We're finally starting to come down from that one week slate. Couldn't realistically ask for much better then starting 13-3 against the spread and we're hoping to carry over that momentum into week two. Got some huge favorites and dogs to sort through.
For as many storylines as the first sixteen games gave us, it probably gave us double the amount of questions heading into the second week. We'll break down these matchups and what to expect from each team.
Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (3.5) (Thursday 9/15)
Another week, another Los Angeles team in a primetime game. It'll be hard for the Chargers to fare much worse than the Rams last Thursday.
LA, fresh off a tough divisional win over Las Vegas, should be a little short handed with Keenan Allen out for this one with a hamstring issue. DeAndre Carter and Josh Palmer should be able to absorb some of these targets, but obviously lack the upside of Allen. We'll see if the offense is able to get Austin Ekeler rolling too. After playing less then 50% of the snaps on Sunday, there are legitimate concerns about his usage. This Chargers offense needs Ek producing to maximize how dynamic they can be.
Kansas City should be very confident after kicking Arizona's ass on the road four days ago. It'll be worth watching to see if Clyde Edwards-Helaire can back up his impressive performance from week one. Expect Travis Kelce to have another big day here, and Juju too if JC Jackson isn't cleared.
Tough one to call here overall, but I think the injuries that Los Angeles is dealing with will end up being their undoing. The O/U line of 54.5 is a touch high for me here too. We'll roll with KC winning and covering, with the under hitting on a short week-- picking against my steer clear for the week. One has to hit.
New York Jets at Cleveland Browns (-6.5)
Man did Joe Flacco look bad last week. I'm not sure the strong armed QB had a ball travel more than 20 yards downfield in the air. The Jets offensive line also allowed the Baltimore defense to get after him regularly. Facing a much tougher Browns pass rush this week should yield even bleaker results for the 15 year vet.
Cleveland is 1-0 after stealing a win in Carolina over estranged quarterback Baker Mayfield. Controversial or not, it was a big victory for them to begin Deshaun Watson's 11 game suspension. Jacoby Brissett wasn't more then a game manager, but he did that well enough. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are still monsters and that'll be plenty for the Browns some weeks.
This is one of those weeks. The Jets will be held under ten points for a second consecutive week, cashing the under as the Browns win and cover handily.
Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions (-2.5)
Washington and the Carson Wentz show travel up to Detroit this Sunday for a showdown between two maligned franchises. Wentz did everything in his power to try and give the game away to the Jaguars in week one, but led two big drives late to give the Commanders a 28-22 dub. Anticipate a lot of scoring again this Sunday vs. the Lions.
The Lions cornerback group is a weakness that Washington's strong receiving core should be able to exploit. I smell 100+ yards for Terry McLaurin. Antonio Gibson should also have some success on the ground against a unit that allowed 216 rushing yards a week ago.
Jared Goff and his offensive unit also have the capability of putting up big numbers here. D'Andre Swift exploded onto the scene last week with 144 rushing yards and it's not out of bounds for him to clear the century mark again here. DJ Chark and Amon-Ra St. Brown will also have plenty of big play opportunities against the Commanders secondary.
It wouldn't be shocking for this game to personify all of the weirdness that seems to follow Carson Wentz through his career. Love the over in this game and the Lions finding a way to cover in their first win at home.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3) at New Orleans Saints
For most of week one, neither of these teams were particularly impressive offensively. New Orleans got it done late to steal a win in Atlanta and Tampa did enough to beat Dallas, but you can't help but think each has more to offer. Two stout defenses will make it unlikely for that to happen here however.
Alvin Kamara had a rough go of things on the ground against the Falcons lesser defensive line, which doesn't spell optimism for him in this matchup. Hopefully they're able to scheme up some quick hit passes to him to take advantage of the Bucs' talented and aggressive defensive front. At least one of New Orleans' three key receivers will get theirs versus a much less imposing Tampa secondary, but it's hard to predict who with the way Jameis spread the ball around Sunday.
The Saints will be in trouble defensively if they can't slow the run game again. Cordarelle Patterson racked up 120 rushing yards a week ago and Leonard Fournette is a much more talented back. Look for Tampa to try and use Lenny to control the clock and reduce what they ask of Tom. It seems unlikely that Chris Godwin will play and Mike Evans will be less then 100%; maybe another nice showing from Julio?
New Orleans doesn't lose to the Bucs in the regular season and that'll continue on the 18th. Expect a ton of defense here before the Saints win it late. 23-21 NOLA
Carolina Panthers at New York Giants (-2.5)
Baker Mayfield's revenge tour got off to a rocky start last week as the Panthers dropped their game late against his old team. I don't foresee this trip to the Meadowlands going much better.
The Giants stole an unlikely victory on the road in Tennessee to start their season strong. Saquon Barkley was the biggest reason for this win, as he exploded with 164 yards and the game winning two-point conversion. He was easily the best player on the field. The Panthers just got similarly gashed by Nick Chubb in the run game, so it should be Barkley's turn here. Expect New York to lean heavily on their star running back to alleviate pressure on Danny Dimes.
The Panthers should be able to move the ball some with their group of weapons, but ultimately I don't think it'll be enough to secure the road victory here. DJ Moore should have a much more productive day then his matchup with Denzel Ward and McCaffery should have a little more opportunity to produce.
Brian Daboll and his staff will outwork Matt Rhule in the coaching game to give the Giants the edge. Take them ATS and the over on what should be a much nicer day then East Rutherford saw for the Jets opener.
New England Patriots (-1.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers
A couple of injuries to monitor when considering this week two matchup. Mac Jones had an X-ray on his back after their loss in Miami that came back negative, but it's likely he won't feel 100% as he continues to deal with that. Najee Harris left early with a foot injury, initially suggesting a disastrous Lisfranc aggravation, but actually has reported that he'll be playing this week. TJ Watt seemingly dodged a season ending pec injury, but will certainly not be back for their home opener.
So with all of that being said, we'll break these teams down. Both quarterbacks were uninspiring in their week one showdowns. Jones will continue down this mediocre vein here, struggling against another hard nosed defense on the road. Mister Biscuit should be able to handle a more approachable New England defensive unit, especially if his star running back plays. Regardless, this won't be a visually appealing matchup.
Pittsburgh continues an improbable undefeated start to the year by beating Belichick and the Pats at Acrisure Stadium's inaugural game. It'll be an ugly one, so we're taking the under too.
Indianapolis Colts (-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Colts came out very flat in week one, needing a furious comeback to salvage a tie with the lowly Texans. Frank Reich needs to get his squad to a faster start this go round. There should be no shortage of motivation facing the team that eliminated them from playoff contention in week 18 of last season. Now it's just a matter of execution.
Michael Pittman Jr. should feast again through the air against this Jaguars back end that allowed Carson Wentz to throw for over 300 yards on them. He'd surely welcome some assistance in the receiving game though, as no other wideout eclipsed 50 yards or three catches. Jonathan Taylor should also find plenty of room to run against this front seven, en route to his second big game in a row.
Jacksonville won't go down easy however. James Robinson looked sharp against all odds in his first game back from a December Achilles' tear. He and Travis Etienne should be able to pace the team on the ground a fair bit, especially if Shaquille Leonard is inactive again. Christian Kirk should be followed by Stephon Gilmore all day, meaning Trevor Lawrence will need to get most of his production elsewhere.
I picked the Texans to cover on Indy last week as big home dogs, but I'm just not getting that feeling this week. I'll take the Colts covering pretty easily in a revenge game of their own, with the under hitting here as well.
Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens (-3.5)
While neither of these teams had perfect first showings, they did manage to dominate lesser opponents to start things off 1-0. Sunday in Baltimore will provide much stiffer competition for each.
Lamar Jackson had some big plays through the air against the Jets in a game that was never really in question. I'm sure he'd appreciate some balance from the running game, but it may be tough sledding there if Ronnie Stanley is out again at left tackle. As of typing this, it seems JK Dobbins will be back. Mark Andrews will also be more involved in this one as Xavien Howard will likely matchup with Rashod Bateman much of the afternoon.
Tua and Tyreek had a strong start to their partnership last week, but Marlon Humphrey and the stingy Ravens secondary will pose a bigger challenge to the two this week. No word yet on if Marcus Peters will be playing, so hold out hope Baltimore fans. Kyle Fuller's ACL tear in week one leaves this unit a bit more thin then they care to be this early in the season. Jaylen Waddle could be a benefactor of this if the Ravens pass rush doesn't disrupt the pocket.
Baltimore hasn't lost a home opener since 2015 and the Dolphins aren't going to be the team to snap that streak. Miami covers but flies home 1-1.
Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams (-10.5)
Two very different disappointments faced by these organizations last week. Atlanta seemed well on their way to an improbable first victory when they blew a 16 point lead in the final twelve minutes. The Rams just didn't show up on Thursday. Which team will be a disappointed 0-2?
No reason the Rams should lose this one. Casey Hayward and AJ Terrell will slow Allen Robinson, but that's not saying very much these days. How they fare against Cooper Kupp will tell the tale here. Kupp should still get his, but it might not be as easy as it appears on paper. The backfield snap percentages will be worth following here also after Cam Akers' 0fer vs. Buffalo.
Marcus Mariota and Cordarelle Patterson will be trying to follow up really steady initial performances. This won't be an easy defense to do it against though. Drake London will return to the city he played his college ball at to get his first look at All-Pro Jalen Ramsey. He looked sharper then expected against Marshon Lattimore last week, so don't sleep on the kid.
Given the uncertainty surrounding Matt Stafford's elbow, this is a hard game to get a read on. Probably won't find it's way onto many/any of the cards this week as a result. For the sake of making a prediction, give me the Rams 27-16.
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (-9.5)
Seattle had low-key one of the better openers of any team. Big time home dogs versus their former Super Bowl winning QB and not only took the win, but essentially dominated in the process. It was a surprising and impressive performance.
San Francisco almost did the exact opposite in Chicago, dropping in sloppy conditions to Justin Fields and the Bears. The rain soaked field made it hard to get a true read on this team, but there were plenty concerns after the loss. Elijah Mitchell's injury has now opened Pandora's box of running backs for the Niners. Jeff Wilson will presumably shoulder most of the load, but Deebo and rookies Jordan Mason and Tyrion Davis-Price will all be sharing with him. Expect to see a hot hand committee this week and forward until Mitchell's return.
The 49ers are surely better then they showed last week and I believe Seattle overachieved in their efforts to knock off Russell in his Denver debut. With this being a divisional game, it should be contentious throughout. San Fran brings home their first win but Seattle squeaks a cover.
Cincinnati Bengals (-7.5) at Dallas Cowboys
Lock of the week. You heard it here first. Stone Cold Steve Austin lock. Cincinnati barely lost to Pittsburgh last week despite five turnovers, including a pick six. Cooper Rush and this overhyped Dallas offense are going to have nothing for them. It's going to be ugly in Jerry World.
Micah Parsons is my X-factor in this one for the Cowboys. If he can be disruptive to Burrow in the pocket, it may slow the bleed of defeat. But they looked awful versus Tampa Bay, even while Dak was playing. I can't foresee anyway to churn out a substantially better performance here against a motivated opponent coming off an embarrassing home loss.
Give me the Bengals by 20.
Houston Texans at Denver Broncos (-10)
Houston barely held on for a tie versus the Colts as heavy underdogs. They find themselves in a similar betting light here going into their showdown versus Denver-- who should be motivated after a brutal opening loss in Seattle.
The main Broncos skill players (Jeudy/Sutton/J. Williams) should all be able to put up solid numbers in their home opener. The Texans allowed big days to Michael Pittman Jr through the air and Jonathan Taylor on the ground and there's no reason Denver's talented weapons shouldn't be able to do the same.
Davis Mills and the offense may have some fortune challenging Bradley Chubb and the defense. While they did shut out Seattle in the second half Monday, Geno and company moved that ball seemingly at will in the first half. Houston should be able to more consistently, at least in the passing game. They'll struggle to maintain balance offensively.
No way Denver drops to 0-2, especially at home. This one will be tighter then anticipated, but the Broncos pull away late to cover.
Arizona Cardinals at Las Vegas Raiders (-5.5)
One of the more exciting matchups of this week will be going on in Las Vegas. The Raiders, coming off of a turnover-riddled divisional loss to the Chargers, host the Cardinals who got stomped by Kansas City.
Kyler Murray was bad in their loss, unable to move the team down the field regularly until the game was well out of hand. Hollywood Brown didn't look like the #1 receiver Arizona hoped he'd be (shocker) and his supporting cast was minimal help. A softer showdown in Vegas should help, but we haven't seen the last of their issues on offense.
Derek Carr had three bad interceptions against LA, which was the difference in a tight matchup. He needs to clean that up to give the Raiders a chance to win here. Davante Adams was insane, putting up a 10/141/1 line to kick off his tenure with the silver and black. He'll have every opportunity in the world to eclipse those totals again facing off with this weak Cardinals secondary. Absolute smash start for DFS.
Both of these teams are prone to strange games and this'll be no different. Raiders escape with the victory, Cardinals cover 5.5 and the over should cash.
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (-10)
The Bears' jerseys may still be drying from Sunday's slosh fest at Soldier Field. They'll travel up to Lambeau for our week two Sunday Night Football matchup.
Neither offense was impressive last week, with Chicago at least doing enough to get a victory. They'll need to do better then the 2.7 YPC they posted in order to prevent Green Bay from stacking the box. It's a tall assignment. Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet have to have better weeks too right? Combining for eight yards on one catch was a bad look...weather or not.
Aaron Rodgers had a tough opener but he wasn't helped by bad drops and miscommunications with his rookie wideouts. The Bears defense is still really good, making this a difficult assignment for the two-time defending MVP. If the Packers were smart, they'd lean heavy on the run game and defense and let A-Rod take advantage of the few windows his receivers may give him. Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon should each have 15+ touches Sunday night.
Rodgers owns the Bears...so I can't pick against them here. But I have trouble seeing them cover against this stingy defense. Under is a lock here too, give me all the defense.
Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills (-10.5) (Monday 9/16)
A little surprising to see the line this high as I was hoping some would still have optimism toward the Titans. Not the case though, as they're double digit dogs for their trip up to the not-yet frozen tundra of Buffalo.
Josh Allen was impeccable last week against a much better defense then Tennessee will pit against him Monday night. Anticipate another massive day for the Wyoming alum with some extra rest and prep time. This sets up Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis for big performances, maybe even a Dawson Knox sighting? Should see a lot of Devin Singletary too with James Cook and Zack Moss fumbling in LA.
If Derrick Henry is going to have a productive day, it'll need to start early to help the Titans control the clock and keep the most potent offense in the league off the field. Unfortunately for them, the Bills defense is stout in their own right and should be able to help set the tone for this game. I'm not sure I'd start anyone fantasy-wise for Tennessee except for Henry.
Bills are going to romp Tennessee in Ralph Wilson Stadium. Leaning toward the over too, but I'll happily take Buffalo by 11+ come the 16th.
Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles (-1.5) (Monday 9/16)
Nothing like a two-fer on Monday Night Football. Both the Eagles and visiting Vikings come into this matchup with a ton of momentum from week one wins. Lincoln Financial Field should be popping for this showdown.
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles were dynamic in Detroit--scoring 31 points and moving the ball at will with the pass and run. AJ Brown got off to a great start for the City of Brotherly Love but will have a tougher matchup this week against a Minnesota team that only gave up 195 passing yards in their win. We'll definitely be monitoring how well Hurts is able to get the ball to him. Devonta Smith can't have a 0 catch day again right?
Justin Jefferson was incredible against a strong Packers D and will do just the same to a respectable Philadelphia one. The Vikings should be able to maintain some balance in their offensive game plan to keep the game competitive throughout. With really good weather expected Monday night, there should be no shortage of scoring from this group.
Captain Kirk Cousins is 8-17 in primetime affairs, a terrible statistic no matter how you slice it. Statistically however, he's like a top five quarterback during those games. A microcosm of his career if I've ever seen one... Philadelphia is primed to make that record 8-18 with a win in the late game Monday. Take the over too.
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@Choppinglines
*This is not gambling advice, just our opinions. Consider at your own risk
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