Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) vs. Atlanta Falcons (3-5) in Madrid
Sunday, 9:30 a.m.
FanDuel odds: Bengals -3, Total 52.5
Series rewind: Cincinnati has won the last three meetings, including a 35-17 victory at home in the most recent clash on Oct. 23, 2022. The Falcons are 1-3 in international games and the Bengals are 0-1-1.
The NFL’s second game in Spain could see some fireworks as Bengals star Joe Burrow seeks to become the fourth QB in league history to throw four or more touchdown passes in four consecutive games (Peyton Manning, Dan Marino and Tom Brady are the others). His favorite target, Ja’Marr Chase, needs one TD reception to join Randy Moss as the only players in NFL history with at least seven TD grabs in each of their first six seasons. Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson can also carve a place in the record book by becoming the fifth player with 35 games of 100-plus scrimmage yards at age 25 or younger (Clinton Portis, Ezekiel Elliott, Edgerrin James and Emmitt Smith are the others). Atlanta wide receiver Drake London has an international name and an international game, having tallied 104 yards and a TD against the Colts last year in Berlin. Cincinnati is on a three-game winning streak while Atlanta is coming off a turnover-filled 16-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Only the winless Los Angeles Chargers (17) have more giveaways than the Falcons (16).
Detroit Lions (5-2) at Miami Dolphins (1-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Lions -7, Total 50.5
Series rewind: The Lions have won three of the past four meetings, but Miami won the most recent tussle between these teams in October 2022. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 382 yards and completed 12 passes to Tyreek Hill in the 31-27 win, which bumped Miami to 5-3 and dropped the Lions to 1-6.
The Lions picked up more than 40 degrees on their trek from Detroit to South Beach, where head coach Dan Campbell isn’t afraid to make the game a run-heavy, physical confrontation. Led by Jared Goff, who continues to be one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league (168 of 248 for 1,964 yards, 15 touchdowns and one interception), the Lions will try to exploit a Dolphins defense that ranks 24th in points allowed per game (25.9) and 25th in yards allowed per play (5.7). Jahmyr Gibbs remains one of the NFL’s top backs, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 110.4 rushing yards per game. Miami has struggled in the passing game, on both sides of the ball. Opposing quarterbacks have combined for an NFL-high 119.5 passer rating against the Dolphins, while Miami quarterback Malik Willis owns a 79.7 rating through seven games. The Lions rank last in the league in passing yards allowed per game, which could create an opportunity for Willis to have success. Miami has found consistency on the ground behind Ollie Gordon II, who has rushed for 408 yards and four touchdowns and helped offset some of the Dolphins’ offensive struggles.
Los Angeles Rams (4-4) at Washington Commanders (2-4-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Rams -4.5, Total 47.5
Series rewind: The Rams have won the past two meetings but trail the overall series 24-13-1. The last meeting was in 2023.
Washington seeks consecutive wins for the first time since a four-game run to close the 2024 season. The Commanders are two games behind the NFC East-leading New York Giants (4-2-1), who host the Commanders on Nov. 12. The Rams have won two in a row, including a 24-9 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers last week. The Rams are tied with the Seattle Seahawks for second in the NFC West behind the San Francisco 49ers (6-1). Los Angeles All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett practiced this week and is pushing to return. Matthew Stafford passed for 157 yards with a touchdown and an interception against the Chargers in Week 8. The Rams boast the NFL’s fourth-ranked offense (384.4 yards per game). The Commanders are 20th (327.1). Washington’s Jayden Daniels has yet to throw an interception this season in five games. Last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, he completed 16 of 29 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown to Stefon Diggs. Washington scored 27 unanswered points in a 27-10 home victory.
New York Giants (4-2-1) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (2-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Giants -3, Total 38.5
Series rewind: The Giants have lost 13 consecutive games in Philadelphia, with their last win at Lincoln Financial Field coming on Oct. 27, 2013. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is 8-3 against New York, including the postseason.
The script has officially flipped in the NFC East, where the first-place Giants visit the last-place Eagles. And no one could have predicted this quarterback matchup two months ago: J.J. McCarthy makes his second start for New York while Joe Milton III will make his first NFL start for Philadelphia. The Eagles rank 32nd in total offense (265.3 yards per game) and 30th in scoring (17.1 points per game). They have not gained more than 341 yards or scored more than 24 points in any game this season. They face a Giants defense that ranks third against the pass (184.9 yards per game). Both teams have struggled to generate a pass rush, as their combined 19 sacks (Philadelphia with 10, New York with nine) are fewer than 12 teams entering Week 9. There are hamstring injuries worth watching on both offenses: Giants running back Cam Skattebo, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith all missed practices to start the week. Smith hasn’t been on the field since Week 6.
Denver Broncos (6-2) vs. Carolina Panthers (3-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Broncos -2.5, Total 43.5
Series rewind: The Broncos hold a 7-2 lead in the all-time series, including a 24-10 victory in Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, Calif. The Panthers posted a 23-10 victory the last time they met in Charlotte on Nov. 27, 2022.
In this clash of division leaders, Carolina doesn’t want to get into a close game with Denver. The Broncos have won 15 straight regular-season games that have been decided by one score, matching the 2008-09 Colts for the longest streak in NFL history. Since 1970, no quarterback has led more game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in his first three seasons than Denver’s Bo Nix, who did it for the 15th time last week to beat the Chiefs. Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton leads the league with 101 tackles and is one of only two players since 2000 to reach triple digits in his team’s first eight games (Zaire Franklin of the Colts in 2023 was the other). Carolina quarterback Bryce Young has thrown at least one TD pass in nine straight games. Since catching 14 passes for 192 yards and two TDs in the Panthers’ Week 4 win against Detroit, reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan has a combined 16 receptions for 184 yards and no scores in his last three games.
Dallas Cowboys (3-5) at Indianapolis Colts (2-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Cowboys -5.5, Total 51.5
Series rewind: Dallas leads the series 11-7 and has won four of the last five games against Indianapolis, including a 54-19 home trouncing the last time they played in 2022.
Not much has gone right in the first half of the season for the Colts, who will carry the burden of a four-game losing streak and the weight of roster roulette when they face Dallas. Before their 42-7 loss last week at Jacksonville, Indianapolis traded All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. After the loss, Indianapolis reportedly rejected at least one offer for running back Jonathan Taylor, who is fourth in the NFL in carries (148), tied for third in rushing touchdowns (eight) and eighth in rushing yards (610) and continues to be used in a feature role even with his future with the Colts uncertain. Indianapolis has been outscored by 61 points and ranks last in the NFL in turnover margin (minus-11). Last week, the Cowboys blew a 17-3 second-half lead at home and handed the Cardinals a 33-30 overtime win. While Dallas has lost three of its last four games, it is only one game back in the win column for the NFC East lead. The Cowboys have scored 30 points five times this season but are only 3-2 in those games. They’re 1-11 under second-year coach Brian Schottenheimer when they don’t score 30 points in a game.
Cleveland Browns (5-3) at New Orleans Saints (2-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Saints -3, Total 43.5
Series rewind: The Browns lead the all-time series 13-7 but New Orleans has won the last three matchups to narrow the gap.
Deshaun Watson has already led five game-winning drives in the fourth quarter and overtime, a major reason for Cleveland’s surprise success in the first half of the season. But the Browns must go without their starting QB this week after he entered concussion protocol. Shedeur Sanders takes over for at least Week 9. Sanders, a fifth-round draft pick last year, started seven games as a rookie, going 3-4 while completing 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He will need to get the offense off to a stronger start; Cleveland has been outscored 65-13 in the first quarter this season. That has also been a problem for the Saints, who have been outscored 44-6 in the first quarter. New Orleans is coming off a bye during which head coach Kellen Moore fired run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti. The Saints rank 28th in the NFL in rushing offense (86.0 yards per game), and they had just 18 yards on 17 rushes in their last game, a 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 25 in Paris. That has made things hard on QB Tyler Shough, who has still managed to throw for 1,721 yards, 13 TDs and six interceptions in seven games. The INTs match his total as a rookie last season.
Houston Texans (2-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (0-7)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Texans -3.5, Total 39.5
Series rewind: Houston has won three of the past four meetings in the regular season, including 20-16 at Los Angeles last season.
The Chargers began this season with dreams of playing in a home-stadium Super Bowl in Inglewood, Calif.; then they went 0-for-September and October. The lone winless team in the NFL is off to the worst start in franchise history. Houston stumbled out of the starting blocks for the second consecutive season. It appeared to be finding its way last month while giving vibes of the team’s nine-game winning streak to close last season, but its bid for a third consecutive victory was thwarted in a 27-21 overtime loss to the New York Giants on Oct. 25. After C.J. Stroud threw for a season-low 153 yards against New York, the team spent its bye week trying to figure out ways to get better balance. The season-low effort came one week after Stroud was named AFC Player of the Week for his 312-yard, three-touchdown performance in a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Stroud has the offense seventh in the NFL in passing with 253.4 yards per game. Houston’s ground game ranks 29th with an average of 84.7 rushing yards. There is no deeper hole than the one where the Chargers are buried. Their defense looked up to the task last Sunday by not allowing a first down over the Los Angeles Rams’ first five drives of the game. Quarterback Justin Herbert had a season-high 257 yards passing in the defeat, but his two interceptions gave him 10 on the season, most in the NFL. Two years ago, Herbert threw just three picks while starting all 17 games.
New York Jets (2-6) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -9.5, Total 47.5
Series rewind: The Jets last won in Kansas City in 1998 and have since dropped four visits in a row. The Chiefs have also controlled the overall series recently with four victories in the past five meetings. Harrison Butker kicked a 26-yard field goal with 10:51 remaining for a 23-20 Kansas City victory in the last meeting in 2023.
The Chiefs have slipped into second place in the AFC West with consecutive road losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. They are back at home this week and look to get back on track before they play four of their five on the road. Patrick Mahomes matched a season best with three touchdown passes and had his second-highest yardage output (321) in last week’s 28-24 loss in Denver. Running back Emmett Johnson had five catches for 128 yards, including a 73-yard score, while Travis Kelce had five grabs for 67 yards. Rashee Rice returned from the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 4 and had seven catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. Kenneth Walker has rushed for just 105 yards on 35 carries the last two weeks. He had 665 yards through the first five games. The Chiefs have just nine sacks through seven games. New York has lost three straight games and is entering a stretch of three road contests in four games. The Jets notched a season high in points last week but also allowed their most while falling 38-33 to the visiting Las Vegas Raiders. New York’s Geno Smith passed for 290 yards and two touchdowns while Braelon Allen rushed for a career-best 147 yards in his second straight 100-yard outing and third of the season. Allen is 10th in the NFL with 565 rushing yards. Star wideout Garrett Wilson (concussion) is out.
Las Vegas Raiders (4-4) at San Francisco 49ers (6-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: 49ers -9.5, Total 51.5
Series rewind: San Francisco has won five of the past six meetings, with the first five taking place while the Raiders were still based in Oakland. The 49ers prevailed 37-34 in an overtime shootout in Las Vegas late in the 2022 season. Christian McCaffrey had 193 scrimmage yards (121 rushing, 72 receiving) and rushed for a touchdown in that contest.
The 49ers’ unbeaten run was halted two weeks ago out in a 29-20 loss to the host Atlanta Falcons. San Francisco had its bye last week. McCaffrey (hamstring) was injured against the Falcons and was a limited participant in practice Thursday. McCaffrey’s highest rushing output this season is just 75 yards, but he does have eight rushing touchdowns. Brock Purdy has passed for 1,748 yards and 15 touchdowns against four interceptions. He threw two picks against Atlanta. Tight end George Kittle leads the club with 425 receiving yards and five touchdowns and is tied with McCaffrey (34) for the receptions lead. Cornerback Renardo Green has all three of San Francisco’s interceptions. Former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa (knee, calf) was limited Thursday and could return after a five-game absence. The Raiders broke a four-game skid with last week’s 38-33 victory over the host New York Jets. Kirk Cousins threw for 247 yards and had three passing scores for the fourth time that season. Overall, he has 19 touchdowns against five interceptions and has played well enough to keep the organization from being tempted to replace him with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Mike Washington Jr., a fourth-round pick this season, rushed for 83 yards on 25 carries against the Jets. Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick of the 2025 draft, received just two carries for 9 yards despite being healthy. Maxx Crosby registered a sack against New York, his third of the season.
Arizona Cardinals (3-5) at Seattle Seahawks (4-4)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Seahawks -8.5, Total 39.5
Series rewind: The Seahawks are gunning for their 11th consecutive win in the series, which includes a 31-7 victory at Arizona in September.
Gardner Minshew took over as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback after rallying Arizona from a 17-3 deficit in the third quarter at Dallas last week. A few days later, Jacoby Brissett, who started the first eight games of the season, was traded to the Baltimore Ravens. The Seahawks kept the QB carousel spinning for this game as they ruled out Sam Darnold with a quadriceps injury. Drew Lock will start for the second time this season against the Cardinals. He is coming back from a two-game hiatus to treat an elbow injury. Lock threw three TD passes at Arizona in Seattle’s 24-point win in Week 2. The Seahawks expect other backfield reinforcements to be available. Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price could give Seattle a loaded RB corps with Emanuel Wilson, who rushed for 92 yards against Arizona in the first matchup. Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier had 191 yards from scrimmage at Dallas.
Green Bay Packers (5-3) at New England Patriots (5-3)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Patriots -3, Total 44.5
Series rewind: Green Bay leads the series 7-6, won the last game the teams played 27-24 in overtime in 2022 and beat the Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl XXXI in January 1997.
After each got off to slow starts, both teams have won four of their last five games. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love is averaging 280.8 passing yards per game, has thrown 16 touchdowns passes and been intercepted six times. Love leads the NFL with 2,246 passing yards and is also No. 1 among quarterbacks in pass attempts of at least 20 yards (52). Green Bay has been forced to throw because of its lackluster running game. The Packers are averaging 2.9 yards per carry, last in the league. Green Bay could become the first NFL team to finish a season with a rushing average of less than 3.0 yards per carry since the 1994 Patriots. New England quarterback Drake Maye got off to an exceptionally slow start in the follow-up campaign to finishing second in MVP voting last season. He has passed for 15 touchdowns and has been intercepted eight times, but has 14 TD passes and two interceptions in his last five games. He’ll be facing a Green Bay defense that has forced 15 turnovers, second-most in the NFL. Ten of those turnovers have been interceptions. Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson leads the Patriots with 119 touches; no other player has more than 57. Stevenson has a team-high 367 rushing yards, and his 23 catches rank third on the team.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5) at Chicago Bears (6-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Bears -6.5, Total 47.5
Series rewind: Tampa Bay has won four of the last six matchups, with the victories coming by an average of 23.3 points. Baker Mayfield passed for 317 yards and one touchdown in the most recent meeting as the Buccaneers posted a 27-17 home victory in 2023. The Bears have dropped the past three home games in the series.
The Buccaneers have become a run-heavy team since Mayfield returned from a dislocated thumb on his passing hand. They accumulated a stunning 582 yards on the ground combined in consecutive victories. Last week, Tampa Bay became the first team since the 1974 Buffalo Bills to win a game without completing a pass. It racked up a franchise-record 324 rushing yards in a 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Bucky Irving rushed for 170 yards and Kenneth Gainwell added 140. Tampa Bay now leads the NFL with 168.6 rushing yards per game. Mayfield threw just three passes against Atlanta and has attempted just 14 over the past two games. The Bears have won three straight games since Caleb Williams returned from his hamstring injury. Chicago scored more than 30 points in all three contests, including Monday’s 34-17 road win over the Seattle Seahawks. Williams passed for more than 300 yards in the first two games of the stretch before settling for 247 and one touchdown against Seattle. Chicago owns the league’s second-best rushing attack at 150.8 yards per game, but the Bears were better on the ground over the first four games when Kyle Monangai rushed for 324 yards and three touchdowns. Monangai (toe, thumb) has missed the past four games and also didn’t partake in practices on Wednesday or Thursday. The contest will be the second for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons since the Bears acquired him from the Tennessee Titans. He had two tackles for loss and a sack in his Chicago debut.
