Boys and girls, do we have a newsworthy roundup for you today. John Breech is taking the day to mourn the Bengals' loss to the Jets, but fear not, because I -- Cody Benjamin -- am here to guide you through all the latest from around the NFL.
This is the Pick Six Newsletter. Now let's get to it. (And please, do yourself a favor and make sure you're signed up to receive this newsletter every day! You don't want to miss our daily offerings of everything you need to know around the NFL.)
We've got major Aaron Rodgers news, Week 9 picks, trade deadline talk, and much more:
Today's show: Recapping trade deadline deals (and non-deals)Ryan Wilson and John Breech joined Will Brinson on Wednesday's "Pick Six NFL Podcast" to review the activity (or lack thereof) surrounding Tuesday's trade deadline. They talked Odell Beckham Jr., Fletcher Cox and other big names floated as potential trade chips, but their biggest takeaway from Deadline Day: the Texans failed.
"I don't see how this ends well for the Texans no matter how it plays out," Breech said of Houston retaining quarterback Deshaun Watson. "Into the offseason, you're into the same situation. I think the Texans blew it by not lowering their asking price."
Brinson, meanwhile, thought the Texans should've moved Brandin Cooks for something like a third-round pick, while Wilson was not a fan of the compensation Houston got for young pass rusher Charles Omenihu.
Catch the entire discussion (and subscribe for all kinds of daily NFL talk) right here.
2. Prisco's Picks: 49ers take down Cardinals, Rams roll over TitansPete Prisco is way above .500 picking games both straight-up and against the spread this year. Now he's back with predictions for every single Week 9 matchup. Here are some of his most notable forecasts:
49ers 27, Cardinals 23: If the 49ers are to have any chance to win the division, they need to win this game. They played much better last week on offense with Jimmy Garoppolo, which I think will carry over here. Rams 33, Titans 23: This is the best game of the week, but the Titans will now be without Derrick Henry. That will put more pressure on Ryan Tannehill against a good Rams defense that now has Von Miller. Bengals 30, Browns 24: The battle of Ohio is a big one for both teams. The Bengals lost to the Jets last week, but the Browns are in last place in the division. Look for the Bengals to bounce back behind a big day from Joe Burrow.Which picks can you make with confidence, and which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $7,800 since its inception, and find out.
3. Insider notes: Texans refused to lower Watson asking priceJason La Canfora believes Deshaun Watson definitely had suitors ahead of Tuesday's deadline, but the holdup was always Houston's asking price. Here's a snippet of his exclusive report:
Don't get it twisted: Deshaun Watson is still a Texan because the Texans were never realistic about his trade value. Period. They always were seeking more than the market -- and a very limited market at that -- would bear, and it remains to be seen whether that position was to their benefit or detriment.
If Watson ends up facing no criminal charges and is absolved, then the Texans just might get their wishes and end up with three first-round picks and two more cheap assets for him. Maybe even more ... And if Watson is in jail, or suspended for a substantial period of time, or both, then the Texans have a massive mess on their hands, and you can expect lawsuits and grievances between them and a former face-of-the-franchise player who at the very least is guilty of some severe misjudgments.
4. Aaron Rodgers out vs. Chiefs after testing positive for COVIDThe biggest news of the day comes out of Green Bay, where the reigning MVP tested positive for COVID-19. Because Rodgers is unvaccinated, according to NFL Media, he will be sidelined a minimum of 10 days, making him ineligible to suit up for an anticipated Week 9 showdown with the Chiefs. Rodgers' abrupt absence will give former first-rounder Jordan Love his first career start, but it also raises questions about Rodgers' immediate future, considering the QB seemed to indicate he was, in fact, vaccinated earlier this year and may have violated the NFL's COVID protocols.
5. Michael Thomas will miss remainder of 2021 seasonThe Saints reportedly explored trades for wide receiver help ahead of Tuesday's deadline. Why? Perhaps because their No. 1 pass catcher, Thomas, will not be suiting up at all in 2021. Recovering from
