NFL: Week 9

Atlanta -9 Washington - Going against the line movement here, but the Falcons are a pretty good 4-3 team coming off to back-to-back losses and need a win here. Washington is coming off a BYE, but they haven't been impressive in any game this season, really. Atlanta is 5-2 against the number, including a perfect 4-0 at home, and they should play well today. Not much history in this series, but the Falcons won and covered the only recent meeting (back in '06).

Houston +8 1/2 Indianapolis - Since the Houston loss to Jacksonville, they've put together the resume of a pretty decent football team. The Colts have been impressive, particularly in workmanlike destruction of bad teams, but they've been just OK against teams with enough firepower to hang with them. The Texan offense meets that description and the defense has actually been better than I thought. Houston is 3-1-1 in the last 5 in the series and is 3-1 ATS away from home this year.

Baltimore -3 Cincinnati - I'm still not totally sold on the Bengals. They're 5-2, and you are what your record says, but this game is an absolute must-win for the Ravens who, since they've already lost one to the Bengals...can't afford to fall what would realistically be 3 games back. I think they're a good team, and good teams play very well in spots like this.

Kansas City / Jacksonville UNDER 41 1/2 - Neither team is an offensive juggernaut, certainly...the Chiefs have only hit the 20 point mark twice this season, and in one of those games they were aided by 2 turnovers that made it impossible not to score. Jacksonville has broken out with a couple decent offensive performances, but they seem to be the exception and not the rule.