NFL Week 2 Predictions: Picks Against the Spread for Every Game
Week 2 in the NFL is about to kick off and it’s time to make the picks for every game on the board against the spread.
Week 1 in the NFL could be labeled as the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The Good
My picks for Week 1 finished right at .500, as I went 7-7-1 against the spread (ATS), but the week had some highlights. I nailed the outright winners with several underdogs and swept the nationally televised games. I cashed my tickets with winners on the Redskins, Ravens, and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bad
The games I did lose in Week 1 were not even close. The Raiders, 49ers, and the Bengals seemed to throw in the towel, and my betting money early in the contest.
The Ugly
Every week I post a shocker of the week, a live underdog team that has a shot to win the game on the field. Week 1 I selected the Buffalo Bills as three point dogs, and it seemed that the game would be salvaged with at least a push. Head Coach Chan Gailey decided to take a safety (for some reason) and those two points cost me the winner.
With that week behind us, it’s time to look at Week 2. This week seemed a bit harder to dissect than Week 1, but I have covered every game in hopes of grabbing some winners and padding the wallet.
Here are my picks against the spread for every game in the NFL for Week 2.
Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns
1 of 17
The Chiefs have a short week after upsetting the Chargers at home and travel to Cleveland to play the Browns. The latest NFL odds posted by Bet Phoenix have the Cleveland Browns as two-point favorites against the Chiefs in this game.
The Chiefs are off a huge win against the Bolts and the short week will often provide a problem for teams in the NFL. Kansas City is no exception to this rule as they are 2-8 against the spread (ATS) in their last 10 games when playing on Sunday following a Monday night game. They looked great at home and got inspired effort by their special teams to help pull off the upset.
The Browns enter this game off a loss to Tampa Bay on the road in Week 1. They could not hold the lead in this game and lost despite out-gaining the Buccaneers in total yards, 340-288. Jake Delhomme will not start in this game as it has been announced that Seneca Wallace will get the call. Wallace knows the system and will add mobility to the offense.
The Chiefs are smoke and mirrors at the moment. If not for a punt return and a big run by Jamaal Charles they would have lost the primetime game. They had less than 200 yards on offense and almost allowed 400 on defense and this is something that the Browns can take advantage of. The Browns are 6-0 ATS in their last six vs. AFC and 4-0 ATS in the last four home games. I will be talking the home team and giving the small number.
Browns -2
Buffalo Bills at Green Bay Packers
2 of 17
The Buffalo Bills head to one of the hardest places to play in the NFL when they visit Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers. The latest NFL odds posted by Bet Phoenix have the Packers as 13 point favorites as they are expected to destroy the Bills.
The Packers had an impressive win in Week 1 taking an early lead on the Eagles and using a defensive stand at the end of the game to win. They did get bad news in the middle of the week as they found out running back Ryan Grant is lost for the season. Brandon Jackson will get the call to carry the work load in Week 2 against the Bills.
The Bills lost in Week 1 at home to the Miami Dolphins. At one point they had cut the deficit against the Fish to just three points, but were not able to move the ball on offense and they lost the game. Highly touted rookie running back had a horrible debut gaining just six yards on seven carries. Things look very bad for the Buffalo Bills.
With that being said I am going to take the Bills and the points this week. Last week I received plenty of hate mail for picking the Eagles to cover against the Packers so I can only imagine what the mail bag will look like this week, but hear me out.
The Packers have a huge game on Monday night in Week 3 against divisional rival Chicago. The Packers are decimated by injuries on defense. The Packers lost former first-round draft pick Justin Harrell to a season-ending knee injury and also had starting end Cullen Jenkins leave the game at Philadelphia with a broken hand.
Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews, and Chad Clifton are all banged up and even though they are probable they will not be at 100 percent. I see the Packers getting a lead early, but then they will go into cruise control and leave the back door available for the Bills. For the record the Bills play well on the road and are 8-3 ATS in the last 11 road games.
Bills +13
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
3 of 17
The Baltimore Ravens are fresh off a Monday night victory and will have to regroup quickly to face a divisional opponent in the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are listed as 2.5 point underdogs by Bet Phoenix and are looking to secure the first win of the season.
The Bengals lost to the Patriots and the offensive and defensive lines looked miserable and were manhandled by the New England Patriots. Meanwhile the Ravens took care of business on Monday night and shushed all the hype surrounding the New York Jets.
The Ravens enter this game with double revenge, but they were swept last year by the Bengals for good reason. Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is 8-3 lifetime against the Ravens' tough blitzing defense. Palmer knows how to work around this type of defense.
The Ravens won the first game of the week but looked sloppy at times, turning the ball over three times. Unlike the Jets, the Bengals will be able to challenge the secondary of the Ravens with a quartet of talented receivers in Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, and rookies Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley.
The Ravens are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games when playing on Sunday following a Monday night game and 1-3-1 ATS in their last five vs. AFC North. The Bengals are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against the AFC North and the underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five in this series. One of the better handicapping angles in the NFL is betting on the home divisional underdog. I’ll take the Bengals.
Bengals +2
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Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans
4 of 17
The Steelers were successful in their first test without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but will get a true road test when they take on the Tennessee Titans. Bet Phoenix has the latest NFL odds and they have the Titans as 5.5 point favorites in this contest.
The Steelers had Dennis Dixon at quarterback in Game 1 and he managed the game just fine but failed to get into the end zone. The Steelers managed to win with defense and several field goals.
The Titans looked superb in Week 1 and they trashed the Oakland Raiders. Chris Johnson starts his crusade for 2,500 yards but may have a tougher time against this Steelers defense.
The Titans consider the Steelers rivals and they look forward to this game every year. The Steelers are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games and the Titans are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games in September.
Dennis Dixon has a bright future ahead of him, but he was nervous at home in his first game and he will be a wreck in Tennessee. The Titans will focus on the run and make Dixon pass to win. The Steelers' inability to drive the ball consistently will tire the defense out for the Steelers and the Titans should win and cover the number in Week 2.
Titans -5.5
Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions
5 of 17
It’s just Week 2 in the NFL season but both the Philadelphia Eagle and the Detroit Lions have already lost their starting quarterbacks. The latest NFL sports betting odds by Bet Phoenix have the Eagles as 6.5 point favorites, a number that opened at 3 but increased when Michael Vick was announced as starting QB for the Eagles.
Vick got the starting job because Kevin Kolb got a concussion in Week 1 against the Packers and did not pass the concussion test this week. Vick seemed to move the offense well against the Packers and it will be interesting to see what he can do in his first start in almost four years.
In Detroit Matthew Stafford will not get the start at quarterback and instead Shaun Hill will get the nod. Stafford hurt his shoulder against the Bears and will need time to heal.
The Eagles may be the better team but they are banged up in different positions. The Eagles were hit hard with injuries to three other players to include middle linebacker Stewart Bradley, center Jamaal Jackson, and fullback Leonard Weaver.
The Lions played well despite losing on a controversial call with seconds to go in the game. The Lions are at home and this number looks too big for the Eagles to cover.
The Eagles play down to the level of their opponent. They are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games against a team with a losing home record and 0-4 ATS in the last four games overall.
The Lions played well defensively, causing four turnovers and sacking the quarterback four times. I would rather have this number be over seven points so I will wait till kickoff to look it in, but I am backing the Lions. Karma pays back the Lions in Week 2.
Lions +6.5
Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys
6 of 17
The Dallas Cowboys will try to forget the miserable performance in Week 1 against the Washington Redskins, when they host the Chicago bears in Week 2. Bet Phoenix has posted the latest line for this game and they have listed the Cowboys as hefty nine-point favorites.
This number can’t be high enough in my opinion.
The Cowboys need this win after blowing it in Week 1. They have a decisive edge with the hometown crowd and the height at wide receiver. Rookie Dez Bryant will get a touchdown and break 100 yards for the first time in his career.
The Bears were fortunate to beat the Lions and have trouble hanging on to the ball. That will be tough to compensate for against a team like the Dallas Cowboys.
The Bears have been hard pressed to put together back to back impressive performances. They are 7-19-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last 28 games following a win and they are 1-5 ATS in the last six road games .The Bears are 1-5 ATS off division win and the Cowboys are 35-18 ATS after scoring three points or less in the first half of the last game. The Cowboys take the lead early and never look back.
Cowboys -9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
7 of 17
This game is a battle of two teams trying to prove they deserve to be mentioned in a very tough NFC South. All of the experts have picked the Saints and the Falcons to compete for the division and left these teams out in the cold. The latest NFL line posted by Bet Phoenix has the Carolina Panthers as three-point home favorites.
The Panthers were manhandled in Week 1 by the Giants. They had their quarterback Matt Moore knocked out of the game and faltered in the second half.
The Buccaneers thrived in the second half and came back from a small deficit to beat the Cleveland Browns and get the first win of the season.
This game is a toss-up in my opinion. The Panthers are the better team and have the home field advantage but they are just one Matt Moore sack away from playing a rookie quarterback. It’s hard to lay hard earned money on a team that allowed four sacks and had five turnovers in the previous game and are now being asked to lay points to a team off a win.
I just flipped a coin and it came up tails. I’ll take the points and the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay +3
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons
8 of 17
The Arizona Cardinals pack up their things and travel to the East Coast to take on the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are listed as 6.5 point favorites by Bet Phoenix and will try to rebound after a loss in Week 1.
The Falcons lost a nailbiter to the Steelers that went to overtime. The Falcons played well defensively, holding the Steelers to just three field goals until a 50-yard overtime run cost them the game. Now they are home and will look to turn things around and notch their first win of the season.
The Cardinals will play the second road game of the year. Last week, they held off the St. Louis Rams and rookie quarterback Sam Bradford to get the win.
These are the kind of games that the Falcons need to win if they are going to be true contenders in the NFC South. The Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson completed just 53 percent of his passes and he had a hard time connecting with receiver Larry Fitzgerald who just caught three passes on the day.
The Falcons offense will have a much easier time moving against the Cardinals defense and will put up some points in this game. The Falcons are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a straight up loss and they are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games.
The Cardinals will have to adjust to the time zone and the field turf. The Cards are just 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games on field turf and will get out run all day long. This game has the potential to be one of the biggest blowouts of the week. I am taking the Falcons to cover as favorites.
Atlanta -6.5
Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings
9 of 17
The Miami Dolphins will hit the road for the second time in two weeks as they take on the Minnesota Vikings. The latest NFL lines posted by Bet Phoenix have the Vikings as 5.5 point favorites in this contest.
The Miami Dolphins are off a divisional road win against the Buffalo Bills. New defensive acquisition Karlos Dansby provided a spark at linebacker and helped the Dolphins get the first win of the season. The Dolphins will face a much tougher opponent in Minnesota.
The Vikings struggled in the opener, especially on offense, and lost to the New Orleans Saints. Quarterback Brett Favre looked old and out of sync with his receiving corps. Perhaps the extra time to prepare will pay off in this game, but I don’t think so.
Favre looked lost without Sidney Rice and he keyed on Visanthe Shiancoe all game. Once he was double teamed, the passing game disappeared. The Dolphins have the defensive personnel to do the same thing in this game.
The Dolphins are 9-1 ATS on the road after a win and 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games. The Dolphins can control the ball on offense and keep this within the number. I am not ready to say that the Dolphins will win, but the points look like a good investment.
Dolphins +5.5
St. Louis Rams at Oakland Raiders
10 of 17
Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford had a decent outing in his first game for the Rams, but will get a true test when he travels to the Black Hole to take on the Oakland Raiders. Bet Phoenix has established the latest betting line and the Raiders are four-point favorites.
The Raiders and their fans had high hopes for this season, but it looked like they were the same old Raiders when they were torn apart in the first game of the season. Tennessee ran the ball all over them and put up big numbers against the defense.
The Rams lost the first game of the season at home to the Arizona Cardinals, but Bradford got his feet wet. The rookie signal caller threw the ball over 50 times and had one touchdown and three interceptions. This road test will show his true ability to play in a hostile environment.
Usually in this situation I would not be able to lay points with a team that is playing badly, even if they are at home (see Carolina). However the Raiders are the play for me in this game, because they are better than they played in the first game and will show it against the Rams.
The Raiders are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a loss against the spread and the Rams are 14-30 ATS in their last 44 games after a loss. The Rams defense gave up over five yards per carry against the Cardinals and that is how the Raiders will exploit them. Bradford will have a few turnovers and the Raiders will get a big win at home.
Raiders -4
Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos
11 of 17
Pete Carroll makes his first road trip as a head coach of the Seattle Seahawks when they travel to take on the Denver Broncos. The NFL odds makers at Bet Phoenix have listed the Broncos as three-point favorites in this contest.
The Seahawks started off on the right foot with a big home win over the 49ers. They moved the ball well on offense and the defense shut down the vaunted Niners offense on the way to an easy victory.
The Broncos lost on the road in Jacksonville and return home to try and notch their first victory of the season.
The problem with the Denver Broncos is that they are one dimensional on offense and rely on the pass too often. Kyle Orton looks as though he is on pace to have a good season, but without the threat to run the Seahawks can focus their defense on pass coverage. The Broncos managed just 89 yards rushing against the Jaguars, a number that has to improve if they want to win.
The Seahawks may actually be the better team and I always like to take the points in this spot. The Broncos are a miserable home favorite as they are 8-21-1 ATS in their last 30 home games. They are also 9-25 ATS in their last 34 games following a loss against the spread and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall. All signs in this game point to Seattle.
Seattle +3
SHOCKER OF THE WEEK: Houston Texans at Washington Redskins
12 of 17
The Houston Texans will face off against the Washington Redskins this week as both teams prove the victories in Week 1 were not a mirage. Bet Phoenix has listed the Texans as two-point road favorites in this game.
The entire world was introduced to Arian Foster after he ran all over the Colts. He will try to repeat his great performance on the road in Washington.
The Redskins were given a gift wrapped victory due to the misfire of the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins won the game although they failed to score an offensive touchdown and a win against the Texans would make the fan base very excited.
The Redskins are the shocker of the week and will win outright on the field against the Texans. The Redskins are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine games overall and 4-1 ATS in their last five games following an ATS win. This is a perfect example of the fans and media putting too much stock into the results of Week 1. Redskins win at home as they catch the Texans in letdown mode.
Redskins +2
Jacksonville Jaguars at San Diego Chargers
13 of 17
The Jaguars will travel to the West Coast to take on the San Diego Chargers. The lines makers at Bet Phoenix have listed the Chargers as eight-point favorites over the Jaguars.
The Jaguars won the first game of the season against the Denver Broncos. They won the game on the arm of quarterback David Garrard, who threw for three touchdowns while he completed 76 percent of his passes. They will need another sharp game from him if they are going to beat the Chargers on the road.
The Chargers were stunned on the road on Monday night Football, losing outright as 5.5 point favorites. They beat the Chiefs in time of possession and crushed them in total yards but still could not come away with a victory. The Chargers are going to take their frustrations out on the Jaguars.
They are in the middle of a short week but they won’t need much time to prepare to beat the Jaguars. They are 19-9-3 ATS in their last 31 games following a loss, while the 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games following a win.
The Chargers' offense will click at home and watch for Ryan Mathews to have a breakout game in his first home start. The Chargers will cover this number and then some.
Chargers -8
New England Patriots at New York Jets
14 of 17
The New England Patriots play their first regular season game in New Meadowlands Stadium when they take on the New York Jets this weekend. Bet Phoenix has the latest NFL Odds and the Jets are listed as 1.5 point home dogs for this game.
This rivalry is getting heated as both teams get ready for this game. In the offseason Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said, “I hate the Jets," Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis reiterated earlier comments that called Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss “a slouch." This one is going to be good.
The Patriots looked good in Week 1 at home, but still have yet to prove they can win on the road. Last year they were 2-6 SU (2-4-2 ATS) on the road and won against some bad teams.
The short week will not bother the Jets and in fact they recover quite well as they are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 games when playing on Sunday following a Monday night game. The Jets are 4-1 ATS in the last five games against teams with a winning record and 5-2 ATS in the last seven games against the AFC.
I am not going to put too much emphasis on Week 1 for either of these teams. The Patriots defense is not as good as Baltimore, and the Jets defense is better than Cincinnati’s. The Jets are home divisional underdogs and that is enough for me to back the home team in this game.
Jets +1.5
Sunday Night Football: New York Giants at Indianapolis Colts
15 of 17
One of the games getting the most hype for Week 1 is the battle between the New York Giants and the Indianapolis Colts. The latest NFL odds as posted by Bet Phoenix have the Colts listed as 5.5 point favorites.
This game is getting so much hype mainly due to the first family of football, the Manning’s.
Peyton Manning and the Colts suffered a big divisional loss in Week 1. They were embarrassed by Arian Foster on the ground and were out of the game early. They need to beat his little brother, Eli Manning, and the Giants to avoid a 0-2 hole to start the season.
The Giants were the exact opposite on opening day and looked outstanding as they trounced the Carolina Panthers. Eli was sharp and the offense was clicking as Hakeem Nicks had three touchdowns on the day. On defense, the Giants simply dominated every facet of the game and looked better than they had in quite some time.
The Giants have excelled on the road against the spread as they are 23-8 ATS in their last 31 road games. They are also 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games following a win and Eli will be anxious to show his big brother his team is for real. I am taking the Giants and the points until the Colts can prove they can stop the run.
Giants +5.5
Monday Night Football: New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers
16 of 17
The defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints hit the road for the first time this year when they take on the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night football. The latest NFL lines at Bet Phoenix have the 49ers as six-point home underdogs.
The Saints play their first game on the road and if they look anything like they did in the season opener they will be just fine. They defeated the Minnesota Vikings with a steady mix of offense and defense. Now they will try to do the same thing to the 49ers.
San Francisco comes into this game off an embarrassing loss to the Seattle Seahawks. This team was hyped to be a Super Bowl contender and they looked like a team that would not make the playoffs. The team will honor Jerry Rice by retiring his number, giving the team extra motivation to put forth a solid effort.
The home underdog on Monday night is always an interesting angle to keep an eye out for. In the first week it paid off with the Kansas City Chiefs, and I am back again on this game. They got caught looking forward to this game and Seattle made them pay, so they are focused for this showdown.
The 49ers have been one of the better Monday night teams over the years. The 49ers are 16-5 against the spread (ATS) in their last 21 Monday games and 13-4-4 ATS in their last 21 games following a blowout loss of 14 points or more. Singletary has this team focused and running back Frank Gore will get 100 yards as the 49ers win this game outright.
49ers +5.5
Time for Kickoff
17 of 17
Good Luck on Week 2!
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Matt Regaw is a B/R Featured Columnist and the founder of BookieBlitz.com, your one-stop shop for sports articles, previews, and predictions. Feel Free to contact Matt at mregaw@gmail.com
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