FYI, I went 8-0 in my fantasy leagues last week, won my small office pool at 10-6 overall, and I’m headed to Vegas next week. So needless to say, if you take my advice and put real money on these, you will likely lose your home and everything in it this week.
Let’s get to the picks!
Week 2 Picks
* I pick four “best bets” and make one of those a “lock” each week. Those are listed at the end.
Baltimore (-2.5) vs. Pittsburgh
Nah there aren’t any distractions around the Ravens, this line makes perfect sense.
Pick: Steelers
Carolina (-3.5) vs. Detroit
Carolina was impressive in going on the road and winning despite being without their starting quarterback, but let’s not forget who they did that against. I expected the Lions to take a huge leap forward this season, and nothing I saw last week changes that in any way.
Pick: Lions
Cincinnati (-5.5) vs. Atlanta
Looks like the Bengals are at least regular season legit again. And I really want to take them here. And I don’t like Atlanta at all. But I feel like this is about a point or so too high.
Pick: Falcons
New England (-3.5) at Minnesota
Normally, you’d see the Pats get embarrassed like that and expect them to come out guns blazing the following week. But does New England even have the firepower to do that anymore? I’ll give them one more shot, but then…
Pick: Patriots
Tennessee (-3.5) vs. Dallas
That extra half point gives me a little more confidence in Dallas’s ability to lose a close game.
Pick: Cowboys
Washington (-6.5) vs. Jacksonville
I’m as down on Jacksonville as anyone, but Washington doesn't deserve to be nearly a touchdown favorite against anyone.
Pick: Jaguars
New York Giants (-1.5) vs. Arizona
This line makes so little sense that it makes me think they know something we don’t. I mean, taking the Giants here means laying the points which means you think they will win which means you’re an idiot. But like I said, the line scares me. So an idiot I am.
Pick: Giants
Miami (-1.5) at Buffalo
Gotta love those Week 1 results. Miami trounces the Pats, so now everyone in the world believes Miami can hang with anyone. That usually works out well as the betting public tends to overreact to the most recent thing that happened. Problem is, Buffalo pulled off the other big underdog victory last week so there’s not even value to be had. Both teams are underrated slightly coming into the week. So that being said, give me the homeboys.
Pick: Bills
New Orleans (-6.5) at Cleveland
It’s true, the Saints aren’t the same team on the road as they are at home. But the Browns are the same no matter what.
Pick: Saints
Tampa Bay (-5-5) vs. Saint Louis
Once again…as bad as the Rams looked, I can’t in good conscience lay 5.5 points for a Bucs team that just got beaten up at home by a team starting Derek Anderson at quarterback.
Pick: Rams
Seattle (-5.5) at San Diego
Look, Seattle looked great last week. But they aren’t going undefeated. In all likelihood, the game(s) they lose will be on the road. Most likely against teams that are pretty good. Here goes…
Pick: Chargers
Denver (-13.5) vs. Kansas City
I like Denver (duh) and I think they Chiefs have been overrated for awhile, but this is just too many points for a divisional matchup.
Pick: Chiefs
Green Bay (-8.5) vs. New York Jets
This line could be Packers -85 and I’d probably still do it. They looked so putrid last week out of complete nowhere that part of me thinks the ego in Aaron Rodgers is going to go out of its mind and put on a show.
Pick: Packers
Houston (-2.5) at Oakland
Houston is showing they’re better than a lot of people realized, but I don’t know about “favorites on the road” better.
Pick: Raiders
San Francisco (-6.5) vs. Chicago
What part of these two teams’ games last week made you think the Bears could ever hang with San Francisco?
Pick: Niners
Indianapolis (-3.5) vs. Philadelphia
In this marquee matchup of raging goober quarterbacks, Foles is the one at the helm of a 2014 division champ.
Pick: Eagles
BEST BETS:Steelers, Patriots, Saints, Packers
LOCK: Pittsburgh Steelers
RECORD
Last Week: 10-6
Year To Date: 10-6
Best Bets: 3-1
Lock of the Week: 1-0
YEAR TO DATE
Overall: 10-6 (62%)
Best Bets: 3-1 (75%)
Lock of the Week: 1-0 (100%)
POWER RANKINGS
Team Name W/L (Prv)
1. Seahawks 1-0 (1)
2. Broncos 1-0 (2)
3. 49ers 1-0 (3)
4. Bengals 1-0 (10)
5. Eagles 1-0 (6)
6. Panthers 1-0 (11)
7. Saints 0-1 (7)
8. Cardinals 1-0 (13)
9. Chargers 0-1 (5)
10. Patriots 0-1 (4)
11. Packers 0-1 (8)
12. Steelers 1-0 (12)
13. Lions 1-0 (15)
14. Colts 0-1 (9)
15. Texans 1-0 (17)
16. Titans 1-0 (19)
17. Dolphins 1-0 (28)
18. Falcons 1-0 (24)
19. Bears 0-1 (14)
20. Jets 1-0 (20)
21. Vikings 1-0 (23)
22. Bills 1-0 (27)
23. Ravens 0-1 (16)
24. Chiefs 0-1 (18)
25. Cowboys 0-1 (21)
26. Giants 0-1 (25)
27. Browns 0-1 (30)
28. Redskins 0-1 (26)
29. Rams 0-1 (22)
30. Raiders 0-1 (31)
31. Jaguars 0-1 (32)
32. Bucs 0-1 (29)
