Bears and Bills lead Week 9 betting locks as Vikings face second straight loss

The Chicago Bears are set to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET, a matchup where the Bears are favored by 6.5 points. This selection follows a strong performance by the Bears in Seattle, where they defeated the defending champion Seahawks. The new defensive addition Jeffery Simmons made an impact in that debut. The Buccaneers are facing a tough test because their passing attack has been inefficient recently. Tampa Bay completed only seven of 14 pass attempts for 64 yards and one touchdown over its last two games. The analyst believes the Bucs cannot sustain that level of play against Caleb Williams and the Bears' defense, which has led Chicago to a fourth consecutive win. The projected score is Bears 28, Buccaneers 20.

In another Sunday evening game at 4:25 p.m. ET, the Green Bay Packers visit the New England Patriots. The Packers are the pick at 3 points. This bet relies on the Packers' recent defensive improvement. Over the past five games, Green Bay allows just 14.6 points per game, which ranks third in the NFL. The Patriots, who had a close win against the Dolphins last week, will face Jordan Love, who leads the NFL in passing yards and completions of 20-plus air yards entering Week 8. The analyst notes that New England's defense may struggle to contain Love. The projected score is Packers 23, Patriots 21.

The Los Angeles Rams travel to Washington on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, where they are favored by 5.5 points. The pick hinges on the inconsistency of Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels. In his recent win against Philadelphia, Daniels had an off-target throw rate of 17.2%, the third-highest in his career for a single game. The Rams defense, which ranks fifth in the league in total yards allowed, is expected to exploit these errors. Washington has lost five straight games following a win since the start of last season. The analyst anticipates a strong performance from Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua. The projected score is Rams 27, Commanders 21.

Dallas takes on Indianapolis on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, with the Cowboys favored by 6 points. The Colts are in poor form, holding a record of 2-13 over their last 15 games. They recently lost 42-7 to the Jaguars and allow 27.8 points per game, the third-highest mark in the league. The analyst suggests the Cowboys offense can score around 30 points given Indianapolis' defensive issues. The Colts may also limit running back Jonathan Taylor, who played a season-low 62.3% of offensive snaps last week. The projected score is Cowboys 30, Colts 17.

The Buffalo Bills visit the Minnesota Vikings on Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET, with the Bills favored by 3.5 points. The Vikings suffered their first loss of the season against the Lions, exposing struggles in the offense led by Kyler Murray. Minnesota's offense averages just 279.4 total yards per game, the fourth-lowest in the league. The Bills, however, average a league-best 33.3 points per game. Buffalo scores touchdowns on 70% of red zone trips, a rate that ranks fifth highest. The analyst believes the Bills only need to score over 20 points to win. The projected score is Bills 24, Vikings 17.