NFL MATCHUPS
Last week’s record: 5-9 Overall record: 58-47-1 Bye weeks: Dallas, Baltimore
BRONCOS AT COLTS
11 a.m. on CBS
Line: Colts -6 Total: 43.5
The Broncos (2-5) cannot be as bad as they were in their humiliating loss to Kansas City: Denver was blown out despite Matt Moore’s replacing quarterback Patrick Mahomes for much of the game. Trading away wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders doesn’t help things on the field but might in the locker room, where he had become a distraction.
Pick: Broncos +6
EAGLES AT BILLS
11 a.m. on Fox
Line: Bills -1.5 Total: 43.5
The Eagles (3-4) have lost consecutive road games, managing just 10 points against Dallas and 20 against Minnesota, neither of which has a defense as sturdy as the Bills (5-1). Philadelphia has more offensive firepower than Buffalo does, but with game conditions in Orchard Park expected to be cool and rainy, the home team should be expected to grind things out.
Pick: Bills -1.5
BROWNS AT PATRIOTS
2:25 p.m. on CBS
Line: Patriots -13 Total: 46
It has been nearly a month since the Patriots (7-0) won a game by fewer than 21 points. A road game for Baker Mayfield and the Browns (2-4) is no way for Cleveland to get its season back on track.
Pick: Browns +13
PACKERS AT CHIEFS
6:20 p.m. on NBC
Line: Packers -4 Total: 48
With Matt Moore starting for Kansas City (5-2), this game heavily favors the visiting Packers (6-1). Green Bay is coming off its best game of the season — a 42-24 destruction of the Raiders.
Kansas City’s defense is softer against the run than it is against the pass.
Pick: Packers -4
DOLPHINS AT STEELERS
6:15 p.m. Monday on ESPN
Line: Steelers -14.5 Total: 43
The Dolphins (0-6) would be forgiven if they were a little upset at being two-touchdown underdogs after a decent performance — by their standards — last week against Buffalo. And it is not like the Steelers (2-4) have been setting the league on fire, even if they should get a boost on offense from the return of Mason Rudolph at quarterback.
Pick: Dolphins +14.5
CARDINALS AT SAINTS
11 a.m.
Line: Saints -10.5 Total: 49
Coach Sean Payton has made it clear that quarterback Drew Brees will be a game-time decision in his long-expected return from a thumb injury. The Cardinals (3-3-1) have won three straight, but even if Teddy Bridgewater were to start in Brees’ place, New Orleans would be the favorite.
Pick: Saints -10.5
BENGALS AT RAMS
11 a.m.
Line: Rams -13.5 Total: 48
It was a little ridiculous for the Rams (4-3) to claim they were back after a blowout win over lowly Atlanta, but a win is a win. Victories tend to come even more easily against the Bengals (0-7), whom the Rams are favored to beat by two touchdowns. While Los Angeles is capable of covering in this game at Wembley Stadium in London, it is instructive to note that only two of Cincinnati’s seven losses have been by more than 10 points.
Pick: Bengals +13.5
JETS AT JAGUARS
11 a.m.
Line: Jaguars -6 Total: 41
Poor Sam Darnold was seeing ghosts Monday as the Jets (1-5) were obliterated by New England’s top-tier defense. While that loss effectively erased the memories of the Jets’ win over Dallas the previous week, this game might play out in similar fashion: with both teams trading touchdown drives. The Jaguars (3-4) are rightly favored at home despite their lack of consistency on defense and their offense thriving only in bursts, but those flaws should lead to an outcome that is closer than 6 points.
Pick: Jets +6
GIANTS AT LIONS
11 a.m.
Line: Lions -7 Total: 49.5
At some point, Daniel Jones is bound to have a bounce-back game — if he doesn’t, the Giants (2-5) are truly in trouble — and this game is setting up for that to happen. The Lions (2-3-1) are in a funk that does not seem to be easing up: Detroit has lost three straight, traded away safety Quandre Diggs for a draft pick and lost running back Kerryon Johnson to a knee injury, and it is likely to be without cornerback Darius Slay, who tried to play through a hamstring injury last week and exacerbated it.
Pick: Giants +7
SEAHAWKS AT FALCONS
11 a.m.
Line: Seahawks -5.5 Total: 52.5
Matt Schaub will play for the injured Matt Ryan, but it is not as if the Falcons (1-6) were looking great even with their quarterback healthy. The Seahawks (5-2) are undoubtedly smarting from being outplayed by Baltimore last week and should be happy to face a team that is nowhere near as good.
Pick: Falcons +5.5
BUCCANEERS AT TITANS
11 a.m.
Line: Titans -2.5 Total: 45.5
Ryan Tannehill looked terrific starting for the Titans (3-4) in a win against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Buccaneers (2-4) are a heavily flawed team, but one of their major strengths is stopping the run.
Pick: Titans -2.5
CHARGERS AT BEARS
11 a.m.
Line: Bears -3.5 Total: 40.5
The Chargers (2-5), have more reason to be frustrated after blowing an easy opportunity to beat Tennessee last week, when they had multiple tries from the 1-yard line. The Bears (3-3) followed a dominant win over Minnesota in Week 4 with two humbling losses but should get back on track with a win at home.
Pick: Bears -3.5
PANTHERS AT 49ERS
2:05 p.m.
Line: 49ers -5.5 Total: 42
It may take an extremely heavy dose of Christian McCaffrey making plays as both a runner and a receiver for the Panthers (4-2) to upset the 49ers (6-0).
Pick: 49ers -5.5
RAIDERS AT TEXANS
2:25 p.m.
Line: Texans -6.5 Total: 51.5
Fresh off a dismantling by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, Oakland may have just as much trouble with Deshaun Watson and the Texans.
Pick: Texans -6.5