The 2025 season is one of the most wide open for many years as, entering Week 9, 13 teams have recorded at least five wins, the third-highest number through eight weeks since 1970, trailing only 1986 (16 teams) and 2020 (14).

Last week also saw three teams who entered the week with one or fewer wins get one in the W column, including a first win as head coach for Aaron Glenn of the New York Jets. The Jets overcame a 15-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Bengals, the fourth such win by an NFL team this season. Entering 2025, teams had lost 135 consecutive games when trailing by 15-or-more entering the fourth quarter, including the postseason.

It’s been a wacky campaign.

Let’s get to the Week 9 games.

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GAME OF THE WEEK

Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) @ Buffalo Bills (5-2)

Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen face off for the ninth time as the Chiefs, slowly getting their game back in working order, travel to upstate New York for a clash with the Bills.

These are two of the most well-rounded teams in the league in terms of offensive and defensive output, as the Bills rank third overall with 382.9 offensive yards per game and the Chiefs fifth with 378.3. Meanwhile, Buffalo (161.9 yards per game allowed) and Kansas City (177.8) lead the AFC in passing defense. The Chiefs are 1-2 on the road this season while the Bills boast a 3-1 record at home.

Mahomes has three touchdown passes in each of his last three games and is tied for the league lead with 17 strikes. While not exactly putting up the numbers he managed in his prime, Travis Kelce had 99 yards and a touchdown last week, making him the fourth tight end in NFL history to register 100 receiving touchdowns (including the postseason).

Last week, Allen registered his 46th career game with both a passing and rushing touchdown, surpassing Cam Newton (45 games) for the most such games in NFL history. Running back James Cook is currently second in the NFL with 753 rushing yards, thanks in no small part to his career-high 216 rushing yards against the Carolina Panthers last week. Bills coach Sean McDermott, a former assistant to Andy Reid with the Eagles, owns a 5-5 career record against the Chiefs, and the Bills have won three of the last five regular season meetings between these two juggernauts.

PREDICTION: It’ll be fireworks as usual between these two rivals, but the Chiefs just about edge it.

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WELL WORTH A WATCH

Indianapolis Colts (7-1) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)

The best team in football travels to the Steel City as the Colts take on the Steelers.

Indianapolis, who lead the league in total offense (385.3 yards per game), touchdowns (32) and points per game (33.8), are off to their best start to a season since 2009. While Daniel Jones has gotten his Colts career off to a superb start, recording career bests in completion percentage (71.2), passer rating (109.5) and yards per attempt (8.5), the engine of this particular offense is running back Jonathan Taylor.

Taylor leads the NFL in scrimmage yards (1,056), rushing yards (850), scrimmage touchdowns (14) and rushing touchdowns (12) this season and has at least three scrimmage touchdowns in four games. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren has enjoyed a fast start to his NFL career, leading all tight ends with 492 receiving yards, while deep threat Alec Pierce leads the league with 21.4 yards per reception. The Colts’ defense has done a great job meeting their offense halfway and ranks sixth in points allowed per game in 2025.

The Steelers, meanwhile, are struggling for consistency and coming off a 35-25 loss to Aaron Rodgers’ former side last week. Rodgers did manage two touchdown passes in the loss to Green Bay and has two or more in three straight games. One of those scores last week went to D.K. Metcalf, who joins Davante Adams as the only two players with at least five touchdown receptions in each of the last seasons.

The Steelers ground game has been among the league’s worst as they average just 94 rushing yards per game, which isn’t a great sign as they clash with a side allowing the sixth fewest yards per outing in 2025. The Colts have won the last two meetings between these sides, both at home, while the home side has taken four of the last five.

PREDICTION: The Colts keep on rolling, buck the trend and improve to 8-1.

 

Seattle Seahawks (5-2) @ Washington Commanders (3-5)

The high-flying Seahawks travel to the nation’s capital to take on a misfiring Commanders side in a clash that seemed like it would have more juice when the schedule makers put the plan together.

The Seahawks are 3-0 on the road in 2025 and 10-1 in road games since Mike McDonald took charge in 2024. His side ranks fifth in points per game scored and seventh in points allowed in 2025, thanks to a stifling rush defense which has surrendered the fewest yards per game (75) in the league this season. Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who leads the team with 5.0 sacks, has recorded at least half a sack in each of his past four games.

The offense is driven by Sam Darnold and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Darnold has completed 68.2 percent of his passes this season for 1,754 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 819 receiving yards and has recorded at least eight receptions, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown catch in each of his past three games. The last player to achieve this feat was team-mate Cooper Kupp, who managed it with the Rams back in 2021.

For the Commanders, it’s a reunion with an old flame for both head coach Dan Quinn, who was the Legion of Boom’s defensive coordinator between 2013-14, and linebacker Bobby Wagner. In 11 seasons with the Seahawks, Wagner totalled 1,560 tackles, with at least 100 tackles each season.

The Commanders will be hoping to have Jayden Daniels back at quarterback for this Sunday Night Football matchup. Daniels has at least 200 passing yards and two touchdown passes in his last three primetime outings. The Commanders offense is predicated on the ground game, however, with the team ranking third in rushing yards per game this season, setting up an intriguing strength-on-strength situation against the Seahawks fearsome front. With Terry McLaurin’s latest injury putting his Week 9 participation in doubt, the passing game may once again have to go through Deebo Samuel. Deebo is no stranger to the Seahawks, or they to him, as he has notched at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in two of his last three games against them, while with the San Francisco 49ers.

This match marks just the third regular season clash between these two sides in primetime and, while Washington hold a 13-10 advantage in the overall series, the Seahawks have won three of the last five.

PREDICTION: The Seahawks fly high and continue their dominant road form.

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ALSO ON IN WEEK 9

Baltimore Ravens (2-5) @ Miami Dolphins (2-5)

The Ravens are hoping to get Lamar Jackson back for a clash with a team against whom he has two games with five touchdown passes in his career. Tua Tagovailoa, fresh from his best game of a disappointing season in Week 8, set career highs with 469 yards and six touchdowns against the Ravens back in 2022. Can the Ravens pick up their first road win of the season, or will the Dolphins string back-to-back wins together for the first time in 2025?

Chicago Bears (4-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)

Both sides lost to struggling sides in Week 8, with the Bengals handing the Jets their first win of the season, and the Bears suffering a blip against the Ravens. Can Chicago return to the form that saw them win four in a row? Or will the Bengals fight back to take advantage of a struggling Bears defense and remain relevant in a topsy-turvy AFC North?

Minnesota Vikings (3-4) @ Detroit Lions (5-2)

In 10 career games against Detroit, Justin Jefferson has recorded 72 receptions for 1,208 yards, his most receiving yards against any opponent. Amon-Ra St.Brown has six touchdowns in three Lions home games this year. If he plays, can J.J. McCarthy win in Michigan just like he used to, or will the Lions retain their 100 percent home record?

Carolina Panthers (4-4) @ Green Bay Packers (5-1-1)

The Panthers are fifth in the league in rushing yards per game, while the Packers have allowed the third fewest rushing yards per game. Can the Panthers bounce back from last week’s trouncing against the Bills, or will the Packers pick up their fourth home win of the season?

Denver Broncos (6-2) @ Houston Texans (3-4)

Denver is the first team in NFL history with at least 35 sacks and 10-or-fewer sacks allowed in its first eight games of a season. The Texans lead the NFL in scoring defense (14.7 points per game allowed) and total defense (266.9 yards per game allowed) this season. In a clash between two defensive juggernauts, which offense will have the better day?

Atlanta Falcons (3-4) @ New England Patriots (6-2)

The Falcons laid the proverbial egg against the Dolphins last week. The Patriots, meanwhile, have won five consecutive games entering Week 9. Can Drake Maye and his boys win six straight games for the first time since 2021, or will the ‘good’ Falcons turn up this week?

San Francisco 49ers (5-3) @ New York Giants (2-6)

Two sides with appalling injury luck clash on possibly the worst playing surface in the entire NFL… what could go wrong? Can Mac Jones or Brock Purdy keep the 49ers rolling, or will the Giants circle the wagons and improve to 2-2 at home in 2025?

Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) @ Tennessee Titans (1-7)

The Mike McCoy Bowl will take place in the Music City this Sunday. The Chargers are 2-1 on the road, the Titans are 0-3 at home. Can the Chargers keep up the momentum from their Week 8 win over the Vikings, or will the Titans make it 10 wins in a row for the home side in this series?

New Orleans Saints (1-7) @ Los Angeles Rams (5-2)

The Saints offense gets shook with Tyler Shough the new boy under center. The Rams hope to have Puka Nacua back after missing the last game before their bye. Can the rookie lead his side to their first road win of the season, or will the Rams keep pace in a highly-competitive NFC West with their third win in a row over the Saints?

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) @ Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)

Two sides coming off embarrassing Week 7 beatdowns collide in Sin City. Can the opportunistic Jaguars defense continue their hot streak of takeaways against a team that can’t stop giving the ball away, or will the Raiders — with one of the worst ground games in the league despite Ashton Jeanty — get hot against a Jaguars front allowing just 91 rushing yards per game?

Arizona Cardinals (2-5) @ Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1)

The Cardinals have lost five in a row after starting 2-0 and Jonathan Gannon’s seat is getting hot. The Cowboys are the second highest scoring team in the league while also allowing the second most points in the NFL. Can the struggling Cardinals offense get right against an imaginary Cowboys defense, or will the Cowboys triumph over the Cardinals for the first time since 2017?

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