Week 9 is officially underway, which means we're heading into the second half of the 2022 NFL schedule. Some things are clear and obvious: the Eagles are contenders, as are the Bills and Chiefs. Others, not so much: when, if ever, will Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady wake up as the Packers and Buccaneers, respectively, headline a big crop of underperforming teams?
With just three divisional games on tap for this weekend, the unpredictability of the NFL -- already a roller coaster from week to week -- could reach a new high for this season. That's why it's more important than ever to check in with the top betting experts, who forecast every single matchup on the docket and have the track record to back up their gambles.
As we do every week, we've collected all of the best picks and gambling content from CBSSports.com and SportsLine and put them all in one place, so you can get picks against the spread from our CBS Sports experts as well as additional feature content for each game, including plays from top SportsLine experts and the SportsLine Projection Model, best bets from our staff, survivor picks and more.
All NFL odds via Caesars Sportsbook.
Which picks can you make with confidence in Week 9? And which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Visit SportsLine, as its incredible model simulates every NFL game 10,000 times and is up almost $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception.
Chargers at Falcons
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fuboTV (try for free)
Open: Chargers -3
Current: Chargers -3
"This game could get wild and that's because both of these offenses do something well that the other team's defense is not good at stopping. On the Falcons' end, they'll be going into this game with the NFL's fifth-best rushing offense and they'll get to face a Chargers defense that can't stop the run (L.A. is surrendering 137.6 yards per game, which is the sixth-most in the NFL). Not to be outdone, the Chargers will be going into this game with the NFL's fourth-best passing offense and they'll be facing a Falcons defense that has been the worst in the NFL at stopping the pass this year. The Falcons are surrendering 306.9 yards per game through the air, which is an astronomical number when you consider that no other team is even giving up 280 yards per game."
CBS Sports NFL writer John Breech, who finished third among roughly 250 analysts with a 13-2 record picking games in Week 8, isn't buying the Falcons at home, betting on a big Chargers victory despite L.A.'s own inconsistencies. Check out more of his breakdown, plus predictions for every Week 9 matchup, right here.
Dolphins at Bears
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Dolphins -3.5
Current: Dolphins -4.5
"I've been impressed with what I've seen from Justin Fields over the last couple of weeks and am excited to see what the addition of Chase Claypool may do to further his development. However, I don't think this will be the weekend where he puts the NFL firmly on notice with an upset over the Dolphins. Miami's passing offense is as dangerous as any club in the NFL thanks to speedsters Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
"Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa is 5-0 SU when he plays a full game this season and leads the NFL in passer rating. This potent offense will be too much to handle for a Bears pass defense that ranks in the middle of the pack in DVOA. When you consider Miami being a top-10 run defense even before the addition of Bradley Chubb at the deadline, this unit should be able to contain Chicago enough that they clear laying five on the road. The Bears are also 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine home games." -- CBS Sports NFL writer Tyler Sullivan is buying the Dolphins as big road favorites, and you can catch all his Week 9 picks right here.
Panthers at Bengals
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fuboTV (try for free)
Open: Bengals -9
Current: Bengals -7
Joe Burrow and the Bengals got smoked by the rival Browns during their last outing on Monday night, and now they'll host the upstart Panthers, who upset the Buccaneers in Week 7 before nearly stunning the Falcons on P.J. Walker's last-second Hail Mary in Week 8. Is it possible Carolina, as a touchdown underdog, is actually one of R.J. White's five SuperContest bets for Week 9? White is a whopping 329-250-21 (56.8%) making SuperContest picks over the last seven years, and he once tied for 18th out of almost 2,800 contestants in the annual handicapping tournament. Find out whether this game is among his featured picks over at SportsLine.
Packers at Lions
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fuboTV (try for free)
Open: Packers -3.5
Current: Packers -3.5
"The Packers actually showed some life on offense last week against the Bills, which is a good sign. The Lions defense might be the perfect tonic to really get them going. Detroit can score on offense, so this might be a higher-scoring game. Give me Aaron Rodgers to finally put up some numbers and win it."
CBS Sports senior writer Pete Prisco, who went 11-4 straight-up and 7-0 on best bets in Week 8, is confident that Green Bay is headed in the right direction despite its recent slide in the standings, betting on a high-scoring win over the Lions. Check out all of Prisco's Week 9 picks, with ATS projections for every matchup, right here.
Colts at Patriots
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Patriots -6
Current: Patriots -6
Sam Ehlinger seemed to take the Colts' offense in the right direction in his first start for Matt Ryan, but is he enough to lift Indy over the Patriots in this important road matchup in the AFC? New England hasn't exactly been lighting the league on fire with its own offense, but Bill Belichick and Co. are fresh off a tough divisional win over the Jets, and Mac Jones will be under pressure to perform back in Foxborough. SportsLine projects every game of the NFL season, and it has only one of these two clubs covering in over 50 percent of simulations. We can tell you it's leaning Over on the total, but you'll have to go right here for full analysis.
Bills at Jets
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Bills -10.5
Current: Bills -11.5
"Zach Wilson is looking like Sam Darnold and Leslie Frazier will have him seeing all the ghosts. The Bills have fourth-best sack rate despite blitzing the least and Wilson has a 7.1 rating under pressure. The picks will keep coming. The absence of Breece Hall and lack of much of an offensive line is going to be a big problem for New York.
"Josh Allen owns the Meadowlands, whether he's facing the Jets or Giants. Both Bills wins came by 17 points or more a year ago and Wilson was 7-of-20 for 87 yards with eight sacks against them in Week 18, when the Bills had little to play for and with a Buffalo defense not nearly as robust as the 2022 edition. This is a mismatch. The Bills have 13 wins by 14 points or more since start of 2012; no one else has 10." -- NFL insider Jason La Canfora is all over Buffalo as a massive favorite in this AFC East matchup, and he's got even more analysis, as well as other Week 9 ATS picks, exclusively at SportsLine right here.
Vikings at Commanders
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fuboTV (try for free)
Open: Vikings -2.5
Current: Vikings -3
Taylor Heinicke has the Commanders feeling much better about their passing attack, and suddenly Ron Rivera's squad is looking for its fourth straight victory to eclipse .500 in the NFC East. No matter, says CBS Sports NFL writer Jordan Dajani, who's too enamored with what the Vikings are doing to bet against Minnesota this week. Kevin O'Connell's squad may be on the road, but with their defense playing confident ball and weapons like Justin Jefferson at full speed, he's taking the NFC North leaders to win big on the road and improve to 7-1. Catch Dajani's breakdown, and all of his Week 9 picks, right here.
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| Vikings (-3.5) at Commanders |  | |  | | | | | |
Raiders at Jaguars
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Raiders -1.5
Current: Raiders -2
Both the Raiders and Jaguars are slumping in the AFC, and now they'll be desperate to log a "W" against one another. But who can be backed in this fight for pride? SportsLine expert R.J. White, who's returned over $2,500 to $100 players as our top NFL prognosticator in ATS picks, likes Trevor Lawrence and Co. as a potential teaser pick for Week 9, but he's not making it one of his best bets in that regard, noting that Vegas' recent shutout loss may have been fueled by a locker-room illness and expressing concern about Jacksonville's general trajectory. R.J. has even safer teaser bets over at SportsLine, right here.
Seahawks at Cardinals
Time: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fuboTV (try for free)
Open: Cardinals -3.5
Current: Cardinals -2
Cardinals-Seahawks is one of just three divisional games on the Week 9 schedule, so theoretically, it'll be a little easier to forecast than unfamiliar AFC-NFC clashes, right? Not so fast, according to SportsLine's Projection Model, which simulates every game throughout the season. In identifying a safe survivor bet for Week 9, the model is clearly shying away from the Cardinals (-3.5) as home favorites in this NFC West tilt, wary of Arizona's big loss to Seattle earlier in the year, when they were also favored. For more on this battle between Kyler Murray and the red-hot Geno Smith, as well as top survivor picks for this week, head over to SportsLine.
Rams at Buccaneers
Time: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Buccaneers -1.5
Current: Buccaneers -3
Every week, the SportsLine Projection Model simulates every snap of every game 10,000 times, forecasting final scores better than most of the top CBS Sports Football Pick'em players. Up almost $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception, the model enters Week 9 on a 148-107 run dating back to the 2017 campaign. One piece of its five-team parlay picks this week, which could lead to a 25-1 payout: the Buccaneers to cover at home against the reigning champions. Tampa Bay covers in well over 60 percent of simulations, making the Bucs one of the strongest Week 9 picks from the model. Check out more details, plus additional parlay picks at SportsLine right here.
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| Rams at Buccaneers (-3) |  |  | | | | | | |
Titans at Chiefs
Time: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC), stream on fuboTV (try for free)
Open: Chiefs -10.5
Current: Chiefs -12.5
The Chiefs are massive favorites at home, but do they deserve your bet against a tough Titans team? Larry Hartstein is the man to ask. The SportsLine expert is 427-344 on all-time NFL picks -- up almost $3,800 for $100 players -- and especially in tune with Kansas City, going 25-11 on his last 36 picks involving the Chiefs. We can tell you he's leaning Over the total, but you'll wanna head over to SportsLine for his full analysis and ATS pick. You can get all that right here.
Ravens at Saints
Time: Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN), stream on fuboTV (try for free)
Open: Ravens -3.5
Current: Ravens -2.5
Andy Dalton used to play the Ravens twice a year with the Bengals. Now he's trying to guide the Saints to a win as a home underdog. Does he have enough help to do so? You can trust Mike Tierney to accurately project Monday night's contest. Featured in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, the SportsLine expert is 232-204 in ATS picks over the last four years, and he's 34-14-2 (+1850) on his last 50 Ravens games prior to Week 8. Check out his breakdown and ATS preview for this prime-time matchup right here at SportsLine.
