NFL Week 2 Lines and Betting Picks: Early Odds, Predictions, Best Bets
Monday Night Football awaits but NFL Week 2 lines are already out across the sports betting industry. Follow along as Sloan Piva previews the odds for each game and gives you his best early Week 2 betting picks.
Man, what a jampacked opening week of NFL action we got to enjoy. From rookie standouts to major upsets, there seemed to be storylines everywhere you looked.
Christian McCaffrey is back! Aaron Rodgers still stinks in Florida! Ja’Marr Chase can see the ball just fine, while Trevor Lawrence was seeing ghosts against Houston. The Rams are for real with Matthew Stafford (I told you!). Russ Wilson is cooking again in his new offense, and so is Jalen Hurts with rookie wideout and former ‘Bama teammate DeVonta Smith. Oh, and Kyler rules! Football!
That’s the short synopsis of what proved to be a long and extremely entertaining opening week. But as always, what’s truly important to us is that we also won some games. Our first predictions of the NFL season got rolling with the Cowboys covering against the Bucs on Thursday Night Football, we nailed our Best Bet with the Seahawks over Indy, and we crushed it with the Rams over Chicago on Sunday Night Football. It wasn’t all pretty, but we hit where we were most confident.
Now, with way more of a frame of reference, we bring that confidence toward our early Week 2 picks. It’s never too early to attack the angles, and there’s always value to be found on the opening odds boards. Leave the due diligence to us, as we dish out some high-quality NFL bets.
NFL Week 2 Lines
- New York Giants at Washington Football Team -3.5, O/U 42.5
- Cincinnati Bengals at Chicago Bears -3.5, O/U 45
- Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns -11.5, O/U 47.5
- Los Angeles Rams at Indianapolis Colts +4, O/U 47.5
- Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins +3.5, O/U 48
- New England Patriots at New York Jets +5, O/U 43.5
- San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles +3.5, O/U 50
- Las Vegas Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5, O/U 49
- New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers +3, O/U 46.5
- Denver Broncos at Jacksonville Jaguars +6, O/U 43.5
- Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals -4.5, O/U 51
- Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers -13, O/U 52
- Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers -2.5, O/U 55
- Tennessee Titans at Seattle Seahawks -5.5, O/U 54
- Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens +2.5, O/U 55.5
- Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers -10.5, O/U 49.5
NFL Week 2 Betting Picks, Predictions
New York Giants at Washington Football Team -4.5, O/U 42.5
This primetime game could end up a doozie, as WFT QB Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a hip subluxation Sunday and Daniel Jones continues to suffer from being Daniel Jones. One thing’s for sure: oddsmakers agree that this one could get ugly. But that doesn’t mean it will end up a low-scoring affair. I expect Washington coach Ron Rivera and OC Scott Turner will have Taylor Heinickie ready for his second career start (his first was with Rivera in Carolina back in 2018). Heinickie was efficient but underwhelming in relief Sunday versus the Chargers—he went 11/14 for 122 yards and a TD. WFT should have a much easier time moving the chains at home against the Giants, who just allowed Teddy Bridgewater and the Broncos to put up 27 points in the Meadowlands. Both these teams have stud playmakers—New York features halfback Saquon Barkley and the ever-reliable (when healthy) Sterling Shephard, while DC enjoys the impressive core of wideout Terry McLaurin, running back Antonio Gibson, and tight end Logan Thomas. Plus, WFT could always score one or two on defense—since Week 11 of 2020, Rivera’s squad has 16 takeaways (2.28 per game), and has cashed in for three defensive scores. Bet the OVER rather than having to pinpoint a winner in this one.
PICK: OVER 42.5
Cincinnati Bengals at Chicago Bears -3.5, O/U 45
In Week 1, the Bengals demonstrated an improved passing attack with second-year stud QB Joe Burrow returning from his 2020 ACL tear. Burrow’s top receiver on Sunday? His former LSU teammate, rookie Ja’Marr Chase, who posted a line of 5-101-1. Running back Joe Mixon also got in the mix with 150 all-purpose yards and a score, while wideout Tee Higgins picked up where he left off his rookie season (4-58-1). Cincy’s defense may pale in comparison to Chicago’s, but the Bears’ offense will likely struggle to keep up with the Bengals. If Justin Fields starts under center for Matt Nagy Sunday, I would go with the Chi at Soldier Field. If Andy Dalton starts again, I’ll take Cincy getting 3.5 points.
PICK: Bengals +3.5
Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns -11.5, O/U 47.5
The Texans took everyone by surprise on opening weekend, crushing No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars 37-21—and likely busting a bunch of Survivor pool entries in the process. Meanwhile, the Browns nearly pulled off the upset at Arrowhead against the reigning AFC-champion Chiefs. I know 11.5 points sounds like a lot, but Cleveland has a dynamic offense led by QB Baker Mayfield, RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and WR Jarvis Landry. The Browns defensive unit is also much more capable than last weekend’s final score in Kansas City suggests. I like Mayfield and the Browns to rebound and destroy Houston, which won’t be able to contain Chubb or Hunt on the road. The Texans allowed an NFL-worst 160.2 rushing yards per game in 2020, and a league-worst 168.6 rushing yards per away game.
PICK: Browns -11.5`
Los Angeles Rams at Indianapolis Colts +4, O/U 47.5
As I expected, Matthew Stafford looks like a great fit in LA. The veteran QB and longtime Lion decimated the Bears 34-14 on Sunday Night Football, outgaining Chicago 312-188 through the air. Now the Rams head into Indy to face another squad with a top-tier defense and a middling passing game. The Colts managed just 223 passing yards at home last week against the Seahawks, who surrendered an NFC-worst 308.2 passing yards per road game last season. No Indy receiver reached 50 yards, and Carson Wentz and his o-line got terrorized by Seattle’s front-seven. Bottom line: the Colts couldn’t put points on the board. And things get harder this week, with the best defense in the world coming into town. Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey might already be haunting Wentz’s dreams.
PICK: Rams -4
Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins +3.5, O/U 48
What in the world happened to my pick to win the AFC!? Buffalo fell flat on its face against the Steelers in Week 1, making it look like the Steel Curtain was back in Pittsburgh. I think the Bills bounce back nicely in South Beach, with a motivated offense led by Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. The Dolphins eked out an opening-week win against rookie QB Mac Jones and the Patriots, but this Buffalo offense stands head-and-shoulders above New England. Don’t expect the Bills to duplicate their Week 1 inefficiencies in the red zone (25% red-zone TD percentage), or commit another eight penalties for 81 yards. Buffalo coach Sean McDermott and OC Brian Daboll will have this offense more prepared this time around, and D-coordinator Leslie Frazier will be putting pressure on Miami’s second-year QB Tua Tagovailoa. I have the Bills by a touchdown.
PICK: Bills -3.5
New England Patriots at New York Jets +5, O/U 43.5
Speaking of the Patriots, the Mac Attack looked pretty good in his NFL regular season debut. Jones connected on 29 of 39 passes for 289 yards and a score, but the Pats fell to the Dolphins 19-18. That’s not too shabby, considering New England running backs Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson both lost fumbles and the Pats totaled eight penalties for 84 yards. In the end, Jones gave Belichick’s boys a big chance to win, but Harris coughed the ball up at the absolute worst place at the worst time: on Miami’s 9-yard line with 3:31 left. Belichick could very well banish the backs from existence, but more than likely he will use the Pats’ Week 1 fumbly fate as a teaching tool. I’ll take New England -5 following a loss most weeks—I’ll smash-play it with confidence against a rookie QB and the division-rival Jets. Zach Wilson looked OK in Carolina last week—and his rapport with Corey Davis (5-97-2) is apparent. But in the end, 207 passing yards and 45 rushing yards won’t get it done against the Panthers, and it won’t sniff you a W against the Patriots. Jones wins and tells all of New York to call him Mac Daddy.
PICK: Patriots -5
San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles +3.5, O/U 50
Jimmy G and his explosive San Fran offense put up 41 points in Detroit last week, while the Eagles scored 32 points in Atlanta thanks in large part to the reunion of QB Jalen Hurts and wideout DeVonta Smith. Now these squads get to meet in the City of Brotherly Love, in what should low-key serve as one of the best games of the week. I think if Jared Goff and the short-staffed Lions can total 430 yards (314 passing/116 rushing) against the Niners, Philly has a shot at 500 all-purpose yards this week. And considering Kyle Shanahan’s gang put up 442 yards (311/131), with little to no help from wideout Brandon Aiyuk and running backs Raheem Mostert and Trey Sermon, imagine how much damage they can do against a middling Eagles D. Pound the over.
PICK: OVER 50
Las Vegas Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5, O/U 49
This one’s tough to project, as the Raiders have yet to play their Week 1 Monday Night game as of this column’s submission. But the Steelers looked damn good on opening Sunday, knocking the Bills down 23-16 with seemingly-effortless efficiency. Pittsburgh’s D looked vintage against a high-octane passing offense, so I don’t have much faith in Derek Carr and the Raiders covering the 6.5 at Heinz Field. I’m probably going with the Steelers as long as the line stays below seven.
PICK: Steelers -6.5
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers +3, O/U 46.5
The Saints blew the minds of just about everyone in the NFL universe Sunday, destroying Aaron Rodgers and the Packers 38-3 in Jacksonville (relocated due to flooding and damages in New Orleans caused by Hurricane Ida). Rodgers finished 15/28 for 133 yards and an INT, with a passer rating of 36.8, while Saints QB Jameis Winston went 14/20 for 148 yards and a whopping five touchdowns, earning a 130.8 rating. Now the Saints get to square off against Sam Darnold and the Panthers in Carolina, where the tallest task will be stopping All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey. New Orleans features an elite defense, and we clearly underrated its offensive upside, so I like the Saints to take this one down as road favorites. Winston has plenty of experience playing in Charlotte, but this might be the worst Panthers team he’s ever faced. If Carolina can’t reach 20 points against the Jets, it might not get to 10 against this Saints D.
PICK: Saints -3
Denver Broncos at Jacksonville Jaguars +6, O/U 43.5
Teddy Bridgewater and the Broncos beat up the Giants 27-13 in New York Sunday, while the Jags got blown out by the Texans in Houston. I’m not going to lie—I don’t know what in the Hell to expect out of this game. I doubt No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence will struggle as mightily this week at home, nor do I think Jacksonville’s defense will allow another near 40-burger. But I’m not touching this six-point spread one way or another, so I’ll cautiously bet the OVER of 43.5 points. These teams allowed a combined 58.7 points per game last season, so 44 points seems like a relatively easy bet.
PICK: OVER 43.5
Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals -4.5, O/U 51
Before opening week, I predicted that the Cardinals would just miss the NFC Playoffs. Now I wish I had picked them to make the cut. Kyler Murray looked incredible on Sunday in Tennessee, amassing 309 total yards and five total TDs en route to a 38-13 rout of the Titans. Now they head back to Glendale to host the Vikings, who just lost in overtime to the Bengals. I think Kyler, Nuk Hopkins, and the Cards nuke Minnesota, and Arizona’s surprisingly-strong D makes another statement at home.
PICK: Cardinals -4.5
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers -13, O/U 52
I get the Bucs love at home—they looked really strong against the Cowboys last week—but -13!? That’s preposterous. Just like I advised against taking Tampa -8 in last Thursday’s season-opener, I strongly suggest staying away from this massive line. Atlanta may have looked lost in its 32-6 stomping by Philly, but Falcons QB Matt Ryan has faced adversity his entire career. The Birds bounce back, and lose by a more respectable seven points this Sunday at Raymond James. Otherwise, look for Atlanta coach Arthur Smith to get the axe by October.
PICK: Falcons +13
Tennessee Titans at Seattle Seahawks -5.5, O/U 54
I have Russell Wilson in multiple fantasy leagues, all in which I’m being flooded with trade offers for the superstar QB. Russ certainly got cooking last week in his new offense under coordinator Shane Waldron, as the Seahawks dismantled a strong Indy defense 28-16. Meanwhile, Tennessee got round-housed by Kyler Murray and the Cardinals, an offense that strongly resembles Seattle’s. I don’t think the Titans will rebound well at Lumen Field, one of the toughest road stadiums in the NFL. Give me Russ, WRs DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, RB Chris Carson, and a much-improved Seahawks defense at home by a TD.
PICK: Seahawks -5.5
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers -10.5, O/U 49.5
This game has ‘Monday Night Trap’ written all over it, after Aaron Rodgers and the Pack got destroyed by the Saints in Florida during opening weekend. And the Lions actually showed up to play with Jared Goff under center and throwing to a B-team of receivers! Seriously, who had Detroit scoring 33 points against San Fran’s defense? Shut up liar, no you didn’t. I’m not bold enough to pick a heavily-favored team in primetime, but I’m also not ballsy enough to bet Detroit with Goff on the road. But the Jamaal Williams revenge game, they will inevitably plead. No. Bet the OVER if anything—both these spreads scare me worse than Madonna’s face after a Botox injection.
PICK: OVER 49.5
Early Odds: NFL Best Bets
Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers -2.5, O/U 55
Dallas has done a fair amount of losing over the years, but Cowboys Nation should be pretty stoked about their opening-week L in Tampa last week. Dak Prescott looked awesome, a downright miracle considering all that he has faced physically, mentally, and emotionally over the years. This man suffered a compound fracture in his right ankle last year—and two surgeries (and just 340 days) later, he almost led the ‘boys to a Week 1 upset over Tom Brady and the reigning champion Bucs. Oh, and did we mention he’s playing through a strained shoulder? Never mind the fact that he lost his mother to cancer while he was in college, and lost his brother to suicide in 2020. Dak’s the man, and the Cowboys have a formidable offense around him with running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receivers Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb. I like second-year QB Justin Herbert and the Chargers, but they barely bested Washington with Taylor Heinickie playing most of the game. Give me Dallas and the free 2.5.
PICK: Cowboys +2.5 (Best Bet)
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens +2.5, O/U 55.5
Another crapshoot of sorts, as the Ravens game has yet to kick off as of this writing. But Baltimore has absorbed a ton of blows before even playing a regular-season snap, including losing top two RBs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards and No. 1 cornerback Marcus Peters. Kansas City, meanwhile, comes into this game with more rest and (most likely) more momentum, having mounted a huge comeback win over Cleveland in Week 1. How can we bet against Patrick Mahomes and the best offense in the league at -2.5? This is a layup—scoop it up (like Travis Kelce scoops underhand Mahomes flings) before it’s too late.
PICK: Chiefs -2.5 (Best Bet)
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