NFL Picks Week 2: Picking Every Game Against the Spread

Did a wild Week 1 put a dent in bankroll already?

Don't worry, you're not alone.

Week 2 promises to have some great matchups, likely some shockers again as well, and getting an early look at the spreads is the best way to track what the public is thinking.

Here are the early picks of every game against the spread for Week 2 in the NFL. 

 

Chicago Bears at New Orleans Saints (-6.5)

The Saints failed to cover against the defending Green Bay Packers in Week 1, but they played very well. Drew Brees and his offense looks to be in sync, and they will be handful for any team.

The Bears did cover in their home debut against the Falcons. In fact, they made the Falcons look foolish.

However, there is a chance the Bears are without Brian Urlacher this week.

The trends don't favor either team, and not much is gained from looking at them. Plain and simple, this comes down to the Saints versus the Bears in a game the Saints cannot afford to lose. With the spread still less than a touchdown, the home team would be the pick.

The Play: Saints -6.5

Kansas City Chiefs at Detroit Lions (-9)

The Lions host a desperate AFC West team that was 4-4 on the road ATS (against the spread) last season. Detroit, meanwhile, went 7-1 at home ATS a year ago.

The two teams are different, especially with Matthew Stafford healthy, but Kansas City showed no signs of life against the Buffalo Bills and lost playmaking safety Eric Berry for the season.

They will get too trendy at some point this season, but the Lions have all the pieces in place to be a potential Wild Card contender.

The Play: Lions -9 

Jacksonville Jaguars at New York Jets (-9)

Gang Green is not efficient against the spread historically, but the Jaguars enter MetLife Stadium with a quarterback that stands to be crushed in New York.

Rex Ryan will throw everything he has at Luke McCown, and the Jets should find their run game again after running the ball only 16 times in Week 1.

A physical test is exactly what the Jets need to get on track, and they'll do enough defensively to cover a nine point spread.

The Play: Jets -9

Oakland Raiders at Buffalo Bills (-3.5)

Long story short, the Oakland Raiders have to travel across the country on a short week to play an early East Coast road game in Buffalo.

The Bills may not be the most intimidating team, but they're coming off a huge win over the Chiefs and will use a similar game plan against the Raiders.

Oakland is also 1-6 ATS coming off a win against a division rival in their last attempts.

The Play: Bills -3.5

Arizona Cardinals at Washington Redskins (-4)

Arizona was 5-11 ATS last season and a miserable 2-6 ATS on the road.

Washington was 8-5 ATS, but closed the year with a three game winning streak that extends to four ATS with their win over the Giants last week.

Both teams feature new quarterbacks where anything is possible, but the home team gets the nod until proven otherwise.

The Play: Redskins -4

Baltimore Ravens (-6) at Tennessee Titans

The Titans are sporting a new starting quarterback that lost his debut to a bad divisional rival.

Things haven't settled down yet in Tennessee, and a visit from the Ravens isn't going to help.

But Baltimore is coming off an emotional division win to open the season. In the last three years, they're only 6-6 in this scenario.

The Ravens will, but won't cover on the road for our first real upset. 

The Play: Titans +6

Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers (-14)

Any time we see a 14-point spread, it either means stay away or take the points.

But the Steelers—James Harrison included—are very, very angry.

The Seahawks gave up five sacks a week ago to the 49ers, and the Steelers are going to try and double that number.

Pittsburgh will rebound with a vengeance.

The Play: Steelers -14

Green Bay Packers (-10) at Carolina Panthers

There are no trends to quantify the "Cam Newton" factor in the NFL.

But, Packers' defensive coordinator Dom Capers will pose a completely different threat than that of the Arizona Cardinals.

Green Bay will spoil Cam's debut and remind us that he is human.

The Packers also have a ridiculous 25-12 record against the spread in the last three years against Carolina's 13-21.

The Play: Packers (-10)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings (-3)

Is there any way Donovan McNabb will throw for 39 yards in a game ever again? Let's hope not, but he and the Vikings ran only 43 plays against the Chargers last week in San Diego.

Expect them to give Tampa Bay a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson.

That said, the Buccaneers also have their own bruising back in LeGarrette Blount and better weapons surrounding a more complete offense. 

The game will be ugly and feature an exorbitant amount of run plays.

Until McNabb proves he can handle this offense, we will take the points.

The Play: Buccaneers +3

Cleveland Browns (-2.5) at Indianapolis Colts

Gosh, could there be a worse game?

The Browns blew a golden opportunity to nab a home in division last week and now travel to Indianapolis to play the damaged Colts.

Trends do no justice here considering Peyton Manning isn't on the field, but the Browns are a miserable 1-5 ATS in September games in their last six attempts. 

They'll plan on using Peyton Hillis more, but with another week in the offense, we can expect to see more life out of Kerry Collins.

In an attempt to steal a close one, we'll take the points at home.

The Play: Colts +2.5 

Dallas Cowboys (-3) at San Francisco 49ers

Tony Romo is apparently a huge liability. Fortunately for the Cowboys, so is Alex Smith.

The trends don't favor either time, and they were about even ATS a year ago.

But the Cowboys traveling across the country on a short week is a bit disconcerting. They may be the better team, but it won't be easy. They're also 0-4 ATS as a road favorite of three points or less.

It might be a bit crazy, but the Cowboys scare me and we'll opt for the points.

The Play: 49ers +3

Houston Texans (-3) at Miami Dolphins

The Texans are another minimal road favorite with a lot going for them.

The Dolphins, who were 2-6 ATS on the road a year ago and failed to cover on Monday night, did look like a better football team than we expected.

Houston's new defense could be a problem for the Dolphins' offensive line, though, and Miami is notorious for getting up for games against New England.

In a home let down (again), the Dolphins won't even cover.

The Play: Texans -3

San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots (-7)

These two teams are expected to be two of the best the AFC has to offer.

Unfortunately, trends don't offer us much in this contest and I live by a simple rule.

When the Patriots are rolling, don't bet against them until they lose.

As things stand, this will be a shoot out (Over/Under is 54), and the Patriots have the edge at home.

The Play: Patriots -7

Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos (-4)

In what might be the second ugliest game of the weekend (behind Cleveland-Indianapolis), the Broncos are once again favored at home.

Denver, in their last three attempts, are 0-3 ATS after playing on Monday Night Football.

Eventually, every streak has to come to an end, and I can't fathom the Bengals being 2-0. Fortunately, that doesn't have to happen; they just have to lose by less than four.

The Play: Bengals +4

Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) at Atlanta Falcons

This might be the toughest game to call.

Michael Vick's return to Atlanta on Sunday Night Football puts the recently stunned Falcons on high alert.

Matty "Ice" Ryan was anything but in their loss to Chicago, and I still cannot wrap my head around this team's problems.

The Eagles, though, are 4-1 ATS against NFC South opponents in their last five attempts, and the Falcons are only 2-3 ATS against NFC East opponents.

Until the Falcons can prove they are the same team that went 13-3 last year, we're going to stay away.

The Play: Eagles -2.5

St. Louis Rams at New York Giants (-6)

Sam Bradford is expected to take the field for the Rams, but Steven Jackson and Danny Amendola are not.

To make a long—and ugly—story short, the Giants are 3-0 ATS on Monday Night Football in their last three attempts.

Should they get Justin Tuck back on that defensive line, everything changes up front for them.

We'll ride that trend and stay with the Giants at home.

The Play: Giants -6