Week 9 NFL Betting Marquee Matchups:
Chargers @ Texans
The Chargers, though unable to bust on through to the Super Bowl this decade (the franchise’s only Super came in the 1994 season), are an appreciably proven commodity in today’s NFL. The Bolts are good for an AFC West title and an appearance in the AFC Divisional Playoff game in most years. They know how to navigate the regular season and peak when they need to.
The same cannot be said of the Houston Texans, a team that has posted non-losing seasons in each of the past three NFL journeys through Autumn. An 8-8 franchise in 2007 and 2008, Houston went 9-7 in 2009, but still couldn’t nudge its way into the playoffs. The Texans couldn’t close the sale within their division, especially against the eventual AFC champions from Indianapolis. When pitted against the Colts on the road in Hoosier country, the Texans had a chance to get to overtime, but kicker Kris Brown missed a 42-yard field goal on the final play of regulation. Houston absorbed a wrenching 20-17 loss. Things didn’t improve when Houston hosted Indy a few weeks later. The Texans bolted to a 20-7 lead, but three second-half turnovers by quarterback Matt Schaub enabled the Colts to rally for a 35-27 lead.
Houston simply has to learn how to finish off elite opponents. This game against San Diego will offer coach Gary Kubiak’s team another opportunity.
Cowboys @ Packers
Before Dallas surged in the final stages of the 2009 season to snag the NFC East Division title, the Cowboys got roughed up in a visit to Lambeau Field. The Packers didn’t need a big day from Aaron Rodgers to dump Dallas. The guys in green hounded Tony Romo and nearly pulled off the first shutout of the Cowboys since 2003. Yes, Romo threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to receiver Roy Williams, but on a day when Dallas’ own defense played more than well enough to win, a paltry seven-point tally left the Cowboys discouraged. This season, the studs with the star on their helmets will try to regroup against Green Bay and pack more of a punch against the Packers. DeMarcus Ware and the rest of the Cowboys’ fearsome pass rush will try to force fumbles from Rodgers and generally disrupt the Packers’ impressive young quarterback. It will be fascinating to see which NFC contender comes out on top after sixty minutes of mortal combat in pro football’s most storied setting.
Steelers @ Bengals
Ben Roethlisberger should be under center against the Steelers’ most familiar AFC North rival. Will Pittsburgh pound Cincy quarterback Carson Palmer into submission, or will the Bengals – fresh off a sweep of the Steelers in 2009 – continued their winning ways against a troubled franchise whose Super Bowl XLIII seems very distant at the moment?