NFL Team Football Schedule & Predictions 2014: 5 Teams Who Must Win Week 9 Games
The 2014 NFL season is flying by and we're already halfway through the regular season, with Week 9 beginning on Thursday, Oct. 30 with the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers playing each other in a classic NFC South battle.
Division races are getting tighter every week, and teams have to step up their performance on the field if they want to make the playoffs.
Here are five teams who are facing a must win game in Week 9:
1. San Diego Chargers
After starting off the season 5-1, the San Diego Chargers have lost their last two consecutive games.
Those two losses were extremely detrimental because they came against the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs, both AFC West opponents. This week, the Chargers and Philip Rivers take on the Miami Dolphins on the road. If the Chargers lose this game, there's virtually no chance of them winning the division ahead of the Broncos and Peyton Manning.
2. Seattle Seahawks
The defending Super Bowl champions are 4-3 after seven games of play. This team hasn't played nearly as good as last season, but the Seahawks should be able to take of business against the Oakland Raiders in Week 9. The Raiders are the only win-less team remaining in football at 0-7. Russell Wilson doesn't have Percy Harvin anymore to throw to, and Richard Sherman isn't as elite like last season in the secondary, but a high level of play isn't needed when you're facing the Raiders. With the Arizona Cardinals now 6-1, the Seahawks have to win this game.
3. San Francisco 49ers
The NFC West is getting tighter. The Cardinals have the best record in the entire NFL over the last 16 weeks at 13-3 dating back to last season, and the Seahawks aren't going anywhere. The 49ers are currently 4-3 after an embarrassing 42-17 loss to the Broncos on "Sunday Night Football." Last week, the 49ers had a bye week so they should be ready to face the St. Louis Rams at home. Colin Kaepernick and Frank Gore know they can't lose this game and drop to 4-4 in a tough division. In Week 10, the 49ers have to face the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, where they are basically unbeatable.
4. Cincinnati Bengals
It's been a roller coaster ride for the Bengals this season. They won their first three games of the season, then lost, then tied, then lost, and won last week against the Baltimore Ravens. Maybe Steve Smith did push off. The Bengals play the 1-7 Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9, and they know that is a must-win game. The Pittsburgh Steelers have won their last two games, and are now 5-3. The AFC North is a very tough division with even the Cleveland Browns showing they belong in the conversation. Quarterback Andy Dalton has just six touchdowns and four interceptions this season.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles lost their last game in a thrilling match against the Arizona Cardinals, 24-20. Luckily for them, the Dallas Cowboys also lost. The Cowboys sit atop the NFC East at 6-2, while the Eagles are in second place at 5-2. In their next game, the Eagles play the Houston Texans, who the Cowboys already defeated in Week 5. The Texans are an average team who are 4-4, and the Eagles need this victory. Last season quarterback Nick Foles threw 27 touchdowns and two interceptions. This season, Foles has 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
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