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True to form as one of the most competitive and talented divisions in the NFL, the NFC West is yet again living up to its reputation in 2024. Each team is either at or just below .500, meaning that a single victory could flip which team leads the division and a single loss could send a team to the bottom of the standings. For the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams, this sort of dynamic is especially pronounced.

After initially looking like a team dead in the water, the Rams have rattled off two wins in a row coming out of their bye to improve to 3-4, putting them just behind the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Seahawks who all have four wins apiece. The Rams will be entering this game coming off of an impressive victory against the Minnesota Vikings — albeit a very controversial one due to a missed call for a facemask on the game’s deciding play — and they also have the benefit of the long rest offered by a “mini bye” after last having played two Thursdays ago.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, enter this game on their back foot. After getting thoroughly handled by the Buffalo Bills, 31-10, a week ago, the Seahawks have now lost four out of their last five games after a 3-0 start. And that trend is particularly troubling given that their home field advantage has betrayed them: Seattle is 0-3 in its last three home games, heightening the urgency for the 12th Man to reclaim Lumen Field and will their team to win.

Where to watch Seahawks vs. Rams

When: Sunday, Nov. 3 at 4:25 p.m. ETWhere: Lumen Field — SeattleTV: FOXStreaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.) Follow: CBS Sports App

Seahawks vs. Rams spread, odds

Los Angeles is a slight 2-point favorite against Seattle, according to the latest NFL odds. The…

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Eagles vs. Jaguars predictions for Week 9 of the NFL season originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Eagles (5-2) are hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.

Let’s get to the predictions:

Reuben Frank (2-5)

A few weeks ago, I said I really believed this four-game stretch against the Browns, Giants, Bengals and Jaguars would go a long way toward determining not only what kind of 2024 season the Eagles would have but in the bigger picture what Nick Sirianni’s future would be. Four teams with losing records, four games that on paper looked like wins, four opponents with a combined 8-19 record when the Eagles faced them, four chances to find out if Sirianni still had what it took to get this team pointed in the right direction. Here we are, and the Eagles have not only taken care of business in the first three of those games, they’ve looked very good the last two in blowout road wins. There’s a lot to be encouraged about. The young defense. The running game. Jalen Hurts. If the Eagles lose to the Jaguars they’re still 3-1 during this stretch and 5-3 at the old halfway mark. But I like what I’m seeing and I feel like if the Eagles play the way they have the last three weeks, they won’t lose. The Jags do some things well – they have a good running game and Trevor Lawrence can be dangerous – and you know Doug Pederson will have them ready Sunday, and I don’t think this one will be a cakewalk. But I like where the Eagles are, and I see another win here.

Eagles 30, Jaguars 21

Dave Zangaro (3-4)

The Eagles pulled off their most impressive win of the season last week in Cincinnati against a team that should have given them a tougher fight. So it’s not to take anything away from the Jaguars, who have been better in recent weeks, but this is another game the Eagles should win easily. The Jaguars definitely have some good players on defense. They have two really good edge rushers and a great trio of…

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With his team trailing late in the third quarter and facing a fourth down near midfield, New York Jets wideout Davante Adams unleashed a vintage, absolutely wicked stutter-and-go move to beat Houston Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter for a big gain up the left sideline. 

He took a big hit at the tail end of the play, though, and appeared to land on his shoulder while his head slammed into the ground.

Adams remained down on the field for several moments following the play, and was eventually helped to his feet and then into the blue medical tent on the sideline. He was joined in the tent by the independent neurologist, according to the Amazon Prime broadcast, indicating that he was undergoing a concussion evaluation. The Jets confirmed that he was evaluated for a concussion, but he later returned to the game.

And he made one of the most important plays of the evening for the Jets, beating Texans safety Jalen Pitre off the line for a slot fade that turned into a 37-yard touchdown to stretch New York’s lead to two scores with just south of 3 minutes remaining.

Again, this is vintage Rodgers-to-Adams stuff, and in an enormous spot for a Jets team that desperately needs a win.

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Edge with an edge: Jennings deemed ‘a problem’ by opposing coaches originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

FOXBORO — When the Patriots coaching staff gathers players next spring to show them clips of what exactly they’re looking for from a technique standpoint, odds are Anfernee Jennings is going to be featured.

Few defenders have been more dependable than Jennings in 2024, and in a season where the Patriots are hoping to find building blocks for their program moving forward, he’s only further solidified himself as that kind of piece with each passing week.

In New England’s 25-22 win over the Jets in Week 8, Jennings played a whopping 60 of 62 possible snaps, getting work in all situations.

While typically used as an early-down run defender, Jennings led the team with 24 pass-rush snaps, and he had one of the team’s four hits on quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He also recorded three run-stuffs, supplying some of what outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins calls “clinic tape” in the process.

Fun to hear Patriots OLB coach Drew Wilkins talk about Anfernee Jennings and the “clinic reps” Jennings regularly puts on tape.

Wilkins ID’d one example from last week, with Jennings taking on a pulling guard to create what Wilkins called a “10-car pileup” to blow things up. pic.twitter.com/HPUPCS56vd

— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) October 31, 2024

“We’ll talk about it Monday,” Wilkins said, “when we’re watching tape with these guys: ‘This is a clinic rep. This is a teach-tape rep.’ We’ll be sitting there next spring, when we want to talk about that technique, ‘This play was the one that exemplifies that.’

“Particularly when it’s run at him and he’s at the point of attack, whether it’s a tight end, a tackle, a puller, a flashing tight end. When he’s at the point of attack, you’re going to get some teach-tape reps from him because he’s physical, he throws his body in there. Really, for the rest of the room to see that — that this guy plays with that kind of abandon and that…

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We’re almost half way through the NFL schedule. The Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens are both 5-3 and they’ll go head-to-head in Baltimore on Sunday, with the Ravens listed as 9.5-point favorites in the Week 9 NFL odds. Meanwhile, the Lions (6-1) are 3.5-point favorites on the road against the Packers (6-2), who may be without starting quarterback Jordan Love after he suffered a groin injury last week and did not practice on Tuesday or Wednesday. Malik Willis would start if Love is sidelined.

Which teams should you back in those games and how can you use your Week 9 NFL score predictions to dial in accurate NFL against the spread picks, NFL over-under picks, and NFL money line picks? Before you make any Week 9 NFL picks and NFL score predictions, you need to see the NFL against the spread, over-under, and money line predictions powered by the self-learning SportsLine AI.

Built using cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques by SportsLine’s Data Science team, AI Predictions and AI Ratings are generated for each game. The AI predictions are determined by statistically learning from each team’s historical data and then quantitatively evaluating the strength of the opponent’s defense by assigning a numeric value out of 100 called a matchup score. 

Once a prediction is formulated, the AI rating is generated using the prediction, the matchup score, and the odds of the market. For example, you could see an A-rating on an over bet if a team is facing a poor defense, their prediction differs from the line and there are favorable odds.

In addition, SportsLine AI is the first fully automated predictive model at SportsLine. It continuously refreshes on the most recent available data and can help you spot the biggest discrepancies in the lines. SportsLine’s AI PickBot has hit a whopping 1,862 4.5- and 5-star prop picks since the start of last season. Anyone who has…

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Tom Brady is in the first year of a huge contract with Fox.Photograph: Kevin Jairaj/USA Today Sports

Ups

Detroit’s offense (defense TBD)

“The major question mark hangs over the Detroit Lions and whether their middling defense can handle losing its capstone, Aidan Hutchinson,” I said back in the dogeared annals of two weeks ago. As the hobbled defense makes the best of what it has, the offense has shown it matters little on the Lions’ inexorable march to the postseason.

At 6-1 the Lions should be aiming for the NFC’s No 1 seed. Ben Johnson’s offense operates with such aggressive efficiency – the Lions’ six touchdown drives against the Titans on Sunday lasted a whiplash-inducing average of a little under 90 seconds – that the ‘85 Bears could turn up in their prime and Jared Goff and Co would still find a way past them.

Related: Quick, strong and dangerous: Dexter Lawrence II is the NFL’s very large unicorn

Back in reality the Detroit defense relied on dramatic playmaking against the Titans to get the job done. The Lions scored three touchdowns on short fields from two interceptions and a fumble, giving the offense a gorgeous view of the Titans’ end zone from an average starting field position at the 50-yard line. The pass rush without Hutchinson however was non-existent. Tennessee’s beige backup QB Mason Rudolph threw for 220 yards in the first half on 23 throws in which he was hit four times. Meanwhile Goff was hit four times on eight first-half throws. One sack was generated from 38 Rudolph passing attempts.

These numbers will raise hopes for Green Bay in a huge NFC North showdown this week, signifying that Jordan Love may well be able to make the most of a comfy pocket. They also raise hopes for a pulsating shootout unless the Lions can find a way to generate pressure. A trade for pass rushing phenomenon Maxx Crosby wouldn’t hurt their chances.

Battle for the NFC West

The cream is rising to the top across the league as frontrunners start to…

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NFL players have hearts of steel, muscles of iron and — every so often — brains of concrete.

How else to explain how some of the finest athletes in the world make some of the most ridiculous mistakes in sports?

We saw a classic mental misfire on Sunday as Chicago completely botched its way right out of a nearly guaranteed win against Washington, a play so mind-numbingly stupid it got us wondering … is it the dumbest play in NFL history?

Let’s consider some of the most boneheaded maneuvers the league has ever seen. In this case, we’re focusing on intentional moves — both on and off the field — that were horribly wrong, not regular gameplay that ended up looking ridiculous. (So: no Butt Fumble, no Miracle at the Meadowlands, no Orlovsky safety. Those were unplanned — though hilarious — mistakes in the course of regular gameplay.)

10. Garo Yepremian’s Pass

The classic in these sorts of lists. In Super Bowl VII, Garo Yepremian, the Dolphins’ highly accurate kicker, saw his field goal attempt blocked and the still-live ball skittering away. Yepremian grabbed the ball and attempted a pass, but the ball went straight up in the air, ending up in the hands of Washington’s Mike Bass … who rumbled 49 yards for a touchdown. The score (like Miami’s record) would have been 17-0. Instead it was just 14-7. Humiliating for ol’ Garo — but Miami won anyway, capping what’s still the only undefeated season in NFL history.

9. Just fall on it, man!

Late in the 2009 season, the Rams’ James Butler picked off the Lions rookie QB Matthew Stafford in the end zone. Good news, right? And then Butler made a regrettable mistake — he got up, took two steps into the field, and then backpedaled into the end zone for what he thought was a touchback. Sorry, bud. That’s a safety. (The Lions still lost, 17-10.)

8. Wrong way!

Here’s another catastrophic safety from days of yore. Back in 1964, San Francisco’s Billy Kilmer fumbled the ball, and Minnesota’s Jim Marshall…

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Once again, the Pittsburgh Steelers will have a different quarterback rotation for Monday night’s showdown against the New York Giants. Russell Wilson will start, while Kyle Allen will be his primary backup. Justin Fields, who was labeled as questionable for the game with a hamstring issue, will serve as Pittsburgh’s emergency quarterback. 

Fields, who started Pittsburgh’s first six games and helped lead the Steelers to a 4-2 start, did not practice last week. He will only play Monday night if Wilson and Allen sustain injuries that force them to leave the game. 

Wilson started the season as Pittsburgh’s emergency quarterback after he aggravated his calf injury prior to the Steelers’ season-opener against the Atlanta Falcons. He was elevated to the No. 2 spot before ultimately getting the start for last week’s 37-15 win over the Jets. 

It was a highly successful Steelers debut for Wilson, who scored…

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