Cold Open
Well, the Rams have done it again. To hell with draft picks, go get Von Miller. I'll never not applaud a team for going all-in to win a Super Bowl. However, a team that's already traded a combined four first-round picks for Matt Stafford and Jalen Ramsey has now dumped their upcoming second- and third-round picks for Miller. The fact is, at some point, you can't keep trading draft picks without it coming back to bite you down the line. If you win a Super Bowl title, it doesn't matter if you put yourself in a mediocre-to-bad hole for years.
Miller ranks fourth in the league in pressures, while Aaron Donald ranks first. The problem with Miller is his ability to stay on the field -- he hasn't played a full, elite season since 2018. The Rams may have already been the favorite to win the NFC. In fact, fans and analysts alike picked them to host a Super Bowl during the preseason. Did trading away future starter-type players as picks on the cheap make sense to get Miller, whose health is in question? The allure of a star name traded results in applause for the Rams. But are they that much better now?
Ten-Yard Gain
No. 1: Excluding quarterbacks, Derrick Henry is the most valuable player in all of football. The Titans' questions about how good Ryan Tannehill's post-Miami renaissance has been will soon be answered. We've seen teams make the playoffs but lose quarterbacks late in the year. This results in lousy playoff games with teams that almost seem unworthy of a playoff spot. I can't help but think the Titans have that potential this year, but because of a running back... which, by the way, should be the easiest position to replace.
No. 2: Defenses have figured out the Chiefs' offense. They're using a two-high safety look against Mahomes, who continues to look confused. For the first time in his young career, Mahomes is facing true adversity. I refuse to believe he won't solve their glaring issues. But, his weapons are suddenly not so glamorous. The reliable Sammy Watkins and Anthony Sherman are gone. Tyreek Hill is still a game changer, but Travis Kelce surprisingly looks like he's getting old in a hurry.
No. 3: Mike White's performance for the Jets last Sunday grabbed headlines, but the Bengals' letdown was inexcusable. Following their beatdown of the Ravens on the road, they were in the driver's seat in a difficult AFC North. They're too young and too raw to be cocky. They led 17-7. How do you blow that game, against that team?
No. 4: It sure looks like Odell Beckham Jr.'s time with the Browns is over. The trade was still worth it for Cleveland, as Jabrill Peppers -- a first-round pick that became Dexter Lawrence -- and a couple of shaky third-rounders didn't necessarily net the Giants much improvement. Although Beckham has done himself no favors, he's been dealt a bad hand of quarterbacks, between an old Eli Manning and this version of Baker Mayfield.
No. 5: Aaron Rodgers is a coward. Tell it like it is. If you don't want a vaccine forced on you, I truly understand the argument, probably more so than most media members in 2021. However, own it. Don't be afraid to get crushed when asked questions about it. Carson Wentz, Kirk Cousins, and Lamar Jackson all dealt with it and we moved on. Now Rodgers just looks like a weirdo and soft.
Stacy Revere / Staff / Getty Images
No. 6: Dak Prescott is once again taking first-team reps in Cowboys practice. One roster decision Mike McCarthy made at the end of training camp could be the difference in playoff seeding. He didn't stick with Ben DiNucci or Garrett Gilbert as the backup. He went with Cooper Rush. And that choice paid off last weekend against Minnesota. How many other teams win a game like that?
No. 7: Russell Wilson is getting the pin out of his thumb and could be back next week. The Seahawks' season is far from over, when looking at the Panthers and their four wins as the final wild card. A happy long-term marriage between Wilson and the Seahawks could happen if November and December invites them to a magic carpet ride in a weak conference.
No. 8: Bettors who took the over in Packers-Cardinals got burned last week. At 50.5, the game was a clear over when Aaron Jones ran into the end zone with three minutes left. Somehow, replay over turned the score. The Packers failed to score three more times from inside the five-yard line. On the ensuing drive, Kyler Murray's costly red zone interception kept the game under. So far, the worst beat of the season.
No. 9: Joe Judge claiming season-long headset issues -- and the NFL calling him out for not being honest -- may be the back-breaking moment to his tenure as head coach of the Giants. He's shooting down follow-up questions, and it's clear he wasn't prepared to be called out on a bogus response, as if he thought he was smarter than everyone else. Judge says all the right things leading into games, but making excuses after pathetic losses is a tired act.
No. 10: I'm not going to crush Jameis Winston for dancing with his crutches after tearing his ACL on Sunday. Instead, I'm going to laugh because it was hysterical. The fact that the Saints had a fog machine ready in their locker room and Winston was caught celebrating naturally was flat-out perfect. Speedy recovery.
Sean Gardner / Stringer / Getty Images
Five Games to Chew On
Cardinals at 49ers: Arizona is coming off that excruciating Thursday loss and finds themselves tied with the Rams atop the NFC West. As for the 49ers, they've been the definition of mediocre. Yes, there's room for San Francisco in the NFC playoff picture, but they must act like they belong.
Patriots at Panthers: Carolina righted the ship by beating the Falcons on Sunday, but their offense without Christian McCaffrey still leaves much to be desired. This game is a fascinating test if Sam Darnold -- who's questionable to play -- sees ghosts against a Bill Belichick defense. The Patriots had their first real win of the year last week, beating the Chargers in Los Angeles.
Browns at Bengals: This has been a week of headaches for the Browns. They lost to a Steelers team without a kicker, had Odell's dad call out Baker on social media, had to answer questions about Odell, and now have to play this Bengals team. Cincinnati can't afford to let the goodwill built up in October slip in November with back to back losses.
Packers at Chiefs: It's truly amazing how both of the top games this week have lost their luster. Thanks a bunch, Rodgers. Jordan Love's first start will give some juice, and the Chiefs' problems are real. The Packers' defense has to roll with the two-high safety gameplan against Mahomes. The question is, if the Chiefs score in the low 20s, can Love get enough going offensively?
Titans at Rams: This was a very sexy Sunday night game before Henry hurt his foot. Now the Titans must turn the page and figure out how to win without their best player. The Rams welcome Von Miller into an already elite defense, ready to rattle Tannehill. All that'll be missing from this game is one yard short.
Bob Levey / Stringer / Getty Images
My Picks
Our first losing week of the season (1-2) dropped the overall record to 17-7.
For this week:
Bills (-14.5) at Jaguars: The Bills' late cover last week annoyed Brian Flores and the Dolphins. It didn't annoy me, for obvious reasons. The poor weather of wind and cold hurt what should've been a feet-up day with a big number. Now Buffalo heads to warmer conditions to play a Jaguars team that looked disinterested against Seattle. Buffalo will flex early and never look back.
Chargers (-2) at Eagles: The Chargers' loss at home against the Patriots was inexcusable. They came off a bye and let New England control the fourth quarter. Now they fly east to play an Eagles team that just beat the snot out of the Lions. The Chargers are second in the NFL in drops, and the potential of wet weather late could lead to more. However, the Eagles are 1-6 straight up in their last seven home games. The Chargers are 8-3 in their last 11 games against the spread. Are they really going to lay another egg?
Cowboys (-10) vs. Broncos: This pick is on the assumption that Prescott plays. My current book has this at 9.5, others have 10.5. So, I'll play it with either, but 10 seems to be the average. The Broncos are a lousy team that's now dealing Von Miller trade questions. The Cowboys' defense will force turnovers against Teddy Bridgewater. A 31-13 score feels right here.
Football Food of the Week
Chicken Parm Balls. No dips. No Halloween clichés. Just some crunchy and gooey deliciousness. A blend of ground chicken, mozzarella, crispy coating, and seasoning busting in your mouth with every bite. Dip with a side of marinara sauce. Wait, are we allowed to mention dips? Full recipe here: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/crispy-chicken-parm-balls-4614200
Thanks for reading as always, and enjoy Week 9. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @MrazCBS.