NFL Week 2 Odds

Parlay Picks by Will Armitage. Will has been an avid sports fan since the early 1980s. His first sporting love was a mediocre English soccer team that dwelled in the lower leagues for decades. He since has switched allegiance to the EPL’s Arsenal. Every year since 1994, he has bet on the Minnesota Vikings to lift the Vince Lombardi. He is still waiting to be paid….

The buzz of Week 1 and the return of regular season football is behind us.

Bring on the next 5 months of our weekends being dominated by supremely gifted athletes of all physiques going toe-to-toe and head-to-head!

With that being said, let’s crack on with the Week 2 games.

I shall endeavor to identify some solid betting opportunities and those where I’d simply rather watch the highlights.

Pennsylvania hosts the first and the last game this weekend.

To kick off Week 2, let’s talk about whether the Eagles can win their first home game of the 2023 Season.

Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles – Thursday 14th September 2023

As a long-standing (suffering) Minnesota fan of the past four decades, this is not the kind of game we would have wanted for our first road trip of the season!

Exactly 52 weeks ago, the Eagles roundly put us poor visiting Vikings in our place. They raced to a 24-7 halftime lead and then the defenses ensured a bore no-score draw in the second half.

This time around, I expect a similar scoreline.

That Philly offensive line is truly a mighty beast and will ensure the Eagles will put down some good yardage.

I fear my Vikes will struggle again on offense to break down an obdurate Philadelphia defense.

I think the Eagles likely cover the spread, but I see more value in the under.

Selection – Under at 48.5. Best odds at Bet365.

Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars – Sunday 17th September 2023

Much like the Eagles traveling to New England last weekend with more or less a field game start, the line on this game seems off kilter to me.

The Super Bowl winners are highly unlikely to do ‘a 2022 Rams’ this season. The mercurial Mahomes simply would not let that happen.

He comes up against Trevor Lawrence who delivered the goods last year to drag the Jags into the playoffs.

Jacksonville will be seeking revenge for their January Divisional round defeat to the Chiefs. The difference that day was that Kansas City controlled the clock well and their defense made big plays at the right time.

The Chiefs led by 10 going into the last seconds of the game.

I see this happening again and I like Kansas City on the spread.

Selection – Chiefs (-3). DraftKings is currently the book with the best odds for this game.

Las Vegas Raiders at Buffalo Bills – Sunday 17th September 2023

The Silver and Black are the biggest underdogs of the weekend.

Last season, I was not shy in choosing the biggest road dog of a given weekend to be my selection for the weekly 5-leg Same Day Parlay selections.

I was not all that tempted to add the Raiders this weekend. I simply don’t see them managing to leave Buffalo victorious.

Yes, it’s early on in the season and so is the best time to visit.

However, the arsenal of talent on the Bills’ roster, as well as their passionate fans, would seem to make this a forlorn journey from Las Vegas.

I think they struggle to remain within ten points of Buffalo, but I’m not tempted to play the spread of around 9.

Selection – Pass

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals – Sunday 17th September 2023

The first division game of this week’s analysis. These AFC North stalwarts battle it out in Ohio.

The Bengals stay in the state after their Week 1 loss against Cleveland and before the Rams come to town for Monday Night Football in Week 3.

Betting on road divisional dogs within a field goal on the spread has been a favorite betting strategy of many a bettor over the years. Cincinnati won twice in two weeks this January by a TD at home to the Ravens.

Each time Baltimore dominated in yardage terms. I expect them to turn their superiority into a road victory.

Hopefully, it will be third time lucky in 2023 for the Ravens to fly out of Cincinnati with a victory!

Selection – Ravens (ML – +160). Bet365 have the best odds currently on this market.

Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans – Sunday 17th September 2023

Which Titans team will show up at the Nissan?

The one who blew away many a rival in the first half of last season or the one that imploded in the second, losing seven in a row?

Vegas currently thinks the latter, giving the visiting Chargers a field-goal advantage over Tennessee.

My view is that they are underestimating LA’s advantage. I think their Front Seven will keep a lid on Mr. Henry.

They do that and a double-digit victory for Justin Herbert looks very much on the cards.

To that end, I’m siding with Los Angeles easily covering the spread of 3.

Selection – Chargers (-3). Bet365 with the best odds on this matchup.

Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions – Sunday 17th September 2023

Anybody who was there in Week 4 of the 2022 NFL Season to witness these two teams going crazy on the scoreboard will be hoping lightning strikes twice.

It might not be too good on the nerves of a die-hard Detroit fan, but if we see a repeat of the 93-point spectacular all those over bettors will be watching this game from Cloud 9!

Last year, the Lions blew very hot from the outset.

For the Seahawks, that win in Michigan kickstarted their entire surprisingly decent season. I expect, read really hope, that history repeats itself!

The over is my selection this year.

Selection – Over at 48.5. Caesars Sportsbook currently with the best odds.

Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons – Sunday 17th September 2023

The team that has played in NFL divisions with the suffix East, Coastal, West and lastly South hosts A Rodgers-less Pack.

Jordan Love is now the signal caller for Green Bay, and after his three touchdown performance in Week 1, the lines have shifted for this game.

The lines opened with Atlanta as a narrow -1.5 point favorite but have swapped places with the Packers, now set as +1.5 underdogs.

After their impressive Week 1 victory over the Carolina Panthers, the Falcons can live up to their opening line as favorites.

This is one such game where the Cheeseheads would expect a victory or at least feel it was more likely.

I expect Kyle Pitts to scupper their hopes with a standout performance on Sunday.

Selection – Falcons (+1.5).

BetRivers currently has the best value on the spread for Atlanta.

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans – Sunday 17th September 2023

Two teams that Vegas is expecting to play their final games of the regular season when they face off against one another in Week 18.

It would be a big turn-up for the books should either of these two make the playoffs.

At the time of writing, this was the game about which the odds compilers in Nevada are really struggling to find a common ground.

Most books have set this spread at -1, favoring the visitors from Indianapolis, but this contest opened as a pick’em.

Some books have now set this spread at -1.5, favoring the Colts. Taking Houston to cover at +1.5 will be like threading a needle, so it makes it all the more important to shop around for the best odds!

Imagine this ends up as a one-point game and you lose your wager because you had not taken the time to place your bet sensibly.

When it comes to the rookie QBs, it appears that the books are leaning more toward Anthony Richardson after his Week 1 showing.

Anyway, I’m hoping that CJ Stroud can put some pre-season wobbles behind him and drive my sleeper team in the AFC to a resounding home victory on Sunday.

Selection – Texans (+106). FanDuel currently has the best odds for Houston.

Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sunday 17th September 2023

This game opened as a near pick’em as well, but after the Bears dropped their home-opener to the rival Packers, it appears the books are now favoring the Bucs.

A Brady-less Bucs facing their old NFC Central foes from Chicago.

I shall eat my hat if these two find themselves anywhere near the NFC Championship game in four months. But that is a long way away and this is now.

I’d rather pass on this game and simply watch the highlight reel.

A meandering run or two by Justin Fields will be the best moments of a likely forgettable game.

Selection – Pass.

New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals – Sunday 17th September 2023

Arizona has a new coach, but the same old problem.

They have put too much faith in Mr. Murray, and he is not showing signs of repaying it anytime soon.

It’s Josh Dobbs’ time in the desert!

The 4th best rushing team in the NFL last season headed west to Arizona having welcomed the Cowboys to New Jersey a week ago.

Not a promising performance from the Giants in Week 1, but a rebound is in order for the boys in blue.

The Cards were actually in the top half of rankings against the rush in 2022, but that was about the only category where they didn’t sit in the bottom quartile.

Holding Saquon Barkley in check for four quarters is a tall task for any defense.

The Arizona faithful only witnessed one home victory last season and they may have to wait a little longer.

I fear they will have to wait until November when they have a winnable game, against the Falcons!

Like Dallas likely will do in Week 3, New York will leave the State Farm victorious.

Selection – Giants (-4). Bet365 is currently the standout sportsbook for this line.

San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams – Sunday 17th September 2023

Who could ever have thought that the Rams would go 5-12 last season after their glorious Super Bowl victory eighteen months ago?!

Their offense was quite dire. If their defense hadn’t stepped up to the plate in a few games, it could have been even worse.

Los Angeles’ Week 1 road victory over the Seattle Seahawks was quite a surprise, especially with Matt Stafford showing signs of life.

Even more surprising was Stafford’s top-two targets being named Puka and Tutu!

I believe their Front Seven will keep the wraps on CMC and keep this game closer than Vegas thinks. I’m siding with the 49ers to defeat their West Coast rivals by a field goal or less.

Sometimes it pays to be contrarian and this could be one such occasion.

I feel LA at home, where they won 80% of their games in 2022, will cover the spread.

Selection – Rams (+8.5). BetMGM is currently the book with the best odds on the Rams to cover the spread.

Washington Commanders at Denver Broncos – Sunday 17th September 2023

In honor of our Head of Social, I’m straight up going for the Commanders to cover on their visit to Mile High.

I’m not quite expecting the same result as we witnessed in 1988 when Washington put up 42 points having gone down 7-0 after a couple of minutes.

That day of Super Bowl XXII they were three-point underdogs.

35 years later, they are the same again.

I expect yet another Russell Wilson disappointment and Brent’s sleeper team to emulate what Doug Williams did back then by covering the spread.

They might even leave Colorado with a victory!

Selection – Commanders (+3.5). FanDuel currently has the best odds for Washington to cover.

New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys – Sunday 17th September 2023

The Jets’ Super Bowl aspirations took a hit on Monday Night, but they showed enough grit to pick up a hard fought win over a division rival.

The Cowboys averaged just under a converted touchdown per quarter last regular season.

After seeing the struggles of MVP-favorite Josh Allen, Dak Prescott may have his hands full down in Dallas, opposite this imposing New York defense.

I expected the Jets to see their average points per game jump into the mid-20s, but now with Zach Wilson under center, not so much.

Last week, the Cowboys shutout the Giants, and the Jets frustrated Josh Allen. I expect these defenses to continue their dominance in Week 2.

I’d lean to the under, which has since dropped to 39.5 or 40.

Selection – Pass.

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots – Sunday 17th September 2023

This game is the final leg of my Week 2 Same Day Parlay, where I choose 5 legs around a moneyline underdog, two spread bets, one over, and one under bet.

The rationale for this being a game of few scores is a combination of the teams on show, the quality of who is under center, and history.

In Week 1 last season, these two AFC East foes faced off in the reverse fixture, and the defenses came out on top.

The Dolphins won 20-7. Last season Miami only scored more than 22 points once in their first seven games.

I simply don’t see this being a five or six-touchdown game.

The post-Brady soul searching continues in New England and their potency lies more on their defense. It’s another under selection for me here.

Selection – Under at 46.5. DraftKings currently carries the best odds on this under.

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers – Monday 18th September 2023

Monday Night Football sees us heading from the NFC East down to the NFC South.

On the face of it, these teams do not have the ingredients to make this a recipe for excitement to close off Week 2’s rack of games.

The points line is one of the lowest of the weekend, neither team has much stardust in their ranks and so I feel compelled to be a buyer of the under.

One wishes for an entertaining and high-scoring game out of principle given it’s MNF.

With the uninspiring rosters on show, I think both sides will struggle to breach 20 points. So, it’s the under for me.

Selection – Under at 40.5. The best odds for this spread can be found at FanDuel.

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers – Monday 18th September 2023

These AFC North rivals draw Week 2’s games to a close.

The odds compilers favor the Browns, with most books setting the spread at -2.5.

That AFC East MNF clash last week between the Jets and the Bills was more salivating on paper, but had quite an exciting finish.

These sides know one another inside out and you can see why they brought up the rear in their division last season.

As brief as Rodgers’ Monday night was, Deshaun against Kenny might not be as big a draw as A-Rod and Josh for the prime-time audience.

Without that offensive firepower at their disposal and no Big Ben to produce the goods, this is a game to have on in the background.

I’ll keep my betting powder dry for Week 3’s games.

Selection – Pass.

Week 1 gave us the first taste of professional football since February, and major storylines are already

Check out NFL week 3 betting odds to lock in early bets before sportsbooks shift their lines.

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