The NFL Roundup Week 9 - The Most Fascinating Games to Watch on Sunday and Monday

Written by John Edward Betancourt

As the second half of the NFL season kicks off, there's a sense of routine that suddenly comes with it, and thus...the excitement of football can diminish just a bit and all of this is thanks to the fact that a vast majority of the teams out there are settling into a certain mold, they're either winners or losers. 

That means we're now seeing matchups where powerhouse teams take on sub par teams, and the end result of those games is pretty easy to call. But there's still plenty of excitement to be found in the league this time of year. There are still teams struggling to find their identity or turn their seasons around or flat out show the rest of their division that they are the team to beat, and there are plenty of games that feature all of those elements this weekend and those are the ones that we will be keeping an eye on come tomorrow and Monday. 

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PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT NEW YORK GIANTS
1:00 p.m. EST - FOX

The NFC East has suddenly become one of the most competitive divisions in the league this year, and while it's amazing to watch these squads compete in fierce fashion week in and week out, there's a good chance that one or more of these feisty teams will likely miss out on the playoffs this year. That means every game matters a bit more to these teams and that also means the divisional matchups become all the more important, especially when both squads have something to prove. Philadelphia is still working to show that they are a force to be reckoned with in the league, and the Giants are fighting to prove that they are no longer a perennial loser, meaning this game is going to be outright fierce and don't be surprised if this one finishes close or goes into overtime as these divisional foes duke it out in classic fashion.

DETROIT LIONS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS
​1:00 p.m. EST - FOX

This is the kind of game that on paper predicts a Minnesota win, but there are special circumstances to be found in this one that make it seem like anything but an easy victory for the Vikings. Minnesota is a team that is suddenly struggling to put it together. Their vaunted defense is easy to wear down, Sam Bradford looks like a rookie out there and that could be a problem since Detroit...has shown flashes of brilliance this year. When the Lions are good, they are damn good and if they can get into a rhythm early and score some quick points, they may have this one in the bag. If anything, this is really Minnesota's game to lose, because the flip side to Detroit is that when they are bad this season...they are shockingly bad so if the Vikings can stun them with some big plays...they should be able to wash away the bad taste of losing the past two weeks and get their season back on track.

DENVER BRONCOS AT OAKLAND RAIDERS
Sunday Night Football  - 8:30 p.m. EST NBC

Of all the games Week 9 has to offer, this one is shaping up to be the one to watch this week. After all, it's a classic AFC West Rivalry in prime time and for a change...both teams are stunningly good. Now, that endorsement of this game does have to come with a warning. If you're hoping to see an old school gunslinger shootout, that's likely not going to happen. Both teams feature a powerful defense that keep Quarterbacks honest so in reality, one should expect heavy doses of the run from both squads and a focus on precision and execution. Now while it suddenly sounds like the game of the week is going to be slow and boring...that would be incorrect. Eventually the passing game will come into play and one of these teams will give in to frustration, and that's when things will get interesting because frustration gives way to mistakes and mistakes...mean opportunity and the team to make the least amount of errors in this one, will walk away with the win and the bragging rights that they are the absolute best in the AFC West.

BUFFALO BILLS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Monday Night Football - 8:30 p.m. EST ESPN

Monday night's game has my attention for one particular reason...this is another matchup with two teams desperate to prove themselves. Buffalo has shown that they can win tough games and dominate their opponent, but...they have also been embarrassed on multiple occasions, including last week's loss to the Patriots. They are a team trying to prove more so to themselves that they can be more than a mediocre squad and they face off against a team in the Seahawks, that are desperate to prove they still know how to win. After all, in the past two weeks, Seattle has tied with Arizona and lost to the Saints and their play on the field reflects their shattered psyche, which means that this game should have a little more intensity to it as both of these teams try to shake off the clouds hanging over their head and get back to their winning ways.