Five NFL games to watch: Eagles v Giants, Broncos v Raiders among Week 9 rivalry tilts

Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr throws a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 23. The Raiders host the Denver Broncos this week. Chris O'Meara / AP

For NFL fans in the UAE who like to stay up late to watch the games live, it gets a bit more difficult this week. The clocks moved ahead one hour in the States, so the earliest games for Week 9 now have 10pm kick-offs. Alas, here are the week’s five best games to keep an eye on.

See also: This week's NFL Power Rankings

• Detroit Lions (4-4) at Minnesota Vikings (5-2), Sunday, 10pm: Detroit have hung around the race thanks to a career year from quarterback Matthew Stafford, and first-place Minnesota have helped by losing two straight. The Vikings are now without offensive co-ordinator Norv Turner, who resigned earlier this week. The Vikings have already made several changes to on-field personnel this season due to injury, and how they respond to a major mid-season coaching change will determine if they can continue their early-season success.

• Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) at Baltimore Ravens (3-4), Sunday, 10pm: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is likely a game-time decision after missing one start following knee surgery. He will probably play, though, as he is no stranger to playing hurt. Baltimore have lost four straight, but can get right back in the AFC North race with a win over their biggest rivals.

• Philadelphia Eagles (4-3) at New York Giants (4-3), Sunday, 10pm: Another inter-division match between hated rivals in a week full of them. The Eagles' upcoming schedule is tough, and a win over fellow NFC East contenders New York could be vital for their chances to stay in the play-off hunt. The Eagles are only 4-3 despite having the NFL's second-best point-differential at plus-62, by far the best in the NFC. The Giants, by comparison, have the same record despite a paltry minus-8 point-differential.

• Denver Broncos (6-2) at Oakland Raiders (6-2), Monday, 5.30am: It's been a long time since there's been a game of this magnitude in Oakland. The Raiders' home fans are notoriously rowdy and passionate, and will likely be rude hosts to the defending champions. The Raiders, led by an MVP-calibre year from Derek Carr, left, have the NFL's No 5 offence in yards per game, while Denver's defence is the league's third stingiest unit. Oakland fans have not rooted for a play-off team since the 2002 that won the AFC. Their fans be in full throat for this one.

• Buffalo Bills (4-4) at Seattle Seahawks (4-2-1), Tuesday, 5.30am: Buffalo have lost two straight and the road doesn't get much easier in the Monday Night Football showcase against a Seattle team that is extra tough at home. But Russell Wilson and the Seahawks' offence have endured their own struggles of late. Bills running back LeSean McCoy is expected to return from a hamstring injury.

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