Week 9 started off with the New York Jets running roughshod over the Buffalo Bills behind a pair of touchdowns from Matt Forte. It was a surprising result, and it could mean we’re in for a wild weekend when the rest of the league kicks off on Sunday.
Though six teams, including some of the NFL’s biggest and best, are on a bye, there are still plenty of storylines worth watching and many questions that will be answered during Week 9.
Here’s a look at 15 key question for the rest of Week 9
1. Can Brock Osweiler offer the Broncos something Trevor Siemian couldn’t?
They say you can’t go home again, but Brock Osweiler certainly has, and he’ll be back under center for the Denver Broncos when they travel to Philadelphia.
Under Trevor Siemian, the Broncos hadn’t put 20 points or more on the board since Week 2 against Dallas. With the Broncos likely to be heavy underdogs against the high-flying Eagles, this seems like the perfect time to see what Osweiler has to offer. He’s extremely happy to be there, but to this point of his career, the hype has outpaced the results. This may be Osweiler’s last chance to be taken seriously as an NFL starter.
2. Who will grab the upper hand in the NFC South?
In terms of division titles, the matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers likely has the most implications playoff-wise of any game this weekend. While both are still chasing the Saints, who face a straightforward game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the winner of the Falcons-Panthers tilt has a chance to firmly establish themselves as New Orleans’s primary rival. A loss would drop the Falcons to 4-4, while they could leapfrog Carolina if they find a way to win. There’s wild-card spots to play for as well, and Sunday’s winner will go a long way toward establishing themselves as a playoff contender.
3. Can the Houston Texans still be a factor without Deshaun Watson?
Watson’s ACL tear was a bitter blow to a team that looked to be on the rise, and now they’ll have to piece things back together with Tom Savage under center. Savage, recall, was benched at halftime of the Texans’ season opener. The team’s struggles in that game weren’t entirely down to Savage — the offensive line couldn’t protect him — but now they’re in his hands whether they like it or not.
The Texans have a rather forgiving home matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, so Savage will at least have a chance to get it going against one of the league’s weaker teams.
4. Is this the week the 49ers find their way into the win column?
The 49ers’ next two weeks likely represent their two best chances to get into the win column in 2017. First up is a matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, who are 3-4 but playing without starting quarterback Carson Palmer. Drew Stanton, his backup, had little to offer against the Los Angeles Rams two weeks ago, and the 49ers will feel optimistic about this one.
The New York Giants loom a week later, but an injury-hit Cardinals team represents a strong chance for the team to get into the win column — even without Jimmy Garoppolo. Rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard will have to play much better than he has so far for San Francisco to have a chance at winning.
5. Will the Cowboys jump-start their season with a big win over Kansas City?
Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension has been delayed for another week, meaning the Cowboys will more or less be at full strength at home against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The 6-2 Chiefs look like one of the leading Super Bowl contenders — they have cooled off a bit from their 5-0 start, but they’re still well-positioned to make a run in the AFC.
The Cowboys are off to a good enough start, but they haven’t really made a mark yet this season. A win over the Chiefs would establish their playoff credentials and grab some headlines, though Elliott’s status after that will definitely remain a question. Dallas certainly looks as good as they have all season coming off consecutive wins.
6. Can the Lions keep their NFC North hopes alive against a Rodgers-free Green Bay team?
Two things have always been true of the Detroit Lions — they’ve had a hard time winning at Lambeau Field, and they’ve been tormented more than once by Aaron Rodgers. The good news for them is that Rodgers won’t be a factor in this one, though they’ll have to find a way to seize a win at Lambeau on Monday night.
The Lions sit at 3-4 after a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and their division hopes are slowly starting to fade as the Minnesota Vikings pull away. If they want to get back into it, winning here at Green Bay is a must. Rodgers’s absence should help their cause — though you need only remember Matt Flynn as evidence that it guarantees nothing.
7. Will a healthy Joe Flacco lead the Ravens to a big win?
Flacco is considered likely to play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans a little over a week after suffering a concussion against the Miami Dolphins. He leads a team that comes in at 4-4, having done little to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.
The Ravens are far from out of it. A strong performance against Tennessee could hurt a potential playoff rival while elevating themselves; the non-division leaders in the AFC tend to have rather middling records. Flacco has gone through some struggles this year, and he’s coming off a concussion. It’s fair to say his performance is a big question mark.
