game threadThree straight 8-win weeks. With so many teams on a bye last week Daniel Jones NFL Jersey , that means only five losses. That brings the overall season record to just a game shy of .500. We’re getting close.Remember these picks are strictly for fun and entertainment purposes and please for your sake do not take these picks as gambling advice. Lines used here come from the Westgate Las Vegas via OddsShark. Home team in CAPS.Carolina (+3.5) over PITTSBURGHOut of nowhere, the Carolina Panthers are playing like one of the best teams in the league. They’re third in overall DVOA, fifth in offensive DVOA, and a defense that was struggling to start the season is now 14th. Even Carolina’s special teams in sixth in DVOA. Pittsburgh’s defense is just 21st in DVOA, so the Steelers will have to score quite a bit to potentially keep up with the Panthers. That’s certainly possible, but right now Carolina has the advantage in all three stages.[Update: ha, 0-1]CHICAGO (-6.5) over DetroitThe Bears are still first in defensive DVOA and their success has really hinged on what the offense has been able to do on a week-to-week basis. That unit is still 10th in DVOA and will be up against a Detroit defense that ranks 29th, so even an uneven week from the Chicago offense could get the job done.KANSAS CITY (-16.5) over ArizonaEarly returns on the Byron Leftwich era were positive for the Cardinals, but facing the Chiefs and facing the 49ers are two vastly different experiences. The Chiefs have improved to 14th in pass defensive DVOA, though still sport a league-worst defense against the run. The problem there is running on the Chiefs isn’t nearly enough to keep pace against the Kansas City offense. New England (-6.5) over TENNESSEEThere’s only a handful of teams to take less than a touchdown against the Patriots. For whatever the Titans did against the Cowboys on Monday night, they’re not one of them.New Orleans (-5.5) over CINCINNATIThese are two teams that have been going in opposite directions lately. The Bengals started off promising Daniel Jones NFL Draft , but have fallen back to the pack in recent weeks. After a slew of WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE SAINTS stories over the first few weeks of the season, New Orleans sits at 7-1 through Week 9. It’s hard to take anyone over the Saints right now, especially a team that hasn’t been at its best.Atlanta (-4) over CLEVELANDThe Atlanta offense has been rolling of late — a unit ranked sixth by DVOA. Even the defense has been slightly improving, though playing the Giants and Washington certainly helps. But that defense is getting back Deion Jones probably next week and just signed Bruce Irvin. Meanwhile, the Browns are losing players from their defense and while the offense has figured out how to use Duke Johnson now, any optimism for a Browns leap forward will probably have to be saved for 2019.Jacksonville (+3) over INDIANAPOLISAs much as the Jaguars aren’t up to the standard of what they were last season, they’re not suddenly terrible. Jacksonville is still sixth in defensive DVOA and fifth on special teams. The 28th-ranked offense is definitely a problem, but with high variance, that unit can look fine at any point. Indianapolis is much better than many expected for 2018, but not significantly better than the current version of the Jaguars.Washington (+3) over TAMPA BAYCan an injured offense that’s not able to move the ball efficiently take advantage of a defense that lets opponents run wild down the field? Is there any game I care about less this week? Taking the points here and hoping Red Zone shows no more than 30 seconds of this game on Sunday.Buffalo (+6.5) over JETSI’m not sure if Josh McCown makes a Bills win more or less likely. But Buffalo does rank second in defensive DVOA, the only thing that has kept them in the games the Bills have been in. Maybe that’s enough to keep them close in this game. But anything is possible with the worst offense in modern history.Chargers (-9.5) over OAKLANDTake one of the league’s best offenses Daniel Jones Buffalo Bills Jersey , put them against a defense that just allowed 34 points to a Nick Mullens-led 49ers offense and the line isn’t even double digits? Sure. This could have been the Chiefs/Cardinals line and I still would have taken the Chargers.GREEN BAY (-9.5) over MiamiMiami started the season as one of the league’s top defenses. That is not the case anymore — 19th in DVOA. The Packers haven’t been the Packers at any point this season, but a November home game against a Dolphins team still starting Brock Osweiler at quarterback could be a good chance to change that.Seattle (+9.5) over RAMSIn years when one of these teams wasn’t good, these games were still close. Five weeks ago these teams played to a two-point game. Seattle is now a top-10 team by DVOA (ninth) with a top-five defense. The Rams are still better — they’re better than just about everyone — but we shouldn’t expect this game to be a blowout.Dallas (+7) over PHILADELPHIANo team in the NFC East is good. Philadelphia is fine — or will eventually be fine — and the other three are varying levels of bad. Still, fine might not be enough to be a seven-point favorite against a division rival, even at home. SAN FRANCISCO (-3) over GiantsThe 49ers just took a backup quarterback making his NFL debut and put up 34 points last Thursday. The Giants have scored 34 points zero times this season and not at all since Week 15 of 2015. Last week: 8-5Season: 64-65-5 The Detroit Lions boosted their chances of slowing down Seattle's running game and contending in the NFC North with one major move.Lions general manager Bob Quinn acquired Damon "Snacks" Harrison from the New York Giants for a fifth-round pick, adding one of the NFL's top interior defensive linemen to help right away. He began practicing with his new team Thursday."It shows we want to win now," Detroit defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois said. "Bob is always up to something. He's not trying to win later, or to rebuild."The timing seems perfect for the Lions, who host the Seahawks on Sunday. Seattle has emerged as one of the NFL's best running teams, helping it win three of four after losing the first two games of the season. The Lions have been one of the league's worst against the run, and yet have overcome the weakness well enough to also win three of four after starting 0-2.Suddenly Color Rush Daniel Jones Jersey , Detroit's defense got better on the ground thanks to the 6-foot-5, 355-pound Harrison."Snacks has been a big-timer for a long time," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. "Big presence. Really good in the running game and disruptive in the pass rush, too."So, it's a great get for them."Here are some other things to know about a matchup of 3-3 teams at Ford Field:SPREAD THE WEALTHCarroll has made clear Chris Carson will be the starting running back. That does not guarantee Carson will get the vast majority of the carries because Mike Davis and Rashaad Penny also merit playing time.Carson is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and has two 100-yard games. Davis also has a 100-yard game and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry, and leads the team with three rushing touchdowns. Penny ran for nearly five yards per carry in limited action in Seattle's last game against Oakland and is getting six-plus rushing attempts per game.Even with quarterback Russell Wilson carrying the ball just a few times per game on average, Seattle ranks seventh in the league in rushing with 127.8 yards per game.Detroit, in the pre-Harrison average, gave up 139.3 yards rusher per game to rank No. 30 against the run.EFFICENT SCORINGDetroit tight end Michael Roberts is tied for the team lead with three touchdown receptions. That's quite a feat considering he has caught just four passes, on four targets, in the three games he has been healthy enough to play in his second season.The Lions drafted Roberts in the fourth round last year after he led the nation in touchdowns by tight ends Youth Daniel Jones Jersey , scoring 16 at Toledo."I wouldn't be here if I didn't control the red zone in college, and I'm doing what they brought me here to do," Roberts said.BYE BACKThe off week appeared to fall at a good time for the Seahawks. They are expected to have linebacker K.J. Wright and tight end Ed Dickson on the field for the first time this season. Wright has been out since having knee surgery following the third preseason game. Dickson missed all of training camp and the first six games with upper leg injuries that landed him on the non-football injury list.Seattle found capable replacements for Wright in Barkevious Mingo and Austin Calitro. Dickson's return should boost a position group that's seen attrition with Will Dissly's season-ending knee injury and Nick Vannett's lingering back problems.Seattle also should have rookie defensive lineman Rasheem Green back after missing three weeks due to a lingering ankle injury.WHAT A RUSHThe Lions are No. 11 in rushing offense, averaging 122.3 yards, a dramatic improvement from ranking last in 2017. Rookie Kerryon Johnson ran for a career-high 158 yards in last week's win at Miami, taking advantage of holes created by the improved offensive line."We have to build upon the good performances because nobody will care if we aren't consistent," offensive tackle Taylor Decker said. "Our improved running game has taken the wind out of the sails of pass rushers. We're making them play the run and the physical play can wear those pass rushers out eventually."MICHIGAN MANSeattle defensive end Frank Clark set career highs with 2 陆 sacks and two forced fumbles in the last game, a 27-3 win at Oakland. He earned NFC defensive player of the week honors for the performance that was made even more impressive because he missed much of the second half when he was sick.