NFL Week 2 Picks: Early Predictions for Every Game

With two games left to go Monday night, NFL Week 1 action isn't over yet, but we're already looking forward to Week 2. 

The first weekend of NFL action was full of surprises, including unexpected upsets, breakout rookies and game-changing injuries. As they say, the only thing predictable about the NFL from week to week is how unpredictable it will be. 

Nevertheless, we saw enough from the matchups in Week 1 to take a stab at predicting the outcome for Week 2's games. Here are some very early predictions for each game, followed by an analysis of a few that are sure to be must-see matchups. 

Date	Away	Home	Pick
Thursday, Sept. 17	Denver Broncos	Kansas City Chiefs	Chiefs
Sunday, Sept. 20	Houston Texans	Carolina Panthers	Panthers
Sunday, Sept. 20	San Francisco 49ers	Pittsburgh Steelers	Steelers
Sunday, Sept. 20	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	New Orleans Saints	Saints
Sunday, Sept. 20	Detroit Lions	Minnesota Vikings	Vikings
Sunday, Sept. 20	Arizona Cardinals	Chicago Bears	Cardinals
Sunday, Sept. 20	New England Patriots	Buffalo Bills	Patriots
Sunday, Sept. 20	San Diego Chargers	Cincinnati Bengals	Bengals
Sunday, Sept. 20	Tennessee Titans	Cleveland Browns	Titans
Sunday, Sept. 20	Atlanta Falcons	New York Giants	Giants
Sunday, Sept. 20	St. Louis Rams	Washington Redskins	Rams
Sunday, Sept. 20	Miami Dolphins	Jacksonville Jaguars	Dolphins
Sunday, Sept. 20	Baltimore Ravens	Oakland Raiders	Ravens
Sunday, Sept. 20	Dallas Cowboys	Philadelphia Eagles	Eagles
Sunday, Sept. 20	Seattle Seahawks	Green Bay Packers	Packers
Monday, Sept. 21	New York Jets	Indianapolis Colts	Colts

Must-See Matchups

Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

This rematch of January's NFC Championship Game could play out in a similar fashion if the Green Bay Packers aren't careful. 

Remember how the Packers had a 12-point lead through most of the fourth quarter in that game until mistakes by the defense and special teams allowed the Seahawks to come raring back to win in overtime? Well, Seattle showed against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday that it's still capable of such spoiling. 

Though the Rams were able to put the Seahawks away 34-31 with a defensive stop, St. Louis at one point led by 11 points before allowing Seattle to play catch-up and take the lead. The Rams then forced overtime. 

If the Packers hope to exact revenge on Seattle for ending their season, their run defense will have to put in a much better performance than it did against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Bears running back Matt Forte gashed Green Bay's defense for 141 yards and a touchdown, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. 

Marshawn Lynch may be in position to do something similar against Green Bay's middle, though getting Datone Jones (suspension) and Morgan Burnett (injury) back could give the unit a boost. 

This matchup could potentially hinge on one player: Kam Chancellor. The Seahawks defense was much less potent with Dion Bailey at strong safety while Chancellor continues to hold out; Bailey gave up the game-tying touchdown.

Green Bay's offense was reinvigorated by the return of veteran James Jones, who connected with Aaron Rodgers for two touchdowns. The Packers could really exploit Bailey should Chancellor sit out another week. 

Another aspect of this matchup to watch is Seattle's and Green Bay's shiny new return weapons. Tyler Lockett had two kick returns for 56 yards and two punt returns for 63 yards on Sunday, including a punt-return touchdown. 

Green Bay's punt and kick return coverage units, which were suspect in 2014, may have trouble containing Lockett. But the Packers have a new weapon of their own: rookie Ty Montgomery, who had 106 yards on three kick returns against Chicago. 

Ultimately, Green Bay's offense is more potent, and Seattle's defense may be weakened by another potential week without Chancellor, tipping the scales slightly in Green Bay's favor. 

Prediction: Packers win. 28-24

Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

The Houston Texans aren't sure who their starting quarterback is going to be heading into Week 2, but chances are whether it's Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallett, the Carolina Panthers defense can shut him down.

Hoyer's day got off to a rough start against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had taken four sacks and thrown one touchdown and one interception for a 72.7 quarterback rating when he was replaced by Mallett, whose name the fans had begun to chant. 

When Houston head coach Bill O'Brien was asked after the game if Hoyer would start against the Panthers, he didn't have an answer. 

"I don't know," he said, per the Associated Press, via ESPN. "We'll review the film, and we will find out once we get into next week."

The Texans need to make a decision, fast, so whichever quarterback gets the start has as much time as possible to prepare. Carolina's defense was ferocious on Sunday, sacking Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles five times and intercepting him twice, returning one for a touchdown. 

The Panthers as a team also had six passes defensed and eight tackles for loss. 

Carolina held Jacksonville to just 75 yards in the second half. The Texans offense has its work cut out for it. 

However, Houston's defense may be in better shape heading into the matchup than Carolina's. Panthers star linebacker Luke Kuechly left the game with a concussion, which could put his status for next week in jeopardy as he progresses through the protocol, as Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer reported. 

Houston's defense, meanwhile, got a boost from the return of Jadeveon Clowney, last year's No. 1 pick, who missed 12 games in his rookie season. Though he was limited in snaps, Clowney had four tackles, including one for loss. 

The big star of the day was, as always, J.J. Watt. He was all over the field, getting two sacks, nine tackles and six tackles for loss, which tied a career high. 

Ultimately, while Houston's defense is elite, its offense heads into the matchup too unsettled. Look for the Panthers to eke this one out. 

Prediction: Panthers win, 20-17

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

Sure, the Kansas City Chiefs are the early favorite (minus-3) in this matchup, per Odds Shark, but plenty of people are going to get bent out of shape that we're picking them to beat the Denver Broncos. 

In any contentious matchup, first think about the home team. Does that team typically do very well at home? In Kansas City's case, of the nine games the team won in 2014, six came at home, though it lost both matchups, both home and away, against the Broncos. 

Even if being home only gives the Chiefs a moderate advantage, however, it was surprising to see Kansas City's offense start strong out of the gates on Sunday in its 27-20 win over the Houston Texans, while Denver's offense was so-so against the Baltimore Ravens. 

Alex Smith on Sunday: 22-of-33 for 243 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions and a passer rating of 118.6. 

Peyton Manning on Sunday: 24-of-40 for 175 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 59.9. 

Sure, Baltimore's defense brought more pressure on Manning; he was sacked four times and took five hits, while the Texans sacked Smith twice, with four more QB hits. 

Still, the difference was astounding, and since that small sample size is all we have to go on for Week 2 predictions, it matters. 

There's the worry that the Broncos' new-look offense isn't suiting Manning and that his inexperienced offensive line, which featured two new starters in left tackle Ty Sambrailo and center Matt Paradis, can't protect him.

And the Chiefs defense demonstrated Sunday against the Texans that it, too, can bring the pressure. The unit sacked Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett four times and once, respectively, and delivered four QB hits. Kansas City also had seven passes defended, and Marcus Peters came away with an interception. 

But where the Chiefs are really clicking is on offense. Unlike Denver, which is struggling to mesh in its new system, the Chiefs offense is finally falling into place. Tight end Travis Kelce was unstoppable, with six receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. 

And while a Chiefs receiver still didn't score a touchdown, Jeremy Maclin proved to be a savvy offseason signing, with 52 yards on five targets. 

So maybe it's blasphemy, but in the case of this intra-division rivalry, the early pick is with the Chiefs. 

Prediction: Chiefs win, 27-21