NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Week 9 NFL Picks with Cynthia Frelund

Episode Date: October 30, 2025

Gregg Rosenthal and NFL Network's Cynthia Frelund make their picks for Week 9! After all the chaos last week, will they finally play it safe? Probably not. They talk Atlanta Falcons vs. New England Patriots (01:42), Seattle Seahawks vs. Washington Commanders (04:28), Los Angeles Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans (07:09),  Chicago Bears vs. Cincinnati Bengals (10:50), Carolina Panthers vs. Green Bay Packers (14:05), and Arizona Cardinals vs. Dallas Cowboys (16:13). All that and more on NFL Daily! Note: time codes approximate.NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Welcome to NFL Daily, where we hate a late week injury status change. I'm Greg Rosenthal. I'm here in the Chris Wesleying podcast studio, taping on a third. Thursday afternoon with Cynthia Freeland, and I like to put the time when we're taping, and now the show is just going straight out, because every once in a while, we'll pick a

game, and we think that Michael Pennix and Drake London are involved, and we get in trouble. That's what happened to me last week, when suddenly it was Kirk Cousins throwing to Darnel Mooney, and I was losing that Falcons by a lot. Well, I mean, Lamar Jackson did it, like, we got a lot of, like, we got bamboozled. It's tough. We're here. We're in the studio. If you're new to the show, we pick three games against the spread every week. Now, it's a small sample size. So it's tricky. It's very tricky. And when you dig a hole, you need some hot weeks to get out of it. And that's what Cynthia Freeland is coming off. Three and O last week. And I'm still not to five hundred. Good job. You took some heavy favorites and that was the way to go. So Cynthia went three and O. I went two and one. I went and checked the numbers. I've gone two and one, four straight weeks after going one and two. four straight week. So we're on a hot streak. So I'm back to 500. You're very close. And you've been on fire taking over first place on game day view as well. So I will let you start

coming off a three and a week where I believe you didn't even have to sweat out any of your games. It was pretty easy peasy. Well, you know, the one that, I mean, I think we all kind of sweat out the Bengals and Jets, even though. Because nobody, I don't think anyone in any of you picked the Jets. That's true. I mean, I mean, yeah. Yeah, for this show. No, we were in good news. I, you know what, I'm going to, I don't like the Falcons and I'm mad at them for being so, like, tricky. So I'm going to go with New England to cover, I know, five and a half, it's at home. But here's my, here's what I'm telling you. I don't think Drake, like, first of all, Drake May is the most honest kid ever when he threw an interception against the Browns.

He's like, I didn't know like I could jump. Like, he just was, I just like love him. And I don't think that this is where the Falcons come back and start to look like the good version of them, which we saw against the bill. Sure. I think it's, I don't think they're the dolphins or Panthers game, but I don't know who they are. I don't know if they know who they are. I don't know who's playing. Michael Pennix Jr., maybe? Probably. It looks like it. I don't know. I think, I'm going with, sorry, I'm yelling in your ear apparently. No, no, no, I'm turning it up, actually. I want more Cynthia. More Cynthia. So, but, but I think, I don't know, I'm mad at them. So this is a pure spite pick. Okay. That's interesting. They're not one of my picks. I've been, negging the Patriots too much this season. And I think that's my fan side coming out, that I can't quite believe they're this good. Because I truly don't think they are.

I think they have issues, but I do believe Drake May is this good. It is crazy if you think about it, because their past protection hasn't been great. Nope. Their running game hasn't been great. Nope. They've really made it work with this group of receivers,

which I do think is better than people think. Kayshan Bouti, DeMario, Douglas, Stefan Diggs, Hunter, Henry. But you can't say that. It's not like a top, be like, whoa, that's scary. No, but yet the man is just crushing. He has more, you know, the stat that we've been talking about all week long. More deep 20 plus area-yard passing touchdowns than incompletions on such passes.

That's insane. Five passing touchdowns that have, for more than 20 air yards, only four incompletions on such passes. I mean, I just think he doesn't know what he doesn't know. He's like a puppy, you know, like it's just going to keep going. Like, no, there's no, like. A likable puppy. And yet when he speaks. Who doesn't like a puppy?

All puppies are inherently likable. He speaks. He just, I just am like, man, I'm old. Because he just seems so young to be like in the NFL and a franchise quarterback. And he's been great. And one thing he does have is a really good offensive coordinator who I think is helping him along the way. And you mentioned the Falcons, who are they, who they haven't been the last two weeks, despite all those blitzes, is a team that creates pressure.

So I found that interest. I don't know if there's been something on tape, but the last two opponents, the dolphins, and the 49ers have both gotten the ball out quickly and done a good job stopping those blitzes. So the pass rush hasn't been there. I love that first pick because I hope it happens. All right, I'm going to start with my most confident pick of the week. It's going to be one of my most confident picks of the season.

Whoa. I've been on Seattle very consistently. They haven't all been right because I remember I went against them for Tampa. That was my pick of the year, unfortunately. But I've been right on them quite a bit. I just think top to bottom, they might be the best team in the NFL. And I think this Washington commander's team still has some juice in the numbers that is showing up. And it's why they're only three-point underdogs at home to the Seahawks.

And maybe your model goes on the other side. Because I know they have some underlying numbers from the start of the season that makes them look better than they are. But man, they're a team, Cynthia, that gives up a lot of big plays. and who gets a lot of big plays. Old slinging Sammy Darnold trying to win the ninth straight game on the road for the Mike McDonald's Seahawks. That just seems random to me, but at some point, I have to recognize that they are a good road team. And I just think they're another class than the Washington Commanders team, which has injury problems and especially problems on the defensive side of the ball.

And no Terry McLaren. And I mean, we still even know who they're going to play. Probably Jane Daniels. Sure, but is it 100%? no, we don't know. I don't know. I just think all these people are liars. So I don't do the liars thought of that much, you know? I don't think they're mean to me. Like, they're not doing it on purpose. They've lied about McLaurin before, too, on the other side where they thought he was going to be okay. And then he wasn't. He was finally back in last week, and it really helped them. And

then he goes out in the fourth quarter. He's definitely out. Laramie Tunsell's not healthy. That's a huge one. He was in and out of that game. And it was like crazy different. So that, again, we're taping this on Thursday, but to me it makes no sense that the Seahawks would only be three-point favorites in this game. The vibes in Washington, also terrible. They have this thing where they have, it's like PTSD, and they think they're back in the Dan Snyder era, and everyone's panicking. And I want to say, look, you still have Jaden Daniels. This is never going to be a one-year turnaround. It's an older roster. You're taking a step back, to take a step forward. But man, I have some Commanders fans in my life, and I'm seeing the reports in the media and stuff.

And it's just like, this is chaos. Since they lost that Bears game, it has just been all bad. And I think this is a horrible matchup for them. By the way, health-wise, Devin Witherspoon is coming back for the Seahawks. That's a big deal. They're coming off a by. So they are as healthy as they've been all year. No Julian love, but for the most part, that is a healthy-looking Seahawks team.

And a great, great pass rush is going to make it tough on Jaden Daniels. I have that one too, but I'm going to not pick it just because we got to add more picks to the show. All right, give me your second pick. But I like that. Okay, so I know 10s a lot, but I don't really care because I'm looking at this Chargers team and I'm looking at what's going on in the Titans. I know that it's playing at home.

I understand that's two scores. What are you seeing? I have good news for you. It's nine and a half. It is less than that. Let's go. I am looking on draft kings. I'm trying to remember from where it was earlier.

It was 10. Nine and a half. So it's just a little bit less. I don't care. Fine by me. I'll take it. We're going to give you every chance to get the wins. And it was eight and a half at one point this week,

but it's nine and a half here. So you get it at nine and a half. That's what I can do for you. So, okay, right now, let's talk, thank you. You know, I appreciate that half a point that you just bought me. That was fantastic. It's actually, that's a big half a point. It is a big half a half a week.

Absolutely. Yes. But I'm looking at this one and I'm thinking, okay, Joe Alt, the difference with him playing versus not playing, we saw literally and figuratively massive, very different. You see huge results there, four in one when he's there, one and two when he's not, whatever, like this whole thing,

when he's on the field versus. is off the field. But the other part that I like is this is that Jeffrey Simmons probably won't be playing, which that helps kind of a lot when you like to run the football. I understand this is a year where the Chargers are kind of throwing the ball more than running the ball. But I still think that even though, like, even if Jeff Simmons were playing, it's okay. Jeffrey Simmons is really, really tough, but there's so many other places to target.

They're just missing so many pieces on that defense, like Legerius Sneed. I just don't understand how you stop the Chargers at half. half capacity. I was watching a press conference on Twitter from Dynard Wilson, their defensive coordinator. And I felt bad for this man. They asked them about the Roger McCreary trade. We shouldn't forget that one either.

Right. Starting cornerback for their team, probably their best cornerback right now because there's not a lot of good options. Right. And he was like, yeah, you know, we started the season with Jarvis Brownlee and McCreary in Legerius Sneed. And it's unfortunate we don't have any of them available anymore. It was almost a shot at the front office.

Like, what are you doing? Here's who's not playing on top of, you know, the cornerback they traded away. Jeffrey Simmons has not practiced. He's not expected to play. Xavier Woods, starting safety, has not practiced. Calvin Ridley, hamstring, has not practiced. Chigo Conquo was a surprise DNP on Thursday. Now, he did practice a little on Wednesday, but that's not good.

And then Arden Key, one of their starting pass-wrestures. So this defense, which at least was competitive-ish, going up against this Chargers team, which I think is just, as you mentioned, a different team with Joe all. And at Kaleo Mack, by the way. Hey, it's funny what happens when you bring back two of your best four players on the entire team? But I did, I saw something that you, and I do want to say, Cam Ward did play well. You tweeted or skyed or, I don't remember where I saw it.

It was blue sky. I just watched that tape. And I was like, that was a good Cam Ward game. That's right. And that can, both things can be true. They lost by 24 still. It's like. That's right.

So I, but I do want to say, like Cam Ward. I also think, like, he has, like, nerves of steel. Like, he just doesn't look like he gets rattled, which is pretty cool. So I just want to give him a little bit of love, but I'm picking against him because the entire defense will be watching in the same. They'll all get the same stats as me. Right. My note was that, yeah, Cam Ward played well. I think they found a good couple receivers in the graph, which is hard to find in the middle rounds.

Those guys are players, Iowa Manor and D.K. Like, they will have NFL careers, which is not easy to find the third, fourth round. Heck no. And my guy, Tijah Spears, looked awesome. and yet they still lost by 24. Like, that's the type of team that we're talking about. Yeah, but I just want to give a little love. You hit one of those wins last week against.

Didn't you? Yeah, I think you took the Colts. Yeah, no, I definitely took the Colts. As one of your picks. Absolutely. Okay, my second pick, really like this one, too, despite any injury news that pops up. Bears minus three. Okay.

That's against the Bengals. Yep. Coaching mismatch. This is one where I think Ben Johnson has raised the floor. That when he goes up, up against a defense with this many problems. And my God, the tape last year should be studied. I mean, last week, by the Bengals defense.

This is the type of tape that you show to show what not to do. Team building and coaching. I was like, where are you going? Like, I can't believe more hasn't been made about it. I guess it's because it was a Jets Bengals game. Wasn't in prime time. You know, wasn't seen by a lot of people. It was a fiasco.

It was a everyone here. is in trouble of potentially losing their jobs. So you catch me at a feisty time a week. Yes. This is my, like, feistyest moment of the week. I don't know why. But I got really annoyed at the end of that game when they were talking about,

because obviously Aaron Glenn went for two. They were down by 14. So Aaron Glenn on the first touchdown, he went for two. And you would have thought, by what I heard people commenting about, I don't even know who the commenters were, but they were like,

you would have thought Aaron Glenn didn't on account. I actually do know who the comments were. Well, I'm not worried about it. I do too, but I'm not going to say it. Oh. But I was shouting and throwing things. Not because I like love analytics and things and I'll be, but he knows how to count.

Yeah. What the heck? I'm glad you mentioned that because they're infuriating. Decision to go for two in that spot won them the game. And you know what everyone would have done if they didn't get the two and then they didn't get the two the next time? The analytics thing. Yeah.

Yeah, they would have blamed it all on the analytics. Yeah. But you know, it wasn't mentioned even by me. I want to apologize to all the NFL daily listeners from that Sunday night game because that was awesome. Also, the play that they hit on the two-point conversion by Justin Field, they actually hit two in a row. That's right.

The first one was like outrageous. It was like outrageous. It was just touched by the gods. I was happy for them. But anyways, you're right about, but part of the reason that was that clownery could work in general was because the defense was like, the Bengals defense was, you'll, you'll outline it. Holy smokes. These two rookies next to each other, Barrett Carter,

and now I'm blanking on the second one. I've said his name a million times. I know that's what happens to me. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. They're just lost. And when I watch the Bears every week, Ben Johnson creates mismatches, creates advantages.

I just think I would love their team total too. Like, I just think the team total over under is like 32 for them. And they have their own problems on defense. And Joe Flacco, his status is massive for this game. We're talking on Thursday. Yeah. Man, you might have get a chance to get the three points against Jake Browning, although I have a feeling Flacco will wind up playing in this game.

So they've, they're a good offense with Flacco. He's playing at a high level. But ultimately, I just think the Bears, their floor is much higher. I think they get this win. Okay. All right, your last pick. All right. So my last pick, I'm going to stick with my same theory of going with taking a big

winner to win big. Yeah. But I'm not going to go with the Rams because. 14 points is kind of a lot. And I do like that. Like, it's very tempting. I have them winning by more than 14 points. But at home, the Packers, 12 and a half against the Carolina Panthers.

Okay. Book it. That's the one I want. Packers over 12.5. By win by more than 12. And a half points. Yeah. I like that one too.

I've thought all along this Panthers team. It's like there are a 4 and 4 team that profiles more statistically as a 2 and 6 team. And I was really excited. Packers came through for me last week. I went big on them all around saying, I think they're going to win. I think they're going to win easy. Wasn't easy necessarily in the first half,

but in the end, they won by two scores. Like they covered any alternate line you wanted to throw out there on them. And yeah, I just think they're rounding into form. They're a complete team. Like, where's the weakness?

Maybe past defense, but not really because they have such a good pass rush. And one thing I noticed about the Panthers last week is they could not protect for, Andy Dalton. They've had some injuries. And I know your model really accounts for offensive line injuries quite a bit. O lines are so massive to, because, you know, it sounds weird because especially coming off of last week where we had so many games like that weren't one possession finishes, you kind of forget that any week, any team could kind of stun. Remember,

I mean, the Browns beat the Packers for goodness sake. So when I'm looking at these things, you have to say, what is the most like steadying thing? It's like O line, O line, O line. the thing on a game, you know, the biggest game of the week, I think, I got to look to see because Trey Smith, like, quietly didn't play last week. And Josh Simmons quietly has played. So O-lines do matter. Yes, you're, of course, referring to the Chiefs game, which just as a bonus, we're on other sides of, it's not going to be one of our picks. That's not my pick. No, absolutely. It's not. But your model is picking the bills. My model's picking the bills. I think it's drunk. I'm taking the Chiefs, but I don't feel amazing about it. That's why I would

never put that game on this show. No, never. No, no, no, no, no, no. But I will be rooting for the Chiefs because I'm going to be rooting against you. Great. I need to catch up on the queen on our other show. Okay, last one. Feel good about it.

What is it? Arizona Cardinals. Yep. Monday Night Football, plus two and a half. I was a little surprised about this line. I just, I think they're a better team than the Cowboys overall. Okay. Okay.

Now, the Cowboys have been particularly good at home and terrible on the road. I don't put much into that in general. I just remember it was like literally only a year or two ago that the opposite was true of the cowboys. It doesn't matter. I'm going off eye test. Yeah. I think the Cardinals are a perfectly good team.

And the last two games I watched. That's what I want to be, perfectly good. I don't think the Cowboys are. They're worse than that. Last two games I watched closely, Cardinals, take the Colts in Indianapolis to the whistle, to the final play. and it didn't look like they were lucky to be there.

And who else? Same thing with the Packers. Green Bay Packers. Yep. Now, as we're taping, there's a little mystery over whether they could start Jacoby Bressett over a healthy Kyler Murray. I didn't think that was possible, but looking at the practice reports on Thursday, it's a Monday night game.

When the media was there, Jacoby was throwing to the starters. Doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I might like it a little better because the offense performance, a little better. But you know what? I'm fine because I feel like anyone can score on the Cowboys defense, Kyler or Jacoby Brissette. And it's more about the defense and just the total team that they've got a respectable defense, a good enough offense. And that's, I trust like a more complete team versus what the Cowboys have, which is the worst defense in the league or one of them. I think it's possible that Jonathan Gannon's like, let's throw out Jacobi Brisset in

front of the media, but we're going with Kyler. Yes. I do, too. I do too. I kind of, like, love him. I think he's, like, like, very passionate, but I think he would do that. I think he, any edge possible. That's one where I'm not going to make any excuses, like I kind of did up top about my Falcons pick last week. I was mad about the injuries that popped up.

I think that those injuries were crazy. They weren't, it did not feel like that was possible. That was insane. When I read that I was like, is this from this, you know, we get all these emails and it's like, you get hundreds of emails every week. And I'll, is this from a few weeks ago? Like, is this current? Well, we lock them in here.

We lock in our pitch. We lock it in. I'm happy either way. They do have some good injury news, by the way, too. Garrett Williams, who's a good young cornerback, could be coming off the temporary IR for this game. So that's one of their best cornerbacks, and you need it. C.D. Lamb, who I do expect to play,

was certainly not 100% by the end of last week. Like, he banged up his ankle. Was he 100% of the beginning of last week? Fair point. Like, he looked good in that first game back. and then this was his second game back and at some point in that game, I don't know, or maybe it was even before the game.

Right, I don't know. He started limping around and when you watch the film, he didn't look quite as good. And then you mentioned Gannon. I think he is a good coach. He's a great coach. They're coming off a bye week. They have another defensive player

who could be coming back from their defensive line onto the field. Yeah, their first round pick, Walter Nolan might be making his NFL debut. So just a lot there. That's been a long time coming. He really has been. I'm not going to hold my breath.

That one is not a huge reason, but I just... Sounds like he's like 150 years old, too. I like to... Walter, welcome to the field. This is your best bit is the Walter Nolan name. It's so old. It sounds like an old name. It's such an old name.

It really does. Also, this team does not deserve to be 2 and 6, which they would be with lost. They're better than that. I think they're going to get a win on Monday Night Football. What a treat. I hope you go 3 and 0 again. Same. I hope you do too.

I hope I do two, but if not, I hope I hope I, At least I go two and one and keep my two and one for five straight week's streak going. Okay, we got the Thursday night football recap. And then, of course, on Sunday, we got the whole gang back together. Nick Shook. What? Who will be back with me for that? Jordan Rodry.

Who else? Patrick Claibon. What? That sounds like a great crew. It's a full house. We'll be talking Bill's Chiefs and a really fun early slate, including that Colt Steelers game, which I'm really looking forward to. We will see you then.

Hey everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move to Six, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else. It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sundays.

Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your.

opponents. Listen to the NFL fantasy football podcast on the IHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL, visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. This is an IHeart podcast.