NFL Week 2 Picks

            Last week we did our best to stick to our pre-season predictions (only failing with the Bears-Bills game), and we rode that to the best Week 1 in the history of this blog. Sadly, we went against our pre-season prediction of the Steelers sucking when we backed them Thursday (although was there really any proper way to gauge how Baltimore was going to play in the wake of the Ray Rice scandal?), so we’re going back to basics for the rest of our Week 2 picks. 

           New wrinkles we are going to add each week with our picks is to highlight teams we feel are trending up or down. For our purposes, we will only relate that to how we forecasted each team to do before the season (for example we predicted the Giants to finish last in the NFC East, so there’s no reason for me to list them in the Stock Down section). We don’t like to overreact to Week 1, so there aren’t too many teams we are going to discuss.

Stock Up

Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan was head and shoulders above any other quarterback in the league with his Week 1 performance against the Saints. That level of play over an entire season can drag a mediocre roster into the playoffs.

Tennessee Titans – We announced earlier in the summer that my son would take over as the Titans quarterback in my Madden 15 franchise, so I was pleasantly surprised by Jake Locker’s performance at Arrowhead Stadium last week.

Indianapolis Colts – It’s weird typing this about a team that lost, but the Colts left a ton of points on the board against Denver. A few breaks here or there and Andrew Luck might’ve been able to steal the game from Peyton Manning. I wouldn’t of thought it possible before the season, but there is a chance they can finish as the second seed in the AFC.

Stock Down

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – You can’t lose a game at home to a team quarterbacked by Derek Anderson, regardless of the quality of defense your team is going against. There’s a good chance Josh McCown has turned into a pumpkin after his magical run with the Bears last year.

San Diego Chargers – It was trendy before the season to pick San Diego to upset the Broncos in the AFC West, but blowing an eleven-point lead to Carson Palmer shows the Chargers are the same frustrating team they’ve been for the better part of the last decade.

            Without further ado, the Week 2 picks.

1-0 Lions (+2.5) over 1-0 PANTHERS

            Detroit is well equipped to handle an overmatched Panthers secondary. We’re happy to get points here.

1-0 BILLS (Even) over 1-0 Dolphins

            Thankfully for Buffalo fans E.J. Manuel was just competent enough to deliver a shocking overtime win in Chicago. We like Buffalo’s chances of shutting down Miami’s offense.

0-1 Jaguars (+5.5) over 0-1 WASHINGTON

            Washington shouldn’t be favored by more than a field goal against any team in THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

1-0 TITANS (-3.5) over 0-1 Cowboys

            Tennessee has plenty of talent at wide receiver to dominate the comically awful Cowboys defense.

0-1 GIANTS (+2.5) over 1-0 Cardinals

            We hate the Giants but the schedule makers did them a favor here. Arizona’s game against San Diego finished at roughly 1:15 am Eastern time on Tuesday, and now they have to travel three time zones and play at 1:00 pm Sunday.

0-1 Patriots (-6.5) over 1-0 VIKINGS

            New England was our pick before the news about Adrian Peterson not playing broke. This could be a blow out.

0-1 Saints (-6.5) over 0-1 BROWNS

            Somehow a two-team teaser with the Patriots and Saints won’t work, even though it looks so simple on paper.

1-0 Falcons (+5.5) over 1-0 BENGALS

            We have the Bengals winning by three.

1-0 BUCCANEERS (-6) over 0-1 Rams

            St. Louis looks well on their way to the top overall pick after a listless performance at home against the Vikings.

1-0 Seahawks (-6) over 0-1 CHARGERS

            Here’s a new rule for 2014…don’t bet against the Seahawks unless the spread is over a touchdown or they are on the road at San Francisco.

0-1 RAIDERS (+3) over 1-0 Texans

            After Oakland heroically pulled off a back door cover at New York, we’re happy to get three points with them against Houston.

0-1 PACKERS (-8) over 1-0 Jets

            Here’s your suicide pool pick.

1-0 BRONCOS (-12.5) over 0-1 Chiefs

            It’s a really weird line, but when Kansas City is down 14-0 in the first quarter do you really trust Alex Smith to cover?

1-0 49ERS (-7) over 0-1 Bears

            Rumor has it Curtis Conway might come out of retirement to catch passes from Jay Cutler this week. We’ll also predict over 200 yards rushing for San Francisco.

0-1 COLTS (-3) over 1-0 Eagles

            To say Philadelphia was a little wobbly against Jacksonville last week is an understatement. Andrew the Giant will take care of business at home.

           

Week 1 = 10-6

Thursday = 0-1