NFL Week 9: Road Teams Rule the Spread
This NFL season has seen a surprising trend: road teams are winning more often than home teams. Through the first eight weeks, road favorites have a strong record of 27 wins, 14 losses, and 1 tie against the spread. This week, nine road teams are favored, which is a big deal.
The Baltimore Ravens kicked off Week 9 with a solid win, improving the road favorites' record to 28-14-1. Most of the games this week have a small point spread, with only the Chargers vs. Titans game having a double-digit spread. This makes sense because both teams have similar records.
Key Matchups and Trends
One of the most interesting matchups is the Kansas City Chiefs playing the Buffalo Bills. A few weeks ago, no one would have thought the Bills would be underdogs at home. But here they are, giving up points again, just like in the season opener against the Ravens, which they won by one point.
Road underdogs haven't had much luck this season, with a record of 20-53 against the spread. This shows that being the favorite on the road doesn't always mean an easy win.
Expert Picks for Week 9
Experts have picked five road favorites as their best bets this week. The Los Angeles Chargers are a popular choice, with three out of five experts picking them to beat the Titans. The Indianapolis Colts, who are currently in first place, are also a favorite pick, with two out of five experts choosing them to win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Several experts have shared their picks for Week 9:
- Luke Easterling (14-10 record): Chargers, Lions, Rams
- Craig Ellenport (15-9 record): Chargers, Lions, Cowboys
- Doug Farrar (9-15 record): Patriots, Bears
- Andrew Perloff (12-12 record): Patriots, Chargers, Lions
- Kyle Wood (11-13 record): Colts, Broncos
Exciting Matchups This Week
This week's schedule includes some exciting matchups, like:
- Falcons vs. Patriots
- Panthers vs. Packers
- Jaguars vs. Raiders
It's shaping up to be an interesting week in the NFL.