NFL Week 2 Picks 2025 (Thursday 11th September-Monday 15th September)

2024 finished with a winning record, and another Super Bowl successful Pick, and that keeps the positives going from this sport.

A look back twelve months also saw the likes of the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs identified very early on as potential Champions, and you have to believe both are going to be there or thereabouts even after contrasting fortunes from Week 1.

They meet in a Super Bowl rematch in Week 2, which could go a long way to telling us where each team stands in 2025.

As stated in the Week 2 thread from the 2024 season, overreactions and avoiding those after a single week of NFL action is so very important.

With that in mind, you do have to like the chances of the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens to have deep runs in the post-season, even after the Ravens had an epic collapse in the Week 1 meeting on Sunday Night Football. The Bills will believe there is much more to come from themselves too, but both teams are looking amongst the elite of the AFC along with the Kansas City Chiefs.

This time last year I did mention that the Los Angeles Chargers may need a season under the guidance of Jim Harbaugh before they were really ready to compete with the top teams in the Conference and the win over the Chiefs in Brazil will certainly have fans believing that this could be a special year.

Teams like the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals could be dangerous, although the latter still have significant problems Defensively and Bo Nix is yet to convince for the former at Quarter Back.

Over in the NFC, the Eagles looked solid enough and will only get better as the season moves forward.

They are expected to be challenged by the Washington Commanders within the NFC East, a Division that seemingly cannot find a repeat Champion, and the two teams that made the NFC Championship will feel disappointed if they are not to match that run at the very least.

You can only be impressed with the trade that the Green Bay Packers made to bring in Micah Parsons and this is a young roster with plenty of experience that may be ready to take the next step. Beating the Detroit Lions in Week 1 can only give them more confidence having struggled so much against the best teams in 2024, although the Packers have another significant test this Thursday that will offer more reasons to believe, or perhaps not.

Detroit will need to respond to what was a poor effort in Week 1, but this is still a roster filled with quality and they'll have plenty of motivation to get back into the Playoffs and try to attempt to reach the Super Bowl for the first time.

And you can never count out the Los Angeles Rams if they can keep Matthew Stafford healthy- this is a roster ready to win another Championship under Sean McVay and they were certainly the closest to upsetting the Philadelphia Eagles in the post-season last time around.

Both Conferences have a number of good looking teams, but the Eagles look like they are ready to repeat as long as they can keep the team healthy.

This time they may have to get through a different opponent though and the early lean is with the Baltimore Ravens, despite that disappointing defeat in Buffalo. The Fourth Quarter capitulation is a concern after Week 1, but that was the lean before the season began and the Ravens are still very capable.

Finally, before getting onto the NFL Week 2 Picks, a few words about the Miami Dolphins- in the lead up to the opener, this felt like a transitional season for the team and some even tabbed them up as being one of the worst teams in the NFL.

That wasn't really my thought, but the manner of the Week 1 loss to a pretty average Indianapolis Colts team is hugely concerning and there will be wholesale changes made it things do not improve, beginning with Week 2 and the home game against the New England Patriots.

It was a poor Week 1 for the NFL Picks with two selections made and both going down, but this is very early in the season and expect more selections to be made as we move into Week 2 and beyond.

Thursday Night Football looks a cracker this week and the first selection comes from that game with further Picks added in the coming days.

Washington Commanders @ Green Bay Packers Pick: You should never overreact to Week 1 of the NFL season, but there will be a few Green Bay Packers (1-0) fans feeling pretty good after the crushing win over NFC North rivals Detroit Lions last Sunday.

One of the big criticisms faced by this young Packers team in the 2024 season was an inability to beat the best teams in the NFL and so that opening win is going to feel pretty good.

They are facing another contender for a place in the Super Bowl, which is how Green Bay will feel about themselves, and Thursday Night Football sees the visit of the Washington Commanders (1-0). The 2024 season was one of the best in recent years as far as the Commanders were concerned, even if they were beaten pretty handily by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.

Expectations have been raised and there is a feeling around Washington that the team have a window behind Quarter Back Jayden Daniels in which to win a Super Bowl. They have made decent moves in the off-season to strengthen the team and the Commanders will be very pleased with the way the Defensive unit operated in limiting the New York Giants to just 6 points in Week 1.

However, Head Coach Dan Quinn and the rest of those staff members will be aware that the Green Bay Packers are a much more significant test for all involved.

Last year, the Commanders disappointed when it came to defending the run, but they have looked to make sure that is not the case in 2025 and the Week 1 performance was encouraging. They will take some heart out of the fact that the Packers Offensive Line were not able to really establish the run in the win over the Detroit Lions and the Commanders will be keen to see if Quarter Back Jordan Love can put this Green Bay team on his back.

The Secondary didn't allow Russell Wilson to do much in the Week 1 win, but again this is going to be a much stiffer test with the Packers having a deep core of Receivers to call upon.

Stopping the Packers will be challenging throughout, especially on the road, but the Commanders impressed with their Offensive Line last week and that will give them some confidence heading into this early opportunity to make a statement around the League.

However, there will have been plenty of people taking note of the way the Packers Defensive Line were able to shut down the Detroit Lions in Week 1, although one nuance here is that Jayden Daniels is very capable of tucking the ball and picking up big yards with his legs from the Quarter Back position. Jared Goff isn't a slouch, but Washington can game-plan for Daniels to make running plays and that could keep the Commanders in front of the chains, which will be very important considering an 'old enemy' is now playing for the Green Bay Packers.

Micah Parsons might not be on a full snap count, but showed the impact he can have on a game last week and the Washington Offensive Line were not able to offer a lot of time for Jayden Daniels last season. There were signs that the improvements have yet to kick in for the Commanders in the win over the New York Giants in Week 1 and so you have to feel some drives could be stalled.

Both teams are playing after home wins over Divisional rivals, but there has to have been more intensity for the Green Bay Packers as they looked to show everyone that they can beat good teams.

That may leave them a little short of the energy needed on Thursday Night Football with this being a short week and getting the hook over a key number is important.

Green Bay will be expecting to win, but the Washington Commanders come into this contest with plenty of belief too and it could come down to a late Field Goal, either way, to decide the winner and so the points on offer for the road team look worth picking up.

Los Angeles Rams @ Tennessee Titans Pick: The first thing you have to say is that this feels like a very 'square' kind of pick in backing the Los Angeles Rams (1-0) to extend their unbeaten start to the season. This is a team that have made some slow starts to new campaigns in each of the last couple of years, and the scheduling spot sees the Rams take on the Philadelphia Eagles following this non-Conference game.

However, the Rams should have the qualities needed to get the better of the Tennessee Titans (0-1) even in the early kick off time on Sunday.

Everything is not perfect- the Rams Offensive Line is a little banged up and they will need to make some adjustments up front with Steve Avila potentially missing out. They were not able to make consistent plays on the ground against the Houston Texans in Week 1, but the Titans Defensive Line may not be as strong as the one that their Divisional rivals are running out.

Denver were able to move the ball pretty well against the Titans on the ground and the Los Angeles Rams are expected to have more successes than last week, which can only be positive news for veteran Quarter Back Matthew Stafford.

He did enough to help the Rams win last week, but it is important for Los Angeles to keep Stafford upright and they can do that for a little longer if the team is playing in front of the chains. There are Receivers on this roster that can step up and make some big plays for Los Angeles and they can have more success than they did overall in the victory over the Texans.

The bigger question regarding this spread is whether the Tennessee Titans can be more efficient Offensively.

Cam Ward, the Number 1 Overall Pick in the last Draft, may not have had the best statistical game, but that was not down to poor Quarter Back play. Instead he was given very little consistent support by the players around him and Ward and the Titans will need to find a way to put him in a position to succeed.

Establishing the run against the Rams Defensive Line may be the plan, but Tennessee struggled against the Broncos and this Los Angeles team largely contained the Texans.

The bigger issue for Cam Ward was the lack of protection offered to him when he stepped back to throw and he could be under pressure from this Los Angeles pass rush. He will be throwing into a Secondary that just played CJ Stroud very effectively and it may be tough for Ward and his skill players to really get things going on this side of the ball.

Last season Tennessee were a really poor team to back against the spread, although they did cover in Week 1.

They are facing a Rams team that are 7-1 against the spread when set as the road favourite over the last three seasons and they were solid road winners in New England, New Orleans and New York last season.

As long as they are not thinking ahead to the revenge game against the Philadelphia Eagles, which does make this an obvious schedule spot, the Rams should be keen for a much stronger start to 2025 compared with twelve months ago and they can secure a victory here by around a Touchdown mark.

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets Pick: These two teams were involved in the best two games in Week 1 of the NFL season, but with contrasting results.

Somehow, someway, the Buffalo Bills (1-0) were able to recover from a big Fourth Quarter deficit to edge past the Baltimore Ravens and ensure that the entire AFC East were not beaten in the opening week of the season.

Earlier in the day, the New York Jets (0-1) gave up a 60 yard Field Goal inside the final two minutes of the home game with the Pittsburgh Steelers and ultimately fell to a 2 point loss to former Quarter Back Aaron Rodgers.

Disappointment of losing aside, Head Coach Aaron Glenn will have been very happy with what he saw from his new team and especially Quarter Back Justin Fields. Doing the right things in one game is all well and good, but Glenn will be looking to see if that is the kind of standard the Jets will set for themselves all season.

They are back at home for the second week in a row and Justin Fields and the Jets Running Backs have to be pretty excited by what they may have seen on the film tape. The Jets Offensive Line ripped open some big holes against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they will have seen Derrick Henry doing the same for the Baltimore Ravens before his Fumble turned the game on its head.

Now the Jets don't have a Running Back as good as Henry, but Breece Hall is very effective and can have a big game, while Justin Fields offers plenty of threat with his legs too.

Most impressive from Fields was the fact he looked pretty confident as a passer last week and he does have a couple of weapons on the outside that can help expose a banged up Buffalo Secondary.

The Jets will feel they can have successes with the ball in hand, but slowing down Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will not be easy.

It had been a tough three Quarters for the Bills before Josh Allen and company found their feet, but this could be another test for them.

The Bills Offensive Line struggled to run the ball last week and the Jets opened the season looking pretty strong up front- James Cook could still be a big factor in the passing game, but he may not have a lot of room up front, although Buffalo will bring in the additional factor of having a Quarter Back that can move the ball with his legs.

Josh Allen was well protected in the win over Baltimore and he will need the Offensive Line to stand up to the pressure Aaron Glenn's New York Jets brought to Aaron Rodgers. If the team are struggling to establish the run, Josh Allen is still capable of throwing with success, but could be trying to do so under pressure even if he does seem to have a number of Receivers in which he keeps faith.

You do have to expect Buffalo to find a way to win this game, as they did in Week 1, but covering may be a different matter.

For starters the Bills are playing on a short week in Week 3 when opening up against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football, while you cannot ignore the emotions they would have put into turning things around in the win over Baltimore. With a banged up Secondary, the New York Jets may have just enough from Justin Fields and his Offensive unit to keep up on the scoreboard and this looks a lot of points to be giving to the home underdog.

It may need a late Offensive score to get within the number, but the Jets showed enough last week to believe they can keep the scoreboard ticking for long enough to ensure they earn the cover even if they are not able to win the game.

San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints Pick: Injuries, off-field issues and other factors meant the San Francisco 49ers (1-0) finished with the fewest wins in the NFC West last season and never threatened to make the post-season.

The Super Bowl window feels like it is closing for this group of players, but finishing in 4th place in the NFC West means the 49ers have been 'rewarded' with a very manageable schedule. Once you get into the Playoffs, anything is possible, and so the ambition remains for the San Francisco 49ers to make use of the the drop in standards from last season.

However, they will certainly need more luck with injuries and losing Quarter Back Brock Purdy and Tight End George Kittle at the end of Week 1 is a serious blow.

The 49ers earned the win over the Seattle Seahawks on the road, despite the poor misses from Kicker Jake Moody.

He has since been cut, but San Francisco will need backup Quarter Back Mac Jones to guide through the next month and keep the team competitive. With that change at the most important position in sports, the advanced line has dropped significantly, but the 49ers will have faith in Jones and the system he will be working within.

It also feels like the 49ers are benefiting from having to travel to the New Orleans Saints (0-1) who were beaten by NFC West rivals Arizona last week and with the Saints looking like a team that will be picking pretty highly in the next NFL Draft.

Derek Carr had to make a snap retirement decision and that has left New Orleans looking very short in that department and they struggled to compete with the Cardinals in Week 1.

Spencer Rattler earned the start at Quarter Back last week, but he is going to need plenty of help if the New Orleans Saints are going to earn the upset.

It is clear that Alvin Kamara remains a key player for the team, but he may not find it as easy to run the ball against this San Francisco Defensive Line and that is going to put a lot more pressure on the young Quarter Back.

If Spencer Rattler is left in third and long spots, it will be tough for the Saints to keep the chains moving against a 49ers Secondary that played well last week. San Francisco clearly have something to prove after the 6-11 finish last season and this is a unit that will take it upon themselves to try and give their team the best chance to win without the starting Quarter Back.

Mac Jones may not have lived up to his First Round selection, but he is experienced enough to believe he can lead the San Francisco 49ers while they wait for Brock Purdy to return. Forty-nine NFL starts are not to be ignored, even if Jones has not managed to reach the level of his rookie season in New England, and the game plan that will be put together will look to make the best of the situation for Jones.

Losing George Kittle is a blow, but the 49ers may feel they can have more success handing the ball to Christian McCaffrey against a New Orleans Defensive Line allowing 5.4 yards per carry last week.

Being in front of the chains should make things more comfortable for Mac Jones and he should be afforded the protection to get the ball out quickly and into the hands of the playmakers that are still on the roster.

An early Sunday kick off for the San Francisco 49ers is going to make things tougher, but the line has dropped significantly and the road team are perhaps not given enough credit, even as the road favourite.

Both teams could have some issues scoring, but the feeling is that the 49ers can control the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball and ultimately Mac Jones is surrounded by more help than Spencer Rattler. That should show up in this game and the 49ers can came through with a win and a cover of the shorter line following Brock Purdy's injury.

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions Pick: Two NFC North rivals will be looking to bounce back from opening defeats when the Detroit Lions (0-1) host the Chicago Bears (0-1). Making this game perhaps even more important is the fact that both the Lions and Bears were beaten by the other two teams that make up the Division and so there is a fear of falling considerably behind already.

0-2 is no longer fatal when it comes to teams making the Playoffs, but also being 0-2 within a Division would make things all the tougher.

The Lions looked really poor Offensively in the defeat to the Packers and they will be going up against former Offensive Co-Ordinator Ben Johnson, who will know what to expect from his former team. However, the Lions may also feel that they are not playing a Defensive unit nearly as good as Green Bay have looked through the first two games of the season.

Jared Goff will be hoping the Detroit Offensive Line can bounce back from what was a poor opening game.

Losing Frank Ragnow in the off-season is clearly a blow, but there is still a lot to like about this Detroit Offensive Line and they can bounce back after the last outing. Opening up the running lanes for two very good Running Backs will only help Jared Goff, while the Lions will have taken note of how effective JJ McCarthy was in the second half as he helped the Minnesota Vikings turn things around at Soldier Field on Monday Night Football.

Chicago struggled to contain the run last week and the Detroit Lions can show a lot more on this side of the ball in this game.

If they can get back to what they have done best under Head Coach Dan Campbell, Detroit should establish the run and that should only make things easier for Jared Goff. He was under immense pressure in the defeat to the Green Bay Packers, and the Bears showed they have a decent pass rush in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but Jared Goff will not have to hold onto the ball for too long if his team are in third and manageable spots as expected.

Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears will also be hoping for better having struggled to move the ball with consistency, despite having a lead against the Vikings.

The Head Coach will know that this Lions Defensive unit is expected to be better after injuries decimated them last season and Detroit played pretty well on this side of the ball in the defeat to the Packers.

Caleb Williams was given time to make plays, but his Offensive Line will have to try and help the team establish the run with more consistency than what was seen on Monday Night Football. If the Quarter Back is behind the chains, Williams will have to make the right decisions when throwing against this healthier Secondary and to avoid turnovers, which could be fatal.

The Bears do have a decent record when visiting the Detroit Lions in recent seasons, at least when it comes to the spread, but they are facing an angry host.

Dan Campbell's record against the spread following a defeat is very impressive in his time with Detroit and his team have covered in the next game after a defeat ten straight times. They do have a big game coming up against the Baltimore Ravens, but this is a much more important game for the Lions and they should be able to get the better of their former Offensive Co-Ordinator with a win and cover of the line set for this Week 2 game.

MY PICKS: Washington Commanders + 3.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

New York Jets + 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

San Francisco 49ers - 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Detroit Lions - 5.5 Points @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Week 1: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

NFL Week 2 Picks 2024 (Thursday 12th September-Monday 16th September)

Looking back at the Week 1 write up from 2023 and there were plenty of positives to take about the teams identified as potential Super Bowl Champions.

Of course the Kansas City Chiefs-San Francisco 49ers match up would have been one that many had tipped up anyway and it really would not be a surprise to see both there or thereabouts again.

A couple of dud teams that were highlighted ended up being the New York Jets, which is not a surprise considering what happened to Aaron Rodgers after just four Offensive snaps, while the other were the very disappointing Denver Broncos.

However, the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns both were able to make the post-season and so it was largely a positive.

Of course it was written in the Week 1 Picks thread for the 2024 season that the 'preview' of the season would have to wait until Week 2 because of timing issues.

The first thing to point out is that there will be a couple of teams here that have begun the season very disappointingly, although the longer-term prospects remain high and an overreaction to Week 1 results is not necessary.

No one should be surprised that the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers impressed as much as they did and these two Super Bowl teams from the 2023 season will be setting the bar for others as long as they can stay healthy.

You have to feel good about where the Detroit Lions stand right now and their window to finally reach a Super Bowl is very much open- they should have beaten the 49ers in the PlayOffs last season and Dan Campbell will be convinced his team can go a little better.

The belief is that teams like the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams can build on their runs last season, although the former have lost Jordan Love for at least a month. That is a bitter blow, but the Packers are playing in a Division where they should dominate along with the Lions, while the Rams have a nice looking balance to their roster even after Aaron Donald moved into retirement.

The team that may be looking to show the most improvement in the NFC has to be the Philadelphia Eagles after a tremendous collapse at the end of last season. There is a feeling that Nick Siriano is lucky to keep his job as Head Coach, but both him and Jalen Hurts will be on the hot seat as Eagles fans think Super Bowl or bust.

The NFC does look a little deeper this time around, and a few more challengers can come up to face the San Francisco 49ers, but it feels like a Conference where the post-season teams from last season will be expecting improvement to go again.

It may be a bit different in the AFC and the likes of the Cincinnati Bengals will feel a healthier year for Joe Burrow could be important as they look for one more shot to win a Super Bowl before key players need big money contracts.

Losing to the New England Patriots in Week 1 is a disappointment, but the Baltimore Ravens are set to take a step back in the AFC North and the Bengals may yet be ready to pounce on that.

Another long-time contender Buffalo Bills have something to prove too with a number of changes made to a roster that were narrowly beaten by Kansas City Chiefs yet again. Both the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets will be looking to give the Bills a run for their money and end their dominance of the AFC East and one of the two representatives in the PlayOffs from this Division in 2023 may miss out in 2024.

Two top teams slipping backwards may give younger Quarter Backs leading the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans an opportunity for a deep post-season run, while Jim Harbaugh is back in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers and has a history of turning around a teams fortunes very quickly.

This year may be too soon for Harbaugh to have the impact he wants, but the AFC looks pretty wide open behind the Kansas City Chiefs, who have to be considered the favourites to return to the Super Bowl and really nail down their place as a dynasty.

2023 proved to be a very good year for the NFL Picks with a 56% hit rate- an 80-58-4 record produced just shy of 17 units of profit and an 11.23% Yield.

Anything like that in 2024 would be seen as a positive and the Week 1 start was a good one, although it is only a start.

The key in Week 2 is to not make too many overreactions to a single week of action- teams are not nearly as good as some may have looked and not nearly as bad as others felt, but it is still important to try and find the right angles to back up the Week 1 results.

Last year I noted that the first four weeks were tough with two winning weeks and two that ended on the losing side, so stakes are likely to be kept to a minimum this week too.

Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins Pick: Thursday Night Football looks a really good one in Week 2 as two of the leading contenders in the AFC East meet very early on in the new season.

Both the Miami Dolphins (1-0) and Buffalo Bills (1-0) had to show some character and resiliency in fighting back to win opening games after making slow starts and that should mean there is some momentum to take into the short week.

Obviously one of the bigger issues with playing on a short week is that players do not have the time to recover as they usually would and Raheem Mostert has already been ruled out for the Miami Dolphins. His Running Back partner De'Von Achane has been left as a game time decision, while the Buffalo Bills will start Josh Allen at Quarter Back despite having his left hand banged up against the Arizona Cardinals.

Excuses cannot be used as far as the fans go and the Miami Dolphins are under some pressure to show they can get the better of this AFC East rival.

Since Drafting Josh Allen, the Bills have dominated the Dolphins and they have actually won eleven of the last twelve between the teams, including a Week 18 victory last season which saw Buffalo win another AFC East Divisional title and push Miami into the Wild Card Round of the post-season.

The 2022 season had ended with a PlayOff defeat to Buffalo and being swept by the Bills cost Miami a Divisional title in 2023 so there is plenty of redemption and revenge fuelling the home team. Conditions are perhaps not so strong in favour of Miami as it would have been if this game had been set to play during the day rather than 8:15pm local time, and you have to agree with Tua Tagovailoa who stated that people won't really begin to believe in the Miami Dolphins until they start beating Buffalo consistently.

Offensive Line issues may make it difficult for the Dolphins to run the ball and that would have been the case if both Running Backs were fully healthy too. That means the pressure is on Tua Tagovailoa to show that he is ready to beat the Bills and there are some passing lanes that can be exploited if the Quarter Back is given time.

It was something of a struggle to earn that time against the Jacksonville Jaguars and this Bills team do get pressure up front, which is going to be key to stopping the Miami speedsters from getting away from their Defenders. If the Dolphins are playing from third and long, Buffalo can rush Tagovailoa and that may lead to one or two mistakes.

At least Tyreek Hill and a couple of the other Miami players will hopefully have an easier journey to the Stadium than they did on Sunday- the police officer footage of pulling over Hill has been embarrassing and continues to be a big story heading into Week 2 as the Dolphins demand proper action is taken.

This is something that the Buffalo Bills will not concern themselves with and the only focus for this team is to build on the win in Week 1.

Changes have had to be made and Stefon Diggs is no longer with the Bills, but Josh Allen is and there are still enough pieces to believe this is a team capable of breaking through and reaching a Super Bowl. The banged up hand is a concern, but at least it is not his throwing hand, while the comfort Allen has in facing the Miami Dolphins is hard to dismiss.

Last week the Miami Defensive Line had one or two issues shutting down the run and that was without Trevor Lawrence attempting to move the ball with his legs. Things might be that much more difficult with a dual-threat like Josh Allen in front of them and that should also mean an opportunity for James Cook to play a key part in the game.

Losing Diggs and Gabe Davis does mean the Bills may not be as keen to test this Miami Secondary through the air, but moving the ball on the ground will open up some of the play-action opportunities. The feeling is that Buffalo may have enough success on the ground to give Josh Allen a chance to continue his dominance of this AFC East rival and the Bills do look an appealing underdog.

Miami will scheme things up to try and exploit some of the vulnerable spots in this Buffalo Defensive unit, but it will be tough if they cannot run the ball. Being behind the chains is tough for any Offensive team and there is also plenty for Miami to prove this season having come up short against the stronger teams they faced time after time last season.

If this spread moves up to a full Field Goal margin it would be worth additional units, but a small interest on the Buffalo Bills with the start is still the play in this big Week 2 opener.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions Pick: After getting the better of one opponent looking for revenge after a PlayOff defeat in their home Stadium, the Detroit Lions (1-0) will be hoping to hold onto dominance over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) in Week 2. The Lions won both games played against Tampa Bay in the 2023 season and they are clearly one of the favourites to reach the Super Bowl thanks to the quality of player they have on both sides of the ball.

The Jordan Love injury for the Green Bay Packers may have opened a door for Detroit to take an early grip of this Division, although much will depend on how much time the Quarter Back misses. Even if he was healthy, there are plenty of people very bullish on the chances of the Lions to go at least one better than last season when they were narrowly beaten in the NFC Championship Game.

It took Overtime to finally get the better of former Quarter Back Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams, but the victory maintains the strong performance level with Jared Goff at the helm in the indoor conditions of Ford Field.

Detroit ran the ball pretty well against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the PlayOff game having struggled to move the ball on the ground when the teams met in the regular season. With the tandem at Running Back, the Lions can certainly pick up from where they left off in the win over the Los Angeles Rams and both David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs will be given opportunities both from hand-offs and also as pass catchers coming out of the backfield.

It feels like it will be challenging for the Buccaneers to contain the Lions on the ground, especially if the Offensive Line is at full health and so it is wise to keep an eye on the status of Penei Sewell who has missed practice this week. He should suit up to keep the Lions Offensive Line as the dominant team in the trenches and putting Jared Goff in third and manageable will make it very tough to stop this unit.

Jared Goff has the Receivers to really give Tampa Bay problems and the Buccaneers are not facing a rookie this week. Antoine Winfield Jr could be missing in the Secondary and it will be tough to contain Detroit, even from what they have learned about one of the top NFC contenders in the two meetings last season.

Head Coach Todd Bowles prides himself on his Defensive knowhow, but stopping Detroit is going to be tough in their own Stadium.

However, there has to be some confidence that Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Offensive unit can at least challenge the Lions on the scoreboard and potentially keep the game very competitive. In the PlayOff game, the Buccaneers had more yards than Detroit, but two Mayfield Interceptions proved costly in an 8 point loss and the Quarter Back will know he has to be smarter with the ball.

Taking over from Tom Brady, Baker Mayfield played well enough in 2023 to earn a big extension and he still has some top Receivers around him to make the plays that make him look good. Much is going to depend on Mayfield and his arm with the Buccaneers unlikely to have a lot of success running the ball against this Detroit Defensive Line and the game could be won or lost depending on how effectively the Buccaneers Offensive Line can give their Quarter Back time.

With time, Baker Mayfield should be able to make some big plays into the Detroit Secondary, especially one that is likely to be learning on the job early in the season. Passing has been tough for NFL Quarter Backs in Week 1 of the 2024 season, but Baker Mayfield was one of the better performers in the position and he can find Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for some big plays to keep this one competitive.

Opposing Detroit inside Ford Field has proven to be very costly over the last couple of years under Dan Campbell and they cam through with a win and cover on Sunday Night Football in Week 1. However, this feels like a game in which Tampa Bay may have the qualities in the passing game to keep up on the scoreboard and potentially even score late on to secure a backdoor cover.

Motivation is with the Buccaneers and the Lions did put in a considerable effort in coming through in Overtime in their Week 1 win. The expectation is that Detroit will win, but the Buccaneers are receiving plenty of points and can do just enough to stay within the number set for this big game.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Carolina Panthers Pick: The sharps have been backing the Carolina Panthers (0-1) despite the horrific Week 1 performance that saw them lose by 37 points at the home of Divisional rivals New Orleans Saints. They are trying to get Bryce Young all of the support he needs at Quarter Back and that is by signing a Receiver like Diontae Johnson and hiring David Canales as Head Coach.

It all went wrong in Week 1, but the sharps may feel an overreaction to one loss has provided them a number with which they can feel comfortable backing the Panthers as a home underdog.

While there has to be a slight feeling about this being something of a 'trap' line, the Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) may still be the right team to back, even if they have already been heavily supported by the public.

Beating the Las Vegas Raiders in Jim Harbaugh's first game as Head Coach will have given the Chargers a boost, although it was a tight, competitive game that was in the balance until deep into the Fourth Quarter when a decision made by Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce backfired. Instead of going for a 4th & 1, Pierce punted the ball away and the Chargers embarked on a drive that ultimately secured the victory.

This is a team that is going to feel like a work in progress, despite some obvious talent.

Justin Herbert did have over 3000 passing yards to go with his 20 Touchdown passes in 2023, but he is perhaps not fully healthy having missed the end of the season. Even with that in mind, the Harbaugh approach is going to be on making sure his team can grind things out on the ground and then rely on strong Defensive play to push the team forward and the Chargers showed what they are about in the win over the Raiders.

With JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards sharing the workload, the Chargers Offensive Line may be ready to find a way to burst open some big running lanes in this one. They will certainly be helped by the fact that Carolina's Defensive Line have lost Derrick Brown and it was tough for the Panthers to stop New Orleans moving the ball on the ground last week.

This could seep into this contest and that should keep Justin Herbert in a position to make plays when needed, even if he has lost a couple of key Receivers. Last week the focus was to make sure Herbert took care of the ball in a tight battle, but being in front of the chains should give the Quarter Back an opportunity and the Chargers should be able to have Offensive success in the first of two games to be played in the early Eastern Time Zone.

It is perhaps the biggest challenge for the Chargers in Week 2 with the long trip and the early kick off far from ideal for any team coming out of the West Coast. And ultimately a bit of tiredness and fatigue may be the best chance for the Carolina Panthers to play this one close and potentially earn the upset.

Bryce Young is going to have to be a lot better than Week 1 and prove that his rookie season is not going to cloud over his whole NFL career. The pressure is on having been selected as the Number 1 Pick in the 2023 Draft, which was before CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson and the performances of those two players has certainly been showing a lot more potential than Young.

The Panthers have given up a lot of Draft Capital to bring in Young so they will want to give him time to develop, but the fans may lack the same patience. Big money was invested into the Panthers Offensive Line to give Bryce Young a bit more time than he had last season, while the Panthers would have hoped they could offer support with a more consistent rushing attack.

None of that was in evidence in the blowout in Week 1 and the Chargers Defensive Line are coming in behind a strong performance when containing the Las Vegas rush. If they can keep Bryce Young behind the chains, the Chargers have the kind of pass rush that should give Carolina fits and ultimately it may lead to one or two mistakes from the sophomore Quarter Back who is struggling with his confidence.

Carolina do have a positive recent history against the Chargers, but the last meeting was back in 2020 and the Panthers have slipped signiicantly.

Going against the sharps is never fun, but Jim Harbaugh's team can grind down Carolina on the ground and avoiding mistakes will give Los Angeles an advantage in this game. The spread has dropped below a key number over the last couple of days and the Chargers may have enough to secure a solid road win to keep the positive vibes going behind their new Head Coach.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Baltimore Ravens Pick: Both of these teams are playing behind road defeats from Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, but the Baltimore Ravens (0-1) were a team that finished with the Number 1 Seed in the AFC last season and so have big expectations. They have also had an additional few days to prepare for their home opener in Week 2 having begun the season at the home of the Super Bowl Champions on Thursday, and that makes this long trip for the Las Vegas Raiders (0-1) feel challenging.

Antonio Pierce was given the permanent Head Coaching role with Las Vegas after guiding them to a strong end to the season. The players are clearly happy playing for Pierce and so a decision was made to not look outside of the building to replace Josh McDaniels, but the Head Coach had to face some criticism for punting the ball away from a 4th & 1 spot in the Fourth Quarter of the eventual defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers.

He was adamant that he had made the right decision, but Pierce may internally be looking to show improvement on his clock management and analytical calls.

The decision was seen as a cautious one in Week 1 and Antonio Pierce cannot afford to be careful when trying to win at the home of the Baltimore Ravens.

His team struggled to run the ball in the defeat to the Chargers and there is not going to be a lot of holes to exploit against this Ravens Defensive Line, but Las Vegas should be able to move the ball a little more efficiently than they did in the defeat in Week 1. Gardner Minshew will be hoping to be given a little more protection from the Raiders Offensive Line, but this is a Quarter Back who has been given a couple of very good Receiving options and will be throwing into a Secondary that allowed Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to make some big plays through the air.

Of course Gardner Minshew is not Mahomes and the Raiders are not the Chiefs, but the likes of Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers are big playmakers and that should see Las Vegas have success. Turnovers have perhaps been the biggest hindrance to Minshew becoming a more consistent starter at Quarter Back and that is perhaps the biggest threat to the Raiders having some successes in this one.

Becoming one-dimensional would mean mistakes are more likely to be made, while the Baltimore pass rush is going to rush the Raiders Quarter Back too.

Extra time is important for the Baltimore Ravens as they bid to bounce back from the very close defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs when a toenail prevented them having the chance to go for two and the victory.

Frustrations aside, the Ravens will know it is a long season and one in which they will still feel they are a leading AFC contender.

Lamar Jackson is the key for Baltimore, but this is a team that is making a considerable effort to find balance in their Offensive play in order to keep opponents off-balance. Last week the Ravens were able to establish the run, but they are not going to give Derrick Henry a heavy workload and instead will also continue to use Jackson's dual-threat as a way to move the ball on the ground.

After seeing a couple of former Ravens rip through the Raiders Defensive Line after wearing them down, Baltimore's current group may be able keep the team in front of the chains, which is going to be key for their chances of putting a first win on the board. This will also be important to try and slow down the Raiders pass rush led by Maxx Crosby, and should open up the play-action for Lamar Jackson to connect with his underrated Receiving options.

The Raiders Secondary is not a bad one and they will feel they can make some big plays, as they did against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1. If Baltimore are in front of the chains, Lamar Jackson should have the time to find one of his Receivers down the field and the Ravens may just have a bit too much for the Raiders to keep up.

This is a big spread, but this is a long journey for the Raiders and the early start is not ideal. Las Vegas did win the last time they played Baltimore, but that was at home and they were blown out when last visiting here in 2018.

Last season Las Vegas were very competitive after Antonio Pierce took over as Head Coach, but the schedule was dominated by home games.

It is a spread that is wide enough to offer Las Vegas a backdoor cover opportunity, but the feeling is that Gardner Minshew may push to get his team back into the contest and that could lead to a backbreaking turnover that allows the hosts to cover.

Ultimately it may lead to a double digit win for the Ravens and they can be backed to cover the spread set.

New Orleans Saints @ Dallas Cowboys Pick: The most eye-catching scoreline from Week 1 was produced by the New Orleans Saints (1-0) who completely crushed Divisional rivals Carolina Panthers at home. They will now head out on the road to show that this is not simply beating up on one of the poorest teams in the NFL and any team that can win a pro game by 37 points has to be respected.

The Saints will be travelling to take on the Dallas Cowboys (1-0) in Week 2, a team that won convincingly on the road, despite being the underdog when the game kicked off at the Cleveland Browns.

The win was just hours after it was announced that Dak Prescott has signed a new contract with the Dallas Cowboys to be the face of the franchise for a few more years, although that will not have erased some of the criticisms that people have of the Quarter Back. The Cowboys and Prescott know that his new deal will be judged on whether he can take Dallas through to the Super Bowl at the very least, but it has been a long time since the Cowboys were the dominant force in the NFC.

Dak Prescott is under pressure, but Head Coach Mike McCarthy is under a lot more and anything less than a Super Bowl may see a change with some big name Coaches being linked with any vacancy that may need to be filled. The win at the Cleveland Browns will be encouraging, but the entire season will be judged on results in January and winning a third Divisional title in four years would certainly help.

33 points were scored in the win over the Browns, but the Offensive unit did not have any mind-blowing numbers. The Cowboys were facing a very good Defensive team, but Prescott will be looking to show off a lot more than 163 passing yards, while they only put up 102 yards on the ground, and it may benefit facing a New Orleans team that were perhaps made to look a lot better than they actually are.

We do know that the Cowboys Offensive Line is not as strong as it once was, and the Running Back corps is led by Ezekiel Elliot who has had his best days. They may not be able to run the ball as they once did, but Dallas should have some success on the ground against this New Orleans Defensive Line which is perhaps a little too experienced and thus worn.

The pass rush was working very well for the Saints in their win over Carolina, but it is a hard game to judge this team considering how badly Carolina performed. Naturally you have to expect a lot more from the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott does have a couple of top Receivers that can make plays for him when he airs it out.

Throwing against this New Orleans Secondary will be a test for the Quarter Back with a new contract in the pocket, but Prescott should be able to put Dallas in a position to win.

Questions will be asked about Prescott, but the same can be said for Derek Carr as the New Orleans Quarter Back, while Dennis Allen has to be a on a short leash as Head Coach. Last season the Saints felt like a team that could beat those they expected to, but who would struggle when facing the better teams on the schedule and this Week 2 game is a big test to see if much has changed.

They ran the ball very well last week and the Saints may feel their Offensive Line can have some success opening running lanes again as long as this game is close. The Browns were able to rip off some solid runs against the Cowboys in Week 1, even behind a banged up Offensive Line, but Alvin Kamara has a lot of miles on the clock and whether he can pick up from where he left off against Carolina is another question.

And the biggest test for this New Orleans Offensive Line may be when they are sat behind the chains- in that case they are going to be dealing with a strong Dallas pass rush, which will rush Derek Carr into throwing against the Cowboys Secondary that will be looking to pick off passes. Interceptions turned the game against the Cleveland Browns and the Cowboys could force a mistake or two from Derek Carr, which may lead to a solid home win for Dallas.

Head Coach Dennis Allen will be under some pressure to show things have changed under his watch- his Saints team are 4-10-1 against the spread when playing after a win, while those teams that had a blowout win of over 28 points in Week 1 have followed up with a 16-24-3 record against the spread in Week 2.

With a new contract in his hand, Dak Prescott will want to show something to the home fans and he does have a record of 21-9 against the spread when set as a favourite of at least 6 points. It does feel like the Cowboys have a more sustainable path to backing up their Week 1 win over Cleveland than the New Orleans Saints and being at home should see Dallas come away with a solid win to remain unbeaten.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos Pick: This Week 2 game would have been circled by Russell Wilson and there would have been a lot of interest in Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) playing the Denver Broncos (0-1). Some of the excitement will have been reduced by the fact that Wilson is unlikely to suit up and instead it will be Justin Fields leading the Steelers into battle, but it is the Denver home opener and that is big for Head Coach Sean Payton and his rookie Quarter Back Bo Nix.

They were 'only' beaten by six points in the loss at the Seattle Seahawks, but Payton was not that happy with what he had seen, especially on the Offensive side of the ball.

At least this week the fans will be supporting Bo Nix when he has the ball in his hands, which may help, but it would have been much preferred to be facing a weaker Defense than the one the Steelers will have on the field.

Last week the Broncos were able to have some success on the ground and they will be given a boost if Garrett Bolles is able to take his place on the Offensive Line. The problem for Denver is going to be if Bo Nix continues to struggle to throw the ball as teams will choose to load the box and dare Nix to beat them with his arm.

The Steelers might have enough faith in their Defensive Line to control the trenches and prevent the Broncos from dominating on the ground without extra bodies being needed to contain the run. This is very important for Pittsburgh and they will certainly feel they can disrupt the Denver Offensive game-plan whenever they are behind the chains.

Holding the much talked about Atlanta Offense to less than 150 passing yards will have given the Steelers a huge boost and they may have enough up front to cover up any issues in the Secondary. Better teams may be able to expose those, but this Denver passing game is going to feel like a work in progress and rookie Bo Nix is going up against a well Coached Defensive unit.

Someone will need to step up to make plays for Bo Nix and this will be very different conditions playing at home compared with having to make a debut in the very loud Seattle Seahawks home opener.

Even so, it will be a struggle for the Broncos to find the consistency they want and so there is going to be some real pressure on their own Defense to step up and keep this one close on the scoreboard.

They will be helped by what is looking like a grind it out Pittsburgh Offense that struggled for consistency in the win over the Falcons in Week 1. It is a big win, and Justin Fields did enough to impress, but injuries on the Offensive Line made it a struggle to run the ball efficiently. With a one-two punch in the backfield, Pittsburgh may feel they can have more joy against this Denver Defensive Line that allowed Seattle to pick up 4.4 yards per carry in Week 1.

Last season the Broncos could not contain the run and Pittsburgh may be able to enjoy a better performance on the ground in this game, while also perhaps having a better plan to utilise the Justin Fields legs.

Much like the other side of the ball, Pittsburgh will find it a struggle whenever they are behind the chains and Justin Fields will not want to be throwing with the pocket collapsing and pressure all around him. The Steelers are keen to take their shots downfield, but Fields will do well to remember where Patrick Surtain II is at all times.

Avoiding turnovers could be key to the outcome of the game, while playing consecutive weeks on the road is always going to be challenging. Pittsburgh may be able to overcome the issues with Head Coach Mike Tomlin likely to give a rookie Quarter Back one or two looks that confuse him and the Steelers are capable of using their experience to just edge this one on the road.

The Steelers have lost four straight road games played in Denver, but it does feel like the Broncos need to show a much bigger improvement from Week 1 compared with the AFC North team. It is expected to be a close game until the end, but the bigger plays can be made by the Pittsburgh Steelers and they can cover in a winning effort.

MY PICKS: Buffalo Bills + 2.5 Points @ 1.95 William Hill (1 Unit)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers + 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Chargers - 3.5 Points @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Baltimore Ravens - 8.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Dallas Cowboys - 6 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Pittsburgh Steelers - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.67 Units (7 Units Staked, + 38.14% Yield)

College Football Week 2 Picks 2024 (Saturday 7th September)

It has been one of those weeks where it has been impossible to sit down and write out some analysis of the College Football Picks for Week 2 of the 2024 season.

Week 1 proved to be a decent start with four winners from the six games selected so backing that up is going to be the only ambition for this early part of the year.

And next week should be a thread with a bit more reasoning behind the selections being made.

MY PICKS: Tennessee Volunteers - 8.5 Points @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish - 28 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Washington State Cougars-Texas Tech Red Raiders Over 66.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nebraska Cornhuskers - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Iowa Hawkeyes - 2.5 Points @ 1.75 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Maryland Terrapins - 8.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

NFL Week 2 Picks 2023 (September 14-18)

The opening week of the NFL season is much anticipated by the fans of all thirty-two teams and it is a time to dream.

However, the approach into Week 2 feels a lot different.

Now fans will higher be floating on clouds after a win, or will feel the world is caving in after a loss and there is very little in-between.

Some teams have proven that an opening loss is nothing to worry about and you would expect the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals all to recover and get back on track very quickly. In saying that, two of those three teams have tough looking games to negotiate in Week 2 and even their fans might begin to worry if falling into a 0-2 hole.

Others like the Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams will do well not to get too carried away, but over-reactions are not only seen in the stands and from talking heads on television, but will also be reflected in the spreads released by Vegas.

One team that may be concerned even at 1-0 has to be the New York Jets.

I have long said that it is virtually impossible to pick a Super Bowl winner in September without having some luck behind your pick and those who have Jets tickets in their pockets will know all about that.

Four Offensive snaps is all it took for the excitement and confidence to be deflated as Aaron Rodgers suffered an achilles injury that will keep him out for the season.

Zach Wilson did lead the Jets to the upset over the Buffalo Bills, but this is not a Quarter Back you would trust on a week to week basis and some are already suggesting that New York need to see if they can make another trade and bring in someone on a rental, eg Kirk Cousins from Minnesota.

You have to feel for Aaron Rodgers, and you do hope this is not how his career will end.

He does not seem the kind of person who would want to end his career on anything other than his own terms so the expectation he will try and return, but at 39 years old, Aaron Rodgers has some road back to get onto a NFL field again.

It was a decent Week 1, but the Thursday Night Football game will get the Week 2 Picks underway and it is a very long season.

Underdogs had a very strong week, but there are some very big favourites in Week 2 and a number of teams looking to bounce back from underwhelming openings.

Minnesota Vikings @ Philadelphia Eagles Pick: You are not going to win the Super Bowl after Week 1 of the NFL has been played, but fans will be looking at performance levels and results and then make sweeping statements about what they have seen.

Neither one of these teams impressed in Week 1, but the reigning NFC Champions, the Philadelphia Eagles (1-0), won on the road, while the Minnesota Vikings (0-1) were upset at home by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

They meet in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football almost exactly twelve months to the day from when the Philadelphia Eagles comfortably got the better of the Vikings at home.

Once again it is a prime time spot for two teams that will have PlayOff aspirations at the very least this season and for two teams who are adjusting to what is demanded from them out of new Co-Ordinators.

It may have been a part of the reason the Eagles Offensive unit struggled through the second half of their win over the New England Patriots in Week 1. However, winning on the road against a Bill Belichick team that has had time to devise a game plan is never easy and so there are bigger expectations on the shoulders of Jalen Hurts and the Eagles on Thursday.

Brian Flores has to be largely pleased by what he saw from his Minnesota Defensive unit on the opening week, but facing Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a significant drop from the level that will be expected from Philadelphia. This time the Vikings Defensive Line will have to have a genuine concern in the ability of Jalen Hurts to make plays with his legs, while Minnesota have to generate a stronger pass rush if they are going to disrupt the home team in the passing game.

Stopping the Eagles moving the chains was problematic for Minnesota in the meeting last year and Philadelphia will certainly feel they have all of the tools to have success in this Thursday Night Football offering. The early numbers are encouraging for the Vikings after the Defensive performance last year, but one game against the Buccaneers in their current situation is not going to convince that a lot has changed.

The Eagles should be able to move the ball with more consistency at home than they did in New England and that is going to mean pressure on Kirk Cousins and the Vikings Offensive unit to bounce back from the opening loss. Kirk Cousins is effectively playing for a contract, whether here or somewhere else, but he had an Interception in the loss to Tampa Bay and the entire Offensive mistake made some key mistakes in being limited to 17 points.

Justin Jefferson will always get his catches and numbers, and the Vikings will likely target the hole left by James Bradberry who is expected to sit out in the concussion protocol in a short week. We have seen Kirk Cousins put up some decent numbers and he will feel he can do that here, although much is going to depend on the health of the Offensive Line.

Right now that does not sound as good as the Quarter Back would hope and the power of the Eagles Defensive Line is likely to make the difference in this game. The Eagles might be without Fletcher Cox, but they have talent on the Defensive Line and a banged up Vikings Offensive Line may struggle to give Kirk Cousins the time to try and attack this Eagles Secondary.

It does not help that the Vikings are not expected to have a lot of success running the ball, which means Kirk Cousins is operating behind an Offensive Line that will struggle to protect for enough time to make plays in third and long situations. As we have seen throughout his career, this could lead to Cousins turnovers and the Philadelphia Eagles look like they could pull clear for another solid win over Minnesota.

Home favourites did struggle in Week 1, but the Philadelphia Eagles look to have a serious edge in the trenches on both sides of the ball in this Thursday Night Football game. The feeling is that they can win the turnover battle and that should see them eventually pull clear and beat the Vikings by double digits in this one before heading into a mini-break with the next game slated for Monday Night Football in Week 3.

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons Pick: Two teams who have produced Week 1 wins meet one another in Georgia and the oddsmakers are finding it tough to separate the two teams.

The Atlanta Falcons (1-0) beat the Carolina Panthers at home behind a strong Defensive performance, while the Green Bay Packers (1-0) were set as a narrow underdog on the road in Chicago in Week 1, but the Jordan Love era began with a big win over the Bears.

While there are question marks around the Falcons and Packers, those opening wins will have given the fans plenty of encouragement. The situation is not ideal for Green Bay having to begin the season with back to back road games, but the team have to be feeling good about the start to a new era with Aaron Rodgers moved on.

Jordan Love threw 3 Touchdown passes and for 245 yards in the win over the Chicago Bears, but it might be tougher this week with Aaron Jones potentially missing out. The Running Back was a very strong safety blanket for Jordan Love and AJ Dillon may not have the same pass-catching ability to offer the Quarter Back that same blanket on Sunday.

You do have to like the way Dillon has played for the Green Bay Packers, but this is a season when Aaron Jones is going to be very important and so his absence will hurt. It will also put more pressure on the banged up Receiving corps to make plays for Jordan Love and this revamped Atlanta Defensive unit will feel they can give a relatively inexperienced Quarter Back something to think about.

The Packers did not run the ball efficiently in the win over the Chicago Bears, but AJ Dillon may have a bit more room to operate in this one. It was something the Panthers were able to do against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, but the general feeling is that the Packers may not have the same room to operate Offensively as they did against the Bears.

Strong defensive play is going to be important for Atlanta all season and they will know that their own Offensive game plan will depend on being competitive in games. The Falcons do not want to put a lot of pressure on Desmond Ridder to have to make plays through the air, even if he does have some big targets in Kyle Pitts and Drake London operating in the Receiving corps.

Last week the Falcons struggled in pass protection and the Packers have a team that can generate a strong rush, while the Green Bay Secondary is capable of making big plays.

However, the Atlanta Offensive Line looks like it will be much more comfortable when it comes to grading the road and they did open up some decent lanes for Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. The Falcons were a top three rushing team last season and have opened this season with strong numbers on the ground, which should be seen in this Week 2 game as well.

Those two Running Backs look like they are going to form a special partnership and both could be important as safety blankets for Desmond Ridder too. Last week the Packers allowed the Chicago Bears to pick up 122 yards on the ground at 4.2 yards per carry, but Green Bay's Defensive Line could have more issues with the traditional running game the Falcons will use rather than focusing on slowing down Justin Fields.

It is the ability to grind out those yards on the ground that look to give the Falcons an edge in this game against a team playing a second consecutive road game.

There is a trend that shows the Falcons have not been able to back up home wins when playing back at home, but they did cover in that situation in Week 18 with Desmond Ridder at Quarter Back last season. They can do the same in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers thanks to some big Defensive plays as Atlanta move to 2-0 for the season.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Buffalo Bills Pick: There are a number of teams playing back to back road games to begin this season and it should be noted that this is far from an ideal situation for any of those. The Las Vegas Raiders (1-0) secured a narrow win on the road against Divisional rivals the Denver Broncos in Week 1 and that will be a boost for Josh McDaniels and his team, but playing in the altitude of Mile High and having another road game to come is a tough scheduling spot.

Add in the fact they should be playing an angry Buffalo Bills (0-1) team that dropped a Divisional game on Monday Night Football and this really looks a tough challenge for the Raiders.

Josh Allen and company have to be frustrated about the loss at the New York Jets- in normal circumstances it might not have been a big surprise with the Jets having Aaron Rodgers playing for the first time at Quarter Back, but the future Hall of Fame player was out of the game after just four Offensive snaps and Zach Wilson helped lead the Jets to the victory.

The Bills have struggled to deal with the New York Jets over the last twelve months, but there will have been some concern with what was seen from Josh Allen. Poor decisions had overshadowed his 2022 season and there were more poor mistakes that ultimately cost Buffalo the opening game of the 2023 season and it will be something the Quarter Back will want to eradicate in the weeks and months ahead if he is going to take the Bills to a Super Bowl.

Buffalo's Offensive Line will have something to prove this week having been rattled far too often by the Jets pass rush, while Allen and company will want to show off a much stronger passing game. As well as the Raiders played last week, the feeling is that the Bills will be much more comfortable with this match up against a Secondary that does have some holes to exploit.

More will be expected from Dalton Kincaid to aid the passing options at Josh Allen's disposal, while the Bills should be able to establish the run through their Quarter Back and James Cook. The Jets have a Defensive unit that will likely be ranked inside the top five again, but the Las Vegas Raiders are not expected to be nearly as strong as what we saw last week and Buffalo should be able to pile up the points.

You also have to believe that Josh Allen will not throw 3 Interceptions again in Week 2 and that means it will be up to Jimmy Garoppolo to try and make sure the Raiders remain competitive. The former Patriot and 49ers Quarter Back is someone who has produced winning Football without always looking as strong as the record would suggest and that was seen again in Week 1 as he led the Raiders to a win in Denver despite finishing with just 200 passing yards.

Those passing numbers may take a dent if Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers are both missing for the Raiders in Week 2- both have missed practice and Meyers is almost certainly going to be absent as he moves through the concussion protocol. Jimmy Garoppolo may struggle to get much going through the air in this one if both of those Receivers are out and the Raiders will need to lean on Josh Jacobs to try and keep the ball out of the hands of the powerful Buffalo Offensive unit.

In something of a surprise, the Bills Defensive Line could not clamp down on the run last week once Aaron Rodgers was out of the game. They allowed the Jets to rack up some big yards on the ground, but Buffalo are much better against the run and there should be a reaction from them as they try and force Jimmy G to win this one through the air.

The Bills were surprisingly beaten at home by the Minnesota Vikings the week after losing at the New York Jets in 2022, but Josh Allen has usually bounced back to lead his team to not only a win, but a cover following a defeat. The Quarter Back would have heard some of the negative opinions about his performance on Monday Night Football, but this looks a very good spot for Buffalo to bounce back and especially with the Raiders on the second half of consecutive road games after a tough Divisional win at the Broncos in Week 1.

Seattle Seahawks @ Detroit Lions Pick: There has been so much hype around the Detroit Lions (1-0) and what they could potentially achieve this season. The departure of Aaron Rodgers from the NFC North meant the Lions were the trendy pick to win the Division, especially after the way they finished the 2022 season, but proving that on the field is all that matters.

Beating the defending World Champions on the road in Week 1 will only have intensified the expectations of this Detroit Lions team.

Despite the words of Mike Tirico on the broadcast at the end of the Lions in in Kansas City, most will have to accept it is a big win for a team that been improving in leaps and bounds under Head Coach Dan Campbell. This is one Coach that will demand a lot more from his team and the extra time between the Week 1 and Week 2 games should only have given Dan Campbell more of an opportunity to remind his players that they have achieved absolutely nothing by winning just one game.

Motivation should not be an issue for the Detroit Lions when hosting the Seattle Seahawks (0-1) as it was the Week 4 loss here to the Seahawks that ultimately was the difference between PlayOff Football and an extended break. That loss dropped the Lions to 1-3 on their way to a 1-6 start, but the team looks much more well-positioned in 2023.

They are hosting a Seattle team that looked really poor in the Week 1 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams as they put up just 180 total yards and saw Geno Smith struggle to just 112 yards through the air. The Seahawks did move the ball on the ground with some efficiency at 4.7 yards per carry, but they were chasing the game and had to move away from that side of their game.

Running the ball against the Detroit Lions will not be easy and especially not if the Offensive Line is as banged up as it sounds. Both Tackles on the Offensive Line could be missing and that is going to leave Geno Smith and the Seattle team vulnerable to this Lions pass rush that will be expecting a much bigger impact than they produced in the win over Kansas City.

They were not able to get to Patrick Mahomes and Geno Smith can scramble around, but the Lions will feel their pass rush pressure will win out if they are having to deal with a makeshift Offensive Line.

It should also mean the Lions Secondary can back up what was a strong opening performance with the Seattle Quarter Back throwing out of pressurised spots. While you have to believe the Seahawks cannot be as poor as last week, this looks a very tough game on the road against a rested, motivated Detroit team and Geno Smith and company may not be able to have the consistency on this side of the ball to keep up with the Lions.

While Seattle and Smith could be playing with pressure all around him, the Detroit Lions and Jared Goff should be playing with a much cleaner pocket. The Quarter Back should be able to find his Receivers in spaces against this Seattle Secondary and Jared Goff is also expected to have more support from the run game, which was largely ineffective last week.

The Seahawks did play the run well against the Los Angeles Rams last week, but they struggled last season and are not expected to have improved significantly on that issue. Add in the power of this Detroit Offensive Line and the feeling is that David Montgomery will have a stronger outing for the Lions, which should only ease the game for Jared Goff.

He was given time against the Kansas City Chiefs and Jared Goff has really taken care of the ball in his time with the Detroit Lions with just 15 Interceptions thrown in his time with the team. As long as he can continue to do that, Goff should have a big game and put the Seahawks under the pump as he looks to take the Lions to a 2-0 record.

This will be the fourth time in a row that the Detroit Lions will be favoured to win a game at home and they are 3-0 against the spread in the previous three. At the same time, the Seattle Seahawks have struggled to remain competitive when set as the road underdog in recent games and with the motivation of losing last season on their side, the Detroit Lions can win and cover.

New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers Pick: It is going to take a bit of time for the Carolina Panthers (0-1) to turn things around with a new Head Coach and Quarter Back combination beginning with a Divisional loss to the Atlanta Falcons. That was on the road though and the Panthers are a part of a double-header on Monday Night Football as they face another rival from the NFC South.

This time they are hosting the New Orleans Saints (1-0) who also have a new look with Derek Carr at Quarter Back, but who managed to do just enough to beat the Tennessee Titans at home in Week 1. A losing record was enough for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the Division in 2022 and the retirement of Tom Brady means there is a void to be filled, one that the Saints will feel they should be favourites to do so.

Having Carr at Quarter Back and with the experience throughout this roster is certainly reason to have the Saints as the favourite in the Division, but they were beaten twice by the Carolina Panthers in 2022.

And with that in mind, it is quite surprising to see the Saints set as a pretty strong road favourite in this Week 2 game on Monday Night Football.

Derek Carr will need a bit of time to get on the same page as the Receivers, while the suspension being served by Alvin Kamara means a key player is out of the Offensive line up. That absence also affected the ability of the Saints to run the ball as they would like and Derek Carr has already made it clear that New Orleans need to do better in that regard to make things easier for the entire Offensive unit.

There is a talent drop from Kamara to Jamaal Williams, but the Panthers Defensive Line were not able to contain the Falcons threat on the ground last week. This should be good news for the Saints, and perhaps give Derek Carr a bit more time when he does drop back to throw.

Time was a problem in Week 1 as Carr absorbed a number of Sacks and he was also fortunate not to lose a Fumble- if the Saints have issues establishing the run, Carolina can certainly get to the veteran behind Center and that will disrupt the Offensive rhythm, much like the Tennessee Titans were able to do in their narrow road loss in New Orleans in Week 1.

New Orleans will still believe they are going to show more Offensively as Derek Carr becomes more comfortable in the system, and they may be able to lean on the Defensive unit while waiting for the Offense to get in sync with one another. For the ninth game in a row, the Saints have held teams to fewer than 21 points and that will always give the Saints a chance to win any game of Football.

Bryce Young had some early rookie struggles in Week 1 and so this is going to be another test for the Quarter Back, although being back at home should only aid him.

The ability to scramble out of the Quarter Back position did help the Panthers and they may feel they can get something going on the ground in this game too. Last week the Saints struggled to deal with the Titans rushing game, although it should be noted it is powered by Derrick Henry, and the Panthers might feel they can keep their young Quarter Back in positive down and distance.

He will have to be careful about the ability the Saints showed to turn the ball over by Intercepting Ryan Tannehill multiple times, but Young may be asked to make short passes and use his legs if the downs remain manageable. That will be important for Carolina as they look for the home upset, which they are capable of achieving if the Saints continue to have Offensive struggles.

Bryce Young did make some mistakes on the road, but that is not a major surprise out of a rookie Quarter Back. However, the expectation is that he will be a little more careful at home all around and the Panthers may be able to keep this one close.

You have to respect the fact that the Saints won road games at Cleveland and Philadelphia at the back end of the 2022 season, but taking the points with the home team looks to be the right approach to this early season Divisional game.

MY PICKS: Philadelphia Eagles - 6 Points @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Atlanta Falcons - 1.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Buffalo Bills - 8 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Detroit Lions - 4.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

New York Giants - 4 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Denver Broncos - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

Miami Dolphins - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Carolina Panthers + 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Pittsburgh Steelers + 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.51 Units (7 Units Staked, + 35.86% Yield)