Week 2 NFL Confidence Pool: Ram Tough!
The Saints were far from heavenly last week as they were upset by the Bucs and proved to be the dagger in confidence and suicide pools throughout the nation. Let’s check out Week 2 where we rate our most confident straight up pick (16) all the way to our least confident (1). No spreads involved, but we’ll still deliver the point spread on each game from Sportsbook Review.
Week 1 Straight Up Record: 8-7-1 (76 of possible 136 points)
16. (Confidence rating) Rams — Cardinals at Rams (-13½): When Alex Smith surgically dissects your defense on your own turf, then you know that your team has issues. The high-flying Rams will welcome the Cardinals to LA with a beating so fierce it’ll turn these Cardinals into poultry on the table when it’s all said and done.
15. Saints — Browns at Saints (-9½): As we peruse what the best online sportsbooks are dealing over at Sportsbook Review, the sports betting industry’s bible, we see that the Saints are nearly double-digit favorites over a Browns team that tied the Steelers last week and essentially won the biggest game they will all season. Now it’s back to reality.
14. Redskins – Colts at Redskins (-6): Not sure how the Colts will successfully run against the Redskins, which means they’ll have to rely on Luck (pun intended). Alex Smith won’t have it as easy this week as he did last week in the desert, but he and his offense are certainly capable enough of sending the Colts home 0-2.
13. 49ers – Lions at 49ers (-6): Sweet Jimmy G saw his unbeaten streak shattered but that doesn’t mean he can’t start a new one. The Lions looked flummoxed in their opener with defensive guru Matt Patricia at the helm, and perhaps the rocket scientist’s schemes are a bit too complex this early in the season.
12. Chargers – Bills at Chargers (-7): The way the Bills played last week – or didn’t for that matter – you would think the best online sportsbooks over at Sportsbook Review would be dealing the Bolts at double-digits, but they’re not and that’s cause for pause. The rookie first-rounder Josh Allen is in for Buffalo this week at QB, but the cast of characters around him hasn’t changed. Looks like another loss for Buffy – but be careful with this one.
11. Falcons – Panthers at Falcons (-6): The Panthers had plenty of dinged-up players after their 16-8 win over Dallas, none more notable than defensive stalwart Luke Kuechly, whose status is uncertain and TE Greg Olsen, who has been ruled out for weeks due to a foot injury. Dirty Birds will be poised to strike after a tough loss to the Eagles in Week 1.
10. Broncos – Raiders at Broncos (-6): Case Keenum got it done in Minnesota last year and did so again in a Broncos uniform last week as Denver dispatched the Seahawks. Oakland’s Derek Carr has a banged-up ankle but should play, although it’s doubtful he’ll be in peak form which is a greenlight for Von Miller to do even more damage.
9. Eagles – Eagles (-3) at Bucs: Nobody is crazy about Nick Foles under center for the world champs, but the man does win and Tampa’s Ryan Fitzpatrick will see a regression to the mean after a startling performance last week against the Saints.
8. Texans – Texans at Titans (+2.5): Marcus Mariota is expected to play after leaving Week 1 with an elbow injury. The Titans lost what many believed (including us) was a winnable game against the Dolphins and lost Delanie Walker and Taylor Lewan to injury. Houston should take this one on the road.
7. Patriots – Patriots (-1) at Jaguars: This is a total revenge game for the Jags after watching a 10-point lead melt like butter in a blast furnace to the Patriots last year in the AFC Championship. Yet, the Pats are actually road favorites and why do you think that is? Because New England remains the better team.
6. Giants – Giants (+3) at Cowboys: The Boys are favorites only because they get this one in their own playpen. However, the triumvirate of Eli Manning, Saquon Barkley and OBJ trumps Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and … That’s all we need to know.
5. Vikings – Vikings (+1) at Packers: There is an outside chance that Aaron Rodgers won’t suit up for this game, and we all know how well the Packers did last year without him. However, even if he does, the question is will he be at full throttle after sustaining a knee injury in Week 1? No, which means the Vikings look like a juicy road dog here.
4. Jets – Dolphins at Jets (-3): The Jets have a different feel to them this season, and it’s not just the fact that they may have finally drafted a winner under center but their defense was outstanding in a 48-17 pasting of the Lions. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are 1-0 but don’t elicit the same emotion, and we believe these Fish will be on the hook for a loss come Sunday.
3. Bengals – Ravens at Bengals (-1): The public will be betting the Ravens with both fists after their demolition of the Bills, but seriously who are the Bills anyway? Expectations for Baltimore are through the roof in this divisional tilt, but the Cats bared their claws in their opening win on the road in Indianapolis and we don’t see Joltin’ Joe Flacco as an upgrade to Andrew Luck at the most important position on the field.
2. Chiefs – Chiefs (+4) at Steelers: We’re not buying what the Steelers are selling this season and the off-field distractions with Le’Veon Bell give us a bad feeling in our bellies. Chiefs offense blitzed the Bolts last week and Patrick Mahomes looks like a gunslinger ready to fire at will. Grab the road pup here and watch them win outright.
1. Seahawks – Seahawks (+3) at Bears: Chicago is the people’s choice, but the people are often wrong when it comes to NFL betting. Seattle is far from done even if their defense is a shell of its former self. Give Pete a chance – take the Hawks.