Steelers fall further back in AFC with Week 9 predictions despite bye week

The Steelers are on a bye as the rest of the NFL gets ready for their Week 9 slate of matchups, but the predicted outcomes this week don’t help.

After another tough loss to the Eagles last week, the Steelers will be sitting at home getting some rest. They enter their bye week with one of their worst starts in recent memory. Not much hope seems to be on the horizon for Pittsburgh for the remainder of the season as they try to salvage it moving forward.

Prediction record after week 8: 48-40

Week 8 was our greatest prediction record yet. We only got four games incorrect and tallied some positive outcomes to our overall record. The NFL this year has been full of different upsets as many clubs across the league are struggling and sitting in the middle of the pack without the ability to rise up into contention.

Steelers will be on their bye week

Most fans know by now the two trades that the Steelers made just before the deadline passed. It seems like they are conceding to the season by acquiring a high draft pick, but they also brought in a player to help them win now. Those mixed signals could cause issues down the line when it comes to draft positioning for this team that does not seem to be going anywhere when it comes to playoff aspirations this year.

Philadelphia Eagles (8-0) vs Houston Texans (1-6-1), Thursday at 8:15 P.M. EST

Another Thursday night game that brings nothing to the table in terms of expectation. Most games during this weekly broadcast are rather dull and uninspiring for fans of the NFL watch. There are always favorites and clubs that dominate their opponent on Thursdays and the league needs to find a better product.

Final: Eagles 29, Texans 17

Philadelphia remains undefeated after they were able to take care of business against a lesser Houston team. The Eagles did struggle in some areas, which led to the score getting a little too close for comfort at times. The Texans will be a top-five pick in the draft as they are in full rebuild mode without many star players on the roster.

LA Chargers (4-3) vs Atlanta Falcons (4-4), Sunday at 1 P.M. EST

Starting off this week’s prediction article with a doozy as both clubs are trying to stay in the playoff conversation. The Chargers have significant injuries this year and that has hampered their hope of being contenders. The Falcons might be the biggest shocker currently as they sit on top of the NFC South as the top dog.

Prediction: Chargers 29, Falcons 24

Things should come down to the wire in this one, but Justin Herbert has been playing great all season. Expect him to be able to light up this Falcons’ secondary as their pass rush is almost non-existent. Atlanta will take a step back after a loss like this, but the division could end up being theirs even with a losing record.

Miami Dolphins (5-3) vs Chicago Bears (3-5), Sunday at 1 P.M. EST

Chicago just traded for Chase Claypool from the Steelers, but he will not be a game-changer for this club. The Bears’ offense needs a lot of work before an addition like a streaky receiver can take them to the next level. Expect the Dolphins to stay on course with their great abilities on offense.

Prediction: Dolphins 28, Bears 21

Miami should be able to take care of business on both sides of the ball. Justin Fields has not been his best and Bradley Chubb should make his day worse. Expect the Bears’ defense to keep them in this game for some time before the Dolphins’ offense becomes too much to handle.

Carolina Panthers (2-6) vs Cincinnati Bengals (4-4), Sunday at 1 P.M. EST

Carolina is sticking with P.J. Walker as their starting quarterback. Baker Mayfield is falling into his new role as their backup with the season still falling into deep decline. The Bengals head into this contest after a tough loss on the road against a bad Cleveland Browns team.

Prediction: Panthers 20, Bengals 27

It was a rough go of things for Cincinnati last week, but this game will give them a great opportunity to bounce back. They are missing some key components in their lineup, but they have been great at home. The Panthers are struggling, and they will ultimately lose this matchup after keeping it close. Carolina could be a winnable game when the Steelers finally see them later this season.

Green Bay Packers (3-5) vs Detroit Lions (1-6), Sunday at 1 P.M. EST

Green Bay is one of the most surprising clubs in the NFL for all the wrong reasons this year. They have not been good in most instances, but the offense is where things are most disturbing. Aaron Rodgers normally does not have a huge struggle against the Lions, but they could be on upset alert.

Prediction: Packers 31, Lions 26

This one could go in either direction, especially with how poorly both clubs are playing as they head into the matchup. The Lions have a good enough offense to compete, but the Green Bay defense has better players to outmatch them. Expect Rodgers and the offense to show some hope for this season by tallying up some points.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-5) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6), Sunday at 1 P.M. EST

Another game between two struggling clubs that are searching for their first win in weeks. The Raiders have struggled on the road this season and that could be the difference in the outcome of this one. Trevor Lawrence has shown signs of improvement in year two, but who knows if that will be enough to emerge victorious.

Prediction: Raiders 23, Jaguars 21

This is a toss-up as either club could win this contest. Las Vegas has the better players overall and that will become the difference maker. Derek Carr has not been great this year, but he is a more trustworthy quarterback than Lawrence is right now and that should help propel them to a narrow victory.

Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1) vs New England Patriots (4-4), Sunday at 1 P.M. EST

Indianapolis has fallen apart, and it is surprising that its record is as good as it currently is. That is going to fall further into the pit of despair as the season progresses further. They are now holding onto hope with a young backup quarterback coming into the fire and somehow leading this team through the flames.

Prediction: Colts 14, Patriots 24

New England looks like they are back on track as they will try their best to stick in the playoff hunt in a tough AFC East division. They should be able to take care of business against a poor Colts team that continues to deal with injuries. Mac Jones will play his safe style to victory and ride the coattails of the Patriots’ defense.

Buffalo Bills (6-1) vs New York Jets (5-3), Sunday at 1 P.M. EST

Not many people would have predicted this game to be huge when it comes to playoff positioning. Buffalo heads to New York against a feisty roster that the Jets carry, which is out to prove something. The Bills are firing on all cylinders right now and not too many teams will be able to beat them.

Prediction: Bills 33, Jets 19

Zach Wilson still has not had a game where he takes over and drags his team to a win. That will not happen here either as he gets ready to go up against the best defense in the league. Buffalo will be able to take care of business as the Jets will start to level off for the rest of the year.

Minnesota Vikings (6-1) vs Washington Commanders (4-4), Sunday at 1 P.M. EST

Put this one on upset alert as the Commanders have found a new confidence with their new starting quarterback. Taylor Heinicke has been able to light a spark for this team that has allowed them to pull off a few upsets of their own. Minnesota is playing some great football heading into this game, but Kirk Cousins could have an off day.

Prediction: Vikings 21, Commanders 18

Even though Heinicke has been able to play well enough to win some games, the Vikings bring too much of a mismatch. Expect Cousins to have an off game, which will allow the contest to be tight at the end score. A game-winning drive will make many fans forget about the terrible game that Cousins had to overcome.

Seattle Seahawks (5-3) vs Arizona Cardinals (3-5), Sunday at 4:05 P.M. EST

Seattle has been the biggest shocker to come out of the woodwork and win a lot of games. Geno Smith has done a lot of nice things and the defense has been able to give this team a chance to win almost every week. Arizona is desperate for a win as the first half of their schedule has not been kind to them.

Prediction: Seahawks 16, Cardinals 23

The Seahawks have been playing good football, and they have beaten the Cardinals earlier this year. Kyler Murray is due for a good game and the amount of firepower they have on offense needs to get them a victory. Expect the number of turnovers to impact the outcome of this contest with the Cardinals doing just enough.

LA Rams (3-4) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5), Sunday at 4:25 P.M. EST

Two teams enter this contest with the reality of not being as good as expected could be hitting them. Tampa Bay has struggled to form as a team this season and there seems to be no fix in sight. The Rams are dealing with injury issues as well as other concerns that have been plaguing their roster.

Prediction: Rams 24, Buccaneers 22

This is another hard prediction to make as it seems like the victor of this contest will be the one that turns their season around. The difference in this prediction was the type of teams that the Buccaneers have lost to like the Steelers and Panthers. The coaching staff of LA also gave them an edge in this prediction as well.

Tennessee Titans (5-2) vs Kansas City Chiefs (5-2), Sunday at 8:20 P.M. EST

If Derrick Henry can somehow play lights out and rush for over 200 yards, then the Titans could have a chance. That is unlikely to happen in a hostile environment and it should not matter if Ryan Tannehill suits up for this contest or not. Kansas City is playing at a high level and will be a Super Bowl contender when the playoffs roll around.

Prediction: Titans 21, Chiefs 35

Tennessee has an offense of Henry and that is about it currently. Tannehill has been in and out of the lineup, and he is not much of a game-changer like in previous years. Expect Patrick Mahomes to get a lead early that will force a couple of turnovers which will go in the favor of the home club in this game.

Baltimore Ravens (5-3) vs New Orleans Saints (3-5), Monday at 8:15 P.M. EST

The Ravens head on the road to take on the Saints, who will be playing the Steelers after their bye week. Keep a close eye on New Orleans as they have seen some success on offense with Andy Dalton as their starting quarterback. Baltimore heads into this contest as the bigger force with better players across their roster.

Prediction: Ravens 28, Saints 23

The extra day of rest should be able to help the Ravens elevate their play more. Lamar Jackson has been great this year with his attempt to chase down a new deal for this upcoming offseason. New Orleans is not the best team this season and Dalton has struggled against Baltimore for most of his career. The Steelers will be watching this game closely and so should fans.

The Steelers will be staying at home watching the rest of the NFL games this weekend. There are some interesting matchups that will prove the ultimate litmus test for some of these teams.