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5 NFL teams on upset alert in Week 9

By Cody Williams

Nov 1, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) prepares to pass the football in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 1, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) prepares to pass the football in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 20, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) runs the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 43-18. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) runs the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 43-18. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

Putting the Pittsburgh Steelers on upset alert could be construed as an overreaction to the loss of Le’Veon Bell, but that’s actually pretty far from my line of thinking. As far as backup running backs in this league go, DeAngelo Williams is arguably the best in the NFL and performed exceptionally well during Bell’s suspension to start the year. Having said that, the Steelers still need to be put on upset alert this week as they’re favored at home against the Oakland Raiders.

I’m not too sure what the Raiders have to do to get respect from oddsmakers or fans, but they seem like a team that’s really coming on strong as of late. Oakland smacked a stout Jets defense in the mouth last weekend with a potent offensive attack and picked up a dominant win. Considering that the Steelers have been pretty abysmal against the pass this season and that the Raiders have a top-10 passing offense to this point in the year, another offensive explosion for the Raiders isn’t out of the question.

Also in play is how good the Oakland defense has been. As much as I believe in Williams as Bell’s replacement, I don’t see him having much success against a Raiders rushing defense that allows only 82.9 yards per game and has conceded only three rushing touchdowns on the year. Ben Roethlisberger certainly has the talent to beat a porous Raiders pass defense, but he looked shaky in his return from injury last week and we don’t know if all those cobwebs are gone yet.

Ultimately, I just think the Raiders are a better football team than the Steelers when they match up against one another. And since the Steelers are favored in this Week 9 game, it only makes sense to put Pittsburgh on upset alert.

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