Ravens Should SELL, Darkhorse MVP & First Coach Fired Predictions: NFL Week 9 Reactions (Ep. 2313)

Rodgers has taken a lot of hits this season because the Steelers have been throwing the ball at a high rate (top three in pass rate over expectation). The concern is that if the Steelers continue operating at this pass rate, Rodgers will not survive the season. However, the recent shift toward a run-first offense featuring Jalen Warren and Rico Dowdle is helping keep him upright. Entering Week 9, Rodgers was tied with Deshaun Watson for first and second in sacks taken, though Watson has since pulled away after taking eight sacks in one game.

Welsh notes that Ravens owner was highest on their rookie running back Adam Randall, saying 'I love Adam Randall, I want him to play more.' Welsh suggests that if Ravens trade Derrick Henry, they would get more Adam Randall snaps, positioning him as a potential beneficiary of a Henry trade.

Mayfield's thumb injury is not healthy. In the Buccaneers' recent game, he had only three passing attempts, three fumbles (all recovered), and more fumbles than passing yards. This suggests the Buccaneers are operating an offense that avoids asking Mayfield to throw, which would not happen if he were healthy. The concern is whether Mayfield can return to health before the Buccaneers face the Bears and Lions, or if his limited passing ability will expose the offense against stronger defenses.

Bam Knight left the Cardinals game with a concussion, adding to Arizona's injury woes.

Erickson noted sarcastically that Brian Thomas Jr. would score the first touchdown for the Jaguars, though he was concerned about McNichols' heavy goal-line usage potentially limiting Thomas's red zone opportunities.

Welsh gets Brock Purdy's MVP case at plus 425 odds and notes he's been excellent this season. Purdy is coming off a bye week. Welsh includes Purdy in his top three MVP contenders alongside Burrow and Lawrence, though he prefers Lawrence's odds. Worm notes that if listeners bet Purdy for MVP in the summer, they're 'sitting in a pretty good spot right now.'

Welsh mentions Caleb Williams as a potential dark horse MVP candidate at plus 1,600 odds if the Bears go on a run and win enough games to make it unavoidable, but doesn't see it as likely.

Erickson picked Chris Rodriguez for first touchdown in a Jaguars game prop bet, though the pick did not hit.

Henry is mentioned as a potential trade candidate for the Ravens before the deadline. Given the Ravens' 4-4 record, three-game losing streak, Lamar Jackson's serious injury, and the team's dire cap situation (52 million underwater, dead last in the NFL), there is discussion about whether the Ravens should trade Henry as part of a potential sell-off or retool.

Welsh and Erickson discuss potential trade scenario to Giants. Henry has not looked the same in recent games without Lamar; as a running back in his 30s with heavy career carries, his value is diminished. Erickson argues Giants trade makes sense: Henry already knows Greg Roman's offense, Giants are in first place in NFC East and have better division-winning odds than Ravens, and it would be a seamless fit. However, Welsh questions whether Ravens would get enough back (potentially just a couple of sixth-round picks) to justify nuking the season versus waiting for offseason reevaluation.

Welsh throws out DJ Turner as a speculative example of an elite defensive player the Lions could theoretically trade for, though he acknowledges this is just spitballing the idea. Turner is mentioned in the context of hypothetical offensive-for-defensive trades, which rarely happen.

Welsh rules out Drake May from MVP contention this season.

Wormeli bet the over on Eli Rariton in a favorable matchup and also bet his anytime touchdown, but Rariton did not produce, resulting in losses for the weekend.

Hunter Henry suffered a foot injury in Week 9 action, removing a key tight end option from the Patriots offense.

Hunter Henry suffered a foot injury in the Patriots game, which impacted Wormeli's over bet on Eli Rariton and other prop bets.

Welsh suggests letting Jacobi Lane play more as part of Ravens' youth development strategy, positioning him as a receiver who should get increased opportunities if Rashad Bateman is traded.

Jake Ferguson suffered an ankle injury in Week 9, impacting the Cowboys tight end position.

Welsh highlights that Hurts has been playing really well since returning from injury for the Bears, positioning him as a key factor in the team's improved performance and division contention. The context suggests Hurts' return has stabilized the Bears' quarterback position and contributed to their ability to compete in the NFC North.

Warren is described as 'the most underrated running back in the entire freaking NFL' and is part of a one-two punch with Rico Dowdle that the Steelers have shifted toward featuring more prominently in the offense. This run-first approach is helping keep Aaron Rodgers upright and reducing his sack load. The Steelers' remaining schedule features multiple teams with weak run defenses (Bengals, Eagles, Broncos, Jaguars post-Hamilton loss, Panthers, Titans), making Warren's workload particularly valuable down the stretch.

Jeremiah Love suffered an ankle injury in Week 9.

McNichols was getting frequent opportunities in short down-and-distance plays and goal-line situations in the Jaguars game before their bye week, but he got hurt during that game, limiting his availability going forward.

Welsh gets Burrow's MVP case at plus 450 odds but notes the Bengals are likely a wildcard team, making it harder for a non-one-seed to win MVP. Welsh also points out the Jaguars already beat the Bengals head-to-head. Welsh suspects voters want to give Burrow an MVP since he's been a consensus top-four QB over the last five years without winning one, but the narrative may be getting ahead of actual performance. Burrow has 20 passing touchdowns (most among the top contenders) but also threw three interceptions to the same player in one game.

Joe Flacco is not 100% healthy as the Ravens' emergency third-string quarterback, and he is banged up heading into Thursday night football, forcing the Ravens to consider multiple moves at the position on a short week.

Welsh rules out Jordan Love from MVP contention, noting he won't win enough games.

Welsh is not impressed with Josh Allen's MVP case despite him being the favorite at plus 140 odds. Welsh notes Allen has had multiple turnovers this season and the Bills have gotten lucky to win several games, including against the Chargers (playing a terrible team) and yesterday (facing a third-string QB). Welsh says 'I have just been not impressed with Josh Allen compared to his usual standards this season' and rules him out from MVP contention.

Kendrick Bourne suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 9, a significant injury for the Patriots receiver.

Worm jokingly asks about Kirk Cousins for MVP, and Welsh dismisses him, saying 'No love for Kirk Cousins. You mean the 2027 starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings?' Cousins has 19 passing touchdowns, third-most among top contenders after Burrow (20) and ahead of Trevor Lawrence (17).

Lamar Jackson suffered a thumb injury on the very first play from scrimmage in Week 9, with Jesse Minter not ruling out a season-ending injury. Twitter doctors speculated a clean repair could mean a Week 14-15 return, but given Lamar's history and the Ravens' contract situation, a season-ending designation is very much on the table, which would be devastating for the Ravens' playoff hopes.

Suffered an injury that forced him out of the Ravens' Week 9 game, leading to third-string quarterback Tyler Huntley taking over; the offense was unprepared for this scenario, as offensive coordinator Declan Doyle had only been preparing two game plans weekly for Huntley and Jackson, not expecting to need a full third-string plan.

Welsh emphasizes Lamar's exceptional impact on Ravens performance, noting the gap between him and backup Tyler Huntley is "unbelievable" and that the Ravens "easily could have won" their recent game if Lamar was healthy. He stresses that with Lamar on the field, "all things are possible" and the team's vibes and trajectory would shift drastically in the right direction; without him, the offense will "look very, very ugly for the next month" especially with a harder schedule ahead.

Lamar Jackson is possibly done for the rest of the season due to an injury. As of the time of recording, the status is uncertain but 'it doesn't sound good.' This injury is a major factor in the Ravens' 4-4 record and three-game losing streak, and is central to the discussion of whether the Ravens should become sellers before the trade deadline.

Out for at least the next four games (Jags, Chargers, Panthers, Texans) and more likely six games at minimum. Even with IR placement, earliest return is Week 14 against Bucs, but realistically Week 15 at best. Welsh and Worm believe there's a strong possibility Lamar doesn't play again this season; if so, Ravens could win only two games the rest of the year. Comparison to Baker Mayfield's thumb injury return raises concerns about performance when he does come back—different injuries but both affect ball-holding and throwing mechanics.

Andrews is mentioned as a potential trade candidate for the Ravens before the deadline. Given the Ravens' 4-4 record, three-game losing streak, Lamar Jackson's serious injury, and the team's dire cap situation (52 million underwater, dead last in the NFL), there is discussion about whether the Ravens should trade Andrews as part of a potential sell-off or retool.

Welsh questions whether Ravens should trade Andrews or sign him to another extension, framing it as a real decision point. Worm counters that Hibner and Quavos are both more productive and make more plays than Andrews; Worm notes that whenever he sees an eight (Andrews' number) running down the field, it's not Andrews and 'it's not a good thing,' implying Andrews' performance has declined.

Penix had four interceptions in the Falcons' recent game against the Buccaneers. Despite this poor performance, his passer rating was lower than Baker Mayfield's, who had only three passing attempts and did not complete a pass. This highlights the absurdity of passer rating as a metric. The Falcons are described as a 'hot and cold' team that can look unstoppable one week and absolutely terrible the next.

Michael Wilson is dealing with broken ribs after making a great catch late in the Cardinals game, limiting his availability going forward.

Welsh rules out Mahomes from MVP contention this season.

Bateman is mentioned as a potential trade candidate for the Ravens before the deadline. Given the Ravens' 4-4 record, three-game losing streak, Lamar Jackson's serious injury, and the team's dire cap situation (52 million underwater, dead last in the NFL), there is discussion about whether the Ravens should trade Bateman as part of a potential sell-off or retool.

Welsh suggests Ravens should trade Bateman, calling him an older receiver who should be moved to allow younger receivers like Jacobi Lane and Elijah Sroc to develop. Bateman is viewed as expendable in a potential Ravens rebuild or retool scenario.

Dowdle is part of the Steelers' featured one-two punch with Jalen Warren. The shift toward feeding both backs more prominently in the offense is helping keep Aaron Rodgers upright by reducing his pass attempts and sack load. The Steelers' remaining schedule features multiple teams with weak run defenses, making this run-first approach sustainable and valuable for Dowdle's workload.

Welsh notes LaPorta wasn't used in the Lions' last two weeks, raising questions about his role despite being an elite offensive weapon. The discussion centers on whether the Lions would trade him for an elite defensive player to address their depleted defense, though Welsh emphasizes they won't actually make such a move. LaPorta is described as a young player who provides value in both the passing game and run game, but his recent lack of usage suggests potential role uncertainty.

Welsh picked Travis Hunter for first touchdown in a Jaguars game prop bet, though the pick did not hit.

Welsh calls Trevor Lawrence 'the best MVP bet right now' at plus 850 odds on BettingPros. Over his last 17 regular season games, Lawrence has posted 64% completion, 4,000 passing yards, 44 total touchdowns, 11 interceptions, passer rating over 100, 300 rushing yards, and a 14-3 record—'MVP numbers.' He's on pace for 4,100 passing yards and 41 passing touchdowns this season. Jaguars have an easy remaining schedule and are the best team in football by point differential (plus 85). Welsh notes Lawrence is only getting better in Liam Cohen's system and has the playmakers to support him. Erickson adds that Liam Cohen offenses historically dominate Jesse Minter defenses, suggesting Lawrence could have an 'unbelievable game' in prime time against Ravens this week.

Tyler Huntley is dealing with a possible turf toe and undergoing an MRI, further complicating the Ravens' quarterback situation on a short week before Thursday night football.

Started at quarterback for the Ravens in Week 9 as an emergency replacement after Lamar Jackson's injury; had minimal preparation in the offense, as coordinator Declan Doyle had not prepared a full game plan for him, only two-game-plan rotations with Jackson and backup Huntley; also got banged up during the game.

Welsh characterizes Tyler Huntley as merely "an okay backup quarterback" with an "unbelievable" gap separating him from Lamar Jackson. With Huntley starting, the Ravens offense will "look very, very ugly for the next month," particularly given the schedule is getting harder.

Turf toe injury; Welsh notes this is not a great injury for any position in football and likely means a multiple-week absence at best. Huntley is possibly done for the rest of the season.

Huntley has a turf toe injury, which is not a great injury for any position in football. He is likely looking at a multiple-week absence at best. This compounds the Ravens' quarterback situation following Lamar Jackson's injury.

Welsh laments that the Ravens were robbed of a potentially superstar special season between Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers, as they didn't even get a full game together—just one play before Lamar's injury. With Lamar out, Flowers will be significantly downgraded due to the quarterback change to a third-string backup with minimal preparation in the offense. Flowers was a total ghost in Week 9 due to the emergency quarterback situation, and Welsh notes that you can only downgrade quarterback so much before Flowers' production suffers.

Had his first game in his NFL career without a catch; Welsh notes this as part of the Ravens' offensive collapse following Lamar Jackson's injury and the emergency start of third-string quarterback Tyler Huntley, who had minimal preparation in the offense.