Week 8 of the NFL season was an exciting one, featuring six one-score games & plenty of offensive firepower from teams around the league. Transitioning into Week 9 of the calendar will be difficult for most football fans, as there simply aren’t a lot of interesting games to watch. There are myriad reasons for this, starting with the fact that six teams are on a bye this weekend. Nonetheless, there are some good games to watch, and it’s my job to tell you all about them here. Let’s get right to it in this short, sweet, and to the point version of my Games to Watch column!
Titans at Chiefs on NBC (Sunday Night Football)
Two AFC juggernauts face off in primetime as they battle on for conference supremacy. This game features plenty of star players, like Patrick Mahomes, Derrick Henry, & Travis Kelce. Both teams have 5-2 records & are leading their respective divisions as we approach midseason. The Titans looked very impressive last week as they rode “King” Derrick Henry to victory in a masterful performance: 32 carries for 219 rushing yards (6.8 yards per rush) and 2 touchdowns. Trying to tackle Henry can be such a chore, and so the Chiefs bye week came at the right time. Fresh off their bye week, the team will be tasked with slowing down the “King” on the ground. Regardless of whether or not Ryan Tannehill (ankle) suits up, expect the Titans to feature the run as they try to keep Patrick Mahomes off the field while featuring their best offensive playmaker.
Rams at Buccaneers on CBS (Sunday late afternoon)
A matchup of NFC “pretenders” awaits football fans as these struggling teams square off. Flashback to a little less than a year ago at this time, and these two teams were facing off in an epic NFC Divisional round game in which Tom Brady almost led another comeback for the ages. Flash forward to now, and these teams are just fighting to stay NFC-playoff relevant at this point. Simply put, both of these teams needed help that they did not receive along their offensive lines. Tom Brady & Matt Stafford are in danger after their teams failed to make trade deadline moves. Which of these three-win teams has what it takes to overcome their issues & win this key game?
Chargers at Falcons on FOX (Sunday early afternoon)
Have you ever seen the Spider-Man meme of the two Spider-Men pointing at each other? That’s exactly what it’s like watching the Falcons square off against the Chargers, as these teams are so similar in so many ways. Both teams are known for blowing huge leads in games, and the last time these two teams played each other in 2020 it was truly a spectacle in the fourth quarter. I will say that both of these teams have changed a lot since 2020, but some things stay the same. Somehow, the Falcons managed to hold off the Panthers last week for a riveting divisional win. They’re now alone in first place in the NFC South, and hold a division lead against Tom Brady. The Chargers are coming off their bye week, staring up at the Chiefs in the AFC West division. Will the Falcons snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, or will the Chargers out-choke them instead? Tune in to find out which one of these fraudulent teams emerges victorious on Sunday.
The Sports Beacon 