The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens did not disappoint on Thursday night. In their earlier meeting this season, the two AFC North rivals combined for 962 yards and 10 touchdowns, and the game was decided by a field goal in overtime.
In the second meeting on Thursday, they combined for 859 yards and 10 touchdowns, and the game ended with a missed two-point conversion that would have won it for the Bengals by one point.
The downside is that, at 4-6, the Bengals now have a less than a 20% chance of making the playoffs, which means we likely won’t get a third game between these two in the playoffs.
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-7.5)
At one point last season, the Kansas City Chiefs had a 16-game winning streak against the Denver Broncos. It was the fourth-longest winning streak against a single opponent in NFL history. As we head into Sunday’s game, the Broncos are on a one-game winning streak against the Chiefs.
So how can Denver recapture the magic that beat Kansas City? Force five turnovers, as they did in that game. And hold the Chiefs to field goals and not touchdowns, as they did in that game.
Those things are unlikely to happen, which means it will come down to the Broncos defense ignoring their poor showing last week against the Ravens, and get back to the defense that held the Pittsburgh Steelers to 13 points and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to seven.
For Kansas City, what they have to do is to continue to work DeAndre Hopkins into the offense. In six games this season while he was with Tennessee, Hopkins had 173 yards and one touchdown. In two games with KC, he has 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Buffalo Bills (-4) at Indianapolis Colts
We saw the Ravens continue their winning ways. The Chiefs are 8-0 on top of the AFC. If you were to pick the third-best team in the conference, your choice is likely to be the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have won four straight games and they’ve scored over 30 points in three straight. They’re also led by Josh Allen, who is the second betting favorite to win the MVP at +350.
While everything seems to be coming together for Buffalo, things seem to be falling apart in Indianapolis. Anthony Richardson is the future of this team, but Joe Flacco was given the start last week because he gives the Colts a better opportunity to win now. Except that Flacco was terrible, going 16-of-27 for 179 yards and an interception and fumble, and Indianapolis lost.
Allen is 28-years-old. Joe Burrow is 27, Lamar Jackson is 27, and Patrick Mahomes is 29. Is 39-year-old Joe Flacco really going to compete in the AFC?
Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Commanders (-3)
They are unlikely first place teams, but the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Commanders have what it takes to stay at the top through the rest of the season.
The Steelers are allowing 14.9 points per game, which is second-best in the NFL. The Commanders are scoring 29.2 points per game, which ranks third. Washington averages 163.9 yards rushing per game, which is third in the NFL. The Steelers are allowing 90.5 yards rushing per game, which is fourth.
It’s a great offense and a terrific rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels vs. a great defense and a veteran quarterback in Russell Wilson, who has found the fountain of youth in Western Pennsylvania.
San Francisco 49ers (-6.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
That collective cheer you heard this week was fantasy football owners who drafted Christian McCaffrey with the first overall pick. Head coach Kyle Shanahan says that McCaffrey will play on Sunday for the first time this season.
It’s great for fantasy lineups and it’s great for the 49ers, who find themselves in the mix of the tightest division race in the NFL. Only one game separates the first-place Arizona Cardinals (5-4) from the last-place Seattle Seahawks (4-5). The 49ers are 4-4, and even with all of the injuries they’ve suffered this season, they can still make a run.
That begins on Sunday at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, losers of three straight. But those losses came against the Ravens, Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons – teams with a combined 21 wins. In their seven games after their bye next week, the Bucs opponents have a total of 18 wins.
Tampa Bay has the easiest remaining schedule, and their season is far from over.
Detroit Lions (-3.5) at Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are looked at as a bit of a disappointment in 2024, but they actually have a better record this season through nine weeks than they did a year ago. C.J. Stroud hasn’t been the same player, but he’s also had to make do in recent weeks without wide receivers Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs.
If they really are Super Bowl contenders in the AFC – they are paying +1200 to win conference – this is an excellent week to show it.
The Detroit Lions are as good as anyone in the NFL, and maybe better than everyone. They are first in points scored per game, fifth in points allowed per game, and Jared Goff is playing the best football of his career. He is +700 to win the MVP award, and his team is +450 to win its first Lombardi Trophy.
With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.
