Week 2 Sunday Night Showdown: Your Guide to NFL Preseason Bets

 

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With one week (and one Hall of Fame Game in Week Zero) in this books in this NFL preseason, betting underdogs and over totals was pretty profitable. Will that continue in Week 2? Let’s break down the one game scheduled Thursday and on Friday night – most are played Saturday this week and we will break those down as well.

Thursday & Friday Winners: Top Games to Bet in Pre-Season Week 2 | NFL Lines by MyBookie

NFL Preseason: August 2, 2023 – August 27, 2023

Cleveland at Philadelphia

NFL Odds: Cleveland at Philadelphia (-4)
When: Thursday, August 17, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
TV / Streaming: NFL NET

This will be Cleveland’s third preseason game as it did play in the Hall of Fame Game, beating the Jets, before losing last Friday at home to Washington 17-15. Cleveland QB Deshaun Watson took the Browns on a 67-yard drive to Washington’s 1-yard line in his one series. His performance — 3 of 3 for 12 yards, 20 yards rushing — was far better than his preseason debut a year ago, when he completed just one pass at Jacksonville just days before being suspended by the NFL. Watson, however, may not play in this game following some joint practices with the Eagles. But coach Kevin Stefanski has indicated that Watson will get another tune-up in the preseason finale in Kansas City leading into the start of the regular season. Cleveland did lose some depth in the Washington loss as backup linebacker Jacob Phillips suffered a season-ending torn pec.

Philly lost its preseason opener 20-19 in Baltimore on Saturday. Eagles star QB Jalen Hurts didn’t play. Marcus Mariota started at quarterback and went 7 of 11 for 58 yards. Coach Nick Sirianni hasn’t yet said if Hurts will play here but it’s probably more unlikely. The Eagles also lost a linebacker for the season as Shaun Bradley tore his Achilles. Bradley, 26, has been a core special teams player for Philadelphia, playing 69% of the special teams snaps in 2022. He started one game over three seasons at linebacker and has 45 career tackles. There is uncertainty surrounding the Eagles’ linebacker position after two starters from last season, T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White, departed in free agency. Pick: Browns.

Bet Cleveland at Philadelphia to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Carolina at NY Giants

NFL Odds: Carolina at NY Giants (-3)
When: Friday, August 18, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
TV / Streaming: NFL NET

The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, QB Bryce Young, made his NFL debut for the Panthers on Saturday but they were routed 27-0 by the Jets. Despite playing only one quarter, the Young was sacked once and hit three times — under duress on every down. Nonetheless, he completed four of his six attempts for 21 yards. “He didn’t get the jitters, at all,” Coach Frank Reich said. “No evidence of anything—of being shaken. Not in the huddle, not on the sideline. In fact, it was the exact opposite.” The Carolina O-Line was so bad that offensive line coach James Campen called his group together for a private meeting after Reich addressed his players to let them know that wasn’t an acceptable standard. No. 1 running back Miles Sanders, signed from the Eagles this offseason, didn’t play and still isn’t practicing due to a groin injury. Reich also said that WR Terrace Marshall “tweaked a little something in his back” prior to leaving Monday’s practice in a cart.

New York lost its preseason opener 21-16 in Detroit on Friday. After Graham Gano’s third field goal gave the Giants a 16-14 lead with 7:59 to play, Martinez led the Lions on a 69-yard drive and the winning score with under two minutes left. Tyrod Taylor, expected to be New York’s No. 2 quarterback behind Daniel Jones, saw limited action, going 3 of 4 for 7 yards. Jones didn’t play. Coach Brian Daboll hasn’t decided if he will here, either, but seems to be leaning toward yes. “We’ll talk about that at the end of the week. I told you guys before, these decisions are made towards the end of the week,” Daboll said. “There’s a lot of research and communication that goes into it. I’d anticipate him playing [at some point this preseason].” Almost all of the Giants’ veteran starters were kept out of the preseason opener after joint practices earlier last week. Pick: Giants (buy down to -2.5).

Bet Carolina at NY Giants to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Cincinnati at Atlanta

NFL Odds: Cincinnati at Atlanta (-7)
When: Friday, August 18, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
TV / Streaming: –

The Falcons are 7-point favorites reminds you that Bengals QB Joe Burrow remains sidelined by a strained calf suffered early in camp. There is now optimism he will be ready for the regular season. In last Friday’s 36-19 loss to Green Bay, Jake Browning, last year’s third-string quarterback, played the entirety of the first half with the rest of the second-team offense, while new signee Trevor Siemian played in the second half. Browning, who was Cincinnati’s practice squad QB last year, was 10 for 17 for 95 yards and an interception. Siemian, a 31-year-old veteran signed in May, went 15 for 28 for 121 yards and an interception. Siemian is expected to start this one. In the battle to win the right tackle job, Jonah Williams got the night off while Jackson Carman played in the game.

Atlanta looked good in its opener, winning 19-3 in Miami despite playing without nearly every starter. Atlanta shut Miami out, 6-0, in the first half with a red-zone interception from safety DeMarcco Hellams and two other stops inside the Falcons’ 10-yard-line. Overall, Atlanta intercepted Miami’s quarterbacks three times, had five sacks and nine quarterback hits. Running back Bijan Robinson, the No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft and favorite to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, is expected to play in this one after sitting out the opener. Coach Arthur Smith said they’ll give him some of the basic stuff so he can feel the speed of facing another opponent in a game and have tackling in order to get him ready for Week 1 of the regular season. “We’re not going to go crazy,” Smith said. “We just need the reps. We need to get our bread-and-butter concepts in there and he’ll see his tracks. We’re not going to sit there and show everything but we need to execute well.” Pick: Bengals (buy up to 7.5).

Bet Cincinnati at Atlanta to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

 

 

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Many NFL coaches don’t like playing their starters in the preseason finale, so we could see a lot of them around the league on a very busy Saturday in Week 2. Here’s a breakdown of three games to bet on NFL and where we clearly favor one side.

Saturday Winners: Top Games to Bet in Pre-Season Week 2 | NFL Lines by MyBookie

NFL Preseason: August 2, 2023 – August 27, 2023

Miami at Houston

NFL Odds: Miami at Houston (-3)
When: Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 4 PM ET
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
TV / Streaming: NFL NET

The Texans haven’t named No. 2 overall pick CJ Stroud as their Week 1 regular-season starter yet but it should be simply a matter of time and perhaps after this game. Unless Stroud really struggles again. Stroud completed two of four passes for 13 yards and an interception in last Thursday night’s 20-9 preseason-opening win over the Patriots. Stroud started in his first NFL action and was sacked and picked off on the opening drive. The former Ohio State star draft played only two series — the Patriots defense didn’t make it easy on Stroud, as he was under pressure on three of his five dropbacks — before giving way to Davis Mills, who completed nine of 12 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown and lost a fumble. It is expected Stroud will play more Saturday. “We all have things to clean up and get better at, but I thought it was a good first outing,” Coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Good look at live action. I thought it was good for him.”

The Dolphins have no QB concerns with Tua Tagovailoa other than keeping him healthy. Miami lost 19-3 at home to Atlanta last Friday and Tua didn’t play. He probably won’t here, either. Star wideout Jaylen Waddle for sure will not and won’t even take part in live joint practices this week as he deals with an abdomen injury. Fellow wideout/returner Braxton Berrios had to get some stitches this week and also isn’t expected to play. Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is not participating in team drills at practice because there are ongoing contract negotiations. Wilkins, a 2019 first-round pick, is entering the fifth year of his rookie deal and has “made it clear” to the Dolphins that he wants a new contract. Pick: Texans (buy down to -2.5)

Bet Miami at Houston to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Kansas City at Arizona

NFL Odds: Kansas City at Arizona (+8)
When: Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 8 PM ET
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, A
TV / Streaming: –

You rarely see spreads like this in the preseason but that tells you how bad oddsmakers think the Cardinals will be this year. No. 1 Arizona QB Kyler Murray will not play in the preseason off a torn ACL and probably won’t be ready for the start of the regular season. “Kyler’s doing a good job,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said this week. “He’s on his plan. He’s having some good days, and he’ll get out there when he’s ready to go.” The Cards beat visiting Denver 18-17 in the preseason opener. Third-string quarterback David Blough led the winning drive, hitting Brian Cobbs for an 18-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left to pull within 17-16. Arizona then converted its 2-point attempt when Emari Demercado pushed the pile and fell into the end zone. Former Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz has been cleared for full football activity off his own serious knee injury last year but won’t play.

Kansas City coach Andy Reid is one of the best ever in the regular season but is under .500 in the preseason because he doesn’t much care. The Chiefs were 26-24 losers in New Orleans on Sunday. Patrick Mahomes started but took just five snaps before Kansas City’s first drive ended with a failed fourth-and-1 play on a direct snap to reserve tight end Blake Bell. No word yet on whether Mahomes plays here, although the spread tends to indicate he might. Ditto Travis Kelce, who logged five snaps in the opener. Pick: Cardinals +8.

Bet Kansas City at Arizona to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Dallas at Seattle

NFL Odds: Dallas at Seattle (-7)
When: Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 10 PM ET
Where: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
TV / Streaming: NFL NET

Another touchdown spread! Seattle’s Pete Carroll has one of the best preseason records of any active coach and the Hawks looked good in the opener with a 24-13 home win over Minnesota. With starting quarterback Geno Smith serving as a spectator, backup QB Drew Lock threw a pair of touchdowns passes and completed 17 of 24 passes for 191 yards. Third-string QB Holton Ahlers added a 30-yard TD pass to Matt Landers in the fourth quarter. After being in a battle with Smith for the starting job last offseason, Lock was forced to sit as he didn’t play a meaningful snap. Smith is expected to play a bit in this one. Starting linebacker Jordyn Brooks (knee) passed a physical Tuesday, and the Seahawks activated him from the active/PUP list, but he won’t play. Brooks tore his right ACL in Week 17 of last season.

Dallas was a 28-23 loser at home in its preseason opener. Third-string QB Will Grier had two touchdown passes. The first was a 17-yarder to Jalen Tolbert, a second-year receiver trying to get into the rotation after a quiet rookie season. The Cowboys didn’t play quarterback Dak Prescott or any other projected starters on offense in coach Mike McCarthy’s return to play-calling. McCarthy called the plays for the first time since midseason in 2018 when he was Green Bay’s coach. Prescott hasn’t played a preseason game since 2019 so you are almost surely not seeing him here. McCarthy just doesn’t care about exhibition games. Pick: Seahawks (buy down to -6.5)

Bet Dallas at Seattle to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

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

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MyBookie Odds for the Games

 

 

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While we have had some football this preseason, with the Las Vegas Raiders making short work of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 2nd week of the preseason will have a full slate of games for you to enjoy. Now, we are going to take a look at some potential picks for the upcoming games this weekend, but it should be noted that these are really little more than speculation and some guessing, as we really don’t know who will be on the field and for how long. Sure, we can look at team depth and the QBs for each team, but this weekend is likely to be sloppy and pretty far removed from what we will see in the regular season. Still, let’s see if we can put together some winning NFL Preseason Betting Picks.

Parlay Picks for NFL Preseason Week 2 Games

SU Parlay – Steelers, Ravens, Raiders

We have ourselves a legitimate QB battle in Pittsburgh, so you are going to have all the potential starters probably seeing some time on the field. They are all going to want to impress, which makes the Steelers a good pick over the Seahawks.

The Baltimore Ravens open up their preseason at home against the Tennessee Titans in what should be an entertaining matchup. The Ravens will be looking to wash out the bad taste of last season by getting a win.

The Las Vegas Raiders have had the benefit of game time already after winning in the Hall of Fame Game, which should give them a bit of a leg up on the Minnesota Vikings in the lone Sunday game.

ATS Parlay – Patriots (+2), Lions (+2 ½), Broncos (-2 ½)

The point spreads in preseason games are usually close, mostly because we have no idea who will be on the field. That said, there are a couple of underdogs that I like here, starting with the New England Patriots versus the New York Giants.

The Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons are both likely to be near the bottom of the pack when this season is said and done, but I actually think the Lions might be a little better, which is why I am taking them as a slight underdog.

I’m not sure that we’ll see much of Russell Wilson for the Denver Broncos, but with new owners in place in the Mile High City, the players that do play are going to want to impress, which is why I have Denver over Dallas.

O/U Parlay – Browns (U33), Packers (O32 ½), Colts (O34)

We don’t generally expect a ton of offense in the early part of the preseason, so the totals tend to be low. The Browns and Jaguars will hook up this weekend and I don’t see there being a lot of offense here.

Given that it looks like Trey Lance is getting the QB job in San Francisco, chances are he might see some playing time. I think he and Jordan Love of the Packers might put on a bit of a show, hence the OVER.

If there is a chance of watching a game that could turn into a shootout this early in the preseason, I think it will be the one between the Colts and the Bills. There is enough talent on both sides for point to hit the board in a big way.

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

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MyBookie Betting Lines for the bout

 

 

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If you’re an NFL betting enthusiast that is looking to cash in on some Week 2 preseason betting action, then you’ve undoubtedly come to the right place MyBookie gridiron gamers. Thanks to the trio of Week 2 picks you’re about to get on three teams that all have the look of ‘sure winners’ this week, you’re going to have a great chance to cash in with a winning wager, a whopping three times.

Now, let’s get started.

2018 NFL Preseason Week 2 Sure Winners

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) at Green Bay (1-0)

When: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 8:00 PM ET
Where: Lambeau Field
NFL Odds: Green Bay Packers -2.5 (Total 37.5)

The Steelers jumped all over Philadelphia in their 31-14 Week 1 preseason smackdown last week and while the Green Bay Packers also got the win in their scrimmage season opener by beating Tennessee 31-17, the pick for this Week 2 pairing looks like a virtual lock to me.

Pittsburgh has a great situation at backup quarterback where second-year signal-caller Joshua Dobbs, rookie Mason Rudolph, and veteran Landry Jones are all in a three-way battle for two spots. Green Bay is looking to either Brett Hundley, second-year quarterback DeShone Kizer or Tim Boyle to be the backup to Aaron Rodgers, but I’m not really impressed with any of the Packers reserve quarterbacks.

While Green Bay has won six straight preseason games at home while covering the chalk each time, Pittsburgh has won three consecutive preseason games on the road and four of their last five overall while covering the spread in each victory. I’m going with Pittsburgh to get the road win simply because they have the better set of backup quarterbacks and you should too.

Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers +2.5

New York Jets (1-0) at Washington Redskins (0-1)

When: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 8:00 PM ET
Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
NFL Odds: Washington Redskins -2 (Total 37)

The Jets spanked Atlanta 17-0 in their preseason opener because of the eye-opening play of quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and first-round draft pick Sam Darnold. Bridgewater was on point by completing 7 of 8 passes for 85 yards and one touchdown while Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft, looked like a guy ready to play now in completing 13 of 18 passes for 96 yards and one score.

Washington couldn’t hold on to a 10-0 first-quarter lead over New England in their preseason opener en route to a 26-17 road loss in their scrimmage opener on Thursday. Veteran backup Colt McCoy was solid in completing 13 of 18 passes for 189 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while third-stringer Kevin Hogan also looked good while going 7 of 9 passes for 44 yards. Unfortunately, Washington got some bad news in this contest as they lost rookie running back Derrius Guice for the season to a torn ACL.

I like Washington’s Colt McCoy and former Stanford signal-caller Kevin Hogan, but for me, the New York Jets are the easy pick in this one because of their ‘three-headed monster’ situation at quarterback. Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, and Josh McCown all have great reasons to play well for the remainder of the preseason as each quarterback wants to earn the starting job for New York’s regular-season opener. Simply put, the New York Jets are the pick to win and cover the chalk!

Pick: New York Jets +2

Philadelphia Eagles (0-1) at New England Patriots (1-0)

When: Thursday, August 16, 2018, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
NFL Odds: New England Patriots -2 (Total 40.5)

The Eagles got smacked around in their humbling 31-14 loss to Pittsburgh in their preseason opener as both, starting quarterback Carson Wentz and Super Bowl-winning backup Nick Foles both sat out. Third-string signal-caller Nate Sudfeld completed an efficient 10 of 14 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns but also tossed two costly interceptions. Fourth-string hopeful Joe Callahan completed 8 of 18 passes for 91 yards in the loss. Hometown Super Bowl star, second-year running back Corey Clement led the Birds with 30 rushing yards on five carries while Shelton Gibson and Dallas Goedert added touchdown catches in the loss.

The Patriots overcame a 10-point first quarter deficit to beat Washington 26-17 in their preseason opener as backup quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and Danny Etling combined to go 18-for-28 for 161 passing yards. New England’s ground game led the way to victory with veteran running back Jeremy Hill picking up a team-high 51 rushing yards and one touchdown while fellow running back Ralph Webb added 46 rushing yards and two scores on 14 carries.

With the Eagles almost certain to sit Carson Wentz again and Nick Foles probably playing part-time, I’m going with the New England Patriots to get the win and cover the chalk. The Pats probably would like to get some retribution for their Super Bowl loss to the Birds and they’ve got the best quarterback once you get past Brady, Wentz, and Foles.

Pick: New England Patriots -2

 

 

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The opening week of the preseason delivered a few surprises, as well as some solid performances by the newest batch of rookies. The 2018 NFL Preseason Week 2 will kick off with a trio of games on Thursday night, starting out with a match-up that is very familiar.

2018 NFL Preseason Week 2 Betting Preview

Steelers at Packers 2018 NFL Preseason Week 2 Odds & Pick

Thursday, August 16th

The opening game of Week 2 sees a rematch of Super Bowl 52, with the Eagles and Patriots going head to head in Foxboro. Another great match-up on Thursday sees the Steelers head to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers. Both these teams won big in Week 1.

Finally, on Thursday we have the Jets on the road at the Reskins, with Washington seeing their preseason get off to a horrific start with the loss of rookie RB Derrius Guice for the year with a knee injury.

Friday, August 17th

The Chiefs lost their opener and will hit the road to face a Falcons team that was blanked by the Jets in week 1. The New York Giants look to have a winner on their hand with rookie RB Saquon Barkley, pick No. 2 in the 2018 NFL Draft, who will get the chance to shine again with a visit to the Detroit Lions. The Cleveland Browns looked to be for real in their opener, as it looks as though they have a pair of capable QB’s on board. They will try to keep the good times rolling when the Buffalo Bills come to town.

The Dolphins lost their preseason opener and will have another tough one this week when they visit the Carolina Panthers. The Arizona Cardinals were one of the surprise winners in Week 1 of the preseason, but things should get tougher this week with a trip to New Orleans to face the Saints.

Saturday, August 18th

A really good match-up on Saturday, with the Jaguars and Vikings going head to head in Minnesota. The Vikings looked great in Week 1, racking up 42 points. The Raiders will be on the road in LA to face a Rams team that was not particularly convincing in their opener. The Cowboys will have their preseason home opener against the Bengals and will be looking to bounce back from a loss in their opening game. The Buccaneers will be happy with their win to start the preseason, while the Titans will look to bounce back from a real beating in Green Bay.

Another good match-up on tap, with the 49ers and Texans going head to head. These two are considered to be dark horses coming into the regular season. The Denver Broncos were pounded by the Vikings in their opener, and it’s fair to suggest that their QB situation looks grim. Next up for the Broncos are the Chicago Bears. A poor start to the preseason for the Chargers and Seahawks, although both teams will have a shot at feeling a little better about things when they meet on Saturday night.

Monday, August 20th

The Monday night game will give us a chance to see Andrew Luck back in action for the Colts. He looked good in his first game back from injury and should see some playing time against the Ravens. Baltimore has to feel good about their performance in Week 1 of the preseason, where they scored 33 points.

 

 

Previous Betting News

Chargers rookie wide receiver Mike Williams recently ran on a field for the first time since suffering a back injury in May that led the team to announce he would be on the sideline for most or all of training camp and invited speculation about whether he’d be able to play at all this season. You can forget Williams being ready for Week 1 but the team thinks he will be good to go come October. Here are two NFL preseason picks I recommend this week, along with the latest preseason odds & lines from MyBookie.

Examining NFL Preseason Week 2 Bet-On Teams

Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals

When: Saturday, Aug. 19, 7 PM ET Where: Paul Brown Stadium TV: Local only (NFL Network replay) Radio: 101 The FOX (Kansas) / WCKY-AM ESPN 1530 (Cincinnati) Opening NFL Preseason Lines: Bengals -1.5 (40)

Chiefs Have Moved Up Mahomes

Kansas City lost its preseason opener 27-17 at home to San Francisco. First-round draft pick Patrick Mahomes II led the Chiefs to a third-quarter touchdown, and outplayed veteran backup Tyler Bray. The Chiefs already saw enough and had moved Mahomes up to No.2 on the depth chart. Starting QB Alex Smith was 4-for- 6 for 48 yards in his only series.

All-Pro S Eric Berry (heel) did not suit up. He was joined on the sideline by DE Chris Jones, LB Tamba Hali, NT Bennie Logan and TE Travis Kelce, all with various knee injuries. It’s not clear if they will go here. Kelce is back at practice but the Chiefs may play it safe by keeping him out again against the Bengals.

Kelce is coming off a career-best 1,125 receiving yards in 2016. Jones will probably be brought along slowly after undergoing a knee scope last month, but he should be ready well in advance of Week 1. The 23-year-old earned PFF’s No. 7 grade out of 51 qualifiers at 3-4 defensive end last season.

Winning SU Picks NFL Preseason Week 2

Bengals Start Strong

Cincinnati beat Tampa Bay 23-12 in its preseason opener. Bengals QB Andy Dalton had his full complement of receivers — A.J. Green and tight end Tyler Eifert have returned from significant injuries last season — and moved the offense smoothly on Cincinnati’s opening drive before making a bad decision.

Vernon Hargreaves III anticipated Dalton’s sideline throw and picked off a pass at the 1-yard line. That would be Dalton’s only series. He was 4-for-5 for 38 yards. Green, who missed the last half of last season with a hamstring injury, had a pair of catches for 21 yards.

RB Giovani Bernard was held out along with first-round pick WR John Ross, who is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Bernard has fully practiced in camp while recovering from ACL surgery midway through last season. Ross (shoulder) took part in full-squad drills for the first time in training camp Monday. The No. 7 overall pick in April’s draft missed the first two-plus weeks of training camp after sitting out all of spring practices. Indications are Brandon LaFell and Tyler Boyd will likely open the season ahead of Ross on the depth chart.

Controversial rookie RB Joe Mixon played one half, rushing six times for 31 yards and catching a pass for 11 yards. Mixon was a center of controversy leading up to the draft because of a 2014 incident in which he punched a woman. Mixon accepted a plea deal in the criminal case stemming from the incident.

NY Jets at Detroit Lions

When: Saturday, Aug. 19, 7:30 PM ET Where: Ford Field, Detroit TV: Local only (NFL Network replay) Radio: ESPN New York 98.7 FM (NY) / 760 AM WJR  (Detroit) Stream Option: NFL Live Opening NFL Lines: Lions -5 (38)

Which Jets QB Starts?

The Jets have a quarterback battle ongoing in camp. Or do they? In their preseason opener, the Jets won 7-3 at home over Tennessee in by far the ugliest game of them all. Journeyman veteran Josh McCown got the start for New York. He was 3 of 4 for 72 yards and a touchdown in his one series, which was enough for the win because the Jets defense had eight sacks. Christian Hackenberg, a second-round pick in 2016, took over for McCown and played until late in the third quarter. Hackenberg was 18 of 25 for 127 yards. Bryce Petty, a fourth-round pick in 2015, finished up and was 2 of 6 for 16 yards.

Most everyone believes McCown wins this job but Coach Todd Bowles could opt to start Hackenberg in this game just to play with the other starters. Every time Hackenberg came to the sideline Saturday, McCown was there alongside quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates to help him through. The mentor role is not new to McCown, who was asked to do the same thing in Tampa Bay and Cleveland with Mike Glennon and Johnny Manziel.

Starting RB Matt Forte (hamstring) has continued to miss time at Jets camp with a hamstring injury. It’s possible Forte is simply resting himself on a going-nowhere team or his body is simply breaking down. He battled knee problems last season and turns 32 this December. Fellow RB Bilal Powell (neck) remains sidelined at Jets camp.

Lions Look For 2-0

Detroit won at Indianapolis 24-10 in Week 1. Backup QB Jake Rudock looked good. The second-year quarterback played most of the first 2 1/2 quarters and wound up 13 of 21 for 142 yards and two touchdowns to Kenny Golladay. Starting QB Matthew Stafford played one series, going 2 of 3 for 36 yards and left after throwing an interception.

Defensive end Kerry Hyder Jr. did not return after being carted off the field with a lower left leg injury in the first quarter. Coach Jim Caldwell called the Achilles injury Hyder suffered “significant.” He could be done for the year. That would be a massive blow for the Lions and a defensive line that has already been dealing with injuries (Ezekiel Ansah, Cornelius Washington) and suspensions (Armonty Bryant, Khyri Thornton) to starters and key contributors. Hyder led the team with eight sacks last year.

Expert NFL Preseason Week 2 Predictions

I wouldn’t bet on the Jets much if at all this season. They are horrible. Take Detroit to cover that number as well as Cincinnati to do the same. It’s going to be an interesting week in the NFL Preseason, so have fun!

 

 

Previous Betting News

Will Mitch Trubisky put on another good performance in NFL Preseason Week 2 against Arizona to give the Chicago Bears’ front office something to think about before the start of the regular season? Will Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise signal-caller Jameis Winston give Jacksonville counterpart Blake Bortles a lesson in how to actually play the quarterback position?

Last but not least, will the Seattle Seahawks be able to hold down the fort at home against a head coach in Minnesota’s Mike Zimmer that takes the preseason as seriously as he does the regular season? You’re about to find out the answer to all three questions as I offer up my trio of expert winning ATS picks and NFL betting odds for Week 2 of the preseason.

Analyzing the NFL Preseason Week 2 Winning ATS Betting Picks

Chicago Bears (3-13) at Arizona Cardinals (7-8-1)

When: NFL Saturday, August 19 at 10:00 PM ET
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium
TV: NFL Network
Radio: Sirius XM Radio
Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
NFL Preseason Odds: Arizona Cardinals
-3½ (-105)

Analysis: The Chicago Bears were on the wrong end of a 24-17 Week 1 loss against Denver in their scrimmage opener, but got a really good effort out of their rookie signal-caller as Mitch Trubisky completed 18 of 25 passes for 166 yards and one touchdown. The Arizona Cardinals picked up a solid 20-10 win over the Oakland Raiders in their opener as starter Carson Palmer and veteran backup quarterback Drew Stanton both tossed one TD pass apiece.

For this Week 2 pairing, I’m going to urge you to back the Cardinals to get their second straight win as Palmer and Stanton combine again to outplay Trubisky and Chicago’s ‘other’ quarterbacks, including starter Mike Glennon and veteran backup Mark Sanchez.

The Cardinals also apparently found another gifted running back on their roster in the form of rookie Elijhaa Penny and have plenty to play for as they look to get back in the playoffs after having their two-year run snapped last season. Chicago is just 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games and 2-5 ATS in their last seven games against Arizona while the Cardinals have gone 9-4 ATS in their last 13 Saturday games. Arizona gets the outright win and ATS cover.

NFL Preseason Pick: Arizona 27 Chicago 17

Preseason NFL Week 2 Updated Losing Picks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13)

When: NFL Saturday, August 19 at 8:00 PM ET
Where: EverBank Field
TV: NFL Network
Radio: Sirius XM Radio
Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
NFL Preseason Odds: Jacksonville Jaguars -1½ (-110)

Analysis: Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be looking to bounce back from their humbling 23-12 Week 1 preseason loss against Cincinnati while Blake Bortles and the Jacksonville Jaguars look to build on their surprising 31-24 Week 1 win over New England.

The Jags got touchdown passes from backups Chad Henne and Brandon Allen and rushing scores from first round draft pick Leonard Fournette and fellow running back Corey Grant to beat the Pats while Tampa Bay got some uninspiring lay from backup Ryan Fitzgerald while allowing Cincinnati backup Jeff Driskel to throw one TD pass and rush for another.

While the Jags looked really good in winning their opener and Tampa Bay most certainly did not, I’m thinking the Bucs will be a bit more desperate to get the W in Week 2 than they were in their opener. It certainly doesn’t bode well for the Bears that Trubisky looked like their best quarterback last week even though he’s scheduled to sit behind Glennon for the vast majority of his rookie season if not the entirety of it. Tampa Bay is 5-1 ATS in their last six road games while Jacksonville is just 1-4 ATS in their last five home games. The Buccaneers win by a touchdown while Jameis Winston shows Blake Bortles a thing or two about playing quarterback.

NFL Preseason Pick: Tampa Bay 27 Jacksonville 21

Minnesota Vikings (8-8) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1)

When: NFL Friday, August 18 at 10:00 PM ETWhere: CenturyLink Field, 10:00 PM ETTV: NFL Network Radio: Sirius XM Radio Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Preseason Odds: Seattle Seahawks -3 (-110)

Analysis: Minnesota man-handled Buffalo in their 17-10 Week 1 preseason win last week while Seattle rolled all over the Chargers in their 48-17 scrimmage opener.  With a near-perfect 13-1 record, it’s clear that Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer takes his preseason games as seriously as the regular season, but Seattle’s Pete Carroll isn’t far off with a 19-10 career mark in the preseason.

Still, for this Week 2 NFC clash, I’m going to advise you to back the Seahawks for the same reason they won in Week 1, backup Trevone Boykin is a really gifted player, even if he hasn’t seen a lot of action since the Seahawks took a flyer on him as an undrafted free agent a year ago. The Vikings are just 1-5 ATS in their last six road games while Seattle has gone a polar opposite 5-1 ATS in their last six home dates. This one should be a thriller people!

NFL Preseason Pick: Seattle 23 Minnesota 21

 

 

Previous Betting News

The San Francisco 49ers aren’t going to be any good this season, but they will make history. That’s because they are reportedly retaining the NFL’s first female coach, Katie Sowers, for the regular season. Though the specifics of her new job are unknown, Sowers did work with the 49ers’ receivers during the summer. She played professional football, functioned as an adviser for USA Football, and was general manager of the Kansas City Titans of the Women’s Football Alliance. It’s a bit to early to get the latest preseason odds & lines for Week 2, but here are two teams I’d bet against in this week’s NFL preseason action.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Updated Losing Picks

You Again?

The Patriots have to tired of seeing and beating the Texans. They beat them in the 2015 regular season, last regular season and in the divisional-round of last year’s playoffs. And they play again this regular season. So I’m not really sure why the teams chose to have a preseason game against one another. You probably won’t see much of any starters.

The Pats opened the preseason with a 31-24 home loss to Jacksonville last Thursday. Tom Brady sat out and backup Jimmy Garoppolo completed 22 of 28 for 235 yards and two TDs. Unless Brady gets injured, these exhibition games are probably Garoppolo’s only chance before he is eligible for free agency at the end of the season to show other teams he can play. Rob Gronwkowski missed the game and isn’t likely to play here. If Brady does, it might only be a series.

Dion Lewis started and played into the second quarter of New England’s preseason opener, rushing seven times for 32 yards. He added four receptions for 23 yards. Lewis’ extensive playing time was a bit surprising considering his injury history. It could be an indication he’s fighting for his spot on the 53-man roster. After further review, the Pats had a league-high 40 players who didn’t play in Thursday’s first exhibition game. Bill Belichick explained that three days of joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars leading into the game was a big part of his thinking.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Sure Losers

Watson Shines In Debut

Houston opened the preseason with a 27-17 loss in Carolina but it was a great NFL debut for rookie QB Deshaun Watson, who is trying to steal the starting job of Tom Savage. Watson completed 15 of 25 passes for 179 yards and ran for a score.

Savage went three-and- out on his first two possessions against Carolina’s first-team defense. Savage had better luck with Carolina’s starters out of the game, completing 8 of 8 passes for 67 yards on his final drive capped by a 16-yard TD run by Alfred Blue.

“I thought both of those guys had their moments where they were really playing well,” Coach Bill O’Brien said of his QBs. “To me, it was a typical first preseason game. There was some good, some not so good [and] a lot to build on.”

D’Onta Foreman rushed nine times for 76 yards in the Texans’ preseason opener, adding two catches for six yards. Foreman worked as the third-team back behind Lamar Miller and Blue, sharing second-half snaps with Akeem Hunt. The Texans and Patriots will practice together Tuesday and Wednesday this week in West Virginia.

NFL Preseason Betting Trends

Bears Add Aguayo

On Sunday, the Bears claimed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Roberto Aguayo off waivers. The 2016 second-round bust was waived by the Buccaneers on Saturday after his rocky start to the preseason. Aguayo missed an extra point in the second quarter of a 23-12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday night. He was then brought out late in the fourth quarter for a 47-yard field goal attempt, which went wide right. He made one field goal, a 20-yard kick on the Bucs’ opening possession.

Aguayo will compete with Bears kicker Connor Barth — who, incidentally, was released by Tampa Bay in May 2016 after the team drafted Aguayo. Barth went 18-of- 23 on field goal attempts and 31-for-31 on extra points for the Bears in 2016.

The Bears are a bit thin at receiver right now. Markus Wheaton has a broken finger on his left hand. He already missed two weeks of camp after an appendectomy. The Bears also placed WR Reuben Randle (hamstring) on injured reserve, ending his season.

One of the big stories of the first week of the preseason was Bears rookie QB Mitchell Trubisky’s performance in a loss to Denver. Trubisky completed 18-of-25 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown. Bears fans already want him to start over Mike Glennon, but that’s not going to happen. Glennon completed 2-of- 8 passes for 20 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception in the loss against the Broncos. The pick was returned for a TD. If he’s not way better in this game, the calls for Trubisky are really going to intensify.

Third Game For Cardinals

You might see more starters play this week for Arizona over Chicago as it’s the Cardinals’ third preseason game. They are 1-1, losing in the Hall of Fame Game to Dallas and then beating visiting Oakland 20-10 over the weekend. Arizona dominated the game in the first half, building a 17-3 lead. Carson Palmer threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Brittan Golden to cap his brief preseason debut. Drew Stanton, Palmer’s backup for the past four seasons, completed 11 of 15 passes for 112 yards, including a 7-yard TD pass to tight end Troy Niklas.

Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said he doesn’t normally take points off the board like he did in the first quarter when he accepted an illegal formation penalty on the Raiders after kicker Phil Dawson hit a 33-yard field goal. Arizona got the ball back at the Raiders 10 and scored three plays later. Asked if he would do it again during the regular season, Arians said if the offense was playing that well, he “probably” would.

The only injuries from Saturday’s game were to TE Ricky Seals-Jones (ankle) and receiver Brittan Golden (groin). Arians doesn’t expect either to miss much time.

NFL Preseason Betting Trends

Bears are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
Bears are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 road games.
Cardinals are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 Saturday games.
Cardinals are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall.

Expert NFL Preseason Week 2 Predictions

I like the Patriots in Houston simply because Garoppolo is so darn good. Take Arizona as Bears rookie Trubisky likely will struggle in his first road outing.

 

 

Previous Betting News

Interesting news out of Kansas City as the team already has promoted rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes from No. 3 on the depth chart to No. 2 behind Alex Smith. The Chiefs still don’t want to play Mahomes at all this year, but obviously now he’s just an injury away from doing so.  Although the latest preseason odds for Week 2 aren’t out yet, here are two picks for this weekend’s NFL preseason action.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Updated Winning Picks

No Luck Again

The Colts lost their preseason opener 24-10 at home to Detroit without starting QB Andrew Luck and he’s not playing this one, either. You aren’t going to see him at all this preseason and there are whispers he might not be ready for the regular season off shoulder surgery. The Colts are denying that. Well, the coaches were denying it. Owner Jim Irsay has hedged a bit.

“I don’t want to act that it is a foregone conclusion that he’s not going to be starting out there [against the Rams],” Irsay said Sunday. “I mean, he could but also could not. We don’t see an extended delay, but we’re not going to put a timetable on it. We will not put any pressure on this decision.”

Luck’s backup is Scott Tolzien and he completed 2-of- 5 passes for 24 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions Sunday in the Colts’ preseason loss to the Lions. Tolzien was mostly off the mark, only completing a four-yard screen to Jack Doyle and a 20-yard strike over the middle to Brandon Williams. Also missing Sunday’s game were center Ryan Kelly (foot), guard Joe Haeg (burner), safety Clayton Geathers (neck), linebacker Jon Bostic (finger), linebacker Antonio Morrison (groin) and receiver Phillip Dorsett (hamstring).

NFL Preseason Week 2 Sure Winners

Cowboys in 3rd Game

Because Dallas played in the Hall of Fame Game, this is the Cowboys’ third preseason game. That should mean the starters play here. The team is 1-1, winning the HOF Game 20-18 over Arizona and then losing Saturday at the Rams, 13-10.

Dak Prescott, Dez Bryant and Ezekiel Elliott were among several starters sitting out for the Cowboys vs. the Rams, who didn’t manage a first down until the second quarter and got just nine first downs all game. Elliott was given a six-game suspension by the NFL on Friday for injuring his girlfriend in July 2016. But that doesn’t affect his preseason status.

Darren McFadden rushed six times for 28 yards in Saturday’s preseason game against the Rams, adding a five-yard reception. He likely will be the team’s starter in the games Elliott misses.

NFL Preseason Betting Trends

Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins

Will Rodgers Play?

Green Bay won its preseason opener 24-9 over the Eagles playing without star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It’s not clear if Rodgers will play here; if he does, it surely won’t be much. Brett Hundley started vs. Philly and finished 8 of 15 for 90 yards before sitting out the second half.

The Packers got some bad news, though, as cornerback Damarious Randall suffered a concussion so you won’t see him here. It’s an unfortunate start for a player who missed six games last season because of a groin injury. Penciled in as a starter for 2017, Randall will be replaced in the meantime by rookie Kevin King. The injury occurred Thursday night, when Philadelphia Eagles receiver Bryce Treggs delivered a blow to his head. Meanwhile, guard Don Barclay left the game with an ankle injury.

The running game really struggled vs. the Eagles. The starter, Ty Montgomery, carried the ball three times for zero yards (minus-3, plus-5 and minus-2), and fumbled on the 5-yard gain. The top rookie, fourth-round pick Jamaal Williams, carried four times for 14 yards with a long gain of 5. Fifth-round pick Aaron Jones, earned two carries for zero yards. The starting offensive line played only the first quarter, so that could be partly why.

Redskins Need Improvement

Washington played a terrible preseason opener, losing 23-3 in Baltimore. Starting quarterback Kirk Cousins went three-and- out on his two possessions, completing 1 of 2 passes. Washington managed only 47 yards on 27 plays while falling behind 13-0 at halftime. “It was a good wake-up call for us. We need to play better,” Cousins said.

To make matters worse, linebacker Trent Murphy tore his ACL and MCL. Murphy, who notched a career-high nine sacks in 2016, will miss the season. He already was suspended for the first four games because he violated the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. By league rules, Murphy can serve the suspension while on injured reserve, so he will be clear to return for Week 1 of the 2018 season.

Safety Cravens, expected to start at strong safety, will miss two or three weeks after suffering a knee injury vs. the Ravens. Cravens has a history of knee issues. WR Josh Doctson (hamstring) is expected to miss another 4-5 days of camp. He’s been out since August 6. Doctson will likely miss the Redskins’ next preseason game.

NFL Preseason Betting Trends

Redskins are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games overall.
Home team is 3-1- 1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Expert NFL Preseason Week 2 Predictions

No Luck for sure so back the Cowboys. Perhaps no Rodgers so also lean Washington.

 

 

Previous Betting News

The first week of the NFL preseason is in the books, and we saw some rather surprising results in those games. We say surprising, but the reality is that it’s tough to really know what to expect from these games, as we get to see a lot of players who are destined to be cut over the next few weeks. Week 2 of the NFL preseason may see some more playing time for the starters, but still not very much. I will be trying to keep that in mind when making my selections for the upcoming round of betting odds for the preseason.

Analyzing the NFL Preseason Week 2 Top Predictions and Winning Favorites

Baltimore Ravens over Miami Dolphins

Both of these teams got their NFL preseason off to a winning start. The Ravens easily handled the Washington Redskins 23-3, while the Dolphins had a surprising 23-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The big news in this game will be the arrival of Jay Cutler at QB for the Dolphins after Ryan Tannehill went down for the season with an injury. Tough to say how much time Cutler will get, but you would have to imagine that they will want to get him as many reps as possible. Look for the Ravens D to take advantage of Cutler’s rustiness.

BALTIMORE RAVENS TEAM STATISTICS

Seattle Seahawks over Minnesota Vikings

The Seahawks are almost certainly going to be one of the Super Bowl favorites this season, and they gave a hint of their potential depth with an impressive 48-17 win over the Chargers in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. The Vikings also got off to a winning start, beating the Buffalo Bills in a 17-10 defensive battle that wasn’t really a surprise to anyone. I like the Seahawks to win this one quite comfortably, although I don’t see them racking up huge points this week.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS TEAM STATISTICS

Green Bay Packers over Washington Redskins

The Redskins offense did not look particularly good in their preseason opener against the Ravens, and it’s tough to imagine that they are going to be any better versus the Packers, even with the game being at home. Green Bay were efficient in all areas of their game in their opener, a comfortable 24-9 win over the Eagles. It’s never easy to go on the road and win, but I think the Packers will be just too much for the Redskins in this one.

GREEN BAY PACKERS TEAM STATISTICS

Average Score Against 23.94

Carolina Panthers over Tennessee Titans

When you are looking to have a bounce back season, you want to get back to the habit of winning as early as possible, which means having a solid preseason. The Carolina Panthers definitely fall into that category, and they will be pleased with their performance in Week 1 of the NFL preseason, where they put together a solid 27-17 win over the Houston Texans. Things did not go well at all for the Titans in their preseason opener, falling 7-3 to the Jets in a game where their O-line was harshly victimized by the New York D. They will need to improve greatly against the Panthers, which I don’t see happening.

CAROLINA PANTHERS TEAM STATISTICS

Pittsburgh Steelers over Atlanta Falcons

This is arguably the best match-up in Week 2 of the NFL preseason, as there are a lot of folks out there who believe that this could well be a potential Super Bowl preview. T.J. Watt looked like the real deal in his first NFL action, delivering a pair of sacks for the Steelers, and looking like a handful in every single play.

The Falcons stumbled out of the gate with a 23-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins in their preseason opener, but no real reason to worry. That said, I think they will come up a little short again this week at Heinz Field.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS TEAM STATISTICS

New Orleans Saints and LA Chargers (OVER)

Let’s close out the picks for week 2 of the NFL preseason with an OVER pick. The Chargers were sloppy on defense, giving up 48 points to the Seahawks in their opener, while the Saints were unable to stop the Cleveland Brown. While the defenses of these two teams may get better in Week 2, I don’t think it will be enough of an improvement to prevent the OVER.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS TEAM STATISTICS

 

 

Previous Betting News

Do we really have to keep talking about what NFL players do during the national anthem? Apparently so, as the nation is all caught up in the fact that Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch didn’t stand for the anthem before his team’s first preseason game. Most believe that Colin Kaepernick has been blackballed by the league because he didn’t stand for the anthem during games last season. Here are two interesting NFL preseason games this week. The NFL Odds for Week 2 of the Preseason are not available yet, but it’s never too early to gear up for the week.

Must Bet Games for NFL Preseason Week 2

Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

Vikings Look For 2-0

Minnesota opened the preseason last Thursday in Buffalo and won 17-10. Taking over for starting Sam Bradford, backup Case Keenum went 11 of 16 for 121 yards for the Vikes. The sixth-year player engineered a pair of scoring drives — both set up by passes to rookie receiver Stacy Coley. The Vikings signed Keenum in April as insurance with Teddy Bridgewater still recovering from a serious left knee injury sustained a year ago. That cost Bridgewater the entire season.

Running back Dalvin Cook finished with five carries for 13 yards and had four catches for 40 yards in accounting for nearly half of the 127 yards Minnesota gained in the first two quarters. Cook is my early-season choice for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He might win the starting job because Latavius Murray is hurt and didn’t play vs. Buffalo. He probably won’t here, either. Murray is working his way back from offseason ankle surgery.

Cook already has shown chemistry with Bradford with those four catches. “I think he’s going to be a valuable asset, not only in the run game, but I think we’re going to be able to utilize him in the pass game,” said Bradford.

Minnesota lost running back Bishop Sankey in the game to a torn ACL and his season is over. The former Titans second-rounder never played to his college measurables in the pros. Sankey had been trying to hang on as a third- or fourth-stringer on the Vikings. Meanwhile, second-year WR Laquon Treadwell (thigh) returned to practice on Saturday. He sat out Thursday’s game after getting injured in a practice fight last week. He’s on track to play in the Vikings’ second preseason game.

Seahawks On Short Rest

Seattle opened the preseason Sunday night at the LA Chargers with a 48-17 win so obviously will be on short rest here. Top WR Doug Baldwin missed the game. Coach Pete Carroll said that Baldwin has a strained upper foot and is going to be fine. Carroll said that Baldwin could have played Sunday if the Seahawks had a regular season game. So Baldwin might be able to go here.

Seattle signed former Packer Eddie Lacy this offseason and it was presumed he’d be the starter. But news out of Seattle camp is that Thomas Rawls appears to be the clear No. 1 back right now. I still think Lacy will be the guy come Week 1 but Rawls certainly will see carries. Seattle leads the NFL with 13,144 rushing yards since 2011 but a lot of that was with Lynch as the guy. He came out of retirement and was traded to Oakland this offseason.

NFL Preseason Betting Trends

Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Vikings are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Seattle.

Carolina Panthers at Tennessee Titans

Panthers’ McCaffrey Already Starring

If the Vikings’ Cook doesn’t win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award this year, then I’d be willing to venture that Carolina running back Christian McCaffrey does. In camp, McCaffrey has lined up at tailback in the I-formation, next to the quarterback in the shotgun, as a slot receiver, a wide receiver and behind the center in the wildcat formation. Even coach Ron Rivera said the 5-foot- 11, 205-pound dynamo was ahead of where most rookies are.

Here’s what running back and teammate Jonathan Stewart had to say about his competition: “He’s pretty unstoppable as far as coming out of the backfield and running routes. I can tell you now there’s not going to be anybody in this league that can cover him one-on- one. He’s a special player."

McCaffrey had 33 yards in seven carries in his preseason debut last week, a 27-17 win over Houston. Wide receiver Damiere Byrd, considered a fringe roster player, did nothing to hurt his chances by hauling touchdown passes of 50 and 8 yards from Joe Webb.

The Panthers played without Cam Newton and he might not play a down all preseason. Newton had surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder on March 30. He threw with the team for the first time on the first day of training camp on July 26.

Titans Lose Ugly

It’s a good thing preseason games mean squat because the Titans looked awful in a 7-3 loss at the Jets. Starting quarterback Marcus Mariota, who like Newton won a Heisman Trophy in college, played for the first time since breaking his leg last Christmas Eve. He played two series vs. the Jets and finished 2 of 3 for 15 yards. Titans running back Derrick Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner, had eight carries for 29 yards.

Running back DeMarco Murray (hamstring), wide receivers Corey Davis (hamstring) and Mekale McKay, cornerback Demontre Hurst, defensive lineman Karl Klug (ankle) all sat out. Their status for this week is unclear, although Davis won’t play. He was the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft but is dealing with a hamstring injury.

NFL Preseason Betting Trends

Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Road team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Expert NFL Preseason Week 2 Predictions

Unless there’s a good reason not to, you generally want to pick the home teams in preseason games. Do so both games here.

 

 

Previous Betting News

Will Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions embarrass the rebuilding New York Jets when they meet in the Motor City for their NFL preseason Week 2 clash? Should the San Francisco 49ers have a medic on hand when they host the Denver Broncos and their overpowering defense?

Should the lowly Chicago Bears even make the trip out west to face an Arizona Cardinals team looking to get back in the playoffs this year? Last but not least, will the rebuilding Cleveland Browns get man-handled when they host Eli Manning and the New York Giants in their second scrimmage game of the preseason?

If you’re looking for teams that are almost guaranteed to fall in their second preseason games, then look no further! Although we don’t have the latest Preseason betting odds up just yet, I’ve got a quartet of Week 2 picks that highlight four teams that all look like they’re destined to fall to their superior opponents.  Let’s get to it!

In Depth Analysis on the NFL Preseason Week 2 Sure Losers

Saturday, August 19

New York Jets (5-11) at Detroit Lions (9-7)

When: Saturday, August 19, 7:30 PM Where: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan TV Info: NFL Network Radio: Sirius XM Radio Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Preseason Week 2 Odds: TBA

Analysis: The New York Jets are a mess at the quarterback position where no one really knows whether Christian Hackenberg, Bryce Petty or Josh McCown will be the starter. The Detroit Lions have two promising backups to turn to after Matthew Stafford departs in Jake Rudock and Brad Kaaya. More importantly, the Jets are just 205 ATS in their last seven road games while the Lions have compiled a polar opposite 5-2 ATS mark in their last seven home games. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know the J-E-T-S are going D-O-W-N!

NFL Preseason Week 2 Pick: Detroit 27 NY Jets 21

Denver Broncos (9-7) at San Francisco 49ers (2-14)

When: Saturday, August 19, 10:00 PM Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California TV Info: NFL Network Radio: Sirius XM Radio Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Preseason Week 2 Odds: TBA

Analysis: I really like the Denver Broncos this preseason as their two prospective starting quarterbacks, Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch battle it out for the No. 1 spot. Denver has a really elite defense and I expect a high level of play on that side of the ball, even out of their backups while the San Francisco 49ers watch their trio of quarterbacks, Brian Hoyer, Matt Barkley and C.J. Beathard get harassed into a few turnovers. Denver is a robust 9-3 ATS in their last dozen Saturday games while the Niners are 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games. Denver wins with ease!

NFL Preseason Week 2 Pick: Denver 31 San Francisco 17

Chicago Bears (3-13) at Arizona Cardinals (7-8-1)

When: Saturday, August 19, 10:00 PM Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona TV Info: NFL Network Radio: Sirius XM Radio Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Preseason Week 2 Odds: TBA

Analysis: The Chicago Bears have all sorts of problems on both sides of the ball in what looks like John Fox’s final season in the Windy City to me while the Arizona Cardinals have the makings – and motivation – of a legitimate playoff participant.

More importantly, after the competent Mike Glennon leaves, the Bears will turn to inexperienced Mitch Trubisky and ‘Mr. Butt Fumble’ Mark Sanchez to get the win while Arizona turns to more seasoned backup Drew Stanton…and the awful Blaine Gabbert.

Chicago is just 2-6 ATS in their last eight road games and 2-5 ATS in their last seven games against the Cardinals while Arizona has gone 9-4 ATS in their last 13 Saturday games. Chicago falls in Week 2 to the superior Cards.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Pick: Arizona 30 Chicago 14

Monday, August 21

New York Giants (11-5) at Cleveland Browns (1-15)

When: Monday, August 21, 8:00 PM Where: FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio TV Info: NFL Network Radio: Sirius XM Radio Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Preseason Week 2 Odds: TBA

Analysis: The Giants will turn to mediocre veteran Geno Smith and third-stringer Josh Johnson once Eli Manning departs while Cleveland opens with Brock Osweiler and follows with Cody Kessler, DeShone Kizer and Kevin Hogan. Now, while I don’t necessarily think that Geno Smith is better than any of Cleveland’s signal-callers, any time you’re starting the pitiful Brock Osweiler, you’re in trouble from the get-go.

The Browns are an awful 5-20-1 ATS in their last 26 games and 1-8 ATS in their last nine home games while New York has gone 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings against Cleveland.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Pick:  NY Giants 24 Cleveland 21

Final NFL Preseason Week 2 Predictions

If I may add, as we all know, these games are not the biggest deals right now, but you can start to take notice of how the teams are playing and what players are standing out. And, even though we don’t get to see the top players on the field often, we still get great football and might even see a really good game. Didn’t you see that the Jaguars beat the Patriots? You can say whatever you want, but stuff like that can make a difference eventually.

So be sure to make the necessary before placing your bets, because not many people want to bet on the losing squad. But some people do and can get some good bank out of it.

 

 

Previous Betting News

Will the defensive-minded Baltimore Ravens beat and batter Jay Cutler or whomever starts under center for the Miami Dolphins when they meet in the NFL preseason Week 2? Moreover, will Buffalo Bills running back LeSean ‘Shady’ McCoy get a small measure of revenge against his former team when Buffalo visits the City of Brotherly Love? Find out more about the current betting odds for this NFL preseason at MyBookie.

On the other hand, will Jameis Winston give Blake Bortles a schooling on how to actually play quarterback when his Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit their in-state rivals in Jacksonville? Last but not least, which team is offering the most value when the Seattle Seahawks and their perennially powerful defense host the Minnesota Vikings and their equally overpowering defense?

If you’re looking for sure-fire NFL winners this preseason (who isn’t?) in the hopes of boosting the annual betting bankroll long before the start of the 2017 regular season, then you’re in luck as I offer up a quartet of Week 2 preseason picks that are sure to please!

A Closer Look at the NFL Preseason Week 2 Sure Winners

Thursday, August 17

Baltimore Ravens (8-8) at Miami Dolphins (10-6)

Where: Hard Rock Stadium at 7:00 PM ET

Analysis: While both of these franchises failed to bring in Colin Kaepernick to help address their sad quarterbacks’ situations, the Ravens are the pick to get the SU win, seeing as how they’ve absolutely owned the Dolphins by going a perfect 7-0 ATS in the last seven meetings, including 5-0 ATS in their last five visits to South Beach. Baltimore is also 5-1 ATS in their last six games on grass while the Fins are just 6-13 ATS in their last 19 home games. Last but not least, any team that was desperate enough to sign the pitiful jay Cutler, deserves to lose! Baltimore wins in a thriller.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Pick: Baltimore 24 Miami 23

Buffalo Bills (7-9) at Philadelphia Eagles (7-9)

Where: Lincoln Financial Field at 7:00 PM ET Stadium Type Open

Analysis: The Bills are heading in a new direction under head coach Sean McDermott and they’ve got some real talent on the offensive side of the ball. However, since this Week 2 matchup will feature mostly backups and the Birds are playing at home with a lot of things they want to improve upon, I think the Birds are the right pick to get the SU win at the very least.

The Bills are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games and 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall while Philadelphia is a robust 6-2 ATS in their last eight home games and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games on grass. The bottom line for this matchup is that I’m expecting Nick Foles to lead Philadelphia to the narrow win over Buffalo’s T.J. Yates.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Pick: Philadelphia 28 Buffalo 24

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13)

Where: EverBank Field, 8:00 PM ET (ESPN)

Analysis: The Tampa bay Buccaneers are looking to bust into the playoffs after going 9-7 and narrowly missing out last season while the Jacksonville Jaguars simply want to get back to being a respectable team after winning a paltry three games a year ago.

While I’m no fan of Bucs backup Ryan Fitzpatrick, I am going to urge you to back Tampa Bay to get the SU win, not because they have the better backup quarterback in this affair, but because they have the better team and are much further along with their cohesiveness than the rebuilding Jags are under new head coach Doug Marrone. Tampa Bay is 5-1 ATS in their last six road games while Jacksonville is just 1-4 ATS in their last five home games. Tampa Bay wins by almost a touchdown.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Pick: Tampa Bay 27 Jacksonville 21

Predictions for Every NFL Preseason Team – August 10th

Friday, August 18

Minnesota Vikings (8-8) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1)

Where: CenturyLink Field, 10:00 PM ET (NFLN

Analysis: I like Minnesota head Coach Mike Zimmer and his team’s powerful defense, but for me, the Seattle Seahawks are the easy pick to get the win in this Week 2 matchup mostly because Seattle backup Trevone Boykin could outplay Minnesota backup Case Keenum almost in his sleep. The Vikings are just 1-5 ATS in their last six road games and have a bunch of question marks on offense while Seattle has gone a polar opposite 5-1 ATS in their last six home dates and have just a couple of areas of concern this preseason, mostly getting back to being a power rushing team.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Pick: Seattle 23 Minnesota 21

 

 

Previous Betting News

With each passing week of the preseason, we get a little closer to seeing more and more of the guys that we know are going to start for each of the teams. Week 2 will still see the majority of those players get very limited action, but it’s still great for fans to get a look at some of the emerging talent in their line-up, as these bench guys may well end up playing a pivotal role in the coming season, especially if there are injuries starting to pile up. If you are interested in playing some online NFL betting odds action this coming week, there are a number of games that deserve your attention. Here are just a few games that jump out to me in Week 2 of the NFL preseason.

Analyzing The 2016 NFL Preseason Week 2 Must Bet Games

Cincinnati Bengals at Detroit Lions

This is one that could very well go on the OVER with the point total, especially when you consider that the Lions took 30 points off the Steelers in Week 1. Dan Orlovsky looked very poised at the QB position for the Lions, and looks to be a solid back-up for Matthew Stafford. The same rules apply in Cincinnati Bengals, where AJ McCarron looked very poised at QB for the Bengals. Look for these two guys to continue to impress in extended roles, which may well mean that the score starts to tick upwards.

Chicago Bears at New England Patriots

Other than the teams who plan on having a rookie as their starting QB, no-one is giving extended playing time to their main guy under center. Things are a little different in New England, where Jimmy Garoppolo is going to get the first 4 games of the season while Tom Brady is out with suspension. He looked good in Week 1 of the preseason against the Saints, and he will get more playing time again this week. This could be a big win for the Patriots.

Carolina at Tennessee

One of the biggest concerns with the Tennessee Titans coming into this season was finding a way to protect Marcus Mariotta. One of the most effective ways to do that is to have a solid running game, and if Week 1 of the NFL preseason was anything to go by, it looks as though DeMarco Murray still has a lot of gas left in the tank. If he can put up some more big numbers against Carolina, who lost in Week 1, we might get a high scoring one here.

Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

What you are looking at here are a pair of teams that have a legitimate shot at making a deep run in the playoffs. While it would be nice to see Teddy Bridgewater and Russell Wilson go head to head in this one, we are probably only going to get to see a series or two from each of them. Still, this is a game that is well worth watching and wagering on, as both squads are loaded with talent. I like Seattle at home here.

 

 

Previous Betting News

With the first week of the NFL preseason now in the bag, it’s time to start looking ahead to Week 2. Every team will now have an idea of who might make the team, and which players are likely to be on the chopping block. For many of those fringe guys, the second game of the preseason is their last chance to really make an impact, as failing to do so will likely mean that they will be packing their bags and watching the upcoming season from the couch. The Super Bowl betting odds aren’t about to shift just yet, but the rosters of each team are about to undergo a change, making Week 2 of the preseason one worth watching. Let’s take a look at some of the top match-ups for the week, with a few predictions thrown in for good measure.

In Depth Analysis On The Winning Predictions For 2016 NFL Preseason Week 2

Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

Both of these teams were able to pick up wins on the road in Week 1 of the preseason, and both won by the identical score of 17-16. What makes this one so interesting is that these are a pair of teams who have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs in the NFC, and a case can even be made for both making a deep postseason run. While this game won’t be a great indicator of how the starters match-up, it will give is a good idea of their depth. I’ll take the Seahawks at home in a low scoring game against Minnesota Vikings.

Philadelphia Eagles at Pittsburgh Steelers

The Philadelphia Eagles believe they have found a solid starting QB in Carson Wentz, but the rookie may be forced to sit the remainder of the preseason with a hairline rib fracture. The Steelers lost big in Week 1 of the preseason, but many of their starters weren’t even dressed for that one. I expect that to change this week, and I like the Steelers to bounce back with the win.

Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys

While this may not be a match-up that immediately jumps off the page, I am interested to see if Dak Prescott can have another great day in the QB position for the Cowboys. He was nothing short of brilliant in Week 1, and a similar type performance may add a new level of excitement for Cowboys fans who have become used to seeing Tony Romo go down injured every year. I like Dallas to pick up the win here.

Kansas City Chiefs at LA Rams

It was a triumphant return to LA for the Rams in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. Not only did they come away with the win against the Cowboys, they also jammed over 90,000 fans into Memorial Coliseum. They will have another tough test this week against a Kansas City Chiefs team who went down 17-16 at home to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. I’m going with the Rams to keep the good times rolling in their own building.

 

 

Previous Betting News

If you know anything about the NFL, you know that there really isn’t any such thing as a sure loser, especially when you are talking about preseason games. Yes, there are some teams who have made a habit of losing, but any of those teams can rise up on any given Sunday and come away with the surprise win. All of that said, these blog posts are all about giving some NFL expert picks, which means that it’s my job to try and identify a few teams who might be on their way to a beating this coming week. It certainly helps to have something to work with, now that all of the teams have a preseason game under their belts. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some potential losers in Week 2 of the NFL preseason.

Here’s a Closer Look At The Sure Losers 2016 NFL Preseason Week 2

San Francisco 49ers versus Denver Broncos

The San Francisco 49ers are a team in turmoil right now, and they did little to alleviate the fears if their fans in Week 1 of the preseason, losing 24-13 at home to the Houston Texans. Things get even tougher this week, as they have to go on the road to face the defending Super Bowl Champions in Mile High. Yes, the Broncos still have some QB questions to answer, but those answers may become a little clearer after this one.

Cleveland Browns versus Atlanta Falcons

The RGIII era in Cleveland did not get off to the best possible start, as he went just 4 of 8 with an interception. It is worth remembering that he hasn’t really played any football for a year, so expect him to get better. Matt Schaub looked very good in relief at the QB spot for the Falcons, who opened up their preseason with a 23-17 win over the Washington Redskins. I like the Falcons to go on the road and get the win in Cleveland.

Philadelphia Eagles versus Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers did not look very good in a 30-17 loss to the Lions in Week 1, but the majority of the points that Pittsburgh gave up came late in the game when their real fringe guys were on the field. Look for more playing time for the starters this week. The Eagles got the win in Week 1, but it came at the cost of losing rookie QB Cason Wentz, quite possible for the remainder of the preseason. A win for the Steelers on home field.

Miami Dolphins versus Dallas Cowboys

All the talk heading into this season is whether or not the Cowboys can stay healthy enough to make a run at the playoffs. Tony Romo has made a habit of going down with injuries, which was why finding a viable back-up was job one in the draft. It looks as though the Cowboys may have found their guy, as Dak Prescott was nothing short of brilliant in his debut for the Cowboys. Look for him to have another big week this week, which could be bad news for the Dolphins.