Seahawks at Patriots (+3.5)
The Patriots shocked the league in Week 1 by knocking off the heavily favored Bengals, who were favored to win by more than touchdown. Look for them to play in another low scoring, tightly contested game in Sunday’s rematch of Super Bowl XLIX. There are several things that New England does really well, which could make them hard to play against despite being projected as one of the league’s worst teams. Their overall defense was stout against Cincinnati, allowing only 224 yards (only Tennessee and New Orleans allowed less).
They also ran for 170 yards and possessed the ball for over 34 minutes. These numbers signify their slow, methodical style of play which is designed to counter their severe lack of big play ability. Seattle, while also earning a victory in Week 1, played an incredibly sloppy game that was marred by two turnovers, two safeties given up, and an overall unconvincing performance from their offense as a whole. Traveling all the way across the country to play a feisty New England defense with nothing to lose could pose a significant challenge. Regardless of who wins, the smart pick is to take the points.
Score Prediction: Seahawks win 17-16
Raiders at Ravens (-9)
Baltimore is the biggest favorite of any team in Week 2, and for good reason. They are likely the league’s best 0-1 team, having been a literal toe away from potentially beating the two-time defending champions on opening night. Now coming off ten days of rest, the Ravens have their home opener against the lowly Raiders. Las Vegas struggled mightily in their Week 1 game against the Chargers, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. The Raiders failed to reach 300 yards of offense and could only muster 10 points.
The inconsistent quarterback play of Gardner Minshew, as well as their overall lack of a running game are especially concerning. Meanwhile, Baltimore was one of the best home teams in the league last season, marked by an impressive +127 point differential at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens look poised to earn their first victory of the season in blowout fashion. Pick Baltimore to win and cover the spread fairly easily.
Score Prediction: Ravens win 34-17
49ers at Vikings (+5.5)
The Vikings continue to be undervalued, despite earning a blowout victory in Week 1 against the Giants. Here, Minnesota is matched up against a San Francisco team on a short week and dealing with several major injury concerns. Star running back Christian McCaffrey is dealing with Achilles tendonitis, putting his Week 2 status in serious doubt.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw remains on the PUP list, meaning that he’ll be sidelined until Week 5 at the earliest. Recent history has been against the 49ers, who have not won in Minnesota since 1992. The Vikings played arguably the most well-rounded game of any team in the league during the first week of the season, showing dominance on both offense and defense. I still like San Francisco to win but the number is too big to ignore. Take the points.
Score Prediction: 49ers win 24-23
Rams (+1) at Cardinals
The Rams have dominated this series of late, owning a 13-2 record against the Cardinals since 2017. They have also won nine straight games in Arizona; their last road loss in the series came all the way back in 2014. The Rams’ underdog status in this game is likely owed to the absence of Puka Nacua, who was placed on IR earlier this week with a knee injury sustained during L.A.’s OT loss to the Lions on Sunday Night Football. Even in Nacua’s absence, the Rams have more than enough weapons to carry the load.
Their offense was not hindered when Nacua left the game in the first half of their Week 1 contest. In fact, the Rams’ offense happened to come alive in the second half, allowing them to erase a 14-point deficit and even take the lead late in the 4th quarter before Detroit ultimately ended up winning the game in overtime. On the other end of the spectrum, Arizona’s defense looked shaky against the Bills, allowing 34 points and blowing a 14-point lead in what ended as a 34-28 defeat on the road. Meanwhile, the Rams’ offense managed to conjure up 387 yards against a solid Detroit defensive unit. This could very well be a case of strength against weakness. Getting L.A. as a slight underdog makes this bet even more attractive.
Score Prediction: Rams win 27-24
Falcons (+6.5) at Eagles
Don’t sell all of your Falcons stock just yet. They have a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator, and a new quarterback (who tore his Achilles less than 11 months ago). It could take some time to get this right. However, their Monday night game against the Eagles offers an ideal matchup to get the offense rolling. Philadelphia is traveling back from Brazil, where their overall performance aside from the scoreboard was not all that convincing. The Eagles’ defense gave up 414 total yards to the Packers.
Only the Colts and Chiefs gave up more yards in Week 1. Philly also gave up 7.39 yards per play during the first week, tied with Houston for the highest in the league. The Eagles’ defense looks suspect at best, giving Atlanta a golden opportunity for a bounce back. I expect a back-and-forth shootout between the two talented offenses. Whether the Falcons end up winning the game or not, the 6.5-point spread is absurdly high. This is yet another strong underdog bet.
