NFL Pick'em Pool Week 9 Confidence Rankings and Picks (2021)
After going 10-6 in both Week 1 and Week 2, we delivered a 15-1 Week 3 performance. We regressed slightly in Week 4 due to some late-week injuries and a few very surprising upsets, but rebounded for a strong 13-3 outing, including hitting each of our top 10 confidence plays in Week 5. We stayed hot with a 9-5 record in Week 6 and a 10-3 showing in Week 7. We still have zero losing weeks during 2021 after an 8-7 showing in Week 8. We will look to keep the good times rolling as we reveal our Week 9 NFL Pick’em selections!
There are multiple formats for pick’em tournaments, including the picking against the spread and ranking selections in confidence intervals. In this column, we will touch on both the classic style and picking against the spread each week.
I will start by ranking each of my selections in order of confidence and provide reasoning on all of my top picks. Also, don’t miss my Week 9 if you’re still alive in your eliminator pools!
NFL Week 9 Pick’Em Pool Confidence Rankings
Weekly Results
Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 15-1
Week 4: 9-7
Week 5: 13-3
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 8-7
Week 9 Selections
Buffalo Bills
Dallas Cowboys
Indianapolis Colts
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams
Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore Ravens
Carolina Panthers
Los Angeles Chargers
Cleveland Browns
Arizona Cardinals
Miami Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
Bills (vs. Jaguars)
Buffalo was a two touchdown favorite at home last week against the Miami Dolphins, delivering both a pick’em and ATS victory for those who back the Bills. In Week 9, Buffalo gets another easy matchup against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars. There are significant question marks with most teams in the AFC, but the Bills have been extremely consistent against weak teams in 2021—securing each of their five wins by 15 or more points. Do not overthink this one.
Cowboys (vs. Broncos)
In our Sunday Night Football betting preview last week, we discussed how talented Dallas’ roster is on both sides of the ball, and urged bettors not to proceed with caution betting against this team—even without Dak Prescott in the lineup. Prescott is trending towards playing in Week 9 against a Denver Broncos team that traded Von Miller, their best defensive player, earlier this week. Dallas is a safe play this Sunday.
Colts (vs. Jets)
The New York Jets busted a lot of eliminator pools last week, which understandably is making some bettors hesitant to pick against them for the second week in a row. Yet, it is worth pointing out that this defense has surrendered at least 24 points in six consecutive games, including a combined 85 points over the past two weeks. Indianapolis has won two of their last three contests, with their loss coming in overtime to their division rival—the Tennessee Titans. Playing at home on a short week, the Colts are the superior team on both sides of the ball. Take Indianapolis to win this one.
Chiefs (vs. Packers)
The Green Bay Packers opening at plus-money collected a lot of early week money from sharps, prior to the news that Aaron Rodgers will miss Sunday’s contest due to a positive COVID-19 test. Asking Jordan Love to go into Arrowhead and play well is a tall order for the inexperienced signal caller. Though Patrick Mahomes and company have struggled this fall, this is a game that the Chiefs absolutely have to win if they want to get their season back on track. As greater than a touchdown favorite, bettors should feel comfortable picking Kansas City in pick’em pools this week.
Rams (vs. Titans)
Since the beginning of the season, we have been buying as much stock as possible in Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay’s offense. Other than a disappointing performance against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4, this group has scored at least 26 points in each contest they have played this year. Earlier this week, they traded for Von Miller to shore up some of their vulnerabilities on the defensive side of the ball. Tennessee will be without their best offensive player, Derrick Henry in this matchup. There is little reason to expect anything other than a comfortable victory for Los Angeles in prime time this weekend.
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