Munaf Manji, Dave Essler and Mackenzie Rivers dive into NFL Week 9 contest picks and more.
Munaf Manji, Dave Essler & Mackenzie Rivers — Week 9 Contest Breakdown

The contest crew returns for Week 9 with sharp eyes on survival, spreads, and smart positioning as the season reaches its midpoint. Munaf Manji opens by unpacking a week of upsets that shredded Survivor pools and exposed pretenders. The Texans’ stunning dominance over San Francisco flipped perceptions, and now Munaf, Dave Essler, and Mackenzie Rivers each see opportunity in Houston’s steady rise. C.J. Stroud’s poise, D’Amico Ryans’ structure, and a defense ranked first in scoring make the Texans a favorite against Denver, a team still living off early-season luck. Dave likes Houston outright, pointing to strength of schedule and balance; Mack applauds how Stroud shredded the Niners with short precision throws while controlling tempo for half the game. Munaf agrees — the Texans are playoff material if health holds. Mack then turns to the Colts, laying a field goal in Pittsburgh. The data says Indianapolis is top-six in offensive efficiency while the Steelers sit near the league’s bottom ten. Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor form a one-two punch under Shane Steichen that keeps defenses off balance. Dave concedes he tried to fade the Colts but can’t find a reason, betting their team total over and calling Taylor’s MVP candidacy legitimate. The panel converges on one Thursday night lock: Baltimore over Miami. Lamar Jackson’s return, Derek Henry’s resurgence, and a rested defense push Munaf to lay seven and a half, expecting a 10-point Ravens win. Dave hesitates but acknowledges Miami’s soft run defense and Baltimore’s health edge. Mack backs it with logic — Thursday road favorites win when the talent gap’s wide, and this gap feels enormous. Contest talk shifts to Survivor. Last week’s carnage cut Circa’s field in half, and this week the big chalk lies with the Lions and Rams. Dave takes Detroit, trusting Jared Goff’s efficiency and a post-bye edge against an overmatched Minnesota team. Munaf lists backups: Rams over the Saints and Packers over Carolina. Mack, managing a live ticket with Dan Rivera, leans Rams, citing quarterback mismatches as the week’s safest survival path. As the show closes, they riff on Vegas math, underdog psychology, and how every “easy” pick hides danger. Contest life is about patience — protect value, trust quarterback-coach pairings, and don’t chase emotion. For Munaf, Houston’s rise and Baltimore’s revival headline a week that reminds everyone why November separates contenders from the rest: preparation beats chaos, and surviving another Sunday might be the biggest win of all.

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