It still doesn't feel right that the NFL has begun considering all of the problems that have been occurring in the United States around the pandemic, but credit to the sport for getting things going as long as they can keep their players and fans protected as far as possible.
Life can't really be put completely on hold and so I am not surprised things have gotten going.
A long week means this thread is not as full as I would have liked, but below you can read my thoughts on Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season.
Week 2 Picks
Week 1 is in the books an it was a good solid start for the NFL Picks. I didn't make a selection from the Thursday Night Football AFC North battle, but I have a number of Picks from the remaining games to be played on Sunday and Monday which you can see below.
I will have analysis of some of those games and Picks from the others that have caught my eye.
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins Pick: The AFC East might not look like the playground of the New England Patriots as it has through the last twenty years and the team that looks most likely to take over has to be the Buffalo Bills. A comfortable win over the New York Jets in Week 1 is followed by another Divisional game in Week 2 and the Bills will feel they can't afford to slip against one of the other weaker teams in the AFC East.
They are up against a Miami Dolphins team which is definitely progressing in a positive direction, but who most fans will know are still at least a year away from really competing. They were beaten at the New England Patriots in Week 1 thanks to some poor Quarter Back play from Ryan Fitzpatrick, but there is yet to be a move made towards the rookie Tua Tagovailoa who has so much expectation on his shoulders.
I don't blame the Coaching staff for wanting to give Tagovailoa as much time as possible to acclimatise to the NFL having suffered that bad injury in his final year with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Add in the fact that the Dolphins are more than a Quarter Back away from really competing and it makes little sense to throw the rookie in with the wolves.
That is certainly what the Dolphins would be doing if they were to start him against the Bills Defensive unit which figures to be amongst the very best in the NFL. Last week they rattled Sam Darnold throughout the game with the Jets and the Defensive Line forced the Jets to drop back and have to throw the ball by shutting down the run.
It is unlikely that the Dolphins will have much success on the ground either which means the pressure will be on Ryan Fitzpatrick who may have to do without DeVante Parker at Receiver. That is a huge blow for a Miami Offensive unit that may not have much rushing support and it will only mean the Buffalo Defensive Line can pin their ears back and get after Fitzpatrick having had a lot of success doing that against the Jets Offensive Line last week.
Moving the ball is going to be a big challenge for the Miami Dolphins, but I don't think you can say the same about the Buffalo Bills. Last week only Josh Allen's mistakes at Quarter Back prevented the Bills from cracking the 30 point mark, but the young signal caller should have things his own way again for much of this Week 2 game.
One area of improvement that Sean McDermott will be demanding from his team is the way they run the ball in this game after being restricted by the New York Jets last week. Josh Allen has the wheels to help the team out, while they are going up against a Miami Defensive Line that were not able to slow down the New England Patriots on the ground in Week 1 and have to be more away of the threat the Bills have through the air compared with the long-time Divisional stand outs.
If Buffalo are running the ball effectively it may leave more one on one chances on the outside, but it can't be ignored the amount of investment Miami have made in the Secondary. John Brown is a potential absentee for the Bills having crushed Miami last season, but the Dolphins have had Xavien Howard banged up and it may all be a moot point if Buffalo are running the ball like they should be able to.
Josh Allen will still look to move around the pocket and see if he can hit Brown, if available, and Stefon Diggs down the field and I do think Buffalo can move to 2-0.
Running the ball should control the clock and the Defensive unit can make the big plays to really move things in favour of the Bills who have won five of their last six against this Divisional rival.
The Bills have won two of their last three visits to South Florida and they would have covered this number in both of those successes. Brian Flores has really got his Miami team playing well as the underdog and that has to be respected, but Buffalo are 7-2-1 against the spread in their last ten road games and I think they will have too much on both sides of the ball for the progressing Dolphins.
A Thursday Night Football game can also be a distraction for teams and that is another factor that the Miami Dolphins will have to deal with ahead of a big Week 2 home opener.
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers Pick: I will put my hands up here and admit I backed the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 to beat the Green Bay Packers, but perhaps I should have put more stock into the amount of anger Aaron Rodgers is going to be playing with in the 2020 season. This is not a man who is capable of letting go of perceived slights and Rodgers had arguably his best game since 2018 when absolutely crushing the Vikings on the road.
It might not have the same feel as usual, but the home opener is always a big deal in Green Bay as the Packers look to move 2-0 for the season and within the competitive NFC North. The Division might not be as close if the Detroit Lions cannot pick themselves up from their collapse in the Fourth Quarter against the Chicago Bears in Week 1 which is only going to increase the pressure on the Coaching staff.
Matt Patricia is perhaps a little fortunate to still be the Head Coach for the Lions having compiled a 9-22-1 record in his three seasons and the manner of the defeat to the Bears will have really stung the entire organisation. The Lions go into their Bye Week in Week 5, but there has to be a real fear that they could be 0-4 at that point and that is when Patricia may finally be let go.
Two tight wins for the Green Bay Packers over the Detroit Lions in the 2019 season should keep the home team focused, while the visitors will head to this famous Stadium knowing they may actually match up with the Packers on the Offensive side of the ball.
In Week 1 the Lions really did have a good time running the ball with Adrian Peterson leading the way for them. As good as the Packers were Offensively in the win over the Vikings, they did allow Minnesota to rack up 134 yards on the ground and at 6.1 yards per carry and I do think the Detroit Lions will look to pound the ball to keep Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines and tire out this Defensive unit.
All Day showed there is still something left in the tank after leaving the Washington Football Team, while having Matthew Stafford behind Center means the Packers can't sell out to stop Adrian Peterson. D'Andre Swift is another dangerous weapon coming out of the backfield for the Lions and that should at least mean the team are able to move the chains.
Matthew Stafford will miss the presence of Kenny Golloday though and especially against the Green Bay Secondary which is the strength of the Defensive unit. They did give up some yards in garbage time as they protected a big lead and the Vikings were forced to throw, but the Packers are a dangerous team who can create turnovers and have pressure up front that might be able to rattle Stafford if he doesn't trust the remaining Receivers he will be forced to turn to.
The Lions should have a chance to move the chains, although the same can be said of the Green Bay Packers especially if Aaron Rodgers continues to play angry. He decimated the Minnesota Vikings and the really bad news for the Detroit Lions is how banged up their Secondary are ahead of this Week 2 game.
They allowed Mitchell Trubisky to look pretty decent in the Fourth Quarter in Week 1 and dealing with Aaron Rodgers fresh off a 364 yard, four Touchdown day will be a huge challenge for a banged up team. To make matters even more difficult for the Lions is that they were not really able to control the line of scrimmage which means the likes of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams are able to rip off some big gains on the ground to keep things pretty open for the other Aaron standing behind the Offensive Line.
I am surprised the Packers haven't been asked to cover a bigger spread than this one even though their two wins over the Lions came by a combined four points last season. They look healthier of the two teams and in a shoot out you have to favour Aaron Rodgers after the performance in Week 1 and with the huge chip on the shoulder that he is currently playing with.
The Lions have not covered in their last four road games as the underdog and you do have to wonder if the players are still playing for Matt Patricia. Green Bay are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games as the home favourite, and the favourite in this series has compiled a 12-4 record in the last sixteen games between these Divisional rivals.
Detroit also have a pretty poor record covering when they are set as an underdog of 6 or more points and I do think the Green Bay Packers can move to 2-0 in what I figure to be another big Aaron Rodgers day.
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: The opening game of Tom Brady's career outside of Foxboro might not have gone to plan, but there has to be elements of the first start that will please the future Hall of Famer and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some poor mistakes have to be eradicated by Brady, which I am sure he will be able to do, but the game time with his new Receivers will build the chemistry in each of the next few weeks, particularly as they have not had the usual pre-season reps to do that.
Tom Brady is likely going to have to make do without Chris Godwin who is in the concussion protocol, but that should not be a major problem for a team with as many weapons as the Buccaneers have around their star Quarter Back. There is no doubt that Godwin is a top player, but Mike Evans is set to go and Tampa Bay are facing a Carolina Secondary which is not the same as previous years.
In fact the entire Panthers Defensive unit has taken a step back as injuries, age and transitions are taking place at this NFC South team. They gave up 34 points in a defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1 and the argument could easily be made that the Buccaneers are a much stronger team Offensively than Jon Gruden's club.
There should not be the same type of pressure around Brady that we saw in their Week 1 loss to the New Orleans Saints and having a bit more time should mean making less mistakes. The Buccaneers would love to get something going on the ground too so they can ease some of the pass rush pressure and keep Tom Brady in third and manageable spots at the very least and there was enough positive running from Ronald Jones to think they can do that.
Last week the Offensive Line struggled with their consistency, but in Week 2 they are not facing a Defensive front like the one the Saints bring to the field and that should be music to the ears of their veteran signal caller.
The Panthers haven't just made changes on the Defensive side of the ball, but a new Coaching staff is in and the Offense is now being run by Teddy Bridgewater rather than Cam Newton. There isn't a rookie pressurising Bridgewater who has shown he can manage teams very well, although the the Panthers may need him to do more in games like this one to get them over the line.
That might be surprising to hear about a team that will lean on Christian McCaffrey, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive Line did well against Alvin Kamara in Week 1. In the two games between these Divisional rivals in 2019, the Buccaneers managed to restrict the Carolina Panthers to fewer than 60 yards and that will be encouraging for Tampa Bay looking to bounce back from a loss.
It does mean Teddy Bridgewater will have to deal with the Buccaneers pass rush pressure from third and long spots at times. He might look to get the ball into the hands of his playmaker McCaffrey as much as possible, but the Tampa Bay Secondary are coming off a decent performance against a much more powerful Offensive unit and that should see one of the favourites to win the Super Bowl bounce back with the victory.
Some of the injuries around Tom Brady is a concern, but the Panthers are learning on the job having not had the chance to learn from a new Coaching staff as they would have had in usual circumstances. There is an additional factor that Carolina Head Coach Matt Rhule has previously gone in and seen Bruce Arians work to learn more about NFL Offenses in the past, although I am not sure that will be enough for the Panthers to keep this competitive.
Breaking in a new Quarter Back won't have been easy for the Buccaneers either, but Tom Brady is vastly experienced and I do expect that to show up. The Panthers are 1-4 against the spread in their last five games as the road underdog, while Tom Brady is usually pretty strong coming in off a loss and I expect that all comes together here.
Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys Pick: This is a huge NFC game even in Week 2 of the 2020 season as two teams coming off losses look to bounce back and move back up to 0.500 for the year. Both the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys will be disappointed with their defeats in Week 1, but they will believe they have the strengths to get past their opponent in this game.
Injuries are always a critical factor in NFL games and in this one you do have to worry about the Dallas Cowboys who look to be down key personnel on both sides of the ball. That has seen the sharp money come down on the side of the Atlanta Falcons, but they may still be worth backing while the spread is above a Field Goal mark.
Leighton Vander Esch has suffered another injury and the Dallas Cowboys were not at their best at stopping the run at key points of the defeat to the Los Angeles Rams last week. This might be a problem further down the line, but in this game I am not sure Todd Gurley and the Falcons Offensive Line is going to open up enough holes to get the former Rams Running Back going like they would hope.
He will still have his moments and the key is keeping the Offensive unit in front of the chains and making sure the Dallas pass rush is not able to get after Matt Ryan in obvious passing situations. The Quarter Back may not be one of my favourites, but Ryan is coming off a strong showing and he is facing a Dallas team who do have questions in the Secondary and looked rusty in Week 1.
With Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones as big time targets to aim at, Matt Ryan should have a strong day although he has to avoid the big mistakes which can sometimes blight his game. I do think this is a good match up for the Falcons who had a strong end to the 2019 season and I believe Matt Ryan and company are going to force Dallas to try and beat them in a shoot out.
Dallas can certainly have some success in that situation, although they could be missing both starting Tackles on the Offensive Line which has to be a worry. Last week the Cowboys were not able to keep Dak Prescott upright as they would have liked and there was enough out of the Falcons Defensive Line when it came to rushing the passer to believe they can take advantage of the injuries on the Dallas Offensive Line.
Getting Ezekiel Elliot going on the ground could be a huge boost for Prescott to ease some of the pressure he will likely see otherwise. The Running Back had a strong Week 1 and I do think he can have another good outing against the Falcons Defensive Line which is better when pinning their ears back to get after the Quarter Back than clamping down on the run.
Dak Prescott will likely have a very good day too if he is given time in the pocket having seen Russell Wilson decimate the Falcons Secondary in Week 1. With the Receiving corps he has and with Ezekiel Elliot showing his own pass catching ability out of the backfield last week, Dak Prescott won't have too many excuses if he is not able to have a strong day in the office in the Dallas home opener.
Both teams are expected to have a very good Offensive day and I do think this will be one of the higher scoring games of the Week 2 schedule. Getting the hook with the Falcons still looks enough to back the road team especially if the Dallas Offensive Line is not able to protect Dak Prescott, while I do think Matt Ryan is going to have a strong day too.
The Atlanta Falcons have covered in their last four games as the road underdog and both teams coming off a loss should keep the game competitive throughout this one. Even if Matt Ryan is trailing late, I would not be surprised if he can lead the Falcons down the field to get within this number even though the mark would have looked so much more appealing if it had stayed where it was at the start of the week.
Washington Football Team @ Arizona Cardinals Pick: It was all change in the summer at the Washington Football Team which finally removed the nickname that had been a controversy for a number of years, but it seemed like being the same old story on the field. They were behind by three scores in Week 1 to NFC East rivals Philadelphia, but the Football Team rallied in the second half and are the only team within the Division who have a 1-0 record.
They face another 1-0 team who are coming in off a big upset in Week 1 when they take on the Arizona Cardinals in the desert, but there are much bigger expectations around the Cardinals in Kyler Murray's second year at Quarter Back.
That might be a surprise considering the 5-10-1 record in 2019, but the Cardinals did look very good at times and I do believe Murray is going to be a very strong Quarter Back at this level. He will also benefit if the Offensive Line can take a step up in their own level and offer much better protection than they did a year ago and give Murray time to find his new weapon DeAndre Hopkins down the field.
Last week the Offensive Line played well against a powerful San Francisco Defensive Line, although they are missing one of the starters on the line this time around. That will present a challenge for the Arizona Cardinals against another red-hot Defensive Line that the Washington Football Team have and one coming in off a dominating performance against the Eagles.
I do think Murray's ability to scramble will help the Offensive Line and it will just ease the pass rush that Washington are able to send towards him. That scrambling did help the Cardinals rip off some big runs against the 49ers who had a strong Defensive Line against the run in 2019 so I do think Arizona will have success against the Washington Football Team too.
Establishing the run should also open up the field for Murray to exploit with his arm and I do think the Cardinals will be able to move the chains and score the points to back up their upset win on the road in Week 1.
The Washington Football Team and Dwayne Haskins are coming off a big win of their own, but I do think there were other factors in play which gave them the chance for the upset. I had backed the Football Team with the start on the handicap and at one stage felt it was going to be a long day in the office, but the Defensive unit stepped up and really gave Washington the chance to not only cover, but win outright.
Offensively they did struggle and it is hard to imagine that is going to drastically change after a single week of Football is in the books. They didn't run the ball well and Haskins struggled with the pass and now has to face an Arizona team that looks better all around on the Defensive side of the ball.
The Cardinals were not able to completely shut down the San Francisco 49ers, but that is the team that reached the Super Bowl a few months ago while the Washington Football have long been a struggling organisation. And while Washington should have some success with their pass rush, the Football Team's Offensive Line has plenty of holes that can be exploited by a strong Arizona pass rush which should be able to rattle Dwayne Haskins and perhaps force him into a couple of errant throws to turn the ball over.
For me the Arizona Cardinals are clearly the better team, although their 1-5 record against the spread the last six times they have been favoured at home has to be a worry. I just don't believe Washington can have the same Offensive impact on this game as the Cardinals can and that should give Arizona the better chances to move to 2-0.
If they can play a relatively clean game, Arizona should be able to cover too.
New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks Pick: Two teams coming into Week 2 off Week 1 wins meet in the Sunday Night Football game, although a lot has changed since the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks met in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2014 season. The Legion of Boom have all moved on, while the Patriots are no longer led by Tom Brady at Quarter Back.
Even then both teams will feel they can have a strong 2020 season and look to be challenging for PlayOff spots and potentially even more. They both impressed in different ways in Week 1 of the 2020 season, but I do feel the Seattle Seahawks are the better all around team and can show that at home, even if the 12th Man is not going to be in attendance.
The Seahawks look to have changed some of their Offensive direction if Week 1 is anything to go by as they allowed Russell Wilson to 'cook' in their big win on the road at the Atlanta Falcons. He destroyed what is a weak Secondary, but that is not the case in Week 2 against the New England Patriots whose main Defensive strength is in that part of the field.
It may mean Seattle go back to something of a more familiar Offensive plan which is to run the ball down the throat of the Patriots and then use play-action to rip off chunks of yards through the air. That won't be an easy game plan against this Patriots Defensive Line, but it may be possible for the Running Backs to come out of the backfield and at least pick up short passes from their Quarter Back and move the chains that way.
Russell Wilson is also a big upgrade on Ryan Fitzpatrick which is another reason I do imagine this Seattle team have more successes through the air than the Miami Dolphins did in Week 1 and the Patriots having to travel across the country is also another factor in play.
While people in New England are trying to get used to their new look Offensive plans, the Seahawks will be very familiar with Cam Newton at Quarter Back and that should aid them when formulating a plan on the Defensive side of the ball.
It is clear what has to be expected from the Patriots- they will try and run the ball and keep control of the clock and Newton in manageable positions, but I also would not be surprised if they try and loosen the Seattle Defensive Line with some early throws. The Secondary gave up some big numbers to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, but Newton isn't the same kind of thrower as Matt Ryan nor does he have those big weapons in the Receiving corps that Ryan can focus on.
With Seattle looking stronger on the Defensive Line I do think they will make a much job of clamping down on Cam Newton and his Running Backs to try and force New England to rely on the Quarter Back's arm. That is not really ideal for the Patriots and I do think Seattle are rightly favoured and in a position where they can win this game and cover the spread.
Bill Belichick's teams have to be respected as the underdog and I think that does raise some questions about the way this game will go. Seattle can sometimes be over-rated as the home favourite too and without crowds this Stadium may have a very different feel about it, but even then I think Russell Wilson can outplay Cam Newton and help his team win and cover the mark.
It is the first time the teams are meeting since 2016 when Seattle won on the road and I think this time they win at home by around a Touchdown margin.
MY PICKS: Buffalo Bills - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Green Bay Packers - 6 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 7.5 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Atlanta Falcons + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Philadelphia Eagles - 1.5 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)
New York Giants + 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Arizona Cardinals - 7 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)
Baltimore Ravens - 7.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Kansas City Chiefs - 8.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Seattle Seahawks - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Week 1: 6-3-1, + 4.62 Units (20 Units Staked, + 23.10% Yield)
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