Week 2 NFL Predictions: Picking Every Game on the Schedule

The NFL's schedule in Week 2 features some exciting matchups, and some of the top teams in the league will face an early-season test.

Will the Denver Broncos win on the road against the Atlanta Falcons?

Will the Detroit Lions get mauled by the San Francisco 49ers?

Is it possible the Green Bay Packers will start the 2012 season with an 0-2 record after they face the Chicago Bears at Lambeau?

Follow along as I answer these questions and more. 

Bears at Packers

Prediction: Bears Win 42-38

Jay Cutler has a valid point when he said, "good luck" to the secondary of the Green Bay Packers (h/t ESPNChicago.com's Michael C. Wright).

As good as the Packers are in the passing game with Aaron Rodgers and his bevy of receivers, at least the Chicago Bears have some semblance of a secondary. The Packers aren't looking good in this department, and as a result, the Bears will have a monster day on offense. 

Matt Forte and Michael Bush will keep things balanced by running the football effectively, and the Bears will stay on the field just long enough on offense to win. 

Buccaneers at Giants

Prediction: Giants win 27-23

Week 1 was a huge wake up call for the champs, and I don't expect to see the New York Giants fall flat again against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2. 

Victor Cruz won't drop three crucial passes, the defensive line won't miss easy tackles and the Giants will play with passion and discipline. 

The Bucs won't make it easy, though. Greg Schiano has brought a toughness to the team that was sorely lacking a year ago, and his team will play solid defense and pound the rock with rookie running back Doug Martin. 

In the end, the Giants will prevail at home—though the game will be closer than they'd like. 

Raiders at Dolphins

Prediction: Raiders win 31-13

Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins offense were overwhelmed and overrun by the defense of the Houston Texans in Week 1, and it won't get any easier in Week 2. Richard Seymour, Rolando McClain and Tommy Kelly form the base of a tough defense, and they'll shut down the rookie.

Carson Palmer surprised me with his ability to move the ball in the passing game without the benefit of a running game in Week 1. Darren McFadden was completely shut down by the San Diego Chargers, but he'll have some wide open spaces to roam against the Dolphins.

Palmer and McFadden will have good games against a Dolphins defense that has yet to establish a new identity, and the Raiders will roll. 

Texans at Jaguars

Prediction: Texans win 31-17

As impressed as I am with the transformation of Blaine Gabbert and the offense of the Jacksonville Jaguars, this game won't be close. 

Matt Schaub looks as good as I've ever seen. He's making good decisions with the ball, and his accuracy and confidence are at all-time highs.

Combined with the one-two punch of Arian Foster and Ben Tate, this offense will roll over a Jags defense that gave up 389 yards to Christian Ponder and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. 

Browns at Bengals

Prediction: Bengals win 27-9

If not for Michael Vick's four interceptions, the Cleveland Browns wouldn't have had a chance against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Andy Dalton will take better care of the football than Vick, and the Browns will crumble on the road.

Brandon Weeden will continue to look like the worst 28-year-old rookie quarterback the world has ever known, and the Bengals will cruise to an easy win. 

Chiefs at Bills

Prediction: Bills win 27-23

Maybe I'm dreaming, but I expect to see a bounce-back performance from Ryan Fitzpatrick at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Besides, it's not like Matt Cassel is any better. The Buffalo Bills will have a better showing on defense, and guys like Mario Williams and Stephon Gilmore will play like we expect them to play.

C.J. Spiller will have a big day on the ground and as a pass-catching running back, and I see the Bills squeaking out a tough win at home. 

Ravens at Eagles

Prediction: Ravens win 38-17

Michael Vick's troubles won't subside against the Baltimore Ravens, even at home.

I expect him to continue making poor decisions under pressure, and we know how good Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and the Ravens defense are at turning poor decisions into points.

Joe Flacco and his offense will not have any trouble dominating the Eagles, and I expect to see a huge game from him. Ray Rice is always the x-factor, and he'll have no trouble gashing the defense of the Eagles when given the opportunity. 

Saints at Panthers

Prediction: Saints win 31-27

My take on this game is pretty straightforward: I expect Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints to outscore Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers in an offensive shootout. 

Brees has more weapons than Newton, and I don't trust Rob Chudzinski to correctly utilize the players he does have for the Panthers. 

Cardinals at Patriots

Prediction: Patriots win 41-19

I don't trust Kevin Kolb one little bit, especially on the road at New England. 

Tom Brady and the Patriots will have no trouble steamrolling the Arizona Cardinals, though I do expect to see the Cardinals defense pick up a few sacks along the way. 

This game will likely be over before halftime, and it's the safest pick of Week 2. 

Vikings at Colts

Prediction: Colts win 27-23

If Andrew Luck can avoid getting decapitated by Jared Allen, he'll win his first career home game for the Indianapolis Colts.

Luck showed some pluck against a tough Chicago Bears team on the road in Week 1, and his receivers will have an easier time getting open against the secondary of the Minnesota Vikings.

On the other side, I expect Christian Ponder to have a solid game, but Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney will visit him more than a few times on Sunday, forcing him into a couple of key turnovers. 

Redskins at Rams

Prediction: Redskins win 31-21

I've been high on Robert Griffin III as a winning NFL quarterback this year for a while now, so I wasn't surprised to see him lead the Washington Redskins to victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 1.

I was surprised, though, to see just how damn efficient and smooth he looked in the process. 

The St. Louis Rams are no better on defense than the Saints, and I expect RG3 and the Redskins offense to put on a show with a lot of points. 

On the other side, I don't expect the Rams to be able to get Steven Jackson or Isaiah Pead going much in the running game against the Redskins stout front seven, and Sam Bradford won't be able to win the game on his own. 

Cowboys at Seahawks

Prediction: Cowboys win 31-23

This is one of the more intriguing games of the week, as far as I'm concerned. 

The Cowboys don't have a terrific offensive line, and frankly neither do the Seattle Seahawks. Both teams feature defenses that can get after the quarterback, and both teams feature mobile quarterbacks that can make teams pay with their ability to improvise when plays break down. 

In the end, I give this game to the Cowboys because I don't see Russell Okung having a chance in hell of guarding DeMarcus Ware, and Russell Wilson will be running for his life.

Combined with the press-coverage the Cowboys utilize, Wilson is going to have his second straight bad game to start his pro career. 

Jets at Steelers

Prediction: Steelers win 17-13

This game boils down to one thing for me: I trust Ben Roethlisberger to make plays with the game on the line much more than I trust Mark Sanchez right now. 

The New York Jets shocked us with a dominant win over the hapless Buffalo Bills, but the Bills didn't even show up for that game. I see things happening quite a bit differently this week, and the Jets will fall. 

Titans at Chargers

Prediction: Chargers win 34-17

I was seriously impressed by the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football against the Oakland Raiders. The way that defense shut down Darren McFadden and the Raiders' rushing attack was inspirational. 

They'll do the same in Week 2 to Chris Johnson, and Jake Locker won't be able to match Philip Rivers through the air. The Chargers will have an easy time of beating the Tennessee Titans, and the biggest concern for them will be staying healthy. 

Lions at 49ers

Prediction: 49ers win 38-20

There's a simple line of reasoning for me about this contest. It goes like this:

- The Green Bay Packers are better than the Detroit Lions.

- The San Francisco 49ers beat the pants off the Packers at Lambeau Field.

- The Lions are heading into Candlestick Park to face the 49ers.

- The 49ers destroy the Lions at home. 

The 49ers are the most complete and balanced team in the NFL. They were in 2011, and this team has only gotten better.

The Lions, on the other hand, are suffering in two key areas: the running game on offense—which the 49ers will shut down, regardless—and the secondary on defense. 

Broncos at Falcons

Prediction: Falcons win 38-35

Besides the matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, this game is the one I'm looking forward to the most in Week 2. 

I expect Peyton Manning and Matt Ryan to treat us to an aerial showdown. Both teams have good, solid defenses that can get after the quarterback a little bit, but these two quarterbacks are set for a good, old-fashioned shootout. 

In the end, the home-field advantage is what swings the game into the Atlanta Falcons' favor. 

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