With that in mind, the Week 9 slate opened with nine home underdogs, which should raise the antennas of any good bettor. The scales will even out at some point, so it's best to keep your head on a swivel.

Breaking down the best Week 9 survival pool options with safe chalk picks, sneaky under-the-radar plays and one high-risk swing. An NFL survival pool is one of the most popular contests for fans looking to add extra drama to the season.

Kansas City faces Buffalo in a classic; Josh Allen won the past four regular season meetings, but Patrick Mahomes won the past four playoff games.

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 9 on a sizzling 45-28 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024. Anybody following its NFL betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.

The Houston Texans are the best scoring defense in the NFL (14.7 points per game). They just finished pressuring Mac Jones on 50 percent of his dropbacks and turning him into a faulty Jugs machine (4-for-13, 64 yards, interception in those scenarios).

Chris Simms is scared a little bit for the Bears in Week 9 against the Bengals, but he and Mike Florio are taking Chicago in a fairly close one despite some initial hesitations.

Teams looking to salvage their seasons clash on 'Thursday Night Football,' when the Baltimore Ravens battle the Miami Dolphins. Baltimore is coming off a 30-16 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, while Miami rolled to a 34-10 win at Atlanta.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to action Thursday night after missing two games with a hamstring injury, and his team's slim playoff chances depended on him returning to his MVP form against the Miami Dolphins.