Overall Record: 0-0
Last Week: 0-0
Lock of the Week: 0-0
Chargers @ Chiefs:
I’m fully aboard the Chargers hype train, but it’s important to keep things relative. Any questions that were still being harbored about the proficiency of the Chiefs offense were answered emphatically after Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the offense took no prisoners in a 44-21 beatdown of the Cardinals. The Chargers defense played well in their debut against the Raiders, but JC Jackson’s absence leaves a vulnerability in the secondary that can be exploited.
CHIEFS WIN
Patriots @ Steelers:
Fans around the league are always quick to prophesize doom for the Patriots, but they might have good reason this time around. The offense looked utterly hapless against the Dolphins, and now they face a greater test in the Steelers. Mitch Trubisky was no star for Pittsburgh against the Bengals in Week One, but if his defense can continue to carry the team like they just did, they won’t need him to be. I feel good enough about this game that I’ll make it my LOCK OF THE WEEK!
If the Steelers do win here, the Patriots will start a season 0-2 for the first time since 2001.
STEELERS WIN
Panthers @ Giants:
After a Week One where both these teams subverted my expectations in opposite directions, I have a dilemma. I think that the Panthers are the clearly superior team, but after the Giants pull a road upset on the defending AFC #1 seed and Carolina falls at home to a Watson-less Browns, should I reconsider? Or am I reading too much into one game? I think the latter is more likely. The Panthers defense is quite good (at least on paper), and Baker Mayfield has the weapons around him to have a rebound season. Gimme the Panthers.
PANTHERS WIN
Jets @ Browns:
Eww.
Beating the Panthers in a high-energy road game was a good start, but I need to see more before I start to buy in. The Jets, inversely, have yet to even begin to convince me of anything positive at all. It’s important to note that Joe Flacco won’t be starting for Gang Green for more than a handful of games outside of more unfortunate injuries, but what evidence do we have that Zach Wilson will be a marked improvement when he returns? The New York defense just might be alright, but until shown otherwise, the offense is too lifeless to carry.
BROWNS WIN
Colts @ Jaguars:
The Colts are a playoff team by my estimation, but just scraping by the Texans and escaping with a tie left a bad taste in my mouth. Jacksonville should be a good palate cleanser. The Jags are a team on the rise and I expect a big step up from Trevor Lawrence, but it won’t happen Week Two, and especially not against a stout Indy defense. Additionally, Jacksonville showed they can be burned by a pass-catching threat out of the backfield, and who better to expose that threat than Jonathan Taylor?
Maybe Indy can finally break the strangest curse in sports and finally beat the Jaguars in Jacksonville and avenge the loss that kept them out of the playoffs.
COLTS WIN
Dolphins @ Ravens:
It’s only Week Two, and already two of my most anticipated teams of the season are facing off against each other. Why must I be tested so?
This is a tough one, but a few key injuries just might turn the tide. Kyle Fuller, the Baltimore CB, is out for the season with an ACL tear and Marcus Peters very well may miss the game after being inactive against the Jets. The Ravens secondary is a formidable group, but just a few cracks could be enough space for Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill to wreak some havoc.
DOLPHINS WIN
Buccaneers @ Saints:
Neither of the two favorites for the NFC South did much to curry favor in their first contests of the season, but the Saints were unimpressive against a much worse team.
To be completely honest, I’m not entirely sure what to make of this game. Both teams, in my eyes, are high-variance squads with high ceilings. One of them has Tom Brady, but the other is at home and has had the upper hand in the rivalry the past few years. I picked the Saints to win the division, so I’ll give them the edge here. It’s not great analysis, but it’s what you’re getting anyways.
SAINTS WIN
Commanders @ Lions:
This Lions team is exploitable, especially on defense, but I don’t think Washington is the team to take advantage of it. Carson Wentz played alright against the Jaguars, but a few costly mistakes kept their opposition in contention. A few interceptions can be looked over against a Jacksonville offense that is still aimlessly floating, but the Lions are much more capable of inflicting some damage when they have the ball. The Commanders greatest strength is their defensive line, but Detroit is better equipped than most teams to counteract that. All signs point to Detroit to me.
LIONS WIN
Seahawks @ 49ers:
The issue with doing game predictions this early in the season is that it’s hard to know what’s real and what isn’t. Was that downpour in Chicago just a cover for a bad game from Trey Lance, or should we be concerned for the outlook of the Niners offense? Will Geno Smith really be able to run the Seahawks offense so efficiently all season, or was the Denver defense simply caught off-guard? When these questions emerge, I think it would be wise to return to what we know for certain. The Niners front is a vicious run-stopping group, and by ESPN’s count, Seattle was one of the very worst run-blocking teams in the NFL Week One. If San Francisco can keep the Seattle offense one-dimensional, I would imagine that Trey Lance and Co. can stay above water.
49ERS WIN
Falcons @ Rams:
Call me crazy, but maybe the Falcons can pull off a crazy upset here.
If the Rams opener against the Bills taught us anything, it’s that you can make Stafford feel the pressure with minimal blitzing. Of course, the Falcons defense isn’t up to the same standards as Buffalo’s, but that doesn’t mean they can’t enact a similar strategy. Atlanta managed to keep Jameis Winston uncomfortable for much of their game, and Matt Stafford isn’t particularly known for his scrambling and evasion abilities.
Of course, one could make the exact same argument regarding the Rams pass rush and the Falcons line. You must consider, however, that Marcus Mariota is much more capable of simply escaping the pocket when need be. The Rams are still clearly the superior team, but if I go this whole list without at least one significant upset I’ll be pretty disappointed in myself.
FALCONS WIN
Cardinals @ Raiders:
…Are the Cardinals bad?
Going back to last season, Arizona has now lost six of their last seven games. Whether it be faltering to seemingly inferior teams (like the Lions and Seahawks) or getting trounced by elite ones (an 11-34 loss to the Rams and 21-44 loss to the Chiefs are their two most recent outcomes), the Cardinals just can’t get on track. The Raiders are hardly red-hot either, but they lack the same bad vibes that surround Arizona. Derek Carr has all the weapons he could hope for, and now has a chance to set them to work against the defense that gave up 360 yards through the air last week.
RAIDERS WIN
Texans @ Broncos:
There were some fears regarding the Broncos offense this season despite its healthy abundance of playmakers, and those fears were given some validation on Monday. Russell Wilson seemed… off in his return to Seattle, and an abysmal red zone showing ultimately sunk the Broncos. Can they regain their form against the Texans? Almost certainly. For whatever complaints can be lodged about the Seahawks defense, they do have a great safety duo in Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs that worked relatively well to keep Russ from using his famously effective deep ball. The Texans do not have such a duo in their secondary, and as such the offense should open up a bit more for Denver.
BRONCOS WIN
Bengals @ Cowboys:
The Bengals offense against the Cowboys defense should be one of the very best matchups of the week. It’s absolutely strength against strength, which would normally make this a tough game to call. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Dak Prescott is out for the near future, and their chances of keeping up with any notable offense is pretty tanked.
BENGALS WIN
Bears @ Packers:
I have confidence that the Packers can redeem themselves from a week one trouncing at the hand of the Vikings for a handful of reasons. For one, the Bears don’t have Justin Jefferson. But on a more serious note, I think the Green Bay defense can recover nicely. Most of their miscues seemed to be miscommunications regarding zone responsibilities, and with as experienced as their secondary is, I imagine this is something they can work through relatively quickly. The offense probably (hopefully) had its worst game it will have all year in Minnesota. Receivers were open and not targeted, an easy touchdown was dropped, and the offensive line was beat up. These things can be fixed, and when they are, the offense should be amongst the best in football. Chicago will be a great opportunity to reorient themselves.
PACKERS WIN
Titans @ Bills:
You saw the Bills against the Rams, right? Then there shouldn’t be much explanation why I’d take them over a team that just lost to the Giants. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a way for the Titans to compete, however. The Titans strength, even without Harold Landry, is the pass rush. Jeffery Simmons was incredible last week, and the Buffalo offensive line has yet to prove that it is anything beyond average in regards to pass protection. If Tennessee can move Josh Allen out of the pocket without blitzing before Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs can develop their routes downfield, they may be able to keep the game close. The only issue is that I don’t see a world in which the Titans offense can overcome a robust Bills defense.
BILLS WIN
Vikings @ Eagles:
As impressive of a debut as Kevin O’Connell and his scheme had against the Packers, I have my doubts about whether or not it can be replicated. Justin Jefferson was otherworldly, but despite it all, the Vikings only managed 23 points and barely outgained a Packers offense that was struggling to complete passes. Meanwhile, the Eagles offense seems to already be in full swing with AJ Brown setting an Eagles franchise record for receiving yards in a team debut. Assuming Justin Jefferson doesn’t go for nearly 200 yards again (he can’t do that EVERY game, right?), I can’t say for certain if the Minnesota offense can reliably score against good secondaries.
EAGLES WIN
Adam's NFL Blog 