2025 NFL Week 2 Expert Picks
You don't know what to expect from most teams in season openers, so don't be discouraged by the Week 1 betting blues. Now, you can apply last week's data to recoup your losses or stack more wins.
Bleacher Report's panel, featuring analysts Gary Davenport, Brad Gagnon, Kris Knox, Moe Moton and Brent Sobleski along with editors Wes O'Donnell and Ian Hanford, went 4-1 on lone-wolf picks for Week 1.
Gagnon led the group, going 9-7 with his picks, thanks J.J. McCarthy's incredible Monday night performance.
Looking at the upcoming slate, our experts have three unanimous picks and a few minor upsets after the 1 p.m. ET games.
Check out our standings against the spread and breakdowns for Week 2 matchups.
ATS Standings
1. Gagnon: 9-7
T-2. Hanford: 8-8
T-2. Moton: 8-8
4. Sobleski: 7-9
T-5. Davenport: 6-10
T-5. Knox: 6-10
7. O'Donnell: 5-11
Lines are from DraftKings as of Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 4 p.m. ET. Check DraftKings for the latest odds info. Information on public betting trends is courtesy of the Action Network. ATS records are provided by Team Rankings.
Washington Commanders (1-0) at Green Bay Packers (1-0)
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Davenport: Packers (-3.5)
The 3.5-point spread is tough, but Green Bay's strong Week 1 performance at home makes it the better pick. While the Commanders looked good in Week 1, the Packers had the most impressive performance in the NFC. They waxed a 15-win Lions team from a year ago. At Lambeau Field, under the lights on a short week, roll with the home team.
O'Donnell: Commanders (+3.5)
I'm still struggling to buy into the Packers as a legitimate Super Bowl contender—currently booked with fourth-best overall and second-best of the NFC teams, per DraftKings. The Commanders didn't look all that good against the Giants in Week 1, and yet are still only 3.5-point underdogs on a short week at Lambeau after the Packers blew away the Lions in the opener. There's something up here, and I'm taking the points because of it.
Predictions
Commanders: Gagnon, O'Donnell
Packers: Davenport, Hanford, Knox, Moton, Sobleski
New York Giants (0-1) at Dallas Cowboys (0-1)
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Knox: Giants (+5.5)
I believe what we saw from the Giants and Cowboys in Week 1 says more about their opponents than the teams themselves. Dak Prescott played a near-perfect game against Philly, but New York's new-look pass rush prevents that from happening for a second week.
The Giants put undue pressure on Russell Wilson because they struggled to establish the run. Dallas' run defense remains a weakness, and Big Blue could exploit it if they find their footing.
I'll be surprised if the Giants actually pull out a win, but the Cowboys will experience enough of a letdown after blowing their "Super Bowl" that this one is quite close.
O'Donnell: Cowboys (-5.5)
Russell Wilson wasn't bad in his Giants debut. He was simply being Russell Wilson behind an even worse-than-expected offensive line. All this amounts to is the Giants again being unable to score touchdowns.
Big Blue's pass rush could awaken and make this game closer than it should be, but let's take the historical route here, as the Giants have given almost zero reason to talk about anything else.
Given Prescott's 13-2 career record against the Giants, and their continued struggles, I'll take the Cowboys to cover the spread.
Predictions
Giants: Knox
Cowboys: Davenport, Gagnon, Hanford, Moton, O'Donnell, Sobleski
San Francisco 49ers (1-0) at New Orleans Saints (0-1)
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Moton: 49ers (-4.5)
No matter who the San Francisco 49ers roll out for an injured Brock Purdy, they can beat the Saints by a touchdown or more as long as Christian McCaffrey is healthy enough to play a full game.
In Week 1, the star running back racked up 142 scrimmage yards. Regardless of who's under center, he'll put up big numbers against a defense that allowed the Arizona Cardinals to average 5.4 yards per carry last week.
Sobleski: 49ers (-4.5)
George Kittle being placed on injured reserve, while Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from last year's knee injury, hampers the 49ers offense. At the same time, Ricky Pearsall is coming into his own as the team's WR1, and Jauan Jennings is day-to-day after dinging his shoulder in Week 1.
Besides, this unanimous selection in the Niners' favor is an indictment of the Saints and a lack of belief everyone has in New Orleans' roster, even after a solid effort in the season opener against the rival Atlanta Falcons.
Predictions
49ers: Davenport, Gagnon, Hanford, Knox, Moton, O'Donnell, Sobleski
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
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Davenport: Bengals (-3.5)
The Bengals have a shaky defense, but I trust Joe Burrow to outscore the Jaguars at home. This game has the potential to be one of the highest-scoring of the week, if only because both defenses aren't great.
If it is going to be a shootout, taking Burrow and an offense he knows like the back of his hand over Trevor Lawrence is worth it.
Gagnon: Jaguars (+3.5)
I still don't trust the Bengals in September, especially having to give up a field goal plus the hook against a talented Jaguars team that looks strong following big offseason changes. This is likely to be a close game in Cincinnati, where the Bengals often struggle out of the gate.
Predictions
Jaguars: Gagnon, Hanford, Moton
Bengals: Davenport, Knox, O'Donnell, Sobleski
New England Patriots (0-1) at Miami Dolphins (0-1)
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Davenport: Dolphins (-1.5)
The Dolphins looked abysmal last week. But Geno Smith dropped 362 passing yards on the Pats defense in New England, and Drake Maye has apparently forgotten he's mobile.
It's weird to say a team's collective back is up against a wall in Week 2, but welcome to Miami. The Dolphins respond at home—and Mike McDaniel isn't fired until Week 8.
Knox: Patriots (+1.5)
Neither of these AFC East rivals is as bad as they appeared to be in Week 1. However, it's going to take work for either to be what one might consider "good." I trust Mike Vrabel to make rapid adjustments a lot more than I trust McDaniel.
Predictions
Dolphins: Davenport
Patriots: Gagnon, Hanford, Knox, Moton, O'Donnell, Sobleski
Chicago Bears (0-1) at Detroit Lions (0-1)
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Gagnon: Bears (+5.5)
The Bears are on to something with Ben Johnson, and they have the talent to hang with a familiar rival—especially considering Detroit's Week 1 issues.
Johnson knows this Lions team inside and out, and keep in mind Chicago hung with Detroit at Ford Field last Thanksgiving.
Hanford: Lions (-5.5)
The Lions didn't look like themselves against the Packers in Week 1, but I expect that feeling to be short-lived.
Detroit will look to get back to pounding the ball on the ground with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in front of its home crowd as it looks to welcome Johnson back to Ford Field by sending his Bears to 0-2 to start the season.
Caleb Williams can be elusive in the pocket, but Detroit can ratchet up the pressure, get to the young QB and pull away in the second half in a balanced effort on both sides of the ball.
Predictions
Bears: Gagnon, Moton, Sobleski
Lions: Davenport, Hanford, Knox, O'Donnell
Buffalo Bills (1-0) at New York Jets (0-1)
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Hanford: Bills (-7)
On the one hand, this feels like the kind of game we've seen from the Bills in previous years, where they play down to their opponent, especially in MetLife Stadium, where they've had more than their share of struggles.
On the other hand, though, it's hard to believe the New York offense can duplicate its performance from Week 1.
This is purely a gut call, but I like Josh Allen to exorcise some of his recent demons against the Jets and give the Bills a 10-point win on the road.
Moton: Jets (+7)
The Bills have either won by three points or lost to offensively inept Jets teams in their last three trips to East Rutherford, New Jersey. This time, they will face a New York squad with a rejuvenated offense that features Justin Fields and Breece Hall on the ground.
Last week, the Jets ran the ball for 182 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-32 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, expect Gang Green to operate with more ground-and-pound action in a tight contest with a Bills team that gave up a league-high 238 rushing yards in Week 1.
Predictions
Bills: Gagnon, Hanford, Knox
Jets: Davenport, Moton, O'Donnell, Sobleski
Los Angeles Rams (1-0) at Tennessee Titans (0-1)
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Hanford: Titans (+6)
The Rams' defensive line could create nightmares for Cam Ward, something he saw last week against the Denver Broncos as well. But I'm hoping he will have learned from his debut, looks to get rid of the football sooner, and his playmakers actually make plays when the time comes, which didn't happen in Week 1.
Los Angeles wins this game, but Ward will keep the game closer than expected in his home debut.
Sobleski: Rams (-6)
When Ward wasn't pressured, he made some nice throws last week. But the Denver Broncos sacked him six times in his debut.
Now, the Rams come to town with, arguably, the best young defensive front in professional football. Last weekend, the group of Jared Verse, Byron Young, Braden Fiske, Kobie Tuner and Tyler Davis terrorized Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
More of the same should be expected.
Predictions
Rams: Davenport, Knox, Moton, O'Donnell, Sobleski
Titans: Gagnon, Hanford
Seattle Seahawks (0-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)
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Hanford: Steelers (-2.5)
Is Aaron Rodgers worse than he looked in Week 1, or is Sam Darnold better? The answer is probably a bit of both, but I'm backing the Pittsburgh veteran in his home debut.
The Steelers did not hold up well against the run in Week 1, so I'd expect them to play like they have something to prove this time around, while making life difficult in the pocket for Darnold.
It's hard to say if we can expect this version of Rodgers all year, but I'm buying it for now. Steelers win by a Chris Boswell field goal.
Knox: Steelers (-2.5)
This line is a trap. I'm going to back the Steelers at home anyway, but it's not hard to envision a scenario in which Seattle covers or even wins outright.
Rodgers could fall back to earth after taking it to his former Jets team last week, and Pittsburgh's defense didn't look great in Week 1.
Mike Macdonald also has experience coaching against Mike Tomlin. That goes both ways, of course, but if the Seahawks coach can conjure the intensity of a Ravens-Steelers matchup, Seattle could steal this one.
Predictions
Steelers: Davenport, Gagnon, Hanford, Knox, Moton, O'Donnell, Sobleski
Cleveland Browns (0-1) at Baltimore Ravens (0-1)
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Moton: Ravens (-10.5)
Last Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens let one get away, squandering a 15-point fourth-quarter lead to the Buffalo Bills. but they will refocus and punish the Cleveland Browns in a bounce-back game.
Typically, Cleveland keeps the scores close against Baltimore, but between turnovers (two) and an inefficient ground game (two yards per carry), the Browns don't have the offensive firepower to keep pace with the Ravens.
Sobleski: Browns (+10.5)
A double-digit spread is a huge number when the Browns feature one of the league's best defenses.
Granted, Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are a devastating duo to try to defend. But this same Browns unit completely shut down the high-flying Cincinnati Bengals in the second half of Sunday's meeting. Burrow and Co. somehow managed minus-18 yards in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens bring a different approach, but the Browns defense is still good enough to hold this game under a 10-point spread.
Predictions
Browns: Knox, Sobleski
Ravens: Davenport, Gagnon, Hanford, Moton, O'Donnell
Carolina Panthers (0-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-0)
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Moton: Cardinals (-6.5)
If you're still a believer in Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers offense, check your eyesight.
The optimists overstated the team's offensive improvement at the end of the 2024 term. The Panthers scored 80 combined points in their late-season meetings against the Arizona Cardinals' middling defense and the Atlanta Falcons' unit that ranked 23rd in points allowed.
Yes, the Panthers beat the Cardinals 36-30 in Week 16 of the previous campaign, but this game is in Arizona. Carolina is 1-13 on the road with Young as its starting quarterback, losing 10 of those contests by at least seven points.
O'Donnell: Cardinals (-6.5)
The Cardinals were 6-3 ATS in home games last season, and their late-season meltdown—2-5 after the bye week—included a 36-30 overtime loss to this Panthers team.
Now, getting a shot against them at home in the desert, with a chance at moving to 2-0 for the first time since 2021, which is also one of Kyler Murray's best seasons as a pro, just feels right.
Add in that the Panthers just played a poor, weather-delayed opener in Jacksonville and now have to fly across the country to Arizona.
I'm on board with the home team laying a touchdown and an extra point here.
Predictions
Cardinals: Davenport, Gagnon, Hanford, Knox, Moton, O'Donnell, Sobleski
Denver Broncos (1-0) at Indianapolis Colts (1-0)
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Gagnon: Broncos (-2.5)
This feels like an obvious fade scenario with the Colts coming off a convincing win. Are they really good enough to replicate that against the defensively stout Broncos? I don't see it, especially considering Denver was 8-0 ATS when favored in 2024.
Sobleski: Colts (+2.5)
This weekend's matchup with the Broncos serves as a litmus test for the Colts. No one expects Indianapolis to play as well as it did in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, where the Colts dominated in every fashion.
Was it a complete aberration, or will this team be better than expected?
A step back or two should be expected. At the same time, the Broncos offense didn't exactly click in its debut, either.
With a more aggressive defense under the direction of Lou Anarumo, Denver quarterback Bo Nix could continue to struggle and give the Colts an advantage.
Predictions
Broncos: Davenport, Gagnon, Hanford, Moton, O'Donnell
Colts: Knox, Sobleski
Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)
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Gagnon: Chiefs (+1.5)
The Chiefs should be fired up here on extra rest. They're a little roughed up, but they haven't lost back-to-back games since December 2023. They're not only going to be motivated to rebound in their home opener, but this is also a chance to get at the Eagles after losing to them in the Super Bowl.
Philly looked mortal in Week 1, so it's odd to see it as a favorite in this spot.
Knox: Eagles (-1.5)
This is close enough to a pick 'em that I'll go with the team that won the last meeting. I have serious concerns about Philadelphia's secondary this season, but with Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice both sidelined, I'm not sure Kansas City has the weapons to take advantage.
Predictions
Eagles: Davenport, Knox, Moton, Sobleski
Chiefs: Gagnon, Hanford, O'Donnell
Atlanta Falcons (0-1) at Minnesota Vikings (1-0)
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Davenport: Vikings (-5.5)
The Vikings and Falcons are polar opposites when it comes to pressuring opposing quarterbacks, and that's going to matter a lot in Week 2.
Add in watching J.J. McCarthy go from totally overmatched to record-setter on the road in his hometown in his NFL debut, and the Vikings are just better.
Sobleski: Falcons (+5.5)
A missed field goal cost the Falcons dearly in Week 1. However, the offense moved the ball with 358 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Michael Penix Jr. is a far more decisive thrower than Caleb Williams, which will make the Vikings' job far more difficult on defense in Week 2, because the Bears QB had multiple throws and plays he outright missed during Monday Night Football.
Penix is more likely to take advantage of those situations, especially against a suspect secondary versus Atlanta's talented group of skill-position performers.
Predictions
Falcons: Gagnon, Hanford, Moton, O'Donnell, Sobleski
Vikings: Davenport, Knox
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) at Houston Texans (0-1)
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Hanford: Buccaneers (+2.5)
Houston's offensive line is banged up and potentially a weak spot even when healthy, which makes this a good spot for Todd Bowles' unit to get more than the one sack it had in Week 1.
Without Joe Mixon to lean on in the run game, the Texans offense looks one-dimensional, which should allow the Bucs to attack C.J. Stroud in the pocket.
That said, Tampa's rushing offense struggled last week, too.
This feels like a game that's going to feature some uglier-than-expected offense, but I like Baker Mayfield to make a few more plays than his counterpart to get the tough win on the road.
O'Donnell: Texans (-2.5)
This game scares the heck out of me. Usually, I'm all over Mayfield and the Bucs, particularly when they're getting points. I faded them last week, got burned, and feel a course correction back to them will only result in the same thing.
Stroud and the Texans offense need to figure things out because no reinforcements are walking through the door right now, but the defense is as good as advertised.
I'll be back aboard the ship with Mayfield soon enough, but this game just doesn't feel like the time to take less than a field goal in the second game of back-to-back road contests for Tampa.
Predictions
Buccaneers: Davenport, Hanford, Knox, Moton, Sobleski
Texans: Gagnon, O'Donnell
Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) at Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)
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Moton: Chargers (-3.5)
The Las Vegas Raiders had an inspiring road victory in New England last week, though their weaknesses may be glaring against a playoff-caliber opponent on Monday night.
Head coach Pete Carroll said his offensive line must do a better job with calls at the line of scrimmage and double-teams. The Patriots sacked Geno Smith four times, and the Raiders averaged just 2.3 yards per carry.
Furthermore, the Los Angeles Chargers will test the Raiders' questionable secondary far more than the Patriots did. Smith plays well indoors, but All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers is dealing with a knee injury.
Las Vegas could run out of gas late if Justin Herbert looks as good as he did last week, throwing to Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen.
O'Donnell: Raiders (+3.5)
The Chargers have some extra time to prepare for this divisional Monday Night Football showdown, but that also comes with unusual travel on top of an emotional roller coaster off their upset of the rival Chiefs in Brazil to open the season.
I don't necessarily expect a Raiders outright upset here, but all four prime-time games of the 2025 season so far (at time of writing) were decided by one score or less.
I don't trust either of these teams enough yet, so I'm going to err on the side of points at home.
Predictions
Chargers: Davenport, Hanford, Knox, Moton
Raiders: Gagnon, O'Donnell, Sobleski
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