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NFL Betting Predictions: Week 9 Opening Line Report and Picks

by Mike Pruitt - 11/2/2021

NFL predictions Carson Wentz Indianapolis Colts Week 9 opening line report and picks

Week 8 was a really fun one. Not only did we see one of the most climactic/anti-climactic wins of the year when the Green Bay Packers picked off Kyler Murray in the end zone when future hall of famer A.J. Green didn’t even turn around for the pass and it fell somehow directly in the hands of the defender and the game was over before anyone even knew what happened.

The memes that will be released with Aaron Rodgers helmet mushed up his face will be hilarious. There is gold and there is pure gold, and that camera shot is Fort Knox level pure gold.

We went 1-1 on our early-week predictions against the spread. The Dallas Cowboys came through for us and covered the 2 points with a 4-point win over the Minnesota Vikings. I hate to admit it, but Dak and "Them Boyz" are looking more and more like a Super Bowl team every week.

Let's hope they play the Buffalo Bills and the Mafia enacts revenge for the ghosts of Thurman Thomas and Jim Kelly who just got Khabib-level smashed back in the 90s by one of the best Dallas Cowboy teams that have ever been assembled.

In our other play, we took the Cincy Bengals to cover 10 points against the lowly New York Jets. And what do you know, they didn’t even win the game much less cover two scores! That was bust!

We move on, though, like always to week 9 of the 2021 NFL regular season. Let’s focus on a couple more matchups this week and see if we can’t get both of the victories and put us in the green to stay for the rest of November and for the finality of 2021 as well.

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

New York Jets vs Indianapolis Colts (+10.5, 46)

The New York Jets as we mentioned in the opener are coming off of a huge win last week over the formerly first place Cincy Bengals. That, of course, came as a massive shock to us all. Could there be a potential hangover in the works on a short week for the J.E.T.S. Jets?

I am going to say no. I think if they had to wait until Sunday then maybe so, but the team didn't even have time to enjoy the victory before their focus had to shift towards the Indianapolis Colts who they will be playing this Thursday night.

The Indianapolis Colts kicked off the 2021 regular season with 3 consecutive losses but since then have won 3 of 5 games to bring their record to 3-5. It doesn't look like they will be a playoff team. However, they are still in it, technically, so I expect a gutsy performance from Indy nonetheless.

The Colts have yet to beat a team with a winning record, but I suppose that isn’t applicable here against the Jets, who are actually 2-2 in their last 4 games with victories over 2 teams with winning records, the Bengals and the Tennessee Titans.

Indy really struggles on offense scoring the ball in the red zone as well as defensively allowing opposing squads to score at a 68% rate inside of the 20. Not a good look from the Colts here.

Statistically, overall, though, the Jets are at the bottom of the league, especially on offense. However, as we stated, they are playing better these last few weeks and you know the confidence level will be there after beating a couple of the AFC's best in the past few weeks.

I think this one will come down to whether or not the Colts can establish the run game early and often. They rank 7th in the NFL this year in yards per carry, but the Jets counter that with the 7th best run defense in the league.

The other key will be turnovers as the Colts rank near the top of the NFL is takeaway ratio, while the Jets are at the bottom. That is a stat, though, that could easily go one way or the other, so I am not taking that into account very much so in our capping.

Indy should probably be a 2-point favorite off the top and give them 3 points for home field and we are still at 5 or 6. At 10.5, I like the Jets chances to keep this one close.

Pick: Jets (+10.5)

New England Patriots vs Carolina Panthers (-3, 41)

This point total is pretty low. There is a reason for it, I know, but wow. Only 41 points, though...hmm.

Could it be a trap? Let’s look at some of the statistics of each squad from and see where the value is on either the Pats minus 3, the Panthers with the points, or perhaps that point total.

The Pats put up 25 a game and the Panthers give up 25 a game, so we can assume New England will score at least 20 in this spot. It is the New England defense, though, that has been so good this year.

Opposing quarterbacks have mostly been owned by Bill Belichick. After winning their first 3 games this season, the Panthers have struggled mightily, losing 4 of 5 ball games, including being embarrassed by the New York Giants 25-3 a little over a week ago.

If Sam Darnold, who left last week's game with a concussion, doesn't play, New England could very well win this one 28-7 or 28-10, and our over wouldn't hit. I like the Pats to cover here, though, and I don't want to wait on the news of whether or not Darnold gets the go.

I think the team knows he is their quarterback of the future, and they aren’t likely to make the playoffs. The Pats are also one of the scariest defenses in the league, so Sam will be best suited on the sidelines.

Pick: Patriots (-3)

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