Predicting the Week 9 NFL Headlines

0:00Welcome to the Ringer NFL show. I'm Sheil Kapadia. Today we're looking at the week nine slate. It is the usual Friday exercise. What headlines are we going to be seeing next week after these games are played? Our guest today is JP Acosta from CBS Sports. You can listen to him on the Pushing the Pile podcast. And I'm just telling you right now, I mean, this man can write some headlines. So we talked Bills Chiefs, marquee matchup of the weekend, Colts Steelers, a fun one as well, Lions Vikings, and Seahawks Commanders. JP knows ball. I mean, I learned something from him every time he's on Love Podcasting with him.

0:42He made some very interesting points specifically with that Bills Chiefs game. So very fun conversation with JP. Let's take a break. We come right back and talk headlines. This is the Ringer NFL show presented by FanDuel. And if you're betting on the NFL, FanDuel is the place to do it. They've got everything. Same game parlays, quick bets for when you want to jump in live, and your way so you can set your own lines. The app's fast, it's easy to use, and best of all, when you win, you get paid out instantly. Download the FanDuel app or go to fanduel.com slash Ringer NFL to get started. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming.

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2:59All right, we are back here with JP Acosta from CBS Sports. We're talking headlines in week nine. JP, I always give the guests the first headline. So go ahead, start us off. What do you got? My first headline is the Buffalo Bills become the one thing they sought to destroy and lost to the Chiefs. Tell me more. You're a good headline writer. You got me intrigued. I'm clicking on that link right away. Something that FAU taught me. I had to learn how to write headlines there. But when Stephon Diggs was traded to the Texans, I wrote a story back when I was at SB Nation about the Bills becoming the Chiefs offensively.

3:39is the Chiefsification of their offense. They're going from this real super spread and shred, being real explosive to being more meticulous, growing around their quarterback as the quarterback has grown in the short game and just the more mastery and control of the offense. But now I think the Bills are where the Chiefs were last year when it came to how constricted the offense was. When it came to, you know, a lot of teams last year could just play man-to-man against Kansas City and nobody could, they couldn't move the ball because they had so much limitations on what they could do despite the quarterback still being amazing.

4:15And in the Bills' case, the quarterback is still amazing. The offensive line is still very good. But something about the passing game is just off right now. For the last few weeks, even in the Panthers game where it didn't really matter because the Panthers gave up 300 yards on the ground. But Josh Allen has just been a little skittish in the pocket. I think it's not alarming. It's more just it feels like he is trying so hard to make a play where nobody else is open. And I think that Joe Brady has tried so much to do with like scheming and all the alignment stuff that they like to do to get guys open.

4:53But at the end of the day, you got to go get a guy who can get you a bucket. So I feel like in this game against the Chiefs, I feel like the Chiefs have are much better equipped defensively to attack this Bills team. so this one's going to feel like the Bills were becoming the one thing in Kansas City that they tried to break for the last few years that's interesting because as you were saying that we would have this conversation all the time last year with the Chiefs and I'm like well you know look at the numbers they're still a pretty efficient offense but it would always come back to well like are they explosive enough and to your point third and six third and seven who is the guy who you're going to and we're like yeah the Chiefs don't have anyone last year.

5:35And I think you're right about that. I mean, at first really, I was at the point where I'm like, they're fine. And then that Falcons game that they had on that Monday night was when I was kind of like, man, this feels harder than it usually does for the Bills. And to your point, it's not that like they can't do it. I mean, they're third in EPA per drive, they're second in success rate. You look at the season long stuff and they're going to be fine, but it's not about like having a good offense for the regulars. It's about like these high leverage situations against great teams because they're chasing something that most teams, it's a higher bar than most teams are trying to clear here.

6:09So that's interesting. So you think this Chiefs defense is good enough to make it feel like that for the Bills, that we might be watching this game going, wow, this is really an issue for Buffalo. Or are you like, well, let's see about that. So I'm still a little wary of the Chiefs defense, But since week five, their top five in EPA per play allowed on the ground, their top three in success rate allowed on the ground, they have played so much better against the run. A lot of that is due to Nick Bolton playing a lot better. I think with the way that the Bills want to run their offense, I said on our show earlier today that this was going to be a game about the others.

6:50This is going to be a game about Leo Chennault against Jackson Hawes and Reggie Gilliam. It was going to be, that's where the game is going to be won because of how big the Bills want to play their defense. And I think that plays into what the Chiefs want to be and how the Chiefs want to get their best players on the field. Because as long as Leo Chennault is on the field, Trent McDuffie is still on the outside. You don't have to play Chamari Conner and Nickel. You can sort of, the Chiefs have the bodies to isolate Trent McDuffie on Khalil Shakir and let Keon Coleman and Jalen Watson go at it for 60 minutes.

7:21because as much as Keon Coleman is a jump ball receiver, he hasn't done that this year. Josh Palmer is sort of their outside go-get-it guy, and I don't know if he's going to be 100%, and even if he is, I don't know if that's going to be a difference maker against Spags where this team has so many more answers now. So I don't think I'm saying the Chiefs' defense is fully back, but I think they are well-equipped to attack this version of the Bills that sort of neutered itself. In my fake trades earlier this week, I was trying to get Chris Olave to the Bills, JP. So we're on the same page. I mean, that's the, now those guys are hard to find, but maybe a game like this has them saying, all right, let's maybe the draft capital that we can give up for a guy like that is worth it.

8:09The other side of the ball here is interesting as well. You know, this to me is like, what do you got Sean McDermott type of spot? Because there was a reporting in Buffalo where I think he was asked after last week, are you calling the defense? And he was like, I'm calling it with Bobby Babich, our defensive coordinator, which usually when a head coach says that, I'm like, all right, the head coach is basically calling the defense. To the regional manager. That's right. That's right. Well, no, I'm not. I don't want to tell you I've completely stripped him of his main responsibility because that would be bad leadership.

8:38But you know what? If we're struggling, I'm going to do what I need to do. So he's done that before with like veteran defensive coordinators like Leslie Frazier where McDermott's just like, I need to fix this. And in the playoff, I can't shake that AFC Championship game last year where the Bills' defense was just atrocious. I mean, they couldn't do anything in that game. That was a 98th percentile game for the Chiefs' offense based on success rate. And the Bills have had up and downs defensively this year. The Chiefs' offense looks back. And I'm trying to figure out, can the Bills slow down Patrick Mahomes and this Rasheed Rice-infused offense?

9:17for the Chiefs. Where are you with that side of the ball? The only way that I really think the Bills win this game defensively is Joey Bosa having a vintage, like Joey Bosa performance. If this team is not going to have Ed Oliver, who is sort of the straw that stirs the drink, they need somebody to get pressure with the way that they play their defense, the way that they play, and wanting guys to just, wanting to keep a lid on everything defensively. I think they need to get something from their pass rush. They need Joey Bosa to play well. They need Greg Rousseau. If Deion Walker can provide some impactful pass rush snaps, because the biggest thing that I'm worried about and I've been worried about for this Bills defense is their secondary is slow.

9:57And it's not like they are a terrible secondary. I think Christian Benford's very good. We still have yet to see like Maxwell Hairston in extensive snaps. That could be like, you know, we're throwing him out of the frying pan and into the volcano against Kansas City. But I think this defense needs speed. And this is going to be the game where it's kind of shows up that like, man, this team is slow. Yeah. They're bringing back, you know, Jordan Poyer and Jordan Phillips, like trying to play the hits. It's like, man, that was a while ago before those were key cogs. So let's see what it looks like for the bills defense in this game.

10:35I'll be a fun one. That's the highlight of week nine. Certainly bills first chief. Sorry, JP. My first one here, Vikings hit crossroads. after blowout loss at Detroit. So we got Vikings, Lions, JJ McCarthy's back. Carson Wentz is out for the season. Vikings are three and four here. They've got the hardest remaining schedule in the NFL. They're eight and a half point underdogs in this game. And I just don't know if they can match up with a team that looks like a well-oiled machine in Detroit. You know, on one side of the ball, the Vikings defense I don't think has played well as maybe I expected them to play this year.

11:13even the last couple of weeks has not been good for them. And then offensively, I don't know how to expect anything from J.J. McCarthy and this Vikings offense going up against the Lions defense that has outperformed expectations that Kelvin Shepard arguably has done like the best coaching job, in my opinion, of any coordinator in the NFL, what he's done with the injuries on that side of the ball. So this is one of those games that I feel like can really swing the narrative one way or the other. If the Vikings win this game, it's like, oh, okay. It's kind of like they're in the mix. JJ McCarthy is going to get more experience.

11:48If they get blown out here, I just don't know that there's anything, any way they're coming back from it. So am I being too harsh? Where are you with Vikings Lions this weekend? I think this is going to be a game for the Vikings where all of your off season plans and the reason why you thought JJ McCarthy could be a thing for this Vikings team, it sort of rears its ugly head on Sunday because looking back in the offseason, we said the Vikings could be very good again because they had the offensive line that was going to hopefully remain healthy and be a very good unit once again. And a defensive line and a defense that has played really well to sort of support a young quarterback who has to grow into this role as the starting quarterback of this offense.

12:33Neither of those things have happened. And I'm really more concerned about the defense because in the offseason, they traded Harris. and Phillips to the Jets in order to get Jalen Redman more snaps. You want to get Javon Hargrave on the field. But the problem is those two guys are the exact same guy against the run. So they've built this defense out of all three techniques who win getting upfield and have nobody who does the dirty work. And you can tell when they face teams that get big and they want to run the ball at them, they give up a lot of leeway on the ground, something that we're not normally accustomed to with this Vikings team, especially under Brian Flores.

13:07that's also not a great sign going up against Detroit who has found it in their run game and it's also shown that if they don't I think of it as very similar as like when Houston's defense doesn't respect you they'll tee off on you in pass rush yeah when Detroit's offense doesn't respect you up front they're gonna run the ball 40 times a game and you just won't be able to do anything about it so on that side of the ball I'm a little concerned that this aging roster hasn't played up to its caliber. And then this offensive line is just never healthy. They never can get a full game out of Christian Derisaw.

13:40They haven't gotten a full game out of Brian O 'Neal lately. Ryan Kelly's been in and out of the lineup. They just have too many holes and against the Detroit defensive line that has Lee McNeil back, who was awesome against the Bucs. I just worry that there's too many holes on both sides of the line to really make this Detroit secondary look at least a little human. Yeah, I love the point about their run defense because I looked at it in the offseason. I was like, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, their pass rush is going to be even better. And I didn't take into account, well, is there a chance their run game takes a step back?

14:15I mean, their run defense and their 26th in success rate against the run, to your point, they just similar type bodies in there. They don't have that run stuffing guy in the middle. So that's been an issue. Jared Goff has had success against these Brian Flores defenses. the past couple of years. Now he had Ben Johnson, but Lions 4-0 against Flores the last couple of years. Goff completing 79 % of his passes, 8.4 yards per attempt. And to your point, it doesn't need to be a high volume passing game. I mean, Gibbs has been sensational. He can break one at any time. And so I think they're in a tough spot here.

14:51Let me ask you this question before we move to the next game. What would it take? What would need to happen for J.J. McCarthy to not be the Viking starter week one of 2026? Like, do you think, is this like a 10 week period where they're going to make a decision after that? Or do you feel like, no, they're, you know, they're going to be committed to him going forward? I think given the injury, they're going to give him another year. But the only way that I see him not being a starter going into 2026 is if he suffers another injury because he's really only played like what, like two games, two healthy.

15:23It's crazy. Yeah, he's been in our lives for so long and he's barely played. So he's one of the most intriguing players the rest of the season. Yeah, he's one of the most intriguing players the rest of the season, like you said, because this is a team that has the offensive talent to be a juggernaut, but the quarterback is really going to be the thing that sets him apart. So if J.J. McCarthy can prove that he can at least keep the wheel straight, if you can keep the wheel straight in this offense, maybe the defensive floor will be raised by coaching, and you can get close to the playoffs. But I think they're going to let him go into next year as a starter and then see what happens from there.

15:57Yeah, I think you're probably right. But it's a big 10-week stretch for that whole organization, depending on how he plays here. All right, let's take a break. We'll come back. We'll get to some other games. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Having insurance isn't the same as having State Farm. It's like expecting a linebacker on the football field, but getting a line cook. Sure, they both can handle the pressure when it starts heating up, but only one is stopping a touchdown. You wouldn't settle for just anything for your team. so don't settle for just any insurance. When it comes to getting the help you need, State Farm is the real deal.

16:35Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. For adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms, every choice matters. Tremphaya offers self-injection or intravenous infusion from the start. Tremphaya is administered as injections under the skin or infusions through a vein every four weeks, followed by injections under the skin every four or eight weeks. If your doctor decides that you can self-inject Tremphaya, proper training is required. Tremphaya is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease and adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.

17:12Serious allergic reactions, increased risk of infections or lower ability to fight them, and liver problems may occur. Before treatment, get checked for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms, or need a vaccine. Explore what's possible. Ask your doctor about Tremphaya today. Call 1-800-526-7736 to learn more or visit TremphayaRadio.com. All right, we are back on the Ringer NFL show. All right, JP, what do you got? What's your next headline? The Colts prove that the Steelers' arms are too short to box with the class of the AFC. I'm telling you, listen, you're a great podcaster.

17:52writer on TV, I don't want to give your bosses at CBS any ideas, but if they need someone to fill in and write some of those headlines, you're killing me, JP. These are sensational. Alright, go ahead. Explain it to me. I have just had too many questions about the Steelers just as a whole this season. And it starts with their defense. They have been one of the worst defenses against the past this season. And the large part of it is because they are so static. They They play so much cover one and so much cover three, but they are also one of the worst communicating defenses I've seen this year. Like you can see, like during the Packers game, there were coverage busts on the two point conversion.

18:32There were 10 players on the field that shouldn't be happening for a team with as many experienced veterans as they have on the field and experienced guys on the sideline with Terrell Austin and Mike Tomlin. I just feel like there's going to be a game for them this season where everything sort of just breaks defensively. Like they've been able to get by because they are the Steelers. They can get a splash play here and there. But I feel like this game against the Colts is going to be a really tough one for them. Because if you play a lot of cover one, a lot of cover three against this Colts team, they will motion you and they will play action you to death.

19:08And I think that's something that they have shown that they can do against a lot of the class of the AFC. And then once you get a lead on this team, can this offense, can the Steelers offense win from behind? Can they win in obvious drop back situations when it's not the Bengals? I have a lot of questions about just the sustainability and the long-term viability of this Steelers team. And if they lose on Sunday paired with a potential Ravens win on Thursday, that margin is going to get a whole lot closer. That margin is going to get a lot closer in the AFC North. Lamar Jackson is going to be back.

19:42They have two games against the Ravens to finish the season. this just feels like a game where the separation between the Colts and the Steelers really shows up. So this is one JP where I agree with all your analysis. First of all, we've talked about the Steelers earlier this week. It's the worst defense Tomlin has ever coached statistically. And the eye test matches that. And you got people saying stuff like, you know, with effort, questioning effort. And then as you're pointing out communication, just getting lined up. There's a lot of issues with the Steelers defense on paper. I look at Colts offense versus Steelers defense.

20:18They should put up 30 plus. And then we have this history with Mike Tomlin. And we have this history with guys like Duck Hodges and Mason Rudolph and washed Ben Roethlisberger and very stupid, weird Steelers teams in spots like this finding a way. Now, a lot of those times we talked about this earlier this week, they were able to win those games with like defense and special teams, like sack fumble. And they might not have the horses this year to do that. So I'm with you. This is like sort of a once and for all. Like if the Colts should go up and down the field on them. And if they do that, it's like this Steelers defense doesn't have it.

20:58Like there's no, it's going to get fixed in the second half. It's like, this is part of what we saw in the second half of last. I mean, they fell apart the end of last season. And it feels like that's in play here too. Is it that type of Steelers team? Or is Tomlin saying, not so fast, my friends. So he's still got some, I don't know what those tricks are up their sleeve. It could just be their pass rush plays really well. It could be the Daniel Jones turn into a pumpkin this game, JP, where we're all like, man, Daniel Jones, I guess he's just good now. This is all, but after this game, are we like, all right, come on.

21:29We should have seen that coming. That's the only way I can get to a point where I see the Steelers actually pulling off the upset. They're underdogs at home against the Colts. Yeah. I think the only way the Steelers pull this game off is if we get like classic Mike Tomlin Steelers like 10 to 9 just the grimiest game ever like that's exactly how the Steelers have to win because they can't score to keep up with the Colts especially with the way this Colts offense is playing they have so many guys in so many places that really can affect the Steelers defense especially at the second level their second level defense they just added Kyle Duggar who is sort of more of a linebacker now than a safety he's gonna be playing in the second level now because Deshaun Elliott's hurt but you have Tyler Warren running over the middle of the field.

22:15You have to worry about the run game and arguably the best offensive line of football this season. And a quarterback who was playing extremely confidently. I just worry that this Steelers team can't win from behind. And if they can't win from behind, if they can't get the splash plays on defense, that was their margin for error for the entire like late, late year, like Tomlin era, like since 2020, they have been able to widen their margin for error because of the defense and getting splash plays. If those things aren't happening, I just don't know if this defense, if this team can really hold itself above water compared to the class of the AFC.

22:51Yeah, they would have, I think, you need maybe a couple turnovers, a special teams play, like a goal line stand, or you're really good in the red zone, and then offensively, they might be able to shrink the game, make it like an eight possession game. I do think they can run the football, maybe string together some long drives offensively. But yeah, it's weird to say. I mean, imagine if August, I'm like, hey, JP, we're going to have this conversation before week nine where we're like, a lot has to go right for the Steelers to even be in this game against the Colts. We'd be like, what in the world happened in the NFL season in 2025?

23:24So that's a fun one, Colts-Steelers. Let's see what happens in that game. All right, last one here. I'm up, and I'll be honest. This is one that I don't know that I'm saying fully, like, you know, with my heart, with my chest, however you want to phrase it, but I'm giving it a little spin. and you tell me if I'm nuts. Commanders keep their season alive with upset over Seahawks. So this is a little bit my heart here because I'm a big Jaden Daniels guy and I think he's so fun when he's healthy and I don't know that we've seen him healthy. And I'm kind of looking at it going, are we sure we're fully giving up on this Commanders team?

24:01You know, they're three and five, minus 11 point differential, oh and two in one score games. They lost that weird game against the Bears on the late fumble. They haven't really had a full team. Not that they're going to have a full team here, but they've gotten blown out the last two weeks against the Cowboys and Chiefs. And I feel like everyone's already finished with them. Where I'm like, are we sure their offense doesn't have a little... This isn't a case for their defense. Can their offense have a little bit of magic here where they maybe just keep it close, keep it close. Jaden Daniels gives us a fourth quarter.

24:37Everyone's excited about Jaden Daniels again, and they keep their season alive. So that's the case. Again, I'm telling you I'm on the fence. Where are you with this Commanders team and this game on Sunday? I wish I had as much faith in this Commanders team overall as you do. I have a lot of faith in Jaden Daniels, but it just feels like this game is going to be one where, like we talked about with the Steelers, kind of realizing where they are in relation to the rest of the conference. This feels like a game where Washington finds out where they are in relation to the rest of the conference. Because we talked about an offseason, like they traded for Laramie Tunzel.