NFL: Richard Graves gives the lowdown on all the Week Nine action

Sky Sports News' Richard Graves previews the weekend's NFL action and gives his predictions for the next round of games.

Bye teams: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Arizona Cardinals @ Dallas Cowboys, Live on Sky Sports 2 HD, 5.30pm

For several minutes the whole of Dallas held its collective breath as QB Tony Romo lay on the field in obvious discomfort after being sacked by an impressive Redskins Defence on Monday night. He eventually walked off the field and returned later with news filtering through that he'd sustained heavy bruising to his lower back, but not re-injured the area that was operated on late last season. It was a sharp reminder just how important Romo remains to this Cowboys team. Even so, that shock defeat to their divisional rivals means their record slips back to 6-2. 

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The team replacing Dallas with the best record in the NFC are... the Arizona Cardinals. A big win over the Eagles saw them improve to 6-1. Carson Palmer showed he's still got a strong arm as he found Brown for the 75-yard game-winning score, but it's a Defense which likes to blitz, which could well be the deciding factor in this match-up. The Dallas offensive line struggled with Washington's blitz packages but I'd be surprised if they looked so poor in back-to-back games. Plus, the Cardinals may well have to play without their best CB, Patrick Peterson, who was concussed and left the game against the Eagles.

Pick: Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots, Live on Sky Sports 2 HD, 9pm

Manning v Brady. AFC West leaders v AFC East leaders. This is arguably the most eagerly anticipated match-up in Week Nine!

Last season the Patriots stormed back from a 24-0 half-time deficit to beat the Broncos 34-31 in overtime. Tom Brady leads the head-to-head 10-5 against Peyton Manning and this promises to be another enthralling contest. 

Denver lead the league, averaging 32 points per game this season but a Patriots Offense, which was being questioned just a month ago, now ranks third - averaging just under 30 points per game. And TE Rob Gronkowski looks to be back to somewhere near his best, hauling in nine catches for 149 yards and three TDs in the emphatic win over Chicago.

For those anticipating a shutout though, be warned - snow is forecast for Foxborough this weekend. Home advantage may be the only thing which can separate these teams.

Pick: New England Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cleveland Browns

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the worst Defence in football, giving up nearly 32 points per game. Once again last weekend, they had a chance to win the game but with two minutes left, they couldn't prevent the Minnesota Vikings marching 61 yards before kicking a field goal which took the game into overtime. Then rookie Anthony Barr forced a fumble and took it all the way back for a game-winning touchdown! The Bucs slumped to 1-6 for the season. 

Cleveland had a horror show of their own two weeks ago in Jacksonville but returned to winning ways against the hapless Raiders. That being said, they were far from impressive - recording only 39 rushing yards and converting just two of 12 on third-down. With a 4-3 record though, they remain in the thick of the AFC North playoff race.

Pick: Cleveland Browns

Philadelphia Eagles @ Houston Texans

The Eagles had their wings clipped in the desert as the Cardinals took to the air with a 75-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to rookie WR John Brown inside the final two minutes. It was an inexplicable defensive lapse after Philadelphia had engineered a position which would have seen their already impressive record improve to 6-1. QB Nick Foles finished the game with over 400 passing yards, but along with two TDs he also threw two interceptions. 

The Texans took care of business, climbing back to .500 with a big win in Tennessee, and are now just one game back from AFC South leaders, Indianapolis Colts. RB Arian Foster again notched over 100 rushing yards and added a receiving TD to the two he scored on the ground as Houston romped to a 30-16 win. 

Foles will give the Texans Defence opportunities to make plays and force turnovers. If Houston's own QB, Ryan Fitzpatrick can manage the Offense effectively, this may be one of the surprise scores of the weekend.

Pick: Houston Texans

New York Jets @ Kansas City Chiefs

It just gets worse for the New York Jets! Both Geno Smith and Michael Vick saw action in their humiliating defeat to the Bills - both turned the ball over on three occasions! The Jets were crushed 43-23 in New Jersey. 

The Chiefs fell behind early but then romped to a 34-7 win over the St Louis Rams as their defence recorded seven sacks, limiting the Rams to just 200 yards on Offense. Jamaal Charles scored two rushing TDs and Knile Davis returned a kick-off for a 99-yard TD.

Until they prove otherwise, there's no way on current form a case can be made for the Jets to win this.  

Pick: Kansas City Chiefs

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals

Jaguars QB Blake Bortles had his roughest outing to date as he saw two interceptions returned for touchdowns by an opportunistic Dolphins Defense. Bortles has now turned the ball over six times in the last two games. Despite the 27-13 scoreline it was the Jaguars who dominated the first half, but were unable to convert that into points. That will be a concern ahead of this weekend's trip to Cincinnati.

A week after being shut out, the Bengals exploded into life as they beat the high-flying Ravens to reclaim top spot in the AFC North. WR Mohamed Sanu made some impressive plays as he had five catches for 125 yards and QB Andy Dalton redeemed himself with a game-winning QB sneak for a touchdown, having twice turned the ball over earlier. Star WR AJ Green expects to be back in action after missing the last three games with a toe injury and that spells trouble for the Jags.

Pick: Cincinnati Bengals

San Diego Chargers @ Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins made hard work of their win over the struggling Jaguars but once again their Defense made plays when they needed them to, which keeps them in touch with the AFC East leaders, the New England Patriots. QB Ryan Tannehill voiced his disapproval of his and the Offence's performance after the game, saying they fell short of the standards they've set themselves. That is something that will need to change against the 5-2 Chargers.

San Diego have had a long week to prepare for their trip to Florida after losing in Denver last Thursday - a second straight defeat - which leaves them with a 5-3 record. Despite that defeat there was cause for optimism as QB Phillip Rivers again looked impressive, leading the Chargers on a pair of 80-yard TD drives. 

The cross-country trip from the west coast counts against San Diego but I give them the edge over an inconsistent Miami team.

Pick: San Diego Chargers

Washington Redskins @ Minnesota Vikings

When everybody wrote the Redskins off, they came up big on the national stage to upset "America's Team" in Dallas! As impressive as Colt McCoy was at QB, all the indications are that Robert Griffin III will return this week and if that is the case, the Vikings Defense will have plenty to occupy them. 

Teddy Bridgewater was solid, if unspectacular, in last weekend's win over Tampa Bay - crucially not turning the ball over as the Vikings snatched an overtime win. Unless the Redskins help them out by way of turnovers though, the Vikings are still a team in transition and will struggle if the Washington team we saw on Monday night shows up again. 

Pick: Washington Redskins

St. Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers

A week after upsetting the Seahawks at home, the Rams were crushed at the Kansas City Chiefs and now they face a daunting trip to San Francisco against a 49ers side who are fresh off a bye week. 

St. Louis gave up seven sacks to the Chiefs and lost LT Jake Long for the season with an ACL injury. Whichever way you look at this match-up, it's tough to see the Rams living with a 49ers team which has spent the past two weeks brooding over a loss in Denver. 

It's only three weeks since these sides met in St. Louis and the Rams raced into a 14-0 lead - that may be as good as it gets for them. Expect the 49ers to ease to victory in this matchup.

Pick: San Francisco 49ers

Oakland Raiders @ Seattle Seahawks

The Oakland Raiders are enduring their worst start to a season in 52 years. They've lost all seven of their games so far and now they head to a venue where Seattle have only lost twice in the last two years!

The Seahawks had a gut check last weekend in Carolina and managed to find a way to win as QB Russell Wilson came up big when his team needed him the most. It was a victory which keeps them in touch with the NFC West-leading Cardinals. Seattle now have a 4-3 record - two games out of first place. Only the most optimistic Raiders fan would predict an Oakland win this week.

Pick: Seattle Seahawks

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

There are few fiercer rivalries than this AFC North one. Both teams are locked together in the division on a 5-3 record, but while Baltimore suffered their first defeat in three last Sunday, the Steelers storm into Week 9 with a record-breaking performance from QB Ben Roethlisberger.

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Big Ben set new franchise records, throwing for 522 yards and six TDs as the Steelers produced a superb performance to beat the Indianapolis Colts 51-34, and record a second straight win. 

When these sides met in Week Two the Ravens came out on top, and after being swept in the division by the Bengals last weekend, they'll be keen to do the same to Pittsburgh. But when Roethlisberger is hot, he's one of the best in the NFL!

Baltimore come into this match-up with a Defense that is conceding just over 16 points per game - second best in the NFL. Despite that, the Steelers look like they are clicking offensively and in a game they need to win - at home - I give them the edge.

Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers

MONDAY NOVEMBER 3

Indianapolis Colts @ New York Giants

A week after shutting out the Cincinnati Bengals, the Colts gave up 51 points, and thereby suffered their first defeat since Week Two! Before anyone in Indianapolis presses the panic button though, they did put up 34 points of their own - something the Giants have done just once this season. 

Big Blue have had a bye week to try and nurse back to health some of their walking wounded but, even without playing a game, they got the news that LB Jon Beason will have surgery on a toe injury and is out for the rest of the season. 

To win this game the Giants will have to slow down Andrew Luck and the Colts Offense, which contains former Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw. That's been made more difficult with the news of Beason's injury and it's tough to see them keeping up with the Colts if they start putting points on the board.

Pick: Indianapolis Colts

Watch the New Orleans Saints take on the Carolina Panthers on Sky Sports 1 from 12.25am on Friday, followed by the Arizona Cardinals @ Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos​ @ New England Patriots live on Sky Sports 2 from 5.30pm on Sunday.