Josh Allen (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Bleacher Report's Expert Week 2 NFL Picks

NFL Staff

​​In Week 1 of the NFL season, you should expect to see a few surprises.

This year, two teams expected to struggle, the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks, not only covered spreads but won outright against the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos, correspondingly.

NFL analysts Gary Davenport, Brent Sobleski, Kris Knox and Maurice Moton along with editors Ian Kenyon and Wes O'Donnell as well as Greg Ivory, who's the B/R Betting host of Winners Only Wednesdays, won’t let an unpredictable week shake their confidence, though. They’re back swinging in Week 2, and the group likes several road underdogs for the upcoming slate of games.

But before we move forward, let’s take a look at the standings for our B/R crew's picks from opening week.

1. Ivory: 8-8

2. Moton: 8-8

3. O’Donnell: 8-8

4. Kenyon: 7-9

5. Knox: 7-9

6. Davenport: 6-10

7. Sobleski: 5-11

Consensus picks: 7-9

Now, let’s collectively get back over the .500 mark.

Lines are from DraftKings as of Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 4 p.m. ET. Check DraftKings for the latest odds info. Information on public betting trends is courtesy of the Action Network. ATS records are provided by Team Rankings.

Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)

Justin Herbert (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)

Editor's Note: Chiefs defeated the Chargers 27-24 on Thursday night.

DraftKings Line: Chiefs -4

NFL fans get a real treat with two of the league’s young star quarterbacks on the field with their 1-0 teams at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Last week, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes lit up the Arizona Cardinals defense, throwing for 360 yards and five touchdowns. He played with a wrist injury but doesn't seem concerned about it.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert lost starting wide receiver Keenan Allen, who exited during the first half of last week’s game with the Las Vegas Raiders because of a hamstring injury, but he still threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns with accurate throws to lesser-known names such as DeAndre Carter and Zander Horvath.

O’Donnell expects a close game, though he highlighted Herbert’s production against the Chiefs as a reason to take the points with the Chargers.

“Traveling to Kansas City on a short week is a daunting task. To make matters worse for the Chargers, Allen is out, and new cornerback J.C. Jackson is still on the questionable tag as well. This is all bad news when trying to keep up with and/or stop Patrick Mahomes.

“Yet, despite the injuries, a hot Chiefs team and a short week, the Chargers are only four-point underdogs for a reason: Justin Herbert and company come to play when they take on KC. The rivals have split the four games since Herbert entered the league with both teams failing to defend home turf, and the Chiefs prevailed in overtime in both their wins. Herbert boasts a 10-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio vs. KC in addition to three rushing TDs. All this is to say: Even if L.A. comes up short, this should be a battle that goes down to the wire, and I'll gladly take these points.”

Predictions

Davenport: Chargers

Ivory: Chiefs

Kenyon: Chiefs

Knox: Chiefs

Moton: Chargers

O’Donnell: Chargers

Sobleski: Chargers

Consensus: Chargers +4

Score Prediction: Chiefs 31, Chargers 28

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) at New Orleans Saints (1-0)

Tom Brady (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

DK Line: Buccaneers -2.5

Any time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers match up against the New Orleans Saints, we’re probably going to see a feisty battle between four-time Pro Bowlers in wide receiver Mike Evans and cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

To deliver the ball to Evans, Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady will need a banged-up makeshift offensive line to hold up against the Saints pass rush, which stood out as one of Sobleski’s concerns.

“Tampa Bay fought through multiple mistakes and injuries to overcome a Dallas Cowboys team that appears to have taken a significant step back after last year's division title. Even so, the Bucs certainly didn't come out of the game unscathed, with wide receiver Chris Godwin suffering a hamstring injury and left tackle Donovan Smith dealing with a hyperextended elbow. Tristan Wirfs could realistically be the only projected preseason starter along the offensive line to be in the lineup against New Orleans.

“If that's the case, quarterback Tom Brady could have a long day with the likes of Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport getting after the quarterback. Besides, the Saints seem to have Brady's number. Tampa Bay is 0-4 against the division rival during the regular season since the GOAT joined the organization.”

Even with a rookie left guard in Luke Goedeke, a replacement center in Robert Hainsey and Smith battling an injury, five of our experts picked the Buccaneers to overcome those obstacles on the road. They’re showing a lot of faith in Brady, Evans, Julio Jones, Russell Gage and a stout defense that has ranked in the top eight in scoring over the past two years.

Former Saints head coach and lead play-caller Sean Payton’s retirement also plays a factor in the consensus pick. Last week, New Orleans' offense needed three quarters to find its rhythm against the Atlanta Falcons.

Predictions

Davenport: Buccaneers

Ivory: Buccaneers

Kenyon: Buccaneers

Knox: Buccaneers

Moton: Buccaneers

O’Donnell: Saints

Sobleski: Saints

Consensus: Buccaneers -2.5

Score Prediction: Buccaneers 28, Saints 24

New England Patriots (0-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

Minkah Fitzpatrick (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

DK Line: Patriots -2

The New England Patriots can let out a sigh of relief because, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero via Ian Rapoport, the results on quarterback Mac Jones' back X-rays came back negative. The second-year signal-caller intends to play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Even with the encouraging news about Jones, our NFL experts went with the home underdog over New England in a tossup matchup.

Moton hasn't liked what he's seen out of the Patriots offense over the last couple of weeks.

“The Patriots didn’t do anything to change the offseason narrative about their subpar execution on that side of the ball with a 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins last week," he said.

"The Steelers won’t have edge-rusher T.J. Watt (torn pectoral), but they don't need him to slow down or stop New England’s uninspiring offensive attack that ranks 26th in yards going into Week 2."

Last week, Pittsburgh’s defense held the Cincinnati Bengals to 20 points and forced five turnovers. The Steelers picked off Joe Burrow four times, so imagine what they’ll do to Jones, who may not be 100 percent. Without Watt, Pittsburgh can still put together a strong defensive performance with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, linebacker Myles Jack and edge-rusher Alex Highsmith on the field.

Unanimously, our crew picked the Steelers.

Predictions

Davenport: Steelers

Ivory: Steelers

Kenyon: Steelers

Knox: Steelers

Moton: Steelers

O’Donnell: Steelers

Sobleski: Steelers

Consensus: Steelers +2

Score Prediction: Steelers 23, Patriots 20

New York Jets (0-1) at Cleveland Browns (1-0)

Kareem Hunt (left) and Nick Chubb (right) Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

DK Line: Browns -6

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters that he's going to keep all the receipts from people who mock the team as it goes through Year 2 under his staff.

Well, most of our group continued to point the finger and laugh at Gang Green while putting money on the Jacoby Brissett-led Cleveland Browns, who beat the Carolina Panthers last week.

Despite the overwhelming laughter from the expert picks department, Moton thinks the Jets will cover the spread.

“Joe Flacco isn’t going to lead the Jets to victory, but a six-point line seems a bit much for a Browns offense that’s heavily dependent on the ground attack. As a former defensive coordinator, Saleh should have his front seven prepared for a heavy dose of running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.

“In Week 1 against the Panthers, Brissett only threw for 147 yards and a touchdown. Wideout Amari Cooper caught just three passes for 17 yards. Kicker Cade York had four field goals. If the Jets load the box with a talented defensive unit that features Carl Lawson, Quinnen Williams, John Franklin-Myers, rookie first-rounder Jermaine Johnson, C.J. Mosley and Kwon Alexander, they can keep the score close."

Moton and Davenport will present betting receipts if New York covers the spread.

Predictions

Davenport: Jets

Ivory: Browns

Kenyon: Browns

Knox: Browns

Moton: Jets

O’Donnell: Browns

Sobleski: Browns

Consensus: Browns -6

Score Prediction: Browns 24, Jets 16

Carolina Panthers (0-1) at New York Giants (1-0)

Christian McCaffrey (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

DK Line: Giants -2

The Carolina Panthers and New York Giants had to battle down the wire against their respective opponents in Week 1, and the line suggests that these clubs could have another tight game.

O’Donnell drew some early parallels between Carolina and New York and took the home favorite to ride its high energy after a big win over last year’s top-seeded AFC squad.

“Oddsmakers have this spread spot on. Both the Giants and Panthers are coming off emotional Week 1 results but on different sides of the W-L column. Both teams had to rally from double-digit deficits, both teams saw the game hinge on last-second field goals, but Big Blue saw a kick sail wide to save its first Week 1 win since 2016, while Carolina watched a rookie kicker bury a 58-yarder to drop it to 0-1.

“The smart choice is to probably take the points like most of the panel here, but there's nothing to indicate the Panthers have an advantage on paper either. I'll roll the dice on Big Blue's new, gutsy coach harnessing momentum in his favor in front of a home crowd that hasn't seen a 2-0 start since 2016.”

As O’Donnell pointed out, our expert consensus went with the road underdog, as did most of the public with 62 percent of the wagers on Carolina.

Big Blue barely beat a Titans squad that scored just 20 points. With quarterback Baker Mayfield under center and Christian McCaffrey, DJ Moore and Robbie Anderson at the skill positions, Carolina has the offensive personnel to keep the score airtight on the road or win this matchup outright.

Predictions

Davenport: Panthers

Ivory: Panthers

Kenyon: Giants

Knox: Panthers

Moton: Panthers

O’Donnell: Giants

Sobleski: Panthers

Consensus: Panthers +2

Score Prediction: Panthers 27, Giants 24

Miami Dolphins (1-0) at Baltimore Ravens (1-0)

Tyreek Hill (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

DK Line: Ravens -3.5

In what should be one of the better 1 p.m. kickoff games, the Baltimore Ravens will host the Miami Dolphins. The opposing quarterbacks have a lot riding on the 2022 season.

On one hand, Lamar Jackson has bet on himself in a contract year after he rejected a lucrative six-year extension from the Ravens, per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. On the opposing sideline, Tua Tagovailoa needs to make strides in a crucial third year with the addition of All-Pro wideout Tyreek Hill, three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead, slot wideout Cedrick Wilson Jr. and three-down running back Chase Edmonds.

With a little more at stake for the quarterbacks, this matchup could turn into a duel late in the fourth quarter. Davenport isn’t quite comfortable with the Dolphins as the outright pick to win, but he saw a more impressive team in Miami, which helped him make a tough decision.

“The Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens both won in emphatic fashion last week, with the Dolphins handling the Patriots at home while the Ravens made quick work of the Jets in New York. But the Dolphins looked better in their win than the Ravens did in theirs—Baltimore averaged just three yards a carry and was just 5-for-13 on third down.

“This isn't to say that the Ravens won't win this game or that they aren't the better team. But Miami's defense and an improved Dolphins offense should be enough to keep things close, so with the hook in play give me the points.”

On a 4-3 count, the group sided with the Dolphins, though keep in mind that Miami went 1-4 as road underdogs last year. Our panel believes the Dolphins' offseason additions give them a better chance to cover against the home favorites.

Predictions

Davenport: Dolphins

Ivory: Dolphins

Kenyon: Ravens

Knox: Ravens

Moton: Dolphins

O’Donnell: Ravens

Sobleski: Dolphins

Consensus: Dolphins +3.5

Score Prediction: Ravens 28, Dolphins 27

Indianapolis Colts (0-0-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

Jonathan Taylor (Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

DK Line: Colts -4

None of the AFC South teams won in Week 1. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans lost to the Washington Commanders and New York Giants, respectively. The Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans battled to a 20-20 stalemate.

This division doesn’t feature a dominant squad, but Sobleski thinks the Colts are headed in the right direction after their late surge in last week’s game and some addition by subtraction.

"The Colts own the NFL's top-ranked offense after one week of play. Seriously, go check. Granted, the team 'benefited' from an extra quarter of play to earn the designation. But Indianapolis' performance portends much better play in Week 2.

"If not for a kicker who's no longer with the team, the Colts could have easily won the contest despite all of the mistakes they made against the Houston Texans. Instead, they're 0-0-1 and facing the Jacksonville Jaguars, who let the Colts' previous starting quarterback—Carson Wentz—light them up to the tune of 313 passing yards and four touchdowns. Throw a heavy dose of Jonathan Taylor into the mix, and Indianapolis has a distinct advantage over the still-rebuilding Jaguars, even if the team tends to struggle when playing in Jacksonville."

Sobleski’s final thought should make bettors nervous if they laid points with Indianapolis. The Colts haven’t gone on the road and beat the Jaguars since 2014. Davenport and Moton probably made note of that before they went against the consensus pick.

Predictions

Davenport: Jaguars

Ivory: Colts

Kenyon: Colts

Knox: Colts

Moton: Jaguars

O’Donnell: Colts

Sobleski: Colts

Consensus: Colts -4

Score Prediction: Colts 26, Jaguars 20

Washington Commanders (1-0) at Detroit Lions (0-1)

Jahan Dotson (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

DK Line: Lions -1.5

The Detroit Lions stay at home after their comeback bid against the Philadelphia Eagles came up short in a 38-35 loss.

Despite the Lions’ season-opening defeat, Knox sees the silver lining in their performance, and he remains skeptical of Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz, which is why his money is on Detroit.

“I believe the 38-35 margin in Week 1 says more about the Lions than it does the Eagles. Detroit is going to be a problem for any team that takes it lightly in 2022. D'Andre Swift is going to be a problem for a Washington run defense that allowed James Robinson to average 6.0 yards per carry and allowed Travis Etienne Jr. to rush for 11.8 yards a clip.

“This pick also boils down to the fact that I also don't trust Wentz (two INTs in Week 1) to take care of the football. Jalen Hurts did, and putting away Detroit was still a challenge. The Lions waited until Week 13 to get their first win last season. This year, victory No. 1 comes much earlier. The line is low enough here that I feel comfortable backing Detroit as a home favorite.”

Only Knox and Moton sided with the Lions while the other five panelists likely paid more attention to Wentz’s four touchdown passes than his two interceptions.

Also, players other than Terry McLaurin contributed to the Commanders offense in Week 1. Curtis Samuel caught a team-leading eight passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. Rookie wide receiver Jahan Dotson had an impactful pro debut with three catches for 40 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Antonio Gibson racked up 130 scrimmage yards.

Predictions

Davenport: Commanders

Ivory: Commanders

Kenyon: Commanders

Knox: Lions

Moton: Lions

O’Donnell: Commanders

Sobleski: Commanders

Consensus: Commanders +1.5

Score Prediction: Commanders 31, Lions 29

Atlanta Falcons (0-1) at Los Angeles Rams (0-1)

Cooper Kupp (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

DK Line: Rams -10.5

The Los Angeles Rams have stewed over an embarrassing home loss to the Buffalo Bills for a week. Still in the friendly confines of SoFi Stadium, the reigning champions must be champing at the bit to get back on the field.

Most of our experts believe the Rams will take out their frustrations from a 31-10 shellacking on the Atlanta Falcons, which would result in a blowout victory.

However, a majority of the public has backed the Falcons, with 59 percent of the wagers on Atlanta. Sobleski and Ivory fit into that camp, and the latter explained his perspective.

"The Rams didn’t look good enough in Week 1 for me to consider laying the (-10.5) in this spot. Is Matthew Stafford healthy? Is Cam Akers going to give his coach more effort? Are they affected by a Super Bowl hangover? A lot of questions down there in L.A.

"Meanwhile, the Falcons didn’t look as bad as people thought coming into this season against the Saints in Week 1. Give me the Falcons plus the points in this one."

At home, the Falcons nearly upset the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, leading 26-10 in the fourth quarter. Perhaps they’re a pesky team that routinely puts up more fight against overwhelming favorites than anyone would have expected this year.

Predictions

Davenport: Rams

Ivory: Falcons

Kenyon: Rams

Knox: Rams

Moton: Rams

O’Donnell: Rams

Sobleski: Falcons

Consensus: Rams -10.5

Score Prediction: Rams 38, Falcons 21

Seattle Seahawks (1-0) at San Francisco 49ers (0-1)

Geno Smith (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

DK Line: 49ers -9

You may have predicted different records for these teams before Week 1, but Geno Smith helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to an upset victory over the Denver Broncos, and Trey Lance struggled in the San Francisco 49ers’ 19-10 loss to the Chicago Bears.

As a starter, Smith will get a taste of a fierce NFC West rivalry, though he’s the more experienced quarterback with some momentum in this matchup. With that said, Kenyon expects the 49ers to bounce back at home.

"I'm standing on an island picking the 49ers to cover a nine-point line at home in Week 2, but Week 1 felt like a bit of a mirage for both teams. The Seahawks had an emotional home game with Russell Wilson coming back into town and got one of Geno Smith's best starts of his NFL career.

"Meanwhile, the 49ers played in horrible conditions on the road in Chicago. You can throw away the tape on that game for San Francisco. The 49ers return home and should look much better in Week 2. The line is large, but consider me stubborn to hop off the 49ers bandwagon after one bad road game in rough field conditions."

Like Kenyon, the rest of us expect the 49ers to perform a lot better in Week 2. Nonetheless, our crew’s consensus pick says more about the hesitation to buy San Francisco as a nine-point favorite rather than the possibility that Seattle pulls off consecutive upset wins.

Predictions

Davenport: Seahawks

Ivory: Seahawks

Kenyon: 49ers

Knox: Seahawks

Moton: Seahawks

O’Donnell: Seahawks

Sobleski: Seahawks

Consensus: Seahawks +9

Score Prediction: 49ers 26, Seahawks 19

Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) at Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

Ja'Marr Chase (Icon Sportswire)

DK Line: Bengals -7.5

Bettors love the Cincinnati Bengals this week and for obvious reasons. The Dallas Cowboys won’t have starting quarterback Dak Prescott, who underwent surgery on his fractured thumb, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

On 105.3 The Fan (via NFL Network’s Jane Slater), Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team is “evaluating all options” at quarterback. With that said, Cooper Rush or Will Grier will likely draw the start against Cincinnati because of their familiarity with the system.

With 86 percent of the Week 2 wagers on the Bengals, our panel agrees with the overwhelming public perception of how this game will pan out Sunday. Moton almost leaned the other way and took the points, but he snapped out of it.

“In Cooper Rush’s only NFL start, he led the Cowboys to a 20-14 victory on the road against the Minnesota Vikings, completing 24 out of 40 passes for 325 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in Week 8 last year. This isn’t quite a slam-dunk pick for the Bengals. Rush may make them sweat it out a bit, which is why bettors should pause for a moment with this 7.5-point line.

“However, we must also account for the 2021 Vikings' mediocrity (8-9 record) and their defense, which ranked 24th in scoring and gave up the third-most yards. The Bengals have a much better squad, and they’re looking to bounce back from a turnover-ridden loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincinnati’s offense started to click late in that contest, so it could continue to move on the right track through Dallas.”

Moton gave a slither of hope to anyone who took the points, but quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase should lead the Bengals to a sizeable victory.

Predictions

Davenport: Bengals

Ivory: Bengals

Kenyon: Bengals

Knox: Bengals

Moton: Bengals

O’Donnell: Bengals

Sobleski: Bengals

Consensus: Bengals -7.5

Score Prediction: Bengals 30, Cowboys 20

Houston Texans (0-0-1) at Denver Broncos (0-1)

Davis Mills (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

DK Line: Broncos -10

The Houston Texans and Denver Broncos will look to shake off disappointing Week 1 performances.

Even though the Texans didn’t lose in their season opener, they certainly squandered an opportunity to start the 2022 season on the right foot. And, well, the Broncos seemed to do everything possible to lose against the Seattle Seahawks, and head coach Nathaniel Hackett admitted that he made a mistake in his decision to send out the kicking unit for a 64-yard field goal rather than give the ball to Russell Wilson on 4th-and-5.

Barring a tie, one team will feel a little better after Week 2, and the other club will continue its search for answers to right the season. Davenport believes Denver will correct its errors for a lopsided victory.

“I have a sinking feeling that I'm going to regret taking so many double-digit favorites this early in the season. It's also understandable to have reservations about the Broncos after a sloppy loss to the Seattle Seahawks that included a dozen penalties, two fumbles at the 1-yard line and some of the worst coaching in recent memory.

“But this game feels like a course correction—the Texans are due for a letdown on the road after blowing a 17-point lead at home against the Colts last week, and the Broncos are no doubt looking to get things back on track after last week's mess. Order will be restored to the universe here—and Denver will cruise.”

In Davenport’s defense, aside from their atrocious red-zone offense, the Broncos moved the ball well, racking up 433 total yards against the Seahawks. If Denver avoids fumbles at the goal line, it should crush a squad in rebuild mode.

However, five of our experts don’t trust the Broncos under a first-time head coach yet. They have to earn that trust to get the nod on a double-digit line.

Predictions

Davenport: Broncos

Ivory: Texans

Kenyon: Texans

Knox: Broncos

Moton: Texans

O’Donnell: Texans

Sobleski: Texans

Consensus: Texans +10

Score Prediction: Broncos 27, Texans 20

Arizona Cardinals (0-1) at Las Vegas Raiders (0-1)

Kyler Murray (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

DK Line: Raiders -5.5

In an uncharacteristic performance, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw three interceptions in a 24-19 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last week. He’s thrown that many interceptions in two other games through his nine-year career.

On a positive note, the Raiders had a chance to pull ahead late in that game, and Carr’s connection with his former Fresno State teammate, Davante Adams, was in midseason form. They connected 10 times for 141 yards and a touchdown.

As for the Arizona Cardinals, they ran into an offensive buzzsaw. Patrick Mahomes diced them up from the pocket, throwing for 360 yards and five touchdowns. By the end of the third quarter, Kansas City led 37-7.

Quarterback Kyler Murray connected with his former Oklahoma teammate in Marquise Brown on four passes for 43 yards and a touchdown, but the Cardinals didn’t have the firepower to keep pace with the Chiefs. They certainly missed star wideout DeAndre Hopkins, who's serving a six-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.

Kenyon believes the Cardinals will have the same problem with the Raiders on the road at Allegiant Stadium.

"I'm not a believer in Kliff and Kyler at this point. The Cardinals got stomped at home in Week 1 and looked every bit as shaky as they did down the stretch last year. They play an excellent Raiders team on the road this week, and it would surprise me to see the Cardinals win this one. With only a 5.5-point line, give me the Raiders. I think they could win by two scores."

Predictions

Davenport: Cardinals

Ivory: Cardinals

Kenyon: Raiders

Knox: Cardinals

Moton: Raiders

O’Donnell: Cardinals

Sobleski: Cardinals

Consensus: Cardinals +5.5

Score Prediction: Raiders 27, Cardinals 23

Chicago Bears (1-0) at Green Bay Packers (0-1)

Aaron Rodgers (David Berding/Getty Images)

DK Line: Packers -9.5

After an upset victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the Chicago Bears will face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in a division matchup that may turn into a defensive slugfest.

In Week 1, the Bears beat the 49ers 19-10, and the Packers went down in a 23-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Chicago mustered up just 204 yards of total offense. Meanwhile, Green Bay’s passing attack, expectedly, looked out of sorts without wideout Davante Adams. Aaron Rodgers threw for 195 yards and an interception.

Moton thinks the Packers will win the game, but he’s baffled by the 9.5-point line.

“Bettors should be careful with the spread for this matchup. Green Bay still needs to define its offensive identity in the post-Davante Adams era. The Packers have two talented running backs in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, but their run game shouldn’t encourage you to lay that many points on them.

“Surprisingly, the oddsmakers didn’t give enough respect to the Bears defense, which looks like a legitimate unit under former Indianapolis Colts defensive play-caller Matt Eberflus, who’s Chicago’s head coach, and his defensive coordinator Alan Williams.

“Sure, the Bears gave up 176 yards and a touchdown on the ground to the 49ers, but quarterback Trey Lance and wideout Deebo Samuel accounted for 106 of those yards and the score. At 38 years old, Rodgers isn’t going to take off running for 50-plus yards, and Green Bay doesn’t have a unique playmaker who compares to Samuel.”

Predictions

Davenport: Packers

Ivory: Bears

Kenyon: Packers

Knox: Packers

Moton: Bears

O’Donnell: Packers

Sobleski: Bears

Consensus: Packers -9.5

Score Prediction: Packers 24, Bears 13

Tennessee Titans (0-1) at Buffalo Bills (1-0)

Josh Allen (Harry How/Getty Images)

DK Line: Bills -10

What’s hotter than the Buffalo Bills? Fish grease? Scorched grits?

Coming off a dominant 31-10 win over the reigning champion Los Angeles Rams, the Bills head home to host the Tennessee Titans, who lost 21-20 to the New York Giants in Week 1 after kicker Randy Bullock missed a 47-yard field goal with four seconds left in the fourth quarter.

The Bills’ eye-opening victory over the Rams coupled with the Titans’ shocking loss to the Giants illustrates two playoff squads from the previous season headed in opposite directions.

In 2021, Tennessee claimed home-field advantage through the playoffs in the AFC and lost in the divisional round to the Cincinnati Bengals. Buffalo finished as the No. 3 seed and bowed out of the same round after a scoring shootout with the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, only the Bills seem primed for another postseason run.

Despite a big spread, Ivory couldn’t take the underdog in this matchup, and everyone on the panel nodded in agreement.

"The Bills looked good against the defending champs in Week 1, while the Titans are coming off a tough loss to the Giants. Ryan Tannehill is still the signal-caller in Tennessee, and that's reason enough to lean toward Buffalo with the spread. I’m not sure the Titans will be able to keep up and score with the Bills offense. Give me the favorites here -10."

Predictions

Davenport: Bills

Ivory: Bills

Kenyon: Bills

Knox: Bills

Moton: Bills

O’Donnell: Bills

Sobleski: Bills

Consensus: Bills -10

Score Prediction: Bills 38, Titans 22

Minnesota Vikings (1-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

Justin Jefferson (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

DK Line: Eagles -2.5

Two of the most impressive teams from Week 1 will square off in the second matchup of a Monday Night Football doubleheader.

Oddsmakers made the Eagles just 2.5-point favorites at home, and Knox likes that bet.

“As impressive as Minnesota's win over Green Bay was, I see the Vikings having a hard time on the road in Philadelphia. The Vikings dominated in Week 1 because the Packers' passing game had zero chemistry (stop treating Week 1 like the preseason!), and Green Bay stubbornly stayed in zone defense, which allowed Justin Jefferson to line up away from Jaire Alexander.

"The Eagles, meanwhile, are likely to get little love because they allowed D'Andre Swift to run wild and gave up 35 points to the Lions. It's hard to understate how impressive Philly's offense was both rushing and passing, though. Jalen Hurts isn't a star-in-the-making—he's already a star. I expect the Eagles to do a better job of containing Dalvin Cook than Swift, to have a much better game plan for Jefferson and produce enough points to win by a field goal.”

Knox brings up some good points.

The Eagles have the defensive backs in Darius Slay, James Bradberry and C.J. Gardner-Johnson to match up with Jefferson all over the field whether he’s on the boundary or in the slot. Also, going back to last season, Hurts has won in his last three starts at home.

Our crew went with the Vikings, though. Aaron Rodgers called Jefferson “the best player in the game today.” If the star wideout doesn’t post gaudy numbers, watch out for Cook, who can pierce an Eagles defense that gave up 181 rushing yards to the Lions last week.

Predictions

Davenport: Vikings

Ivory: Vikings

Kenyon: Eagles

Knox: Eagles

Moton: Vikings

O’Donnell: Vikings

Sobleski: Vikings

Consensus: Vikings +2.5

Score Prediction: Vikings 28, Eagles 26

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