NFL Week 2 has arrived! Check out our previews for every game.
NFL Betting – Regular Season Week 2 Preview
Thursday, Sept. 15
New York Jets pk at Buffalo Bills pk (8:30 pm ET)
The betting has pushed this game to a pick after the Bills opened as -3-point favorites. Buffalo’s defense looked pretty good in Week 1 when holding the Ravens’ offense to only 13 points. The biggest issue with the 7 to 13 loss to Baltimore in Week 1 was Buffalo’s inability to move the football. Buffalo beat the Jets twice last season by the same 22 to 17 score. I like the Bills to get it done on Sept. 15 even if the line keeps moving south on them.
Sunday, Sept. 18
San Francisco 49’ers at Carolina Panthers -11.5 (1:00 pm ET)
Carolina should bounce back in a big way against an overmatched San Francisco squad on Sunday. It’s hard to see Carolina covering the 11.5-point spread. Then again, SF has no shot at stopping Cam Newton, who will play in Week 2 even though he took multiple blows to the head versus Denver in Week 1. Newton is too savvy to allow the 49’ers defense to stop him while Carolina’s defense should have no trouble squashing Chip Kelly’s offense. Carolina is not a one-dimensional offensive team like the Los Angeles Rams.
Baltimore Ravens -6 at Cleveland Browns (1:00 pm ET)
The Browns will start Josh McCown at quarterback in Week 2 after RGIII broke a bone in his shoulder. McCown could have all sorts of success against the Ravens on Sunday. He passed for 457 yards and 2 touchdowns against Baltimore in a 33 to 30 Cleveland win last season. The Browns have a shot of winning this game straight up. Our week 2 preview says they should keep it closer than 6 points.
Tennessee Titans at Detroit Lions -5.5 (1:00 pm ET)
The Titans’ rushing attack got stuffed by Minnesota in Week 1. That won’t happen in Week 2. Tennessee lost to Minnesota 25 to 16 because they had 3 turnovers, 2 fumbles and Mariota threw an interception. I expect the Titans to rush the football with authority in Week 2. Detroit beat Indianapolis on the road. They will want to turn this game into a shootout. The Titans won’t let that happen. Tennessee has a chance to win this game outright. They’ll definitely cover the spread.
Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans -2 (1:00 pm ET)
Reality might set in for Houston in this game. Kansas City looked like all kinds of bad when struggling to a 33 to 27 overtime win against the San Diego Chargers in Week 1. No worries. The Chargers always play the Chiefs tough. Houston’s defense is good. The offense needs some work. I think that in this close ATS game, the experienced QB, KC’s Alex Smith, gets the nod.
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots -6.5 (1:00 pm ET)
I don’t see how the Patriots are -6.5 point favorites against a Miami team that had Seattle on the ropes on the road in Week 1. Miami’s defense could really get to Jimmy Garoppolo who benefited from a strong rushing attack in the Pats’ win over the Cardinals in Week 1. The Dolphins’ offense did well against the best defense in the NFL when putting up 10 points. I like Miami to keep it closer than the 6.5 number.
New Orleans Saints at New York Giants -5 (1:00 pm ET)
This should be a shootout from the get go. The Saints can’t get their defense together. Now, their best corner, Delvin Breaux, is out for at least 6 weeks with a broken leg. Eli and Odell should be stunning in this game. That’s not to say that the Saints won’t come back with plenty of points of their own. The Saints should shred a Giants’ defense that made Dallas rookie QB Dak Prescott look like a 6-year vet. I have to take the points in this one.
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers -3 (1:00 pm ET)
I love how the Steelers’ offense looked in Week 1 against the Washington Redskins. Pittsburgh, as to be expected, has one of the better offenses in the NFL. But the Bengals aren’t a bad team. In fact, beating a decent squad like the New York Jets in their first game of the season on the road is a testament to how good this team could be in 2016. The 3 points could be huge in this battle. That’s why I’m all over the Bengals.
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins -3 (1:00 pm ET)
The Cowboys played well enough to have a shot against the favored NFC East rival Giants in the 4th quarter in Week 1. That won’t help them against Washington in Week 2. What’s up with Washington? Kirk Cousins didn’t appear comfortable at all under center versus Pittsburgh on Monday night. The defense stunk it up. Washington is going to have a heck of a time stopping the Cowboys’ rushing attack. In this rivalry game, I’ll take the points. Dallas +3.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals -7 (4:05 pm ET)
Arizona’s defense had a heck of a time stopping QB Jimmy Garoppolo and New England’s offense in Week 1. The worst part about it was that Arizona couldn’t stop New England’s rush. Tampa Bay brings one of the better offenses in the NFC to the gridiron on Sunday. QB Jameis Winston is already a Top 10 quarterback in the NFL. He has plenty of weapons while RB Doug Martin could shred the Cardinals’ D. Tampa Bay can win this game straight up. Take the points on the Bucs for sure.
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams +3.5 (4:05 pm ET)
Who knows where this line will end up. The Seattle defense played a remarkable game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. The D faces a one-dimensional team on Sunday who had no energy against the San Francisco 49’ers in a Monday night snorer. The Seahawks should cover the spread easily, right? I don’t know. The Rams step it up at least once a season against the always favored Seahawks. I have to take the points.
Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos -6 (4:25 pm ET)
This is a no-brainer game. The Broncos’ defense sacked Cam Newton 3 times in their Week 1 gme against the Panthers. The Colts had no answer for Matthew Stafford and the Lions. Indianapolis’ defense is terrible. The offensive line is bad. Denver should win this game by at least 10 points.
Atlanta Falcons at Oakland Raiders -4.5 (4:25 pm ET)
Raider QB Derek Carr showed excellent leadership in Oakland’s gutsy 1-point win over New Orleans in the Superdome in Week 1. Atlanta played well in a home loss to Tampa Bay. But if the Falcons’ D couldn’t stop Jameis Winston and the TB wide receivers, how they are going to stop Carr and Amari Cooper on the road? They aren’t. Oakland should cover the spread.
Jacksonville Jaguars at San Diego Chargers -3 (4:25 pm ET)
This battle between 2 teams with terrific offenses could go either way. My money will be on the Jaguars because of that. I just don’t feel that the Chargers defense is as good as Jacksonville’s. When you think about, Jacksonville’s D stepped it up big time in the second half of their 4-point loss to Green Bay in Week 1. That was after a few adjustments. San Diego’s D fell apart in their 6-point overtime loss to Kansas City in Week 1. I like the team that adjusted and played better in the second half. That’s the Jags.
Green Bay Packers -2.5 at Minnesota Vikings (8:30 pm ET)
The Packers have a decent team. I’m not sure it’s one of the best teams in the NFL. Minnesota’s squad stuffed one of the better rushing attacks in the league in Tennessee in Week 1. The Vikings are playing with a chip on their shoulder after the injury to Teddy Bridgewater and getting absolutely no respect during the off-season. I like Minnesota to make a statement on Sunday.
Monday, Sep. 19
Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears -3 (8:30 pm ET)
QB Carson Wentz was terrific in Philadelphia’s Week 1 win over Cleveland. Things get tougher in this game. I do believe that Eagles’ coach Doug Pederson knows that. He’ll have the Eagles ready for the raucous Monday night crowd. This is a tough game to handicap. When I find a tough game like this, one that I’m just not sure about, I always take the points. That’s what I’ll do here. I like the Eagles at +3.