Here’s a look at the announcing assignments for Week 9 of the NFL season, with some discussion of a featured game in each slot based on broadcasters, matchups, or both. All times are Eastern.

Thursday, October 31

Featured/only game: Houston at NY Jets
Prime Video 8:15 p.m.
Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung
Spanish: Miguel Gurwitz, Rolando Cantú
Westwood One Radio: Ian Eagle, Mike Mayock

This is one of the many Jets’ primetime games that looked better before the season. At 2-6, with season-entering head coach Robert Saleh already fired, the national interest in them is declining fast, with CBS’ JJ Watt even saying “I’m so sick of all of us talking about this sh*t. Like, it’s not working. They’re 2-6” about QB Aaron Rodgers’ latest cayenne pepper drama. And this looks like a mismatch against the 6-2 Texans on several levels.

But the Jets are two-point home favorites, so it might be more interesting than the records make it seem. And that’s very unusual, as Action Network’s John LaFranca wrote:

This line may have jumped off the page to some, as the 6-2 Texans are underdogs against a struggling 2-6 Jets squad. In the entire history of Action Labs, dating back 20 years, we have only seen a team with a 25% win percentage or worse listed as a favorite over a team with a win percentage of 75% or higher on just 78 occasions. The favorite has covered the spread at a 56.9% clip.

The reasons to believe in the Jets include the Texans’ loss of top receiver Stefon Diggs for the season, Houston’s struggles on early downs, and New York’s strong performance (4.2 yards allowed) on first downs. If the Jets can keep that up and put Texans’ QB C.J. Stroud in second and long consistently, they might have some hope here. But this still might be a scary Halloween game for many viewers.

Sunday, November 3, early window

Featured game 1: Dallas at Atlanta
Fox 1 p.m.
Adam Amin, Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver

This game is perhaps most notable for how far the 3-4 Cowboys have fallen. This ends a streak of 21 consecutive games where they have been broadcast by a network’s top team (so the top CBS or Fox team in afternoon windows, or the main team for any primetime broadcast). And yes, this is the Fox No. 2 team, but that is still a step down. And Dallas is coming off two straight losses, against the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers.

Meanwhile, the 5-3 Falcons sit atop the NFC South. Part of that is about the division’s overall struggles; its next best is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4-4. Another part might be about the lack of a pylon cam, which contributed to a controversial touchdown they scored against the Bucs this past Sunday being upheld. But they are playing better than the Cowboys at the moment, and they’ve won four of their last five, and they’re 2.5-point favorites.

For Atlanta, a key factor is running back Bijan Robinson, who has 116 carries for 546 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and four touchdowns this season, but has taken off recently. His last three games saw him carry for 63, 103, and 95 yards respectively, adding 43, 40, and 10 receiving yards in those games. And Dallas has struggled against the run, allowing 154.6 yards per game (tied with the Carolina Panthers for worst in the league). So that matchup may be key here.

Featured game 2: Denver at Baltimore
CBS/Paramount+ 1 p.m.
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson
Sports USA Radio: Josh Appel, Gio Bernard

This clash of 5-3 teams will go to much of the country as the CBS singleheader, and there’s a lot to like with it. The main question may be the health of Ravens’ QB Lamar Jackson, who missed his second-straight practice Thursday with knee and back injuries. He’s thrown for 2,099 yards and 17 touchdowns this season (with a 66.9 percent completion mark and just two interceptions) while rushing for 501 yards (averaging 6.2 yards per carry) and two more touchdowns. At the moment, it does seem like he’ll play, but if he doesn’t, 38-year-old backup Josh Johnson will get his first start since 2021.

Meanwhile, the 9.5-point road underdog Broncos have their own quarterback discussions. Rookie Bo Nix has improved lately after a shaky start, and has 1,530 passing yards and eight touchdowns this year, but has tossed five interceptions and completed just 63.2 percent of his passes. We’ll see what he can do against the Ravens’ defense, and how CBS’ Romo breaks down his play. And he may not get much help from the run game, as Baltimore leads the league with 69.9 rush yards allowed per game.

Miami at Buffalo
CBS/Paramount+ 1 p.m.
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins
ESPN Radio: Steve Levy, Harry Douglas

New Orleans at Carolina
CBS/Paramount+ 1 p.m.
Tom McCarthy, Jay Feely, Amanda Baliones

Las Vegas at Cincinnati
Fox 1 p.m.
Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston, Laura Okmin

LA Chargers at Cleveland
CBS/Paramount+ 1 p.m.
Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Aditi Kinkhabwala

Washington at NY Giants
Fox 1 p.m.
Chris Myers, Mark Sanchez, Kristina Pink

New England at Tennessee
Fox 1 p.m.
Jason Benetti, Mark Schlereth, Jen Hale

Jacksonville at Philadelphia
CBS/Paramount+ 4:05 p.m.
Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Jason McCourty, AJ Ross
Compass Media Radio: Chris Carrino, Brian Baldinger

Sunday, November 3, afternoon window

Featured game 1: Chicago at Arizona
CBS/Paramount+ 4:05 p.m.
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn
ESPN Radio: Mike Couzens, Max Starks

2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams’ debut season continues to be one to watch. Williams’ 1,448 passing yards and nine touchdowns (with five picks and a 62.8 percent completion mark) certainly aren’t mind-blowing, and neither is the Bears’ 4-3 record (which has them last in a very good NFC North). But some of those losses have been close and not primarily the fault of Williams, including with the Hail Mary they gave up against the Washington Commanders last week.

Meanwhile, the 4-4 Cardinals are leading a mediocre NFC West. And they seem to have a little more of a sure thing at QB: Kyler Murray has thrown for 1,638 yards and 11 touchdowns (against three interceptions, with a 67.2 percent completion mark) to date, and even put to bed the Call of Duty narrative. But their defense allows 376.5 points per game (sixth-worst in the league), and that’s part of why they’re 1.5-point underdogs here. They will get reinforcements in 2024 first-round pick defensive lineman Darius Robinson (27th overall), though, who’s making his season debut after a training camp injury, and facing a banged-up Bears’ line.

Featured game 2: Detroit at Green Bay
Fox 4:25 p.m.
Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi
Sports USA Radio: Larry Kahn, James White

The NFC North continues to be the class of the NFL, and the clash here between the 6-1 Lions and 6-2 Packers should be a great one. The Lions are 3.5-point favorites, and some of that is about uncertainty around if Packers’ QB Jordan Love will be able to play after not practicing the first couple of days this week.

Love suffered a groin injury in a win over Jacksonville last week, which he left in the third quarter. He’s thrown for 1,547 yards and 15 touchdowns this year, albeit with nine interceptions and a 61.7 completion mark. Backup Malik Willis has looked okay in relief this year, throwing for 380 yards and three touchdowns with no picks and a 74.4 percent completion mark, but the Packers would certainly rather have Love able to go.

For Detroit, a key factor is the two-pronged rushing attack of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, who have 591 and 415 rushing yards this season respectively (with six and seven touchdowns and 6.4 and 4.5 yards per carry averages). Another one is the play of Amon-Ra St. Brown, starring on Netflix’s Receiver, who has a team-high 41 catches (no one else has more than 20) for 408 yards and five touchdowns. We’ll see how those figures do against the Packers.

LA Rams at Seattle
Fox 4:25 p.m.
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Megan Olivi

Sunday, Nov. 3, Sunday Night Football

Featured/only game: Indianapolis at Minnesota
NBC/Universo/Peacock 8:20 p.m.
Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark
Universo: Miguel Gurwitz, Rolando Cantú, Ariana Figuera
Westwood One Radio: Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic

The 4-4 Colts are seeing incredible QB drama after the announcement they’re benching Anthony Richardson for Joe Flacco. Some of that’s been around Richardson asking to leave for a play in Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Texans because he was tired, while other parts of it are about his overall play this year. But it may be most interesting to see what Flacco can do in relief, a prospect discussed by some even before this season started.  The 39-year-old Flacco came out of retirement last year and was excellent for the Cleveland Browns, but can he keep that up?

Meanwhile, the 5-2 Vikings seem to be in a much smoother spot, but they have their own QB discussions. Sam Darnold has been excellent (1,610 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, five interceptions, a 67.2 percent completion rate) so far, but rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy is back around the team while he’s recovering from season-ending surgery from a preseason injury. That’s sparked talk about just what the future holds for Darnold in Minnesota. But a strong performance from him and the Vikings (5.5-point favorites) might quiet that discussion for the moment.

Monday, November 4, Monday Night Football

Featured/only game: Tampa Bay at Kansas City
ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN Deportes 8:15 p.m.
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters
ESPN2: Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Bill Belichek, Guests TBA
ESPN Deportes: Rebeca Landa, Sebastián Martinez-Christensen, MJ Acosta-Ruiz
Westwood One Radio: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner

The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs remain undefeated at 7-0, and they’re nine-point home favorites here. But they certainly haven’t looked invincible. And the performances from QB Patrick Mahomes (1,651 passing yards and eight touchdowns with a 68.4 percent completion mark, but nine picks) and TE Travis Kelce (38 catches for 335 yards and a touchdown) have come into question.

For the Buccaneers, they’re coming off that tough 31-26 loss to the Falcons that might have been different with a pylon cam. But that was also their second-straight defeat, following a 41-31 loss to the Ravens the week before. Baker Mayfield has thrown for an impressive 2,189 passing yards (second in the league behind Geno Smith) with 21 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a 71.1 percent completion mark to date, but has thrown seven of his nine picks in the last three weeks. We’ll see how he does against a tough Kansas City defense that allows just 295.0 yards per game (fifth in the league).

BYE: Pittsburgh, San Francisco

H/T Sammy for the listings!