The NFL season is shaping up nicely and there is a blockbuster international clash to headline Week 9 as the Kansas City Chiefs face the Miami Dolphins in Germany.
This week’s five-strong 20/1 acca features some of the week’s biggest matchups, including the clash between NFC contenders the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys.
Recommended five-fold: Chiefs -2.5, Commanders +3.5, Eagles -3, Cincinnati Bengals money line, New York Jets +3
Kansas City Chiefs -2.5 @ Miami Dolphins
Washington Commanders +3.5 @ New England Patriots
Philadelphia Eagles -3 v Dallas Cowboys
Cincinnati Bengals money line v Buffalo Bills
New York Jets +3 v LA Chargers
Chiefs @ Dolphins
The Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins are two of four teams in the AFC with records of 6-2 as they get set to do battle in Frankfurt, Germany.
The Chiefs were a shadow of themselves in a 24-9 loss to the Denver Broncos last week and will be hoping to bounce back after producing comfortably the worst offensive performance of their season.
Nevertheless Patrick Mahomes still ranks third in passing yards with 2,258 and it would be a mistake to write off the Chiefs offense from bouncing straight back.
Number one in passing yards is Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa with 2,416 and this looks set to be a clash between two of the league’s best slingers.
Mahomes was dealing with flu symptoms last week and back to full fitness, should be able to deliver the win and cover the spread for the Chiefs.
Tua Tagovailoa passing yards leader
Commanders @ Patriots
The Washington Commanders gave one of the best teams in the NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles, a fright on Sunday, in an end-to-end game that eventually finished 38-31 to the Eagles.
Sam Howell threw for 397 yards and four touchdowns for the Commanders and anything near that level of performance again should be enough to get the better of an under-powered New England Patriots.
The Pats rank 31st in the NFL for scoring with just 14.8 points per game. Despite Washington’s issues on defence, New England may not have enough firepower to take advantage.
If the Commanders can keep up their attacking pace, Mac Jones and the Patriots simply may not have enough to match them.
Take the Commanders to cover the spread in what should be an intriguing affair.
Cowboys @ Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are the top team in the NFL at present, sitting at 7-1 after a 38-31 win over the Washington Commanders last week.
They face a tougher assignment in Week 9 however as they host the 5-2 Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas racked up a high-scoring win over the Los Angeles Rams last week, scoring 43 points in an impressive performance.
CeeDee Lamb has 158 yards receiving and two touchdowns, so the Eagles secondary will have their work cut out.
This Eagles outfit are a big step up on the Rams however and Philadelphia should be able to keep rolling.
Jalen Hurts and the infamous ‘Tush Push’ play makes their offense so difficult to defend against and the Cowboys have tended to come up short away from Dallas.
The Cowboys are 2-2 on the road, compared to the Eagles immaculate record at home and that may be the difference between the two teams.
Philadelphia are also 4-0 this season against the spread when they are favoured by less than six points so take them to cover once again in this blockbuster NFC matchup.
Lamb in great form for the Cowboys
Bills @ Bengals
The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals have been two of the dominant forces in the AFC in recent seasons and met in the AFC Divisional round last season, with the Bengals running out 24-17 winners.
These two have not been their typically impressive selves this season but Cincinnati, who are 4-3, are on a roll after winning three in a row, including a 31-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers last week.
Beating a top team in that fashion showed that the Bengals are a force again this year and they are fancied to beat the Bills.
Buffalo are 5-3 but were beaten by a poor New England Patriots team and lost in London to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Buffalo defense has struggled recently and they have a tough task against Joe Burrow, who has eight touchdowns and two interceptions in his last three games.
Key target Ja’Marr Chase has 31 catches for 372 yards and four touchdowns in the same spell and the duo seem to be clicking again.
That should worry the Bills and Cincinnati are fancied to win a close encounter.
Chargers @ Jets
The New York Jets came through an ugly game against their rivals the New York Giants last time out to win 13-10 in overtime and they have now won three in a row.
Zach Wilson didn’t have his best game but came up big late on with two big throws to keep the game alive and allow his team to win it in overtime.
An impressive defense will keep the Jets in any game and their special teams also impressed last week, particularly punter Thomas Morstead who registered 529 yards on 11 punts.
New York’s special teams and defense can help bail out a struggling offense and they are fancied to keep doing so against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Justin Herbert had a good game in their 30-13 win over the Chicago Bears but they came up short against the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs in the two weeks before that, New York are not quite on that level but they do have a habit of keeping things close.
The Jets are fancied to cover the spread in a game that may come down to whose defense can make the bigger plays, which New York have the better track record of doing.
