Last NFL weekend was one of those moments that’s a reminder of the term “Any Given Sunday.” From a week of upsets and lopsided games, we move on to Week 9, and it’s full of juicy storylines to pick through! From the annual Bills vs. Chiefs game to the Indianapolis Colts heading to the Steel City. Let’s dive into the Top 5 Storylines to follow entering this week of NFL action!
5. Ravens Back on the Rise with MVP Returning?
The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the more surprising teams in the NFL this season, for all the wrong reasons. Through the first eight weeks, they are 2-5 and just snapped their four-game losing streak with a 30-16 win over the Chicago Bears. A big part of their early-season struggles is the loss of their MVP, quarterback Lamar Jackson.
‘Action Jackson’ has missed the past three games with a hamstring injury, which immediately led to back-to-back blowout losses against the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Rams. Now, there are other issues the Ravens have. Does Jackson’s return fix their defense? No, but with star players such as Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton getting healthier by the week, watch out, AFC North!
4. Highest Paid to Bottom Three
What team or unit could be the highest paid, but be in the bottom three in the NFL? The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ defense, of course. They have been dreadful for the majority of the season. Pittsburgh is dead last in passing yards allowed per game and 30th in total yards allowed per game. Entering the season, if you had told me the defense was the issue, I wouldn’t have believed you.
When you have stars like TJ Watt, Jalen Ramsey, Patrick Queen, and Cam Heyward on your team, that side of the ball shouldn’t be your issue. As a Steelers fan, I have waited the past seven years for a semi-functional offense. Now that our offense isn’t the issue, our defense has fallen off a cliff. Can we turn it around? Absolutely, but it must happen sooner rather than later.
3. Caleb Williams’ Future in Chicago?
Despite being the number one pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, there are issues within the Bears’ organization surrounding Caleb Williams. Ben Johnson was hired as their head coach this past offseason. Johnson made his claim to fame with Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions. What did he hang his hat on? Timing, accuracy, and touch. Williams hasn’t shown the ability to play within the new system. The team has been solid; he has not.
That makes me question his long-term future with this organization. He is completing only 61.9% of his passes, which is above the average this season but below the 65.3% from last season. Ranking 31st in the league is not where he needs to be to bring the Windy City to glory. If he is the man of the future, it begins with becoming a precision passer for an offense built around him.
2. Time for NFL’s MVP to be Non-QB
Since 2012, the NFL’s MVP award has been given to quarterbacks only. Adrian Peterson was the last non-QB to win the award. However, this season’s trophy should go to the Indianapolis Colts’ running back Jonathan Taylor. He has been the engine of the team with the league’s best record, and he is on pace for one of the best offensive seasons of all time.
With 14 touchdowns already, he is on pace to break LaDainian Tomlinson’s single-season touchdown record of 31. Now I am not saying that Taylor will achieve this milestone. However, if he can lead the league in rushing, break the record, and lead the Colts to one of the best records in the NFL, you can’t deny him. Through the first seven weeks, you can make an argument that he has been the best player in the league. If he has another dominant performance in Pittsburgh this week, his MVP case will only pick up steam.
1. Annual Buffalo Bills Vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The game we have all been waiting for. Every season, these two titans collide in some way, shape, or form. Whether it be in the playoffs or the regular season. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen share a field, looking to do battle. This rivalry has had so many great moments, from the 13-second game in the playoffs to the Kadarius Toney offsides on Travis Kelce’s game-winning lateral.
History tells us the Bills will win this game. Allen is 4-1 vs Mahomes in the regular season, while Mahomes is 4-0 vs Allen in the playoffs. This game is in Buffalo, which should make for a hostile environment for the Chiefs. This is the build-up for the NFL’s game of the year. The football world is awaiting these two juggernauts to clash this Sunday.
Final Thoughts
Week 9 of the NFL season is shaping up to be the turning point in many teams’ seasons. We are starting to see who the contenders are and who the pretenders are. What are you most excited about this week? Is it the Bills vs. Chiefs game or something else entirely?
As always, thank you so much for checking out my top five storylines entering Week 9 of the NFL season! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
