Week 2 NFL Picks, Betting Analysis Odds

We’ll be here to guide you with weekly picks against the spread every week. After a strong showing with our first 16 dart throws, here are the next 16 kicks at the can, with odds coming from FanDuel and Draft Kings, both official football betting partners of the NFL.

LAST WEEK: 8-8

Week 2 NFL Picks

NEW YORK GIANTS AT WASHINGTON (-3.5): WASHINGTON

The Giants might have beaten Washington in both of their 2020 matchups, but New York is pretty banged up for a short-rest road game with a team that should have a fire lit under them after a tough Week 1 loss. I’m also a Taylor Heinicke believer, so I’ll lay the field goal and the hook.

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NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (-3.5) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS: PANTHERS

The Saints are quite shorthanded, the Carolina defense is getting damn good and I still don’t really trust Jameis Winston. I’m not willing to give up the hook, and I’d be tempted by the Panthers moneyline.

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CHICAGO BEARS (-2.5): BEARS

The Bengals simply hang with teams with Joe Burrow under center. I’m sure that’ll be the case again here, but Chicago still has the defense and the experience to take down a novice Cincy team by a field goal in desperation mode at home.

HOUSTON TEXANS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (-12.5): BROWNS

The Browns also return home fired up for a W after a tough loss to start the season. I don’t think they’ll mess around with the Texans, who will at least not be overlooked after beating the hell out of the Jaguars in Week 1. I don’t think that D can stop Nick Chubb and the Browns running game.

LOS ANGELES RAMS (-3.5) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: RAMS

The hook is scary here because the experienced Colts are well-coached and could bounce back, but they’ve been hit so hard by injuries and the Rams looked as crisp as anyone in Week 1.

DENVER BRONCOS (-6) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: BRONCOS

The Jags have now lost 16 consecutive games overall. If the Broncos were able to beat the improved Giants by double digits on the road, there’s no reason they can’t do the same thing to the Jags with Bradley Chubb potentially returning from injury.

BUFFALO BILLS (-3.5) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS: DOLPHINS

The Bills were lost in Week 1, while the Dolphins look as though they’ve put it all together. No way I’m laying more than a field goal with Buffalo on the road. Brian Flores has his team ticking.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-6) AT NEW YORK JETS: PATRIOTS

Bill Belichick is 10-1 with an average margin of three scores in his last 11 meetings with rookie quarterbacks. Coming off a tough Week 1 loss, he and his veteran team will feast on Zach Wilson and the banged-up Jets offense in a blowout.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (-3) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: EAGLES

Speaking of banged up, that’s again the only way to describe the poor 49ers. Now they’re traveling across the country to deal with a Philly team that we may have overlooked. Jalen Hurts is getting it done and the Eagles are so damn strong in the trenches. They might win this one outright.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-5.5): STEELERS

The Raiders have also been crushed by injuries and are traveling three time zones on short rest following an emotional overtime thriller Monday night at home. That’s a recipe for disaster, especially considering the strength of Pittsburghs’ defense.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (-4): VIKINGS

I don’t feel good about this game, this line or anything else to do with these two untrustworthy teams. Under those circumstances, I’ll take the points with the more desperate and experienced squad.

ATLANTA FALCONS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (-12.5): BUCCANEERS

It’s beginning to look like the Falcons will be one of the worst teams in football this season, while Tampa Bay is operating on extra rest after playing in the Thursday night opener. Tom Brady and the Bucs killed with 10-plus days to prepare for games last season. Watch for that trend to continue here.

DALLAS COWBOYS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (-3.5): CHARGERS

The Cowboys are always on extra rest, but they’ll likely/definitely be without DeMarcus Lawrence (foot), Michael Gallup (calf) and La’el Collins (suspension) for the Chargers’ home opener in front of a packed new stadium. No bueno, even if the hook and the rest are risk factors. Buy back that half-point if possible.

TENNESSEE TITANS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-5.5): TITANS

I refuse to believe Tennessee will go down easy while facing 0-2 in the face. Russell Wilson should have another field day, but look for an experienced Titans team to hang. That number is just too high for my liking.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-3.5) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS: RAVENS

I feel very uncomfortable with this because Baltimore is hurting on short rest following a tough Monday night loss, but the Ravens eventually have to break through against Kansas City and they’re the more hungry team at 0-1. At home, I expect them to put up a fight against a vulnerable defense.

DETROIT LIONS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (-11.5): PACKERS

Aaron Rodgers frequently bounces back from disaster games with monster performances. At home against a terrible team with a horrendous defense, he should do exactly that to send a prime-time message to the football world.

Watch the line moves on these games, all odds were midweek at Draft Kings sportsbook, visit them for the current odds closer to kickoff or whenever you are many your Week 2 wagers.

Week 2 NFL picks archived article from Sept. 18, 2020

WEEK 1 RECORD: 10-5-1

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (-6): BROWNS

The Bengals have all the good vibes after a near-win in a promising debut for Joe Burrow, but now they’re traveling on short rest and the Browns are already desperate. They’re simply too talented to bomb again this season and should bounce back in their home opener with a victory by at least a touchdown.

ATLANTA FALCONS AT DALLAS COWBOYS (-4.5): FALCONS

Dallas has been ravaged by injuries and Atlanta is way better than what we saw in Week 1. Why would anyone spot the Cowboys five points based on what we saw from them last week? The line is a mess, the defensive back seven is a mess. This is a field-goal game one way or another.

BUFFALO BILLS (-5.5) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS: BILLS

The Bills defeated the Dolphins by double-digit margins in each of their matchups last season and have beaten them by at least six points in five of their last six meetings. They’re unpredictable but stacked with talent and turning a corner, while rebuilding Miami is still getting acclimated after a weird offseason full of change.

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (-9): BUCS

This line has perplexed me all week. Oddsmakers and the public still believe in Tom Brady, who has been mediocre for almost a calendar year now. With Chris Godwin and Mike Evans both less than 100 percent, there’s little reason to believe Brady and the Bucs will clear a nine-point margin against a talented offense that put up 30 in Week 1.

Pittsburgh’s bread and butter is splash plays on defense, but Broncos quarterback Drew Lock hasn’t thrown a pick on any of his last 112 passes and the Steelers are even more banged up than the Broncos after both played Monday night. Much-improved Denver isn’t getting enough credit and we’re giving the Steelers too much of it for an easy win against the rebuilding Giants. FWIW, Trend Dummy points out about a half dozen solid UNDER angles in this one.

DETROIT LIONS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (-6): PACKERS

Detroit has been crushed by injuries and should also be emotionally crushed after a brutal loss to the Bears on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Packers are vibing offensively with Aaron Rodgers seemingly on a mission. You never know with these NFC North battles, but I think Green Bay can win by at least a touchdown.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT TENNESSEE TITANS (-9): TITANS

Avoid this one at all costs, but if you have to go one way or the other, consider the Week 1 overreaction factor. The Jaguars are likely still one of the worst two or three teams in the league, while the Titans fell just short of the Super Bowl last season. In Nashville, Derrick Henry should have a field day in a one-sided victory to balance the scales a bit in the AFC South.

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (-1): EAGLES

It’s amazing how everyone now trusts the Rams again based on one strong season-opening performance against Dallas. And haven’t we learned not to write off the Eagles regardless of the piles of injuries they always seem to have? L.A. is completely untrustworthy and Philly has the mental strength to bounce back at home. Eagles win a close one.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (-3): COLTS

Altogether, Indy is a better team than Minnesota. At home, they’re likely to bounce back from a disaster against the Jaguars, while it’s hard to find faith in the Vikings defense considering Danielle Hunter’s injury up front and a simple lack of talent in coverage. Colts roll by a touchdown.

NEW YORK GIANTS AT CHICAGO BEARS (-5.5): GIANTS

This is wayyyy too many points for the Bears, who rode one hot quarter to a surprise victory over a mistake-prone opponent in Week 1. Do you really trust Mitchell Trubisky to do it again? Do you really believe Saquon Barkley can be contained again? This is a field-goal game one way or another.

I might regret this one because the Jets are such a dumpster fire, but the current state of the San Francisco roster leads me to believe they could have trouble clearing a seven-point hurdle on the road right now. Last year’s Super Bowl team is currently missing Joe Staley (retired), DeForest Buckner (a Colt), Emmanuel Sanders (a Saint), Richard Sherman (calf), possibly George Kittle (knee), and possibly Ahkello Witherspoon (concussion). Yikes.

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (-6.5): CARDS

I truly believe in the WFT, but not in this spot. The Cardinals offense is just too well-equipped to counter Washington’s stacked defensive front, and the Arizona defense has the weaponry to neutralize the evolving Dwayne Haskins (even if they are down a man in the secondary). It’s just not a good matchup for D.C.

BALTIMORE RAVENS (-7) AT HOUSTON TEXANS: TEXANS

This is a low-confidence pick because Baltimore could be unstoppable, but Deshaun Watson is a gamer who should bounce back on extra rest against a familiar opponent. The inspiration factor is there for Houston, while the Ravens could be caught looking ahead to their critical Week 3 meeting with the Chiefs.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-8.5) AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: CHIEFS

Last week, the Chargers were lucky to defeat a team that was just 2-14 last season. Now they face Andy Reid, who often rocks out with extra time to prepare. The Bolts never have had much of a home-field advantage in L.A. and shouldn’t without fans, and their top-notch pass-rush might not matter much against Patrick Mahomes and Co. This might be a blowout.

If this seems like a big home dog number for the Chargers, that’s because it’s the biggest one since 1998 when they were +13.5 at home to John Elway’s Broncos

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-4): SEAHAWKS

Huh? Russell Wilson is 16-3 straight-up and 13-5-1 against the spread in home prime-time games, and he’s got a career 128.5 passer rating against New England. The Pats might have easily taken care of the rebuilding Dolphins at home last week, but Seattle is in a completely different league in the Pacific Northwest.

Again fair warning from the Trend Dummy, who has evidence that shows the Patriots (almost) never lose as underdogs.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (-6) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: SAINTS

I wouldn’t spend a dollar on this game. That’s a big number considering the Saints won’t have superstar Michael Thomas, but Las Vegas is completely unreliable and star offensive tackle Trent Brown is dealing with an injury of his own. I’ll side with the more experienced and trustworthy squad in prime time, which is usually where Drew Brees thrives.