Best NFL Week 9 Upset Bets: Can Bryce Young Bounce Back vs. New Orleans?
NFL underdogs have cooled off a bit since a red-hot start to the season.
League-wide, favorites have taken care of business better in recent weeks after heavy 'dogs - including the Raiders (who beat the Ravens as 8.5-point dogs in Week 2) and the Patriots (surprise winners as 7.5-point underdogs in Week 1), to name a few - made a ton of noise back in September.
But last week's slate still included outright wins by the Cardinals (4.5-point underdogs in Miami and the headliners of our Week 8 upsets column ), Rams (2.5-point home underdogs vs. Minnesota) and Browns. The latter upset AFC North rival Baltimore, which was favored by more than a touchdown.
So, who do we like to surprise everyone in Week 9?
Panthers +7 (-110) FanDuel
New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
The Panthers?
Really?
Hear us out. The case for Carolina covering against the Saints starts with their opponent. While the Panthers have been objectively awful nearly every week this season, New Orleans has not been much better since its surprising 2-0 start.
The Saints, who have lost six in a row - including four straight by at least 13 points - should not be favored by a touchdown on the road against anyone right now, even with Derek Carr back in the lineup.
The argument for the Saints winning by a touchdown or more starts with the fact that they humiliated the Panthers 47-10 back in Week 1. But this is not the same Saints team that ran wild on both Carolina and Dallas to start the 2024 campaign. Since running for a total of 370 yards in Weeks 1-2, New Orleans has cracked 100 yards rushing just twice in the last six weeks.
The Saints will certainly get a lift from the QB switch from Spencer Rattler to Carr, but even with Carr at the helm, this offense struggled from Weeks 3-5 in losses to the Eagles, Falcons and Chiefs. And with deep threat Rashid Shaheed out the rest of the year and center Erik McCoy still sidelined, this is a pedestrian offense, regardless of who's under center.
As for Carolina, yes, we're going out on a limb trusting Bryce Young to earn himself at least one more start to prove he can be a starter in this league. With backup Andy Dalton expected to be healthy by next week, Young will likely be on the bench for his team's Week 10 battle with the Giants in Germany if he doesn't play well on Sunday.
The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft made a number of impressive throws on the road last week while facing the excellent Broncos defense. He had a solid day despite not only Chuba Hubbard and the running game being bottled up, but also the absences of WRs Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen.
In a difficult spot, Young (24-of-37 for 224 yards, 2 TDs, 2 interceptions) and rookie receivers Xavier Legette (four catches, 34 yards, 1 TD) and Jalen Coker (four catches, 78 yards, 1 TD) showed promise last Sunday.
This week represents a massive revenge opportunity against a division rival that has beaten the Panthers in each of their last three meetings. Based on the flashes we saw last week from Young, Legette and Coker, we like the home team to keep this one close against the reeling Saints.
Panthers +7 (-110):
Browns Moneyline (+105) bet365
L.A. Chargers vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. ET
For our second upset pick of Week 9, we're backing Jameis Winston and the Browns after a thrilling upset win over Baltimore last Sunday.
The upgrade Winston represents from the version of Deshaun Watson that was under center from Weeks 1-7 is hard to overstate, but Winston's play is not the only reason to like Cleveland. The Browns D was among the best in the league a year ago, and it's quietly played well again this season, especially recently.
Against three good offenses - Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Baltimore - the last three weeks, the Browns have given up an average of just under 22 points per game.
This Sunday, Myles Garrett and Co. face a talented quarterback in Justin Herbert, but the Chargers offense is hardly a juggernaut. L.A. is 25th in points per game (18.9 ppg), and after a strong start by RB J.K. Dobbins and the running game, the Chargers have run for 61 yards or fewer in three of the last five games.
If the Browns can neutralize the struggling L.A. ground game - which will be no easy task with star linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah out with a neck injury - they should be able to keep this close and/or pull out a victory.
Assuming Cleveland's front seven holds up, the Denzel Ward*-led secondary has to like its chances if the underwhelming Chargers receiving core led by rookie Ladd McConkey has to win this game for L.A. With or without Ward, the Browns' third-down defense (which is allowing opponents to convert 31.1 percent of the time, the third-lowest rate in the league) should be able to get off the field if it can force the Chargers into third-and-long.
*Ward, it's worth noting, is questionable after suffering a concussion last Sunday .
The Chargers are an impressive 4-3 (at least on the surface) after a 5-12 finish in 2023. Three of their wins, however, were against the Raiders, Panthers and Saints, and we saw the Chargers offense struggle against a bad Arizona defense as recently as Week 7.
The spark that Cleveland - which went 4-1 with Joe Flacco at the helm late last year - is getting from Winston is the biggest reason to back Cleveland, but picking the Browns here is about more than just their suddenly competent play at QB.
Browns moneyline (+105):
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