Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) pases from the pocket against the Tennessee Titans during the first half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

NFL Top Matchups in Week 9

Jori Rzepecki November 3, 2023 Football, NFL 144 Views

Week 9 in the NFL brings forth another exciting round of matchups as teams continue to battle for playoff positions and divisional rankings. It is another pivotal week in the league with teams looking to solidify their standings and underdogs hoping to pull off upsets.

Some of the exciting matchups are Seattle Seahawks facing off against the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys taking on the Philadelphia Eagles, and Buffalo Bills going up against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Seattle Seahawks Face off Against Baltimore Ravens

The Seattle Seahawks (6-2) will travel to face the Baltimore Ravens (6-2) on Sunday afternoon. Both teams have played good football to start the regular season, sitting at the top of their respective divisions. Notably, these teams only play each other every four years, with the Ravens winning the last matchup 30-16 in 2019.

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Seattle is coming off a hard-fought 24-20 win at home over the Cleveland Browns. However, Baltimore has won three straight games after defeating the Cardinals 31-24.

The Seahawks present a strong offense with D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njiba, who could upset the Ravens’ defense. Meanwhile, the Seahawks’ defense will be busy with keeping Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense at bay.

As for injuries, Seahawks guard Phil Haynes is marked questionable after a calf injury. For the Ravens, running back Keaton Mitchell, wide receiver Tylan Wallace, and safety Marcus Williams are all marked questionable. It is unknown at this time if any players will return for Sunday’s matchup.

Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. The Seahawks are favored to defeat the Ravens.

Dallas Cowboys Take on Philadelphia Eagles

The Dallas Cowboys (5-2) travel to take on the Philadelphia Eagles (7-1) on Sunday afternoon. It’s a rivalry matchup full of stars featuring two of the best teams in the NFC. A win for the Eagles would give them some additional separation in the standings. However, a win for Dallas would improve its record to 6-2 and close the gap to half a game separating the two teams.

Home-field advantage could play an advantage as the Eagles are 3-0 at home so far. On the other hand, Dallas is 2-2 on the road and has lost two of its last three away games. Furthermore, this is an evenly matched content between two of the most complete rosters in the NFL. Dallas and Philadelphia average about 28 points per game while simultaneously ranking top-10 in fewest yards allowed on defense.

It will be a notable matchup between quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott. Last season, Hurts and Prescott didn’t play against one another. Last season, Prescott sat out the Cowboys’ loss to the Eagles in Week 6 and Hurts was sidelined with a bad shoulder during the Eagles’ loss on Christmas Eve.

As for injuries, the Eagles are dealing with a handful of injuries. Cornerback Bradly Roby (shoulder), tight end Grant Calcaterra (concussion), and running back Boston Scott (personal) are marked as did not practice (DNP). For the Cowboys, only three players are marked as did not practice (DNP). These players include offensive tackle Tyron Smith (neck), wide receiver Michael Gallup (illness) and safety Jayron Kearse (toe).

Kickoff is set for 4:25PM ET at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles are favored to defeat the Cowboys.

Buffalo Bills go up Against Cincinnati Bengals

The Buffalo Bills (5-3) head to Cincinnati to go up against the Cincinnati Bengals (4-3) on Sunday evening. The Bills are back on track after their latest win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As for the Bengals, their slow start is behind them as the team took down the San Francisco 49ers in a major away victory. That makes a three-game win steak for the Bengals, and one more win could get them back in the division title picture.

Notably, this will be an emotional game as it is the Bills first visit back to Cincinnati since Damar Hamlin’s injury. On January 2, Hamlin had to be administered CPR on the field before being rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Since then, Hamlin made a return to the field against the Miami Dolphins on October 1. However, he has been frequently inactive on gameday this season and unsure if if he will play in Sunday’s game.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Both teams bring forth their own strengths and weaknesses. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow getting over his calf injury is great news for the struggling Bengals. After playing a near-perfect game against the 49ers, it is clear he may be truly healthy and back on his game. The Bills’ strong offense is bound to give trouble to the struggling Bengals’ defense. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is having a strong season that counteracts the struggles of their defense.

As for injuries, the Bills had concerns about their star QB Josh Allen returning to gameplay. As of Thursday’s injury report, he was a full participant alongside safety Damar Hamlin. However, there is concerns about the return of linebacker Quintin Morris (ankle) and linebacker Baylon Spector (hamstring). For the Bengals, defensive tackle Josh Tupou (shoulder) and safety Tycen Anderson (knee) are unlikely to return. However, running back Joe Mixon (chest) and linebacker Devin Harper (hamstring) are trending upwards and likely to return on Sunday night.

Kickoff is set for 8:20PM ET at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals are favored to win against the Bills.

 

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