Week 2 NFL Picks: Latest Betting Odds, Vegas Spreads and Projections

If there's one thing, and usually only one thing, that remains true at the beginning of every NFL season, it's that preseason projections hardly ever capture the action that unfolds in Week 1. So it was in 2020, already the most bizarre NFL season in recent memory.

No fans and fake crowd noise? Check. 

Tom Brady donning a non-New England Patriots uniform...and losing? Check. 

The Green Bay Packers trading up to draft a quarterback, Jordan Love, in the first round of this year's draft...and Love sitting on the bench in street clothes watching Aaron Rodgers do his thing to the tune of 364 yards and four touchdowns to defeat a division rival? Check. 

The Cleveland Browns finally inspiring some optimism before the season...only to lose by multiple touchdowns in the Week 1 opener? Oh...that one actually isn't strange at all. 

After one week, let's take a look ahead to the odds and spreads for the Week 2 slate, break down the biggest favorites and project the rest of the games on the schedule. Projected winners (straight up) are indicated in bold. 

NFL Week 2 Betting Odds and Spreads

Thursday

Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns (-6) 

Sunday

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans (-9.5) 

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-9)

Denver Broncos @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5)

Los Angeles Rams (-1.5) @ Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers (-7) @ New York Jets 

Buffalo Bills (-5.5) @ Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings @ Indianapolis Colts (-3)

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers (-6)

Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys (-5)

New York Giants @ Chicago Bears (-5.5)

Washington Football Team @ Arizona Cardinals (-6.5)

Kansas City Chiefs (-8.5) @ Los Angeles Chargers

Baltimore Ravens (-6.5) @ Houston Texans

New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks (-4.5)

Monday

New Orleans Saints (-5.5) @ Las Vegas Raiders

Odds via DraftKings and current as of Tuesday morning

There's no such thing as a sure bet in the NFL, but if anyone is looking for one, the Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) are probably the closest thing we'll see this year. The Chiefs roared out of the gate on Thursday night to kick off the season, defeating the Houston Texans by two touchdowns 34-20.

It's no surprise that Kansas City is one of the biggest favorites of the week, at 8.5 points over the Los Angeles Chargers (1-0).

It's not just Patrick Mahomes and the usual cast of characters who have oddsmakers excited about the Chiefs, who are currently tied with the Baltimore Ravens (0-1) with the best odds to win the Super Bowl. Rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire rumbled for 138 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, proving to be incredibly steady on his feet and able to keep churning for extra yards after contact. 

If you're in a survivor pool, this is a game you can feel good about in the anything-can-happen NFL.

The Chiefs, however, are not the biggest Vegas darling heading into Week 2. That would be, believe it or not, the Tennessee Titans (1-0), favored by 9.5 over the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0). The over/under for that game is set at 42.5.

Even with the home team sitting at 1.000 on the season and spoiling one of the biggest favorites of Week 1, the Indianapolis Colts, the Jaguars haven't impressed Vegas much. This could be a great matchup of the week to take the under.

No one should even try to touch the point spread on Bengals (0-1) at Browns (0-1); the mercurial Browns are one of the least convincing six-point favorites there could be. 

The 0-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers' lackluster performance on offense under Tom Brady in Week 1 didn't faze Vegas in the Week 2 odds, with the Bucs still favored by nine over the Panthers (0-1).

The Panthers' loss to the Raiders (1-0) was a close one, 34-30, but it's unlikely Carolina's defense will be able to terrorize Brady quite as much as New Orleans, which sacked him three times and intercepted him twice in the 34-23 loss. But a front seven featuring Lavonte David and Devin White could keep Brady off-balance enough to keep this one closer than the spread suggests. 

Other games bettors will like this week are the Green Bay Packers (1-0) being favored by six over the Detroit Lions (0-1). Each battled a division opponent in Week 1 to differing outcomes. The Packers offense looked like the unstoppable unit of old under Aaron Rodgers, who saw something in his 2010 tape that he implemented this season. The change, whatever it was, is paying off.

Another obvious choice is picking the San Francisco 49ers (0-1) to defeat the hapless New York Jets (0-1) by at least a touchdown on Sunday. Tight end George Kittle's knee sprain is worrying for San Francisco, and Deebo Samuel is on injured reserve. But it's hard to see Sam Darnold and these Jets getting much going against the 49ers defense.