Expert Analysis: 2024 Top ATS Picks for NFL Week 2 You Need to Watch

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It’s time to start doing your homework for the National Football League Week 2. After a fun Week 1, we turn the page to the following week.

Let’s take a look at the NFL Week 2 Against the Spread Picks.

Philadelphia Eagles over Minnesota Vikings | Thursday Night Football

ATS: -7.5
Thursday, September 14th, 2023 at 8:15 PM | PRIME VIDEO
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

Are the Minnesota Vikings falling out of their franchise window? Three turnovers from Kirk Cousins did not help their cause in Week 1. Now, they have to play on the road at Philadelphia, a team that did not play great but came away a winner over the weekend.

Look for Jalen Hurts to have a big game here. He is ticked off about the late fumble. He is ready to make some noise in the Eagles home opener.

Bet the Eagles to win this game by double digits over the Vikings.

NFL Week 2 ATS Pick: Eagles -7.5 | Bet Eagles at Vikings
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Chicago Bears

ATS: -3
Sunday, September 17th, 2023 at 1:00 PM | FOX
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed that they will not take a step back after losing Tom Brady. Baker Mayfield is in charge of the offense, and it got the job done in Week 1.

Now, the Buccaneers take on a Bears team that is a little wounded after getting stomped by a divisional rival. Justin Fields struggled to pass the football, and there is no doubt that the Buccaneers’ defense will use a similar gameplay.

Look for Tampa Bay to get a defensive touchdown to put this game away. Take the Buccaneers.

NFL Week 2 ATS Pick: Buccaneers -3 | Bet Buccaneers at Bears
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Green Bay Packers over Atlanta Falcons

ATS: -1
Sunday, September 17th, 2023 at 1:00 PM | FOX
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Jordan Love is pretty talented. There is no doubt of that. The Packers will not miss old man Rodgers if Love continues to play like that. The Packers’ defense also got after Fields, and now they get Desmond Ridder.

The Packers will do whatever they can to slow down the run, as Atlanta sports Tyler Allegier and Bijan Robinson. Both are tough backs to track down and tackle. Look for the Packers, though, to outscore the Falcons by using more of an air attack.

NFL Week 2 ATS Pick: Packers -1 | Bet Packers at Falcons
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans

ATS: -3
Sunday, September 17th, 2023 at 1:00 PM | CBS
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

The Los Angeles Chargers are a team that has Super Bowl aspirations. Now, the Chargers can rest easy knowing that the Chiefs and Broncos lost in Week 1. But the Chargers do not want to find themselves 0-2. Look for Los Angeles to have a plan of attack against Derrick Henry.

On the offensive side, Justin Herbert must take over and finish the job with point after point. The Chargers should win this by more than a field goal on the road in Nashville.

NFL Week 2 ATS Pick: Chargers -3 | Bet Chargers at Titans
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Miami Dolphins over New England Patriots | Sunday Night Football

ATS: -2.5
Sunday, September 17th, 2023 at 8:20 PM | ABC, ESPN+
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

The Dolphins start with back-to-back road games. How outstanding would it be for the folks in South Florida to see their team win two on the road before coming home? That looks likely.

New England battled, but in the end, they were just not a very good football team. Mac Jones is not the answer, and the Dolphins should be able to get after him.

New England must strap on their defensive shoes to keep up with Miami. This is a fun Sunday Night game, but the Dolphins get the job done.

NFL Week 2 ATS Pick: Dolphins -2.5 | Bet Dolphins at Patriots
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Pittsburgh Steelers over Cleveland Browns | Monday Night Football

ATS: +1.5
Monday, September 18th, 2023 at 8:15 PM | ABC, ESPN+
Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA

Expect this to be a pretty low-scoring game, but expect the desperate, hungry Pittsburgh team to do enough to win this game on Monday Night Football.

Pittsburgh was bad in Week 1 against the 49ers. Cleveland was good in Week 1 against the Bengals.

Cleveland always fares well against Cincinnati. Let’s see how well that correlates to Week 2. Taking the Steelers to win at home is a risky move but one to consider.

NFL Week 2 ATS Pick: Steelers +1.5 | Bet Steelers at Browns
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

The following NFL betting odds are based on MyBookie Sportsbook.

Enjoy the games this weekend. We expect there to be more upsets and several thrilling games. We wish you the best of luck with all your NFL betting this week and every week as the season rolls along!

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

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MyBookie Odds for the Games

Previous Betting News

Making picks in the opening weeks of the new NFL season is always tough. You can look at the rosters and make decisions based on that, but you never really know what you are going to get until the games are actually played. We had a trios of potential Super Bowl favorites – Bills, Ravens, and Packers – all losing their opening games of the season, which perhaps help explain why we had a bit of a mediocre week with our picks in Week 1. We went 2-1 in SU and O/U picks, but just 1-2 in ATS selections. As the weeks progress, we will update our totals for the season and see if we can turn things around once we have some concrete data to pull from. We are now ready to look ahead to Week 2, and specifically, our ATS picks for the week. Let’s get right to it so you can bet against the NFL odds.

Week 2 ATS Picks for the 2021 Season | NFL Betting

Buffalo Bills (-3) at Miami Dolphins

A lot of people were looking at the Buffalo Bills as a legitimate Super Bowl contender this season. They are almost certainly still going to be that, but they quickly found out that getting to the top is not easy. They ran into an absolute buzzsaw in the shape of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense in Week 1, going down 23-16 at home. It’s a disappointing start for the Bills, but one that they can remedy on the road in Week 2. The Dolphins squeezed out a 17-16 win over the Patriots in the opening game, which was a crucial divisional matchup. Despite their Week 1 loss, the Bills are still 8-2 SU in their last 10 and winners of 5 in a row versus the Dolphins. They have also won 6 in a row against divisional foes, so this looks like a win and a cover for Buffalo.

LA Rams (-4) at Indianapolis Colts

Yes, we have only played one week of the season, but it already looks as though the trade that saw Matthew Stafford leave Detroit for LA might well be the deal of the year. Stafford was nothing short of brilliant in Week 1, leading the Rams to a 34-14 win over the Chicago Bears in a game that was as lopsided as the score suggests. This will prove to be a tougher challenge, but you still need to like the Rams to get the job done on the road. After all, they have covered the spread in 6 of their last 8 meetings with the Colts and are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games played in Week 2 of the season. I think this spread is a bit of a bargain, which is why I am all over it.

New Orleans Saints (-4) at Carolina Panthers

We were all sitting back waiting to see what Jameis Winston would do in his first game with the Saints. After all, he was replacing an absolute legend in Drew Brees, albeit on a team that looks ready to win now. If his Week 1 display was anything to go by, the Saints might be a legit contender this season, as Winston helped his team blow past the Green Bay Packers in a lopsided 38-3 win. The Panthers got some good work from their new QB, Sam Darnold, in a win over the Jets, but they look outmanned this weekend. The Saints have now covered in 4 of their last 5, and while they don’t have a great ATS record versus the Panthers, I think they cover in this one.

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

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MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Previous Betting News

We still have a couple of games to come on Monday night before we can close the book on Week 1 of the NFL season. That said, it’s never to early to start looking ahead to and given their performance in Week 1 against the Eagles which we will do over the course of a few different articles. We are going to break down what we believe are the best picks for Week 2 of the NFL season, starting with making some predictions ATS. Keep an eye out for our other predictions, where we will tackle some SU picks, as well as some point total predictions. Let’s get right to the ATS picks for this coming week.

NFL Week 2 ATS Betting Picks

LA Chargers (-7 ½) Vs Buffalo Bills

The Chargers have made a habit of getting off to a slow start over the course of the last few seasons. That happened again in Week 1, with the Chargers falling 38-28 to the Kansas City Chiefs. The good news is that while they are on the road in Week 2, they will be going against a Buffalo Bills team that looked truly awful in their opening week hammering at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens. The Bills could not get anything going on offense, whereas the Chargers looked sharp when they had the ball. This should be a comfortable win for Philip Rivers and the Chargers.

Carolina Panthers (+4 ½) Vs Atlanta Falcons

Last season, the Falcons had some serious struggles when playing in the red zone and given their performance in Week 1 against the Eagles, it looks as though that issue has yet to be resolved. The Panthers were not great in their opener on the offensive side of the football, but shut the Dallas Cowboys down, holding them to just 8 points in a 16-8 win. The Panthers have not had much success ATS in recent visits to Atlanta, going just 1-4 in their last 5 trips to the ATL, but I think they might not only cover here, they may even get the win.

Miami (EV) Vs New York Jets

It’s perhaps a little too early being on this one given that we have yet to see the Jets play, but I still feel strongly enough about this game to get on it ASAP. Miami saw their season get off to a positive start, taking out the Tennessee Titans 27-20 in their opener. It was a very solid performance going against a team that may expect to be challenging for a playoff spot this season. They have also had a lot of success against the Jets in NY in recent years, going 7-3 SU against them in their last 10 meetings at the Meadowlands. I like the Dolphins to win this one, which automatically means that they cover.

Chicago Bears (-3) Vs Seattle Seahawks

Were it not for a stunning 4^th quarter comeback from Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bears would have pulled off one of the upsets of the opening week. While the loss is sure to be a disappointment, it was made very clear that this Bears team is going to be quite good this season, with the addition of Khalil Mack already paying dividends. The Seahawks feel in their season opener, losing by 3 to the Denver Broncos as a 3-point underdog. I think they may be in trouble again next Monday night, which is why I am on the Bears.

Previous Betting News

If Week 1 is anything to go by, then we are in for something pretty special this season in the NFL. The Buffalo Bills look to be very much as advertised, while the Kansas City Chiefs also looked to be as explosive as ever. It was a rough start for the Bengals, who went to the Super Bowl last season, going down at home to the Steelers, while Russell Wilson’s debut with the Denver Broncos was spoiled with a loss on the road in his old home of Seattle. There were countless other storylines to discuss, but it’s now time to look ahead to Week 2 to see if we can come up with some winning picks. Let’s get the ball rolling with some NFL Betting againts the spread picks for Week 2.

Against The Spread Early Picks Must Wager On for NFL Week 2

Cincinnati Bengals (-8) at Dallas Cowboys

As we already mentioned, the Bengals got off to a losing start, with turnovers doing them in against the Steelers. What we have learned from Joe Burrow in his short time as the Bengals QB is that he is able to quickly shake off such setbacks. The question here is whether the Cowboys can do the same, as they were the only team not to score a TD in the opening week of the season, while also losing Dak Prescott for 6-8 weeks through injury. It’s not the ideal start for Dallas and I think things are about to get worse. The Bengals have covered in 8 of their last 10, which makes them a very good bet here.

Washington Commander at Detroit Lions (-2 ½)

It’s not often we get to see the Detroit Lions enter a game as the favorite, but that is exactly what they are at home to the Commanders in Week 2. The Lions may have lost in Week 1, but they showed some serious battling ability against a very good Philly team, going down 38-35 in an absolute thriller. The Commanders won 28-22 over Jacksonville, which is nothing to get too excited about, although they will be happy to see their season get off to a winning start. As you can see from the odds, the bookies like this to be a tight affair, but I am leaning towards the Lions to win and cover. They have gone 6-1 ATS in their last 7 home games, which makes them a tempting bet this weekend.

Carolina Panthers at New York Giants (-2 ½)

Things did not look good for the New York Giants in Week 1, as they went into half-time in a 13-0 hole against the Tennessee Titans. Most us of probably wrote them off at that point, but they bounced back in the second half and came away with an unexpected 21-20 win, with Saquon Barkley looking to be back to his brilliant best. Baker Mayfield failed to get revenge against hos old team, with the Panthers going down to the Browns in Week 1. The Panthers are now a miserable 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games, which has me leaning in the direction of the Giants this coming Sunday.

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Are you looking to place your early wagers on the 2016 NFL odds? Go inside this write-up and read our early NFL betting outlook on the best 2016 NFL Week 2 picks against the spread.

Sure 2016 NFL Week 2 Winners Against the Spread

Indianapolis Colts at Denver (-5)

Week 2 NFL ATS Pick: Indianapolis (+5)

The signal-calling role in Denver is now down to Mark Sanchez and rookie Paxton Lynch, two QBs who I’d never trust on any game in the 2016 NFL lines. Sanchez, as your probably know from his recent time with Philadelphia, is as shaky as they come at QB. Lynch could be a franchise QB someday if he can clean up his act, but there’s a good reason as to why rookie QBs don’t have that high a ceiling in their first year in the Pros. Obviously, Denver’s defense will still be the real deal (and that will mask some of the costly weaknesses in Denver’s offense). But woe to you if you ignore the warning signs on Denver, especially against an Indy team that is 8-1 in the last 9 overall against the Broncos, including a 3-1 mark in the last four meetings in Denver. Oh, and did I mention that Andrew Luck, easily one of the best passers available in the league, is back from his season-ending injury in 2015? Well, there’s that too.

San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers (-11.5)

Week 2 NFL ATS Pick: Panthers (-11.5)

Admittedly, I don’t think the Panthers will be as ridiculously impressive as they were in 2015. Still, I strongly believe that they will play some really good football in 2016, thanks to the bevy of havoc-wrecking weapons they possess on both sides of the ball. San Fran, on the other hand, is in a rebuild mode, and from the current outlook of things, the Niners will need a couple more years to match up to their well-playing self under Jim Harbaugh. For this Week 2 clash, the odds should thus be in large favor of the Panthers. After all, Carolina is coming off a perfect win record at home (8-0 SU), along with a stellar mark against the spread (6-2 ATS), with the majority of the home victories being blowouts. With all that considered, I—like the Oddsmakers—expect Carolina to dominant all phases of this game with equal parts speed and power en route to a solid double-digit win.

Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans (PK)

Week 2 NFL ATS Pick: Chiefs (PK)

There is really no debate about Houston’s enterprising offseason that saw the addition of former Denver quarterback Brock Osweiler, along with a host of weapons to strengthen the team’s running and passing game. These additions, combined with the Texans’ defense that has been playing well over the recent seasons, will almost definitely make Houston a better team. That being said, the 2015 Chiefs were one of the most impressive and well-gelled units in the NFL, and things should equally be better for them after having a solid offseason. More notably, the Chiefs have owned the Texans recently, including the 7-point win at Houston in their 2015 season-opening encounter and the sterling 30-0 shutout at Houston in the 20116 AFC Wild Card playoffs. Not to mention, the Chiefs finished the 2015 regular-season campaign on a 10-game SU winning streak, including flawless marks of 5-0 SU and 5-0 ATS on the road. Based on such a strong historical precedence, plus the fact that KC established dependable rhythm on both sides of the ball last year, the Chiefs should be the easy online betting pick in this encounter.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals (-9)

Week 2 NFL ATS Pick: Buccaneers (+9)

Going by the way they have been playing over the past couple of seasons, the Cardinals are a team whose defense is predicated on defending the pass, something that has seen them fare rather well against pass-heavy teams like San Francisco, Baltimore and Cleveland over the past seasons. But when faced with teams that can strongly run and pass the ball, it becomes a different story. For example, in their past two games last year against teams with established running and passing games, the Cardinals we outshined—shamefully losing 36-6 at home in Week 17 against Russell Wilson and Seattle before suffering a 49-15 beatdown at the hands Cam Newton and Carolina in the NFC Championship game. Now, Tampa Bay’s quarterback Jameis Winston is not in the caliber of the above-mentioned QBs, but he did prove his potential to pass and run the ball well-enough. Added to the emergence of Doug Martin as a dependable star running back for Tampa Bay in 2015, I’d expect the Buccaneers to hang tough with the Cardinals, allowing them to cover the spread in this game.

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Whether you cashed in big on NFL football in Week 1 or ended up in the red because of some losing wagers, you’re going to have a chance to strike pay dirt a whopping three times in Week 2 thanks to the trio of top ATS picks that you’re about to get. Let’s get started in the Motor City.

Analyzing The Highlights Trio Of Top NFL ATS Picks For Week 2

Tennessee at Detroit -5.5

When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 18, 2016
Where: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

The Tennessee Titans will look to bounce back from their humbling 25-16 Week 1 loss against Minnesota in which they failed to cover the spread as a 2.5-point underdog, but I don’t see it happening against Matthew Stafford and a Detroit Lions team that looked as explosive as ever in beating Indianapolis 39-35 to cash in as a 2.5-point road underdog.

Stafford looked fantastic in directing Detroit’s thrilling comeback while Titans’ second-year signal-caller Marcus Mariota often looked dazed and confused, although I will admit that Minnesota’s voracious defense did put consistent pressure in his face. With the Titans going 5-21-3 ATS in their last 29 games following a straight up loss and the Lions going 4-0 ATS in their last four games and a near-perfect 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight up win, I say the Lions win and cover with room to spare.

My Pick: Detroit 31 Tennessee 24

Green Bay -2.5 at Minnesota

When: 8:30 PM ET, Sunday, September 18, 2016
Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings may have taken down the lowly Tennessee Titans in their 25-16 Week 1 win as a 2.5-point road favorite, but I just don’t see the Vikes beating the Green Bay Packers in their Week 2 NFC North divisional showdown. The Vikings got some pretty poor play out of veteran quarterback Shaun Hill and I don’t think things will be much better, even if Sam Bradford gets the start this coming weekend.

Green Bay didn’t exactly set the league on fire in their narrow 27-23 Week 1 win over Jacksonville, but with this being a divisional showdown and the Packers having the huge edge at quarterback, I like the Packers to win and narrowly cover the NFL betting line. I know Minnesota is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 home games, but Green Bay is 5-2 ATS in its last seven road games and the Vikings just won’t be as good as they were expected to be this season without young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater under center.

My Pick: Green Bay 24 Minnesota 21

Tampa Bay at Arizona -6.5

When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, September 18, 2016

Analysis:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and more importantly, second-year signal-caller Jameis Winston looked mostly fantastic in upsetting Atlanta 31-24 in their Week 1 NFC South divisional showdown as a 2.5-point road underdog no less.

The Arizona Cardinals looked nothing like the Super Bowl title contender they were supposed to be in their humbling 23-21 Week 1 loss to the Tom Brady-less New England Patriots. Now, I’m expecting the Bucs and Winston to make another statement by easily covering the spread against Arizona. I know Tampa Bay has gone 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games, but Arizona has also gone 1-4 ATS in its last five games.

For me, the growth of Winston is clearly evident while Arizona and Carson Palmer keep on underachieving, generally at the worst time possible. With the Cards playing at home, I like them to get the narrow SU win, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are my pick to cover the NFL betting line!

My Pick: Arizona 31 Tampa Bay 28

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With Week 3 of the 2016 NFL regular season just days away from getting started, pro football lovers across the globe are looking for some virtual lock alert picks!

Thanks to the ‘treyfecta’ of top NFL ATS picks that you’re about to get, you’re going to have a great chance to cash in a whopping three times. Okay, let’s rock and roll people!

Here’s a Closer Look At The Check ‘Treyfecta’ Of Top NFL ATS Picks For Week 2

Washington Redskins (0-2) at New York Giants (1-1)

When: Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 1:00 PM ET
Where: MetLife Stadium
NFL Odds: NY Giants -4.5 / Total: 46.5

Analysis: I’m not real fond of the 4.5-point spread, but I’m going to back the New York Giants to get the win and super narrow ATS cover against Washington Commanders, mostly because the G-Men are playing at home and have the far better defense at this point.

The Skins have lost 118 of their last 22 road games outright while going 1-5 SU and ATS in their last six games against the Giants. Washington is also a pitiful 1-7 SU and 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight road dates against the G-Men. New York wins by keeping Kirk Cousins in check while getting a solid outing from likely future Hall of Fame quarterback Eli Manning.

My Pick: NY Giants 30 Washington 24

Cleveland Browns (0-2) at Miami Dolphins (0-2)

When: Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 1:00 PM ET Where: Hard Rock Stadium TV: CBS NFL Odds: Miami Dolphins -10 / Over/Under: 41.5

Analysis: The Miami Dolphins have underachieved through two games, but I still like the Fins to get the win and narrow ATS cover as a 10-point home favorite, although I’m not real fond of the double-digit point spread. Not only will Cleveland have a first-time starter under center in Cody Kessler, but the Browns are also 1-5 ATS in their last six road games and 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games overall.

I know the Dolphins are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 home games and 2-7 ATS in their last nine games overall, but the Browns are in a bad way right now and Miami is completely desperate. While Cleveland has gone 4-1-1 ATS in their last six meetings, I like the Fins to win and cash in at home.

My Pick: Miami 31 Cleveland 20

Oakland Raiders (1-1) at Tennessee Titans (1-1)

When: Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 1:00 PM ET
Where: Nissan Stadium
NFL Odds: Tennessee Titans -1.5 / Over/Under: 47

Analysis: Oakland was a nationally popular pick to make big improvements this season while challenging for a spot in the playoffs, I’m not real fond of the way the Raiders are playing defense this season. With that said, I genuinely believe the Tennessee Titans are the pick to win and cover the NFL betting line as a slight 1.5-point home favorite in this matchup because of Oakland’s porous defense.

I know Oakland has gone 4-0 ATS in their last four road games and 6-2 ATS in their L/8 games against their AFC conference rivals, but I’m backing the Titans to get the win and narrow ATS cover.

My Pick: Tennessee 31 Oakland 28

Previous Betting News

Will Eli manning and the New York Giants be able to find the end zone in Week 2 after failing to do so in their regular season opener? Will the Indianapolis Colts look completely incompetent for the second straight week after chancing starting quarterbacks? Last but not least, can the revitalized Los Angeles rams put on a repeat performance from their Week 1 stunner of a victory? If you’ve got questions, then I’ve got answers in the form of my expert trio of NFL week 2 ATS picks. The NFL odds for Week 2 are out already. Be sure to take a look at them before placing any wagers.

NFL Week 2 ATS Picks

Detroit Lions (1-0) at New York Giants (0-1)

When: Monday, September 18, 2017 at 8:30 PM ET
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
NFL Week 2 Odds: NY Giants -5 / Total: OFF

Expert Analysis

Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford lived up to his billing as the highest paid signal-caller in the league by tossing four touchdown passes to lead the Lions to an impressive 35-23 home win over Arizona in Week 1 to cash in as 2.5-point home underdogs. More impressively however, is Detroit’s defense intercepting veteran Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer three times to help get the win.

Eli Manning completed 29 of 38 passes for 220 yards, but didn’t throw a touchdown pass while throwing one pick in New York’s uneventful 19-3 loss against Dallas in their regular season opener on Sunday night. The G-Men were limited to a pitiful 35 rushing yards in the loss and only managed to put a third quarter field goal on the board in the resounding defeat.

How Are the Lions Looking Like for this Game?

Heading into this Week 2 matchup, Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions are the easy pick for me despite being on the road. Detroit is a robust 5-2 ATS in their last seven Monday night games while New York has compiled a winless 0-5 ATS mark in their last five Week 2 games.

The road team in this series is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings, but it is New York’s lack of any rushing attack whatsoever that really makes me think the G-Men are going down at home. Back Stafford and the Lions to get it done against a New York team that is completely unbalanced on offense – for the second straight season apparently.

NFL Week 2 Pick: Detroit +5

Arizona Cardinals (0-1) at Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

When: Sunday, September 17, 2017 at 1:00 PM ET
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
NFL Odds: Indianapolis +7.5 / Total: 44.5

Expert Analysis

Arizona’s defense was almost non-existent as they allowed Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford to toss four TD passes while getting outscored 20-6 in the final quarter of their 35-23 road loss tot the Cardinals in Week 1.

To make matters even worse is the fact that Arizona Pro Bowl running back David Johnson had to leave the game late in the third quarter with a wrist injury after getting limited to just 23 rushing yards on 11 carries, although he did add six receptions for 68 yards. Veteran signal-caller Carson Palmer was limited to just 27 of 48 passing for 269 yards and one touchdown, but cost his team with three costly interceptions, one of which was returned 82 yards for a touchdown by Lions cornerback Justin Bethel.

The Indianapolis Colts never had a chance in their opener as quarterback Scott Tolzien looked completely incompetent in their stunning 46-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Tolzien completed a modest 9 of 18 passes for 128 yards, but tossed two costly pick-six interceptions that the Colts could not overcome before being benched in favor of the recently acquired Jacoby Brissett, who the team said will start in Week 2 against Arizona.

So, Is Arizona Looking Good Heading into Week 2?

Even after their Week 1 struggles, I like the Cardinals to bounce back nicely even if David Johnson isn’t at 100 percent and Indianapolis is going to start a clearly more competent Jacoby Brissett in this affair. The Cardinals are a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last 6 Week 2 games and a robust 13-3 ATS in their last 16 road games against a team with a losing home record. Conversely, the Colts are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games in the month of September.

Indianapolis made a really smart move to get Brissett from New England just before the start of the regular season, but the Colts are a team without much direction right now. Keep it simple and back the Cardinals to win and cover the spread with room to spare after falling apart in the second half of their opener against Detroit.

NFL Week 2 Pick: Arizona -7.5

Washington Redskins (0-1) at L.A. Rams (1-0)

When: Sunday, September 17, 2017 at 4:25 PM ET
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
NFL Week 2 Odds: L.A. Rams -2.5 / Total: 46

Expert Analysis

Washington played a solid game through three quarters in their opener against NFC East division rival Philadelphia but got shutout 11-0 in the fourth quarter en route to a convincing 30-17 loss while failing to cover the NFL betting line as a 1-point home underdog.

The Rams stunned Indianapolis in their opener as second-year quarterback Jared Goff completed 21 of 29 passes for 306 yards and one touchdown and Los Angeles got two pick-six touchdowns in their stunning 46-9 win. Running backs Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown each added rushing touchdowns in the win while cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and and Lamarcus Joyner returned interceptions for scores.

So Who Has the Upper Hand in this Matchup?

Despite how good they looked in their opener, I don’t see Los Angeles getting past a Washington team that will be a bit desperate after losing their opener and one that can generally score the ball pretty well. Washington has compiled a perfect 4-0 ATS mark in their last 4 games following an ATS loss, 5-1 ATS in their L/6 games against a team with a winning record and a robust 9-2 ATS in their last 11 road games overall. The Rams are just 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 home games and 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games overall. Pure and simple desperation will be what drives the Redskins to the outright road win as 2.5-point underdogs!

NFL Week 2 Pick: Washington +2.5