NFL Predictions Week 2: Game Lines and Picks for Entire Slate

Week 1 around the NFL had a little bit of everything. Among the notable results, the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks reasserted their dominance, the Denver Broncos showed no signs of a Super Bowl loss hangover and the New England Patriots sunk to the bottom of the AFC East.

It's difficult to make any definitive judgments after just a single week. The sample size is just too small, even in a relatively short regular season. That's why picking games at this stage of the season is always a little bit tricky.

Ultimately, it comes down to balancing preseason expectations with what happened on the field in every team's opener. With that in mind, let's check out the complete schedule for Week 2 along with predictions for each game and a breakdown of the top selections on the board.

Week 2 Odds and Predictions

Date	Road	Home	Line	Pick
Sept. 11	Steelers	Ravens	BAL -2.5	PIT
Sept. 14	Dolphins	Bills	MIA -1	BUF
Sept. 14	Jaguars	Redskins	WSH -5.5	WSH
Sept. 14	Cowboys	Titans	TEN -3.5	TEN
Sept. 14	Cardinals	Giants	ARZ -2.5	ARZ
Sept. 14	Patriots	Vikings	NE -3	NE
Sept. 14	Saints	Browns	NO -6.5	CLE
Sept. 14	Falcons	Bengals	CIN -5	ATL
Sept. 14	Lions	Panthers	CAR -2.5	DET
Sept. 14	Rams	Buccaneers	TB -6	STL
Sept. 14	Seahawks	Chargers	SEA -6	SEA
Sept. 14	Texans	Raiders	HOU -3	OAK
Sept. 14	Jets	Packers	GB -8.5	GB
Sept. 14	Chiefs	Broncos	DEN -13.5	KC
Sept. 14	Bears	49ers	SF -7	CHI
Sept. 15	Eagles	Colts	IND -3	PHI

Top Picks

New England Patriots (-3)

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

New England's clash with Minnesota is a perfect example of what was mentioned above. The Patriots came into the season viewed as a top AFC contender but lost their opener. The Vikings were considered a mid-pack team before an impressive display to blow out the St. Louis Rams.

In turn, the line is closer than it probably would have been if the same game was on the Week 1 schedule. It makes the Patriots an intriguing option—one factor being the knowledge New England hasn't started 0-2 in more than a decade, as Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press notes:

The game represents a golden opportunity for Tom Brady to get back on track after a sluggish opener. The Vikings ranked 31st against the pass last season. They also allowed the combination of Austin Davis and Shaun Hill to complete 67 percent of their throws last week.

Furthermore, expect Rob Gronkowski to become more heavily involved as he works his way back toward peak game shape. So while Adrian Peterson should do enough against a shaky Pats run defense to keep the game close, look for New England to pull away late.

Buffalo Bills (+1)

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

On the surface, this may look like a tough game to pick. Both the Bills and Miami Dolphins are coming off confidence-building wins in Week 1 (over the Chicago Bears and Patriots, respectively) and it's a division rivalry, which means the sides are well acquainted with each other.

This is a rare time where an intangible factor should be considered, though. While it may have gotten lost in what's been a busy news week around the NFL, it was announced the Pegula family, who also own the Buffalo Sabres, won the bid to become the next owners of the Bills.

Though not headline news elsewhere, it's a massive story in Buffalo because it means the team is staying put after years of question marks. Running back Fred Jackson helped sum up the excitement around the team and its fanbase:

Yes, Miami is probably the slightly more talented team overall. But when you consider the game is a home opener for the Bills after the big news this week, the edge swings in their favor. Expect them to come out on top in what's basically a toss-up game according to the oddsmakers.

Kansas City Chiefs (+13.5)

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

The Denver Broncos won both games between these two teams last season. The combined winning margin was just 17 points, though. That's in large part because the Chiefs play a brand of football capable of slowing the pace of the game enough to challenge Peyton Manning and Co.

Kansas City made the mistake of not giving Jamaal Charles the ball enough in their opener. Their best playmaker—by a wide margin—got just seven carries. Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star passed along comments from head coach Andy Reid, who admitted the error:

Using Charles early and often is necessary against Denver. It forces the Broncos to pack the box, which opens up throwing lanes for Alex Smith. The ground game also helps in the possession battle, always a key stat when going up against Manning.

It's also important to note the league's best offense looked out of sync in the second half last week. That allowed the Indianapolis Colts to mount and nearly pull off a comeback. That doesn't mean the Chiefs are going to win, but they should certainly be able to keep it closer than 13 points.