NFL Week 9’s best matchups

The NFL regular season has reached it's halfway mark and the playoff races are tightening up. This week is week 9 of the NFL season and I'll be honest it might be the worst slate of games of the season so far. I'll only be highlighting a couple games this week with such a weak slate, the week kicks off with a Thursday night matchup between CJ Stroud and the Texans heading to New Jersey to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. Normally this matchup might find itself in the best matchups of the week but with the way Rodgers and the Jets have looked lately falling to last place in the AFC East after a loss to the Patriots it doesn't make the cut. With a weaker slate this week I'll highlight the 3 games with the most at stake this weekend.

The first matchup I want to focus on this weekend is the 4-3 Bears heading to Arizona to take on the 4-4 Cardinals. These are two teams who have had similar starts to the season but find themselves in very different positions 9 weeks into the season. Chicago at 4-3 sit in last place in maybe the best division in football the NFC North while the Cardinals at 4-4 find themselves tied for 1st in the NFC West with the 49ers and Seahawks.

This is a massive game for both sides as Chicago needs a win to keep pace in the NFC North. While the Cardinals will look to hold serve in the NFC West with the 49ers and Seahawks stumbling in recent weeks. The Bears had a heartbreaking loss last week in Washington when a hail mary toss from Jayden Daniels as time expired gave the Commanders the win. Arizona on the other hand has won two in a row with field goals from former Patriot Chad Ryland late in each game to seal their wins.

This game should have massive playoff implications in a very crowded NFC where teams are trying to separate themselves. The Bears defense has been impressive all season but can Caleb Williams and the offense score enough points to secure a victory over an explosive offensive unit led by Kyler Murray in Arizona?

The next matchup I want to focus on is one between the two hottest teams in the NFL right now. An NFC North clash between the 6-1 Lions who have won 5 in a row head to Green Bay to take on the 6-2 Packers who have won 4 in a row. The Lions have been the best team in the NFL this season (yes I know the Chiefs are undefeated) and they certainly showed no signs of slowing down last week dropping 52 on the Titans.

While the Packers even with a banged up Jordan Love have found ways to win 4 weeks in a row. Including tough win over the Texans two weeks ago. The Packers have had to go to back up quarterback Malik Willis more frequently than they'd like with Love's injuries but the team is still finding ways to win.

Can that continue against the high flying Lions? Detroit looks like the most complete roster in the league with explosive playmakers all over the offensive side of the ball and the mad man behind their offense Ben Johnson just improving his stock on a week to week basis. Johnson will surely be the most coveted coaching candidate in the offseason and the way the Lions offense looks teams will be offering a blank check to have Johnson run their team.

It's still not confirmed whether Love will be under center this weekend but his MRI did come back clean and the team is hopeful. It will be an uphill battle with or without Love on Sunday but the team will need his playmaking ability and arm strength to compete with the Lions in the NFC North long term. The two longest winning streaks in the NFL on Sunday will be head to head with the winner taking a decisive lead in the NFC North.

The last matchup I want to highlight this week is another divisional matchup between two teams hoping to make the playoffs. The 3-4 Rams looked out of it a few weeks ago with Kupp and Nacua going down with injuries but the rest of the NFC West hasn't done anything to separate themselves. The Seahawks at 4-4 are tied with the 49ers and Cardinals for the best record in the division. Now the Rams have Kupp and Nacua back in their lineup and a chance to close the gap in the NFC West.

For the Seahawks they had almost the opposite start to the season starting the year 3-0 but now injuries have started to pile up and their 1-4 in their last 5. With DK Metcalf banged up this will be a tough one for Seattle who relies on Metcalf to stretch the field and create explosive plays. Geno Smith was great to start the year but has also faded in recent weeks throwing 3 interceptions in the last 3 weeks.

Los Angeles will look to take advantage of a reeling Seattle team as they have their weapons healthy and are starting to put it together offensively. This will be a massive test for Seahawks rookie head coach Mike Macdonald taking on what many believe is one of the best coaches in the league in Sean McVay.

The NFL week wraps up with the undefeated Chiefs taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on MNF, a few weeks ago this easily would have been one of the matchups of the week. However the Bucs are now without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and the Chiefs defense is rolling. Kansas City should end the week 9-0 with the Broncos on tap next week and then a massive AFC matchup against the Bills.

Listen to Joe Murray 6-10 every Monday-Friday on 98.5 The Sports Hub. You can listen live in the Sports Hub App and subscribe to their podcasts here. Follow on X @JoeyMurr and Instagram @ImJoeMurray keep up with the show!