to play the 49ers.

Why Los Angeles will win:

Los Angeles fell short in overtime in their first meeting against San Francisco despite having a chance to win the game. The Rams are on a three-game winning streak since that loss and Matthew Stafford has thrown 10 touchdown passes in that span.

Things are clicking on both sides of the ball for Los Angeles as they are ranked in the top 10 for both scoring offense and scoring defense. With the way Stafford and this offense has been playing, along with how the defense has been shutting down opposing offenses, it is hard to see how the 49ers can find the same success against the Rams as they did earlier this season.

Losing Nick Bosa and Fred Warner is a giant blow to San Francisco's defense and without those two and this year's first round pick Mykel Williams, it will be harder to hold this team to 23 points like they did in week 5.

Despite the injuries, these two teams have had close battles over the years and that should continue this week, however, the Rams should be able to pick up the road win.

Why San Francisco will win:

The 49ers might be without Brock Purdy once again as he battles a toe injury that has kept him sidelined for seven of the last eight games but Mac Jones has filled in well, even defeating this Los Angeles team in their previous matchup.

Injuries have occurred since that meeting but San Francisco remains one of the best coached teams under head coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Saleh will need to find ways to generate more sacks and turnovers as his defense has just recorded one interception this season to go along with 11 sacks. Bryce Huff will be leaned on more to generate a pass rush for this team.

Shanahan will find a way to get the most out of his players, especially utilizing his star running back Christian McCaffrey in a variety of ways. McCaffrey has already eclipsed over 1,200 scrimmage yards and with Juan Jennings and George Kittle getting back to full health, this 49ers offense will continue to get better.

The offense will have to find ways to take over this game in order to help out their banged up defense and

Line: LAR -4.5

Over/Under: 49.5

Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) vs. Green Bay Packers (5-2-1)

Monday, Nov. 10, 6:15 p.m. MST – Lambeau Field (ESPN)

The Packers host the Eagles as Philadelphia returns from their bye week as both teams look to pick up a massive win in the NFC playoff race.

Why Philadelphia will win:

The Eagles used their bye week to get healthier while general manager Howie Roseman made some deals before the trade deadline to add veteran cornerback Jaire Alexander and linebacker Jaelan Phillips. These moves should help shore up their defense that has struggled at times this season, coming in as the 18th ranked total defense in the NFL.

Green Bay is coming off a disappointing home loss to the Panthers in a game in which they outgained Carolina. Not being able to finish off drives doomed the Packers and if that continues on Monday night, they will likely face the same fate.

Philadelphia has looked much better on offense over their last two games, scoring 66 points across games against the Vikings and Giants. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been terrific as he has thrown seven touchdown passes with just nine incompletions in those two games. Devonta Smith has been getting more targets and producing better than he did to begin the season.

A.J. Brown missed the team's last game and should be back for this one, giving Hurts another weapon. Running back Saquon Barkley had his best rushing performance of the season against the Giants, rushing for 150 yards and a touchdown.

With some new additions to the defense and the offense starting to click, the Eagles could be poised to claim their fourth road victory of the season.

Why Green Bay will win:

Green Bay has been a hard team to get a read on this season. They have had dominant performances but also some that leave you scratching your head. They tied with the Cowboys after allowing 40 points and escaped Arizona with a win and also lost to the Panthers at home last week.

They have a top five defense but have struggled to generate turnovers this season. This week they face a quarterback that doesn't turn the ball over but the Packers may still be able to get to Hurts. The pass rushing tandem of Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary has been a dominant duo for Green Bay with the pair accounting for 14 sacks through eight games.

Getting pressure on Hurts can potentially force him into making mistakes that he frequently doesn't but the Packers are capable of slowing down the Eagles offense as they have a stout run defense that could take Barkley out of the game and make Hurts beat them with his arm.

Jordan Love has cut back on the turnovers this season but still has shown inconsistencies at times. He will need to have a much better game than he did against Carolina if Green Bay wants to win this one.

Despite losing star tight end Tucker Kraft to an ACL injury, the Packers still have plenty of weapons for Love and with Philadelphia working in new players into their secondary, Love and the Packers can take full advantage with a dominant passing game.

Line: GB -1.5

Over/Under: 45.5

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