NFL Week 9 2021: 3 teams on upset alert this Sunday

1. NFL teams that should be on upset alert in Week 9 – New England Patriots

Don’t look now but the New England Patriots are surging into the playoff picture. New England built on a 54-13 demolition of the Jets by picking up a nice road win against the Los Angeles Chargers that brought them back to the .500 mark for the first time since Week 2.

The victory was an important one for the Patriots since it allowed them to keep pace with the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East as well as stay within striking distance of a wild card berth. There were warning signs in this win since the Patriots’ offense wasn’t very efficient against a stout Chargers’ defense, instead taking advantage of a late pick-six from Adrian Phillips to secure the win.

Week 9 sees the Patriots on the road again as four-point favorites against the 4-4 Carolina Panthers, who squeaked out a win against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8 after backup quarterback P.J. Walker finished the contest with Sam Darnold in concussion protocol. It’s not clear yet if Darnold will clear the protocol in time to start against New England but Carolina’s defense, which has given up the fifth-fewest points per game and second-fewest yards per game in the league, should make life difficult for Mac Jones and company.

Being a road favorite is something that this New England team hasn’t experienced much since Tom Brady left, leaving this group vulnerable to an upset bid if the Patriots cannot maintain their focus here. The Panthers also have a tough trip to Arizona looming in Week 10 so they will put everything they have into winning here, making it imperative for New England to execute its game plan in order to avoid the upset.