My week 2 game picks are below. There are some intriguing games with many teams looking to rebound after disappointing week 1 losses. Let’s get to the games!

Thursday, September 14

Eagles 26, Vikings 17

The Eagles showed some rust in week 1 against the Patriots and now have a short week to get back at it. In Minnesota’s case, they had a great chance to beat the Buccaneers but three turnovers proved costly in that game. The Vikings should try to attack this Eagles secondary which surprisingly had a hard time containing the Patriots passing offense (and the damage could have been worse had Patriot pass catchers not dropped as many passes). I think the Eagles offense gets rolling again and the defense gets a couple turnovers to improve their record to 2-0.

Sunday, September 17

Falcons 19, Packers 13

The Jordan Love era in Green Bay got off to the best possible start. Love looked comfortable all day attacking a suspect Bears defense, but the test will be a bit tougher this week facing off against a much improved Falcons defense. Jessie Bates made an immediate impact picking off Bryce Young twice last week, and will have to be accounted for by this Packers offense. The Falcons offense should similarly have a tough time against a very underrated Packers defense but ultimately I think the Falcons run offense will wear down the defense and help them escape with a win.

Bills 27, Raiders 23

The Bills simply cannot be as sloppy as they were on Monday night against the Jets. Luckily, they face a defense a lot more forgiving and should be able to have more success. The Raiders offense showed some good things last week but the injuries to Jakobi Meyers and Davante Adams are concerning for this week. The Bills bounce back and get a win.

Bengals 24, Ravens 20

The Bengals will rebound from last week’s disaster on offense. The Ravens defense did some good things against the Texans offense last week but this is a big step up in competition. Joe Burrow will be able to attack the Ravens secondary and get the ball to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Ravens offense took some time to get going last week but it might take some time for Todd Monken’s offense to gel.

Lions 27, Seahawks 21

What to make of the Seahawks uninspired performance in the second half last week? I’m not exactly sure but they need to play much better on both sides of the ball if they want to take the next step this year. That’s going to be tough based on what the Lions showed in week 1. I think the Seahawks are going to play much better this week but I see the Lions wining at home. The defense looked vastly improved from last year and the offense has a great run/pass blend that will be too tough for Seattle to stop.

Colts 20, Texans 14

In this battle of rookie quarterbacks, all eyes will be on Anthony Richardson and CJ Stroud. They both showed some good signs last week with areas of improvement. Each offense is devoid of elite playmakers so this should be a lower scoring game. The difference is the running ability and athleticism of Anthony Richardson will allow him to make more plays against the Texans defense. The Colts defense struggled mightily last week but the Texans simply don’t have the playmakers to exploit them.

Jaguars 30, Chiefs 27

This AFC Divisional round rematch from last year is one of the juiciest matchups of the week. The return of Chris Jones is huge for the Chiefs defense, but that might not be enough to slow down this Jaguars offense. The Calvin Ridley addition paid off huge dividends in week 1 and he will be a major factor going forward. I believe the Chiefs offense will get rolling again with Travis Kelce back in the lineup but I think the Jaguars win a higher scoring game.

Buccaneers 23, Bears 16

The Buccaneers won a tight game in Minnesota with the defense getting three turnovers and Baker Mayfield playing a steady game at quarterback. The Bears on the other hand have a lot to fix on both sides of the ball. Justin Fields needs to take the next step this season and also needs to get the ball to prized trade acquisition DJ Moore. The Bears defense did not look much improved last week which is concerning but there is a long season to go.

Chargers 24, Titans 23

These are two teams coming off heartbreaking defeats last week. The Chargers secondary had no answers for Tyreek Hill and the Dolphins offense. Luckily, they face an offense much less explosive. Meanwhile, the Titans have to feel like they let a win slip away last week against the Saints when they had to settle for five field goals. The Titans offensive line was beaten play after play and Ryan Tannehill made some poor decisions leading to three interceptions. I think he plays better this week and exploits this Chargers defense but I think the Chargers win it in a close one.

Giants 22, Cardinals 17

Last week was quite humbling for the Giants. The offensive line had no answers for the Dallas pass rush, but they play a less talented Cardinals front this week. The Cardinals played better than many people expected last week and might be able to make this game interesting as well. Ultimately, I think the Giants play much better and give Saquon Barkley and Darren Waller multiple opportunities to make plays.

49ers 30, Rams 20

The 49ers asserted their dominance last week against the Steelers and the Rams surprised everyone by going in to Seattle and getting a win. Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell put up big performaces but the test gets harder this week. The Rams defense will be exploited by Kyle Shanahan and this 49ers offense. I think the 49ers defense will also generate a few sacks and get some turnovers in this one.

Cowboys 23, Jets 14

No one wants to play this Cowboys defense this season. The Jets will have an especially hard time after the devastating injury to Aaron Rodgers and an offensive line that still has questions. Zach Wilson will probably have to throw the ball more in this game to have a chance to win. The Jets defense will need to get turnovers again to ensure they get good field position and score some points.

Broncos 20, Commanders 17

Russell Wilson quietly had a strong start to the season under the tutelage of Sean Payton’s genius. Wilson may need to use hig legs in this one to excape this fierce Washington front seven. On the other side, Sam Howell needs to do a better job of getting the ball out quickly. This game is a toss up to me but I’ll give the edge to Denver playing at home.

Dolphins 24, Patriots 22

The Patriots have historically done a good job of containing Tyreek Hill over the years and will need to focus on taking away his big plays in this game. The Dolphins showed last week they can run the ball and will probably use the run game heavily if the Patriots want to play their safeties deep. Offensively, the Patriots should try to get the run game going after the Chargers ran all over Miami last week.

Monday, September 18

Saints 23, Panthers 16

The Saints defense are going to give the Panthers offense all kinds of trouble Monday night. New Orleans has a talented and veteran defense that will be able to get after Bryce Young and force him into some mistakes. I think the Saints offense will also be better this week and build off of their performance last week.

Browns 21, Steelers 20

The Browns defense looked elite last week while the Steelers offense struggled mightily. I think things even out this week and we get an exciting divisional matchup. Deshaun Watson needs to improve his play as the season progresses and this game should offer opportunities to attack the Steelers secondary. The Steelers are pretty banged up offensively and should look to run the ball to slow down this elite Browns defensive line.