NFL Week 2 Preview

By Alex Lauzon from the “Course of Life” podcast

NFL Week Two: The “For Real” Test

They say in the NFL you can get lucky once with any team any given Sunday, but can you back up the win with another one? The offseason hype around the Lions was indeed justified with their Thursday night stunner in KC…but is it a harbinger of a playoff season? Can they hold down the fort at home this week? The Browns and the Bucs additionally scored some surprise wins against the Bengals and Vikings, and now they both have the chance to be “for real” by taking care of business yet again this week. Last but not least - how in the hell will the Jets fare with Zach Wilson in place of Aaron Rodgers?

Week Two is the unofficial “back it up” week where the week one fluke wins are either gigantic aberrations or precursors of what’s to come. Let’s not forget that in week one of the 2022 NFL season, the Bears beat the 49ers and the Cowboys only scored three points - oh how a year changes perception. With that in mind, let’s break down the early look lines for week two contests.

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Games of the Week

Vikings @ Eagles (-7.5) - 8:15 pm ET (Thursday) - The Eagles tried to give away the game in week one but held on in Foxboro, while the Vikings were not expecting Baker Mayfield to rain on their parade like that in week one. This is a great matchup that should produce a close game inside the number - Philly’s offense will need more than 18 points to get it done.

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Ravens @ Bengals (-3.5) - 1:00 pm ET - Lamar Jackson strutted to a win versus the Texans and now they play a division rival in the Bengals, who looked rusty and aloof in their week one loss to Cleveland. It’s a dream QB battle with two contrasting styles, and I feel like Cincy and their defense bounce back and prepare to contain Lamar successfully.

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Seahawks @ Lions (-5.5) - 1:00 pm ET - Jared Goff managed the heck out of the week one battle in KC, and the months of Lions hype have now arrived with evidence to back it up. Now they host Geno Smith and the Seahawks, who were last year’s darling team like the Lions appear to be.

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Chiefs @ Jaguars (+2.5) - 1:00 pm ET - I’m guessing over 80% of pickers will like the Chiefs in this bounce-back spot for the ages, but it’s no task against a Jags team finding winning form this year. The Lawrence/Etienne/Ridley trio will be hard to contain and this could devolve into a shootout quickly.

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Jets @ Cowboys (-7.5) - 4:25 pm ET - After a rollercoaster MNF week one win versus the Bills, the Aaron Rodgers era in New York is just a distant memory. Zach Wilson is now at the helm for what could be the rest of the season, and they’ll have to win with defense first like they did Monday.

Fishy Lines to Watch

Browns @ Steelers (+1.5) - 8:15 pm ET (Monday) - Not much respect for Cleveland after a commanding week one win - they’ll have to earn Vegas’ respect this season.

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Raiders @ Bills (-9) - 1 pm ET - Despite the week one struggles in NYC, the Bills head back home and play host to a 1-0 west-coast team that they match up well with. There could be lots of points to cover here but you have to figure there’s a more wide-open game at hand - the Raiders just hope to contain Josh Allen and not let him get loose.

The Primetime Pick

Dolphins @ Patriots (+2)  - Miami went cross country and outscored the Chargers, and now they will head north to do the same. The Patriots are thirsty for an AFC East win to set a precedent, and my guess is that both defenses will actually take center stage in this Sunday Night Football duel.

Week Two Plays To Watch

Vikings +7.5 - Begrudgingly interested in the Vikings this week - the matchup is strong and the bounce-back effort should be present.

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Lions -5.5 - I think we’ll keep pretending the Lions are for real…for now that is.

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Chiefs/Jaguars Over 51 - Get it now before it’s double the price!

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Steelers +1.5 - The Browns should level off after the impressive week one showing.

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Patriots +2 - If you figure in a half-decent start for them at home this week, they should defend well when it matters most at home.