Mark Craig's Week 9 NFL picks: Vikings prediction is something to kick around

Eight of 13 road teams are favored this week in the NFL, starting with the Eagles by 13½ at Houston on Thursday (they won 29-17) and ending with the Ravens by 2 ½ at New Orleans on Monday.

After a rare week of competent prognosticating, the total guess here for Week 9 is the road favorites will go 4-4 straight-up and 2-6 against the spread.

Feeling good about the Dolphins and really good about the Eagles, Packers and Bills straight-up. Against the spread, however, 13½ and 11 ½ points still seem a bit too much to give even if you love the Eagles — winners by 12 — and Bills.

As for the red-hot Vikings (-3½) at Washington, well, you might want to look away …

Here are the rest of this week's picks:

Packers (-3 ½) at Lions: Detroit's league-worst scoring defense is the ideal elixir for one of Green Bay's worst scoring offenses in the past 20 years. Packers 31, Lions 9

Dolphins (-4½) at Bears: Da Bears are the franchise teardown that keeps on giving. They made the Philly and Baltimore defenses better before the trade deadline. Now they'll make Miami's offense look better at Soldier Field. Dolphins 30, Bears 13

Raiders (-1 ½) at Jaguars: Jaguars by 3

Chargers (-3 ½) at Falcons: Falcons by 3

Colts (+5 ½) at Patriots: Patriots by 7

Panthers (+7 ½) at Bengals: Bengals by 10

Seahawks (+2½) at Cardinals: Seahawks by 7

Titans (+11½) at Chiefs: Chiefs by 7

Ravens (-2 ½) at Saints: Baltimore got extra time off after walloping Tom Brady's Bucs with 231 yards rushing at 7.0 yards per crack. But prime-time home-field advantage and a defense that's coming off a shutout will give the Saints what they need to win. Saints 28, Ravens 24

Vikings (-3 ½) at Commanders: Hate to be the boy who cried, "KICKER!" during a five-game funfest, but … "KICKER!!" Washington has a hot hand in Taylor Heinicke, the most strangely magical average, undersized journeyman quarterback this side of Case Keenum. It also has a decent defense and home-field advantage and is facing former QB Kirk Cousins, whose feet and win-loss record are due to reconnect with planet Earth at some point soon, if only briefly. It will be a close game. A one-score game, naturally. And the "Ghost of Missed PATs Present" just might be the difference. Did we mention, "KICKER!!!" Commanders 24, Vikings 23

Last week's Upset Special: Panthers (+4½) 26, Falcons 23. Score: Falcons 37, Panthers 34. Record: 2-6.

Straight up last week/season: 9-5/63-47-1.

Vikings picks: 6-1.