Week 2 NFL Picks: Vegas Odds, Spread Advice and Predictions

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened a few eyes around the NFL when they walked into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and punished the New Orleans Saints 48-40 in the season opener.

Ryan Fitzpatrick had a career game as he threw four TD passes and ran for one more. The Bucs return home this week and get to welcome the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of league, and from that perspective, Fitzpatrick has done quite a bit. However, his track record does not include a lot of consistency, so that's something to keep in mind when considering the Bucs' chances of coming up with a second consecutive victory to start the season.

Their 48-point offensive showing should get the attention of their opponents. The Eagles opened the season with a sloppy 18-12 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, and they are going to have to play much better than that if they are going to come close to matching what they did a year ago.

While Fitzpatrick was on top of his game in Week 1, Philadelphia quarterback Nick Foles was not. He threw for just 118 yards as the Eagles raised their championship banner and barely held off the Falcons. 

The Eagles are three-point favorites over the Bucs, according to OddsShark.

Look for a reversal of fortune for both teams. The Eagles should be much sharper in Week 2, and it will start with Foles, who remains under center as Carson Wentz continues his recovery from an ACL injury.

Jay Ajayi ran for 62 yards against the Falcons, and he should not have a problem increasing that total against the Bucs. Zach Ertz is one of the top receiving tight ends in the NFL, and expect him to have a big game here. The same holds for wideout Nelson Agholor, with Darren Sproles playing a key role for Eagles head coach Doug Pederson.

The Philadelphia defense will not allow Fitzpatrick to have the time he was given in the opener, and the Eagles should be able to limit him. The biggest problem could be DeSean Jackson, who has the speed and explosiveness to wreak havoc in any game.

Nevertheless, we pick the Eagles to win big in this game.

NFL Week 2

Baltimore Ravens (-1, 45 O/U) at Cincinnati Bengals: CIN, 24-23 (over)

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-6, 44.5 O/U): ATL 30, CAR 27 (over)

Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints (-9, 50 O/U): NO 37, CLE 23 (over)

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (no line): HOU 23, TEN 17

Indianapolis Colts at Washington Redskins (-5.5, 45.5 O/U): WSH 28, IND 27 (over)

Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers (-4, 53 O/U): KC 33, PITT 24  (over)

Los Angeles Chargers (-7, 42.5 O/U) at Buffalo Bills: LAC 38, BUF 28 (over)

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets (-3, 44.5 O/U): NYJ 20, MIA 17 (under)

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-1.5): GB 24, MIN 23 (N/A)

Philadelphia Eagles (-3, 43.5 O/U) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: PHI 31, TB 13 (over)

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams (-13, 45.5 O/U): LAR 34, ARI 14 (over)

Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers (-6.5, 47.5 O/U): SF 33, DET 14 (under)

New England Patriots (-1, 45 O/U) at Jacksonville Jaguars: JAX 28, NE 27 (over)

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos (-6, 46 O/U): DEN 24, OAK 20 (under)

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-3, 42 O/U): NYG 24, DAL 21 (over)

Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears (-3, 43.5 O/U): SEA 17, CHI 14 (under)

All point spread information provided by OddsShark.

Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills

The Chargers were fighting from behind in their Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and that proved to be a key problem.

The Bills were dominated by the Ravens on the road, as they were ineffective on both sides of the ball. They were victimized by Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco, who threw three TD passes.

It seems much more likely the Chargers will find their stride in a more effective manner than the Bills. Quarterback Philip Rivers remains one of the top trigger men in the league, and he is coming off a 424-yard effort against the Chiefs.

He has one of the top receivers in the league in Keenan Allen, and Melvin Gordon gives them a solid ground game. The Chargers have a balanced offense that should be the envy of many teams around the league.

The Bills have a myriad of problems, and it starts at the quarterback position. Nathan Peterman has started three games in his career and has been replaced in all of them. 

He was pulled in favor of rookie Josh Allen against the Ravens, and head coach Sean McDermott announced that Allen would start against the Chargers. The 22-year-old has a huge arm, but he is an unrefined prospect at this point in his development.

The Chargers should be able to dictate on both sides of the ball, but they won't have defensive end Joey Bosa (foot). Los Angeles needs to show it can bounce back from a key loss, and the Bills don't have the firepower needed to remain competitive in this game. 

The Chargers roll as seven-point favorites.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

The Giants had a tough opening assignment against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, and they were unable to overcome one of the best defensive teams in the league.

The Cowboys struggled in their opener against the Carolina Panthers, as their offense struggled to move the ball and threaten the Panthers defense.

Expect both offenses to look better here. While there are legitimate questions about how well Eli Manning can perform at this point in his career (224 yards, one interception vs. Jacksonville), rookie running back Saquon Barkley has the speed, power and skill to give the Giants the kind of running game that has been lacking for years.

Odell Beckham Jr. may be the most physically gifted wideout in the league. If Manning gets any decent protection from his offensive line, Beckham could make at least one game-changing play and perhaps more than that.

Dak Prescott was not at his best against the Panthers as he threw for 170 yards. Neither was superstar running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was held to 69 yards. Prescott is listed as having an ankle injury, but he was a full participant in the Cowboys' Wednesday practice.

The Cowboys appear to be lacking at the wide receiver spot without Dez Bryant. Cole Beasley caught seven passes for 73 yards against the Panthers, and he is not a huge threat.

The Giants have more firepower, and they should get the edge in this Sunday night game.