NFL Week 9: Expert Picks, Predictions, and Best Bets

Week 9 of the NFL is here and we’re back with our expert picks, predictions, and best bets. 

It’s Week 9 in the NFL—a point in the season where dreams of division titles and playoff hopes start to crystallize, where each game begins to carry the weight of December in the heart of fall. We’ve just come off a perfect 3-0 Thursday Night. Now, as we look to Sunday, three pivotal NFC matchups lie ahead, each carrying its own storylines, each ready to reshape the contours of the playoff picture.

In Week 9, everything is still possible. For some, it’s a chance to solidify a season; for others, a last-stand moment to stay in the race. The battles are set, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Check out our Week 9 NFL expert picks, predictions, and best bets!

NFL Week 9 Expert Picks, Predictions, and Best Bets

Cowboys vs. Falcons Betting Preview

All Cowboys vs. Falcons odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Friday, Nov. 1.

• Spread
  Falcons -3
• Moneyline
  Cowboys +145, Falcons -175
• Over/Under
  52
• Game Time
   1:00 p.m. ET
• Location
  Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, GA
• Predicted Weather at Kick
  Indoors
• How To Watch
  FOX

At the heart of the NFC’s shifting landscape, the Atlanta Falcons welcome the Dallas Cowboys in what may be the pivotal game for both teams as the NFL nears midseason.

For Dallas, Week 9 arrives with a sense of urgency. The Cowboys, reeling from consecutive losses, are dealing with a bruised lineup that includes star linebacker Micah Parsons, among ten others on the injury report. The Falcons’ stakes are equally high, aiming to prove their standing in a conference that’s anyone’s to claim. With both Parsons and Atlanta’s Matthew Judon questionable, these teams are bracing for a matchup defined as much by who’s sidelined as who’s taking the field.

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott faces mounting pressure to deliver. The run game, once a cornerstone of this offense, is waning. Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook, showing their years, have struggled to find daylight, while lead-back Rico Dowdle has been more effective in the passing game than on the ground. With Atlanta favored by a field goal, the Cowboys may find themselves in catch-up mode, leaning heavily on Prescott’s arm.

With that said, I will zig and back up the Cowboys here. This is what Dak does. He gets into impossible situations and then puts on a show, and everyone jumps on the “Dak is underrated” bandwagon. I think he pulls that off this week.

The Prediction: Cowboys 27 – Falcons 23

Best Bet: Cowboys +3

Dak Prescott firing his team up every week pic.twitter.com/mvpMy79zkY

— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) October 28, 2024

Bears vs. Cardinals Betting Preview

All Bears vs. Cardinals odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Friday, Nov. 1.

• Spread
  Cardinals -1.5
• Moneyline
  Bears +105, Cardinals -125
• Over/Under
  44.5
• Game Time
   4:05 p.m. ET
• Location
  State Farm Stadium | Glendale, AZ
• Predicted Weather at Kick
  Indoors
• How To Watch
  CBS

The Chicago Bears head to the Arizona desert on Sunday afternoon, reeling from a gut-wrenching 18-15 loss to Washington that ended in heartbreak. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, fresh from the most challenging game of his young career, led a stunning late-game comeback to seize the lead in the final minute. Yet a last-second Hail Mary left the Bears’ comeback—and their spirits—crushed. With two starters missing in the secondary, the Bears’ defense had managed to stifle Washington’s top-ranked scoring offense, holding them scoreless in the touchdown column until that fateful play.

For Chicago, this game feels like a crossroads. Not only do they need the win to bounce back from last week’s stinging defeat, but with divisional matchups looming, this is a game they can’t afford to lose. Arizona, however, presents a real challenge, sitting at four wins and boasting key offensive talents in Kyler Murray, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Trey McBride. The Cardinals, riding a two-game win streak, will put Chicago to the test.

Arizona’s defense allows 25.6 points per game and has shown vulnerability on the ground. If the Bears feed running back D’Andre Swift—Chicago’s most consistent offensive weapon since Week 4—they’ll create play-action opportunities for Williams. The Bears flashed offensive potential before last week’s slump, scoring 30+ points in consecutive games, and they’ll need that same spark to overcome Arizona. For Chicago, a victory here could signal a season-defining shift.

The Prediction: Bears 24 – Cardinals 20

Best Bet: Bears +1.5

Found one, and his name is Caleb Williams. https://t.co/VZqjnJ3hTH pic.twitter.com/0004dbrT0r

— 𝓻𝔂𝓪𝓷 (@chitowncw) November 1, 2024

Lions vs. Packers Betting Preview

All Lions vs. Packers odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Friday, Nov. 1.

• Spread
  Lions -3
• Moneyline
  Lions -150, Packers +125
• Over/Under
  48
• Game Time
   4:25 p.m. ET
• Location
  Lambeau Field | Green Bay, WI
• Predicted Weather at Kick
  53* Rain Possible
• How To Watch
  FOX

The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers meet this week for something that, for years, seemed unthinkable—a true battle for control of the NFC North. After decades of Green Bay dominance, Detroit is finally writing a different script. Having won four of their last five against the Packers, the Lions come in as the hottest team in the NFC, riding a five-game winning streak and averaging an eye-popping 43 points per game over their last four matchups.

Quarterback Jared Goff is in the midst of an MVP-level season, with David Montgomery and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs forming a dynamic running back duo that has transformed Detroit’s offense into the league’s highest-scoring unit. Their defense is no footnote, either, ranking in the top 10 against the run and in points allowed.

But Green Bay isn’t fading quietly. Winners of their last four games, the Packers have rallied around a revitalized game plan. They managed to hold off the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, despite quarterback Jordan Love leaving with a groin strain. His status remains uncertain, adding an extra layer of suspense to this high-stakes matchup.

The Lions have struggled against bruising running backs recently—a potential Achilles’ heel the Packers, with their physical style, might just be able to exploit.