NFL Week 9 Picks: Upset and Score Predictions, Matchup Breakdowns for Every Game | Latest NFL News, Analysis and Updates

Why Gennaro chose the Panthers: Riding a four-game winning streak, Denver has climbed to the top of the AFC West. And yet, there are still plenty of reasons to doubt these Broncos. The offense, frankly, is boring. (Well, until Bo Nix decided to put together a game-winning drive.) And the defense, while solid in some advanced stats, just hasn’t been the stopping unit the past two seasons, ranking 20th against the pass, 25th against the run and 25th on third down. Yes, Denver is a perfect 4-0 at home, compiling an impressive collection of wins (against the Jaguars, Rams, Seahawks and Chiefs). But this week’s game is in Charlotte. And away from Mile High, the Broncos have been pretty unremarkable, beating the also runners (Chargers, Cardinals) and losing to the contenders (Chiefs, 49ers). Which brings us to the Panthers: are they also favorites or contenders? Honestly, it’s a little hard to say. Although they are below .500, they currently sit atop a lackluster NFC South. And while they opened the month of October with an impressive victory against the Lions, they closed the month with one-sided defeats against the Buccaneers and Packers. Therefore, this looks like a pivotal midseason game, especially with Carolina set to hit the road in three of the next four weeks. Now, it’s possible that Denver’s pass rush will overwhelm Carolina’s battered offensive line. And firing DC Ejiro Evero could either spark or improve the Panthers’ defense. But as Carolina has a few extra days to recover and regroup after last week’s appearance on Thursday Night FootballI imagine Dave Canales rallying his plucky team to a close home win against a Broncos team that currently feels much closer to 6-3 than 7-2.