Betsided

Best NFL Over/Under Bets to Make for Week 9

Breaking down the best bets to place on the total for week 9 games in the NFL.

By Marty Coleman

Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) at the line of scrimmage during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) at the line of scrimmage during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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For my purposes, Week 9 of the NFL season starts on Thursday this week with the Texans taking on the Jets in the Meadowlands before we pivot to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens and round out our trio of game total bets with the Chargers visiting the Browns in Cleveland.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Houston Texans vs New York Jets Game Total Prediction

I've grown accustomed to and become comfortable with being the contrarian, but not in this case.

With a short week and the Texans being beat up a bit on offense along with the Jets struggling to score I see this one as a tight, low-scoring battle.

The Texans have generally found a way to win the close games this year (4-1 in games decided by four points or less) and despite being down Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs they'll have a good shot at doing so on Thursday.

Just don't expect it to be a shootout.

The Jets are 25th in the league in scoring per game and the Texans will be forced into more of a ground-oriented and tight-end-focused attack, eating clock and grinding out drives and points.

PICK: Texans vs Jets UNDER 42 points

Denver Broncos vs Baltimore Ravens Game Total Prediction

The Ravens are the second highest scoring team in the league, averaging just over 30 points per game, while the Broncos come in averaging 21.6 points overall and 22.3 points on the road.

Why are the Ravens 5-3? The defense has given up 38, 23 and 31 and 29 points in the last four games and at least 25 in seven of eight games this season.

This isn't the 2000 Ravens defense needless to say.

The Ravens may give up some points, but Lamar Jackson isn't going to let his team drop to 5-4 and I expect they'll score at least 27 themselves.

PICK: Broncos vs Ravens OVER 45.5 points

Los Angeles Chargers vs Cleveland Browns Game Total Prediction

Jim Harbaugh has the Chargers playing like he's till in the Big 10, with just 60 plays per game, which is 25th in the league, while averaging 18.9 points per game.

The Browns have averaged just 17.3 points themselves, but perhaps they've found something with Jameis Winston at the helm, putting up 29 on the Ravens in an upset last week.

My bet is that says more about the Ravens defense than the Browns offense, plus the Chargers defense is eighth in the league allowing just 305 yards per game.

A slowed down pace from Harbaugh and a little regression from Winston and the Browns offense has this one going under the total.

PICK: Chargers vs Browns UNDER 42.5 points

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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