Detroit Lions (5-2) at Miami Dolphins (1-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Lions -7, Total 50.5
Series rewind: The Lions have won three of the past four meetings, but Miami won the most recent tussle between these teams in October 2022. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 382 yards and completed 12 passes to Tyreek Hill in the 31-27 win, which bumped Miami to 5-3 and dropped the Lions to 1-6.
The Lions picked up more than 40 degrees on their trek from Detroit to South Beach, where head coach Dan Campbell isn’t afraid to make the game a run-heavy, physical confrontation. Led by Jared Goff, who continues to be one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league (168 of 248 for 1,964 yards, 15 touchdowns and one interception), the Lions will try to exploit a Dolphins defense that ranks 24th in points allowed per game (25.9) and 25th in yards allowed per play (5.7). Jahmyr Gibbs remains one of the NFL’s top backs, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 110.4 rushing yards per game. Miami has struggled in the passing game, on both sides of the ball. Opposing quarterbacks have combined for an NFL-high 119.5 passer rating against the Dolphins, while Miami quarterback Malik Willis owns a 79.7 rating through seven games. The Lions rank last in the league in passing yards allowed per game, which could create an opportunity for Willis to have success. Miami has found consistency on the ground behind Ollie Gordon II, who has rushed for 408 yards and four touchdowns and helped offset some of the Dolphins’ offensive struggles.
Los Angeles Rams (4-4) at Washington Commanders (2-4-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Rams -4.5, Total 47.5
Series rewind: The Rams have won the past two meetings but trail the overall series 24-13-1. The last meeting was in 2023.
Washington seeks consecutive wins for the first time since a four-game run to close the 2024 season. The Commanders are two games behind the NFC East-leading New York Giants (4-2-1), who host the Commanders on Nov. 12. The Rams have won two in a row, including a 24-9 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers last week. The Rams are tied with the Seattle Seahawks for second in the NFC West behind the San Francisco 49ers (6-1). Los Angeles All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett practiced this week and is pushing to return. Matthew Stafford passed for 157 yards with a touchdown and an interception against the Chargers in Week 8. The Rams boast the NFL’s fourth-ranked offense (384.4 yards per game). The Commanders are 20th (327.1). Washington’s Jayden Daniels has yet to throw an interception this season in five games. Last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, he completed 16 of 29 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown to Stefon Diggs. Washington scored 27 unanswered points in a 27-10 home victory.
New York Giants (4-2-1) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (2-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Giants -3, Total 38.5
Series rewind: The Giants have lost 13 consecutive games in Philadelphia, with their last win at Lincoln Financial Field coming on Oct. 27, 2013. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is 8-3 against New York, including the postseason.
The script has officially flipped in the NFC East, where the first-place Giants visit the last-place Eagles. And no one could have predicted this quarterback matchup two months ago: J.J. McCarthy makes his second start for New York while Joe Milton III will make his first NFL start for Philadelphia. The Eagles rank 32nd in total offense (265.3 yards per game) and 30th in scoring (17.1 points per game). They have not gained more than 341 yards or scored more than 24 points in any game this season. They face a Giants defense that ranks third against the pass (184.9 yards per game). Both teams have struggled to generate a pass rush, as their combined 19 sacks (Philadelphia with 10, New York with nine) are fewer than 12 teams entering Week 9. There are hamstring injuries worth watching on both offenses: Giants running back Cam Skattebo, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith all missed practices to start the week. Smith hasn’t been on the field since Week 6.
Denver Broncos (6-2) vs. Carolina Panthers (3-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Broncos -2.5, Total 43.5
Series rewind: The Broncos hold a 7-2 lead in the all-time series, including a 24-10 victory in Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, Calif. The Panthers posted a 23-10 victory the last time they met in Charlotte on Nov. 27, 2022.
In this clash of division leaders, Carolina doesn’t want to get into a close game with Denver. The Broncos have won 15 straight regular-season games that have been decided by one score, matching the 2008-09 Colts for the longest streak in NFL history. Since 1970, no quarterback has led more game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in his first three seasons than Denver’s Bo Nix, who did it for the 15th time last week to beat the Chiefs. Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton leads the league with 101 tackles and is one of only two players since 2000 to reach triple digits in his team’s first eight games (Zaire Franklin of the Colts in 2023 was the other). Carolina quarterback Bryce Young has thrown at least one TD pass in nine straight games. Since catching 14 passes for 192 yards and two TDs in the Panthers’ Week 4 win against Detroit, reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan has a combined 16 receptions for 184 yards and no scores in his last three games.
Dallas Cowboys (3-5) at Indianapolis Colts (2-6)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Cowboys -5.5, Total 51.5
Series rewind: Dallas leads the series 11-7 and has won four of the last five games against Indianapolis, including a 54-19 home trouncing the last time they played in 2022.
Not much has gone right in the first half of the season for the Colts, who will carry the burden of a four-game losing streak and the weight of roster roulette when they face Dallas. Before their 42-7 loss last week at Jacksonville, Indianapolis traded All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. After the loss, Indianapolis reportedly rejected at least one offer for running back Jonathan Taylor, who is fourth in the NFL in carries (148), tied for third in rushing touchdowns (eight) and eighth in rushing yards (610) and continues to be used in a feature role even with his future with the Colts uncertain. Indianapolis has been outscored by 61 points and ranks last in the NFL in turnover margin (minus-11). Last week, the Cowboys blew a 17-3 second-half lead at home and handed the Cardinals a 33-30 overtime win. While Dallas has lost three of its last four games, it is only one game back in the win column for the NFC East lead. The Cowboys have scored 30 points five times this season but are only 3-2 in those games. They’re 1-11 under second-year coach Brian Schottenheimer when they don’t score 30 points in a game.
Cleveland Browns (5-3) at New Orleans Saints (2-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
FanDuel odds: Saints -3, Total 43.5
Series rewind: The Browns lead the all-time series 13-7 but New Orleans has won the last three matchups to narrow the gap.
Deshaun Watson has already led five game-winning drives in the fourth quarter and overtime, a major reason for Cleveland’s surprise success in the first half of the season. But the Browns must go without their starting QB this week after he entered concussion protocol. Shedeur Sanders takes over for at least Week 9. Sanders, a fifth-round draft pick last year, started seven games as a rookie, going 3-4 while completing 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He will need to get the offense off to a stronger start; Cleveland has been outscored 65-13 in the first quarter this season. That has also been a problem for the Saints, who have been outscored 44-6 in the first quarter. New Orleans is coming off a bye during which head coach Kellen Moore fired run game coordinator T.J. Paganetti. The Saints rank 28th in the NFL in rushing offense (86.0 yards per game), and they had just 18 yards on 17 rushes in their last game, a 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 25 in Paris. That has made things hard on QB Tyler Shough, who has still managed to throw for 1,721 yards, 13 TDs and six interceptions in seven games. The INTs match his total as a rookie last season.