We are at about the halfway point of the season and teams are now jockeying for playoff position.
Teams must make quick decisions about their teams with the trade deadline looming and we are starting to see injuries affect teams, such as the season ending injury to Kirk Cousins.
Each division has teams listed in order of their current strength ranking according to Rivalry Sports.
Take a look and see how you feel about our picks as well!
Check out last week’s Strength Rankings
- Scroll down to see the game by game picks for this week.
- See the game by game results of the pick results from last week at the bottom of the page as well as the picks for this week.
Win/Loss Records of the picks for Week 8:
| Picker | Rivalry Sports – Dustin Kirby | Guest Picker |
| Win – Loss Record Week 8 | 13 – 3 | 13 – 3 |
| Overall Won/Loss Record on Picks | 47 – 27 | 45 – 29 |
Guest Picker Won/Loss Records
| Guest Picker | Week | Won/Loss Record on Picks | Winning Percentage |
| Brandon Kirby | 4 | 11 – 5 | 68.75% |
| Jarrod Kirby | 5 | 8 – 6 | 57.14% |
| Stephanie Kirby | 6 | 8 – 7 | 53.33% |
| Lance Kirby | 7 | 5 – 8 | 38.46% |
| Richard Strick | 8 | 13 – 3 | 81.25% |
| Bob Kirby | 9 |
Rivalry Sports Lock Pick of the Week
| Week | Rivalry Sports Game Score Pick | Actual Result |
| 4 | San Francisco Over Arizona 27 -13 | San Francisco won 35 – 16 |
| 5 | Detroit Lions Over Carolina Panther 31 – 17 | Detroit Over Carolina 42 – 24 |
| 6 | Buffalo Bills Over New York Giants 34 – 20 | Buffalo over New York 14 – 9 |
| 7 | Buffalo Bills Over New England Patriots 31 – 17 | New England Patriots Over Buffalo Bills 29 – 25 |
| 8 | Detroit Lions Over Las Vegas Raiders 27 – 13 | Detroit Lions Over Las Vegas Raiders 26 – 14 |
| 9 | New Orleans Over Chicago Bears 31 – 10 |
Take a look at each division to see where Rivalry Sports currently has your team ranked within the division.
NFC EAST
Philadelphia Eagles (7 – 1)
Strengths: With a strong collection of offensive playmakers including QB Jalen Hurts and WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and a loaded defensive front seven, the team is built to compete now and for years to come.
Weaknesses: An aging offensive line has not shown signs of regression, but could be an area to watch. The chemistry could be tested this year as sideline arguments have already been seen between star players.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Washington Commanders 38 – 31
Week 9 Opponent: Dallas Cowboys at 4:25pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
Dallas Cowboys (5-2)
Strengths: When healthy, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Tony Pollard form a strong base of skill position offensive players. The Defense is one of the NFL’s best with perennial Defensive Player of the Year Candidate Micah Parsons rushing the passer or manning the running lanes.
Weaknesses: Age on the offensive line and injuries. The devastating injury to CB Trevon Diggs as well as the injuries across the Offensive Line could derail the season.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Los Angeles Rams 43 – 20
Week 9 Opponent: @ Philadelphia Eagles at 4:25pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Washington Commanders (3-5)
Strengths: Their Defensive line can wreak havoc when healthy and they have playmakers at the WR position.
Weaknesses: The Defensive line will soon become too expensive to keep all of the pieces. Sam Howell is a gutsy QB, but can he be the QB to lead the Commanders to dominance in the NFL?
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 38 – 31
Week 9 Opponent: @ New England Patriots at 1:00pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
New York Giants (2-6)
Strengths: Brian Daboll is a good coach that has the Giants play hard each week. Daniel Jones has some dual threat talent that he is still tapping into and when healthy Saquon Barkley is a great RB.
Weaknesses: Saquon Barkley has a hard time staying healthy which throws off the entire offense. The other offensive playmakers have not stepped up enough to take the pressure off when Barkley is out.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the New York Jets 13 – 10
Week 9 Opponent: @ Las Vegas Raiders at 4:25pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
NFC North
Detroit Lions (6-2)
Strengths: Young defensive stalwarts such as Aidan Hutchinson, Brian Branch, and Jack Campbell have a bright future. On offense, the strong offensive line provides protection for underrated QB Jared Goff and the running game.
Weaknesses: The Lions have a great slot receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown and a talented young TE in Sam LaPorta, but they need production from their outside receiving crew which is holding this team back from reaching even higher heights.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Las Vegas Raiders 26 – 14
Week 9 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye Week
Minnesota Vikings (4-4)
Strengths: Justin Jefferson is an All-Pro WR and T.J. Hockenson is a talented TE for steady and underrated QB Kirk Cousins.
Weaknesses: Kirk Cousins is now 35 years old and the Vikings have not committed to him past this year. Too much money is spent on a defense that is not dominant and the run game fails to hold up their end of the bargain on offense.
* Kirk Cousins was lost for the year to an achilles injury in Week 8. QB situation murky.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Green Bay Packers 24 – 10
Week 9 Opponent: @ Atlanta Falcons at 1:00pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
Green Bay Packers (2-5)
Strengths: Green Bay is a well run team from the front office to the coaching staff. They have talent across the board and their young QB Jordan Love looks like he may have what it takes to be the “answer” at QB.
Weaknesses: The age/injury history of the offensive line is concerning, especially when it comes to Pro Bowl Left Tackle David Bakhtiari. Also they have a young star WR in Christian Watson, but he has failed to stay healthy so far in his career. QB Jordan Love is learning how to be a QB in the NFL, but it is a bumpy ride.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Minnesota Vikings 24 – 10
Week 9 Opponent: Los Angeles Rams at 1:00pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
Chicago Bears (2-6)
Strengths: This team is a mess. They have some good players, but none of their units stand out on either side of the ball. The good news is that they will have two high first round picks in the upcoming draft.
Weaknesses: Justin Fields is in his third year in the NFL, but does not seem to be progressing at a rate to show that he is the future for the Bears at QB. Without a good QB in the NFL, you will be stuck in mediocrity or worse. Now Fields has publicly questioned the coaching so we will see where this goes.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the LA Chargers 30 – 13
Week 9 Opponent: @ New Orleans at 1:00pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
NFC South
New Orleans Saints (4-4)
Strengths: The Saints have a good offensive line, a star RB in Alvin Kamara, a star young WR in Chris Olave, a steady veteran QB in Derek Carr and a steady and strong defense.
Weaknesses: The heart and soul of the D is Cam Jordan and while Jordan is still a good player, he is 34 years old. Kamara will need a new contract soon or the Saints will need to replace the talented RB. Do they have enough young talent on Defense to make some noise in the playoffs?
Week 8 Result: Beat the Indianapolis Colts 38 – 27
Week 9 Opponent: Chicago Bears at 1:00pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Atlanta Falcons (4-4)
Strengths: The Falcons have a lot of young talent on offense including RB Bijan Robinson, TE Kyle Pitts, and WR Drake London, but can QB Demond Ridder get the ball to the TE and WRs?
Weaknesses: The Falcons need to continue to add to their D and offensive line, but most importantly, they need QB Desmond Ridder to prove that he can be a dangerous passer in the NFL.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Tennessee Titans 28 – 23
Week 9 Opponent: Minnesota Vikings at 1:00PM EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4)
Strengths: The Bucs have a strong D and a great 1 – 2 punch at WR with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Weaknesses: Tampa Bay is an aging team that must decide if they want to keep the band together, or trade some veterans now to reload instead of having to rebuild later. With many veteran core players that will need a new contract, now is the time to go all in or to trade them for young assets.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Buffalo Bills 24 – 18
Week 9 Opponent: @ Houston Texans at 1:00pm EDT, Thursday 10/26/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Carolina Panthers (1-6)
Strengths: Bryce Young will be a good QB in the league, but it takes time. They have some young talent on defense including star DE Brian Burns.
Weaknesses: The Panthers need more playmakers to help Young out and they will need to continue to build a stronger offensive line.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Houston Texans 15 – 13
Week 9 Opponent: Houston Texans at 1:00pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers (5-3)
Strengths: This team is loaded. They have superstar RB Christian McCaffrrey at RB, George Kittle at TE, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk at WR and 2nd year surprise QB Brock Purdy leading the offense. The D is just as impressive with Nick Bosa and Jason Hargrave leading what might be the best D-line in the NFL.
Weaknesses: The only true “weakness” for the 49ers is the injury bug. For years now their starting QB seems to get injured and throw the season off the rails, but last year they had 4 QBs injured which led them to not being able to pass in the playoffs.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 31 – 17
Week 9 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye Week
Seattle Seahawks (5-2)
Strengths: Seattle is a well run team led by coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider. They seem to always fill out the roster with talented players and Carroll gets the team to play smart, tough football. They have a very talented WR and RB room this year.
Weaknesses: The offensive line has improved, but remains an area in need of an upgrade. Can career backup QB Geno Smith replicate his great season last year? They are near the bottom of the league in pressuring the QB and continuing to win without getting to the QB will be difficult.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Cleveland Browns 24 – 20
Week 9 Opponent: @ Baltimore Ravens at 1:00pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
Los Angeles Rams (3-5)
Strengths: Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, and Matthew Stafford. Those three still have star level talent even though they are all in their 30’s.
Weaknesses: An older core of star players and not enough blue chip young players since so many of their draft picks were traded away in pursuit of a Super Bowl.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Dallas Cowboys 43 – 20
Week 9 Opponent: @ Green Bay Packers at 1:00pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Arizona Cardinals (1-7)
Strengths: The Cardinals have a decent offensive line, but need to continue to add new talent to it. They also have some talented young players that can help with the rebuild such as WR Marquise Brown and LB Zaven Collins.
Weaknesses: The Cardinals need more impact players across the board. What do the Cardinals currently hang their hat on as a team?
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Baltimore Ravens 31 – 24
Week 9 Opponent: @ Cleveland Browns at 1:00pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
AFC EAST
Miami Dolphins (6-2)
Strengths: Speed, Speed, Speed! When healthy Tua has become a top QB in the league and with weapons like WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and then speedy RBs Raheem Mostert and De’von Achane make it hard on any defense.
Weaknesses: The biggest obstacle to success for the Dolphins stands to be the injury bug. The only thing that can hold QB Tua back is an injury.
Week 8 Result: Beat the New England Patriots 31 – 17
Week 9 Opponent: @ Kansas City Chiefs at 9:30pm EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Buffalo Bills (5-3)
Strengths: Franchise QB Josh Allen is one of the best QBs in the NFL, but he is not the only talent on the team. With talented TEs and WRs Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, Allen has a lot of weapons. The Defense is still solid and if Von Miller can get back to his old self by the end of the year, the Bills will be tough to beat.
Weaknesses: Advancing age of the Defense and possibly chemistry issues between star WR Diggs and QB Allen.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24 – 18
Week 9 Opponent: @ Cincinnati Bengals at 8:20PM EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
New York Jets (4-3)
Strengths: This team is strong with a very good receiving and running back group and an exceptionally strong Defense. They added QB Aaron Rodgers and when healthy, he could be the missing piece to the team.
Weaknesses: The offensive line and the QB room now that Rodgers is out. The Jets are counting on former first round pick Zach Wilson to lead the team and he has not shown himself to be an NFL quality QB up to this point.
Week 8 Result: Beat the New York Giants 13 – 10
Week 9 Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers at 8:15pm EDT, Monday 11/6/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
New England Patriots (2-6)
Strengths: A solid cast of veterans dots the roster, but they are spread pretty thin across the Roster. You don’t see any unit on the team and say that it is a glaring weakness. They are well coached and play hard.
Weaknesses: While the Patriots don’t have a unit across the board with a glaring weakness, they also don’t have a unit that stands out unless it is the TE’s. Can QB Mac Jones take the reigns of the offense and show that he is the QB of the present and the future?
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Miami Dolphins 31 – 17
Week 9 Opponent: Washington Commanders at 1:00PM EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens (6-2)
Strengths: The running game and the Defense are strong as always. Lamar Jackson is the best running QB the league has ever seen and the defense has star players littered across the roster.
Weaknesses: Passing. This was the reason the Ravens were reluctant to pay QB Jackson the amount of money that they did as good teams have learned how to beat the Ravens by taking away the run. Can Jackson take the next step in passing?
Week 8 Result: Beat the Arizona Cardinals 31 – 24
Week 9 Opponent: Seattle Seahawks at 1:00PM EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Cincinnati Bengals (4-3)
Strengths: QB Joe Burrow is a star and one of the best QBs in the league. He has great weapons in WRs Ja’marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd along with RB Joe Mixon. The Defense is solid, but will the loss of Pro Bowl Safety Jesse Bates come back to haunt them?
Weaknesses: The offensive line is much improved, but could still use reinforcements and the Bengals could use some more playmakers on defense, but overall this is a strong team.
Week 8 Result: Beat the San Francisco 49ers 31 – 17
Week 9 Opponent: Buffalo Bills at 8:20PM EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
Strengths: All-Pro LB T.J. Watt leads a Defense that is loaded with playmakers at every level. Coach Tomlin knows how to push the right buttons and he has a good WR room to build around on offense.
Weaknesses: The offensive line is still not as strong as it needs to be, QB Kenny Pickett needs to take the next step in his career and offensive coordinator Matt Canada has failed to build a cohesive offense during his tenure.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars 20 – 10
Week 9 Opponent: Tennessee Titans at 8:15PM EDT, Thursday 11/2/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Cleveland Browns (4-3)
Strengths: The Browns have a solid offensive line along with a star RB, until Nick Chubb was hurt, and a good Defense led by DE Myles Garrett.
Weaknesses: It is hard to imagine that the passing game would be a weakness when QB Deshaun Watson was acquired, but he has failed to measure up to his previous self while with the Houston Texans. Can they turn the passing game around and can the running game succeed without the injured Nick Chubb.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Seattle Seahawks 24 – 20
Week 9 Opponent: Arizona Cardinals at 1:00PM EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2)
Strengths: QB Trevor Lawrence, RB Travis Etienne, and WRs Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk represent a strong and talented young offensive core. They have many high draft picks on Defense that they are counting on as well.
Weaknesses: The defense has not had the impact the Jaguars would like, especially with high draft picks Travon Walker and Josh Allen leading the way. The offensive line also needs to be upgraded for more consistency.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 20 -10
Week 9 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye Week
Houston Texans (3-4)
Strengths: With two cornerstone players in C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson joining talented LT Laremy Tunsil and talented WR Nico Collins and CB Derek Stingley Jr., this team is building a strong foundation.
Weaknesses: This year is about experience for their young stars, so while no unit may dominate, they have talented players in each unit that will only get better.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Carolina Panthers 15 – 13
Week 9 Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1:00PM EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
Indianapolis Colts (3-5)
Strengths: The Colts have a strong and steady Defense and a solid offensive line with a couple of talented WRs.
Weaknesses: Rookie QB Anthony Richardson is lost for the year. Without him they are just trying to tread water. They could also bolster their offensive line and add another offensive playmaker to make life easier for QB Anthony Richardson.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the New Orleans Saints 38 – 27
Week 9 Opponent: @ Carolina Panthers at 4:05PM EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Tennessee Titans (3-4)
Strengths: Mike Vrabel is an excellent coach that gets the most out of his roster. They are a tough team that don’t give up and play hard each week. D lineman Jeffrey Simmons is a star in the league.
Weaknesses: Age and offense. The offense has been hard to watch this year and with an aging core it doesn’t look like it will get much better.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Atlanta Falcons 28 – 23
Week 9 Opponent: @ Pittsburgh Steelers at 8:15PM EDT, Thursday 11/2/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
Strengths: QB Patrick Mahomes, TE Travis Kelce, and D lineman Chris Jones are all at the top of the league for their respective positions. Along with coach Andy Reid, this team is poised to compete.
Weaknesses: Cost. Anytime you have great players you have to pay them and the Chiefs found that out last year when they had to trade star WR Tyreek Hill before the season. The cost of their star players costs them depth, but as long as the stars are healthy they have been able to overcome it.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Denver Broncos 24 – 9
Week 9 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye Week
Los Angeles Chargers (3-4)
Strengths: QB Justin Herbert is one of the best QBs in the league and he has a lot of weapons such as WR Keenan Allen and RB Austin Ekeler. The Defense is also loaded with stars such as Joey Bosa, Derwin James, and Khalil Mack.
Weaknesses: This team does not have many weaknesses in talent, but they need more from the defense and they need more consistent production from the offense.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Chicago Bears 30 -13
Week 9 Opponent: @ New York Jets at 8:15PM EDT, Monday 11/6/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Las Vegas Raiders (3-5)
Strengths: The Raiders have star WR Davante Adams and RB Josh Jacobs on offense and then they have pro bowl DE Maxx Crosby on defense so they have pieces to put together a good team.
Weaknesses: The Raiders need more talent along the offensive line and the back end of the defense. They also need to develop an identity as a team.
Week 8 Result: Lost to the Detroit Lions 26 – 14
Week 9 Opponent: New York Giants at 4:25PM EDT, Sunday 11/5/23
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Denver Broncos (3-5)
Strengths: QB Russell Wilson might not be the player he once was, but he is still a talented QB. The secondary is young and talented and Coach Sean Payton has won a Super Bowl and knows how to get the most out of his teams so the Broncos should see progress this year.
Weaknesses: The running game is lacking and the Broncos need more to get more pressure on the opposing QB in order to be a better defense.
Week 8 Result: Beat the Kansas City Chiefs 24 – 9
Week 9 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Fantasy Players of the week (PPR Leagues)
QB – Tua Tagovailoa
RB – Breece Hall
WR – Tyreek Hill
WR – DeAndre Hopkins
TE – Travis Kelce
K – Justin Tucker
Defense – Washington Commanders
Game Picks of the Week for Week 9
Week 9 Picks and Results
| Game (Home Team listed 2nd) | Rivalry Sports Pick – Dustin Kirby | Guest Picker – Richard Strick | Actual Game Winner |
| Tampa Bay vs Buffalo | Buffalo | Buffalo | Buffalo |
| LA Rams vs Dallas | Dallas | Dallas | Dallas |
| Minnesota vs Green Bay | Green Bay | Minnesota | Minnesota |
| Atlanta vs Tennessee | Atlanta | Tennessee | Tennessee |
| New Orleans vs Indianapolis | New Orleans | Indy | New Orleans |
| New England vs Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami |
| New York Jets vs New York Giants | New York Jets | Jets | Jets |
| Jacksonville vs Pittsburgh | Jacksonville | Pittsburgh | Jacksonville |
| Philadelphia vs Washington | Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Philadelphia |
| Houston vs Carolina | Carolina | Carolina | Carolina |
| Cleveland vs Seattle | Seattle | Seattle | Seattle |
| Kansas City vs Denver | Kansas City | Kansas City | Denver |
| Baltimore vs Arizona | Baltimore | Baltimore | Baltimore |
| Cincinnati vs San Francisco | Cincinnati | Cincinnati | Cincinnati |
| Chicago vs LA Chargers | LA Chargers | Chargers | Chargers |
| Las Vegas vs Detroit | Detroit | Detroit | Detroit |
| Total Wins | 13 | 13 | 16 |
Week 9 Picks
| GAME (Home Team listed 2nd) | RIVALRY SPORTS PICK – DUSTIN KIRBY | GUEST PICKER – Bob Kirby | Winning Team |
| Tennessee vs Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh | |
| Miami vs Kansas City | Miami | Kansas City | |
| Minnesota vs Atlanta | Atlanta | Atlanta | |
| Arizona vs Cleveland | Cleveland | Arizona | |
| Los Angeles Rams vs Green Bay | LA Rams | LA Rams | |
| Washington vs New England | Washington | Washington | |
| Chicago vs New Orleans | New Orleans | New Orleans | |
| Seattle vs Baltimore | Baltimore | Baltimore | |
| Tampa Bay vs Houston | Tampa Bay | Tampa Bay | |
| Indianapolis vs Carolina | Indianapolis | Indianapolis | |
| New York Giants vs Las Vegas Raiders | Las Vegas | NY Giants | |
| Dallas vs Philadelphia | Dallas | Philadelphia | |
| Buffalo vs Cincinnati | Buffalo | Buffalo | |
| Los Angeles Chargers vs New York Jets | LA Chargers | NY Jets | |
| Wins per Picker | 14 |
