NFL Game Previews: Week 2 Matchups

Cleveland at N.Y. Jets (+2.5), 46.0 o/u – Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT

Chalk it up to overconfidence or being overhyped, but the way the Browns collapsed in the second half against the Titans when things weren't going their way will need to be a one-week aberration, or what was supposed to be the team's return to the top could quickly turn into another season of crushing disappointment. There were plenty of things that looked pretty good in the opener until it all went off the rails, including the new Baker Mayfield-Odell Beckham connection, so there's a lot for Freddie Kitchens to build on if the club gets its collective head out of its keister. Fortunately, it will get to face a squad Monday that also blew a winnable game, but in arguably more embarrassing fashion. You'd have thought the Jets all had money on the Bills the way they threw that game away, and now they'll head into this one with Sam Darnold felled by mono, Trevor Siemian under center and plenty of other key players less than 100 percent healthy. Le'Veon Bell didn't even particularly thrive in this matchup back in his Steeler days — he only has three career TDs in six games against the Browns, compared to 15 in 16 against the Ravens and Bengals combined — but they'll need him to start earning his money.

The Skinny

• CLE injuries: RB Kareem Hunt (out, suspension), WR Rashard Higgins (questionable, ankle), WR Antonio Callaway (out, suspension), LG Joel Bitonio (questionable, abdomen)
• NYJ injuries: QB Darnold (out, illness), RB Bell (questionable, shoulder), WR Demaryius Thomas (questionable, hamstring), TE Chris Herndon (out, suspension), LT Kelvin Beachum (questionable, ankle), RG Brian Winters (questionable, shoulder), LB C.J. Mosley (questionable, groin)
• CLE DFS chalk: none
• NYJ DFS chalk: RB Bell (CLE 31st in rushing TDs allowed, 28th in rushing yards allowed in 2018)
• CLE DFS tournament plays: none
• NYJ DFS tournament plays: none
• Key stat: CLE ranked fifth in QB rating against in 2018 at 83.4. Siemian has a career QB rating of 79.9.
• Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 70s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Nick Chubb churns out 110 yards and a TD. Mayfield throws for 260 yards and scores to Beckham and David Njoku. Bell piles up 90 combined yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, but Siemian struggles, throwing for under 200 yards and getting picked off twice. Browns, 24-14

Arizona (+13) at Baltimore, 46.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Week 2 is always one of the trickiest weeks to figure out, simply because we don't have a clear idea why the things that happened in Week 1 happened. The Cardinals offense was awful in the first half last Sunday, then outscored the Lions, 21-7, in the second half to force a very unsatisfying overtime. Which performance is going to look more representative for Kyler Murray and coach Kliff Kingsbury's attack two months from now? As for the Ravens, it's pretty clear the Dolphins will be this season's doormats, so how much credit should Lamar Jackson actually get for his big passing day? Even if it wasn't for "real," though, Jackson's five-TD eruption should give coordinator Greg Roman more confidence in letting the second-year QB air it out — and if an Arizona secondary down Patrick Peterson and Robert Alford had trouble containing Matthew Stafford, there's no reason to think they'll have better luck with Jackson. That cuts both ways, though — Baltimore could be missing both its starting corners as well, forcing them to use some very shaky coverage options if the Cards keep throwing four-wide formations at them.

The Skinny

• ARI injuries: CB Peterson (out, suspension)
• BAL injuries: WR Marquise Brown (questionable, hip), CB Jimmy Smith (questionable, knee), CB Marlon Humphrey (questionable, back)
• ARI DFS chalk: none
• BAL DFS chalk: RB Mark Ingram (ARI 27th in YPC allowed, 32nd in rushing yards allowed, 32nd in rushing TDs allowed in 2018 – although neither Kerryon Johnson nor C.J. Anderson topped a 3.2 YPC last week)
• ARI DFS tournament plays: none
• BAL DFS tournament plays: RB Gus Edwards / Justice Hill (see Ingram above)
• Key stat: BAL ranked second in QB rating against in 2018
• Weather forecast: partly cloudy, temperature in the low 80s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop 

David Johnson scrapes together 70 scrimmage yards. Murray throws for 270 yards and TDs to Christian Kirk and KeeSean Johnson. Ingram pounds out 90 combined yards and a score. Jackson runs for 40 yards and a touchdown while throwing for 260 yards and TDs to Miles Boykin and Mark Andrews. Ravens, 34-17
 

Dallas at Washington (+5), 46.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The funniest moment of last week came at halftime of the Sunday night game, when a befuddled Tony Dungy announced the Cowboys had returned to their offensive formula featuring "a dominant running game." I mean, if you didn't watch the game, dude, just say so. Don't go full Stephen A. Of all the big QB performances from the opening slate, Dak Prescott's might have been the most surprising — and the most repeatable. Sure, maybe the Giants defense is completely terrible, but new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore handed Prescott the keys to a modern offense with a plethora of weapons at his disposal, and after one drive the fourth-year signal-caller had it purring like a kitten. Not to overstate things, but Dallas looked like a match for last year's Rams or Chiefs in terms of explosiveness, and did it without Ezekiel Elliott being up to full speed yet. Washington got spotted 17 points last week by the Eagles and still lost, which seems about right. Case Keenum and Terry McLaurin showed a nice connection, though, and with Derrius Guice having knee troubles again, Adrian Peterson will be back in a lead role. AP didn't have tremendous success in 2018 in this matchup (36 carries for 134 yards without a TD) but even at 34, the future Hall of Famer can be dangerous — especially when he feels disrespected. And there's nothing more disrespectful than being a healthy inactive, as he was in Week 1.

The Skinny

• DAL injuries: DE Robert Quinn (out, suspension)
• WAS injuries: RB Guice (IR, knee), TE Jordan Reed (out, concussion), LT Trent Williams (out, contract dispute), DE Jonathan Allen (out, knee)
• DAL DFS chalk: none
• WAS DFS chalk: none
• DAL DFS tournament plays: none
• WAS DFS tournament plays: none
• Key stat: DAL was fifth in third-down offense in 2018, moving the chains 41.4 percent of the time. WAS was 29th in third-down defense at 43.9 percent.
• Head-to-head record, last five years: 7-3 DAL, average score 28-21 DAL, average margin of victory 10 points
• Weather forecast: partly cloudy, temperature in the low 80s, less than 10 mph wind zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Elliott carves out 80 combined yards and a touchdown. Prescott comes up big again, throwing for 310 yards and three TDs, hitting Amari Cooper (who tops 100 yards) twice and Randall Cobb once. Peterson thunders for 110 yards and a score. Keenum throws for 240 yards and touchdowns to Chris Thompson and Vernon Davis. Cowboys, 31-24
 

Indianapolis (+3) at Tennessee, 44.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Maybe having a 46-year-old kicker whose field-goal percentage has declined for four consecutive years (and counting) wasn't such a good idea after all. The Colts played well enough to win last week against the Chargers, but Adam Vinatieri left seven points on the field in a game that went to overtime. The good news is that Jacoby Brissett looked competent with T.Y. Hilton on the other end of his passes, and Marlon Mack looked like a stud running behind Indy's tremendous offensive line, so the club's new offensive identity in the wake of Andrew Luck's retirement already seems to be in place. The Titans simply bullied the Browns into submission in their opener, with Cleveland basically tapping out in the fourth quarter, and they used a very similar formula to Indy — Marcus Mariota was good enough and Derrick Henry plowed forward like an enraged hippo. A.J. Brown's emergence as a possible big-play threat gives new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith some options, but it's no surprise that the former tight ends coach still had Mariota targeting Delanie Walker early and often.

The Skinny

• IND injuries: WR Devin Funchess (IR, collarbone)
• TEN injuries: LT Taylor Lewan (out, suspension), RG Kevin Pamphile (out, knee)
• IND DFS chalk: none
• TEN DFS chalk: TE Walker (IND 29th in DVOA vs. TE in 2018)
• IND DFS tournament plays: WR Deon Cain (TEN 30th in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2018)
• TEN DFS tournament plays: none
• Key stat: TEN was second in red-zone defense in 2018, allowing TDs on 44.7 percent (21-of-47) of opposition RZ possessions
• Head-to-head record, last five years: 8-2 IND, average score 30-21 IND, average margin of victory 13 points. Brissett was under center for both losses, when TEN swept the season series in 2017.
• Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the high 80s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Mack manages 80 yards. Brissett throws for 220 yards and TDs to Hilton and Cain. Henry rumbles for 90 yards and a score, while Dion Lewis also finds the end zone. Mariota throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to Walker. Titans, 21-17
 

Seattle (+4) at Pittsburgh, 46.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

While the Vikings were the poster children for retrograde offenses last week, the Seahawks did their best to help keep the old-school fires burning too, limiting Russell Wilson to just 20 passing attempts despite a 9.8 YPA — and nearly losing the game in the process. Hey, when your lead RB has a 3.1 YPC, I guess you have some difficult decisions to make. Pete Carroll and Brian Schottenheimer aren't likely to change their approach too much (I mean, they did win) even after watching Tom Brady and the Pats dissect the Steelers through the air in their opener. Pittsburgh's defense simply lacks the talent and star power it's used to fielding, especially with Joe Haden at less than 100 percent health, and while rookie linebacker Devin Bush might someday be an impact player, his tackles last week mostly came from chasing the play against New England. The bigger concern for the team might be the state of the offense, though. Donte Moncrief's case of the dropsies didn't help, but Ben Roethlisberger looked old despite not being under a tremendous amount of pressure, and JuJu Smith-Schuster couldn't get consistent separation. They were playing the defending champs on the road, so a bounce-back showing is entirely possible, but the Steelers didn't look like much of a threat to anyone in Week 1.

The Skinny

• SEA injuries: WR Tyler Lockett (questionable, back), WR David Moore (out, shoulder), DT Jarran Reed (out, suspension)
• PIT injuries: C Maurkice Pouncey (questionable, ankle), CB Haden (questionable, shoulder)
• SEA DFS chalk: none
• PIT DFS chalk: none
• SEA DFS tournament plays: TE Will Dissly / Nick Vannett (PIT 31st in DVOA vs. TE in 2018)
• PIT DFS tournament plays: none
• Key stat: PIT ranked first in red-zone offense in 2018, scoring TDs on 73.5 percent (36-of-49) of their RZ possessions; SEA was fourth in red-zone defense at 49.0 percent (25-of-51)
• Weather forecast: partly cloudy, temperature in the high 70s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Chris Carson bangs out 70 combined yards and a TD. Wilson opens things up a bit, throwing for 260 yards and touchdowns to Dissly and Lockett. James Conner rebounds with 100 scrimmage yards. Roethlisberger throws for 270 yards and scores to JuJu and James Washington, but he gets picked off in the fourth quarter trying to lead a late comeback. Seahawks, 24-20
 

Buffalo at N.Y. Giants (+1.5), 43.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Josh Allen is some kind of magician — maybe more Burt Wonderstone than Harry Houdini, but still. He did everything he could to hand last week's game to the Jets with four turnovers in the first half, then when they refused to accept delivery, the second-year QB decided he'd win it for his own team instead. His passing skills remain a work in progress, but Allen's scrambling is elite — including last week, he's run for nine touchdowns in his last 11 games. The Giants just looked inept in losing to the Cowboys, and not just defensively. What else would you call it when Saquon Barkley gains 59 yards on his first touch, and then only sees 10 more carries the rest of the way when the team desperately needed to keep the Dallas offense off the field? The Bills' run defense might be stouter, but Le'Veon Bell was still productive against it, and Barkley won't be trying to shake off 20 months of rust. I'm also reserving judgment on declaring the Giants' defense DOA, as it's possible it faced this season's breakout offense in Week 1. If the Bills hang 30-plus points on it, well, then we can call it and hang tags on their toes. Eli Manning did manage to accumulate some numbers but didn't look good doing it, but Daniel Jones' clumsy fumble on his garbage-time drive should quiet demands for a switch at QB, at least for a while.

The Skinny

• BUF injuries: none
• NYG injuries: WR Sterling Shepard (out, concussion), WR Golden Tate (out, suspension), WR Cody Latimer (questionable, calf)
• BUF DFS chalk: none
• NYG DFS chalk: none
• BUF DFS tournament plays: WR John Brown (NYG 26th in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2018), WR Cole Beasley (NYG 28th in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2018)
• NYG DFS tournament plays: none
• Key stat: BUF ranked 30th in red-zone defense in 2018, allowing TDs on 70.8 percent (34-of-48) of opposition RZ possessions
• Weather forecast: partly cloudy, temperature in the low 80s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Frank Gore grinds out 50 yards, while Devin Singletary again leads the Buffalo backfield with 70 combined yards. Allen does scramble for a score but throws for less than 200 yards and a TD to Cole Beasley. Barkley dominates with 140 combined yards and two touchdowns. Manning plays caretaker, throwing for 220 yards and a score to Bennie Fowler. Giants, 24-14
 

San Francisco (+2) at Cincinnati, 45.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

If you watched much of these two teams last week, you'd think their records were reversed. The Niners stunk, just not as badly as the Bucs, and Jimmy Garoppolo did not appear to be anywhere near the form he flashed in his first few magical games with San Francisco in 2017. Tevin Coleman's ankle injury also thins out the herd in the backfield committee, though Kyle Shanahan's scheme tends to make any RB that sees significant touches look good. If the secondary can't produce multiple scores every week, this team could be in trouble. The Bengals, on the other hand, came within a whisker of upsetting the Seahawks on the road, and the passing game looked outstanding in new head coach Zac Taylor's system, brought over from the Rams — Andy Dalton was far more Red Rifle than Red Ryder BB gun (still the greatest diss in NFL history. Sorry, Andy), and John Ross finally looked like a top-10 pick while filling the Brandin Cooks vertical role. If and when A.J. Green returns, and Joe Mixon gets fully healthy ... hoo boy.

The Skinny

• SF injuries: RB Coleman (out, ankle), DE Nick Bosa (questionable, ankle)
• CIN injuries: RB Mixon (questionable, ankle), WR Green (out, ankle), LT Cordy Glenn (questionable, concussion)
• SF DFS chalk: none
• CIN DFS chalk: WR Tyler Boyd / Ross (SF 26th in DVOA vs. WR2 , 31st in DVOA vs. WR3)
• SF DFS tournament plays: QB Garoppolo (CIN 32nd in passing yards allowed, tied for 27th in passing TDs allowed in 2018), RB Matt Breida / Raheem Mostert (CIN 29th in rushing yards allowed, tied for 25th in rushing TDs allowed in 2018, 31st in passing game DVOA vs. RBs in 2018), WR Deebo Samuel (CIN 28th in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2018)
• CIN DFS tournament plays: QB Dalton (SF 31st in passing TD allowed in 2018)
• Key stat: SF ranked 31st in QB rating against and 31st in TD percentage allowed on passing plays in 2018
• Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the low 80s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Breida scampers for 110 combined yards and a TD. Garoppolo throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to Samuel. Mixon plays, but Giovani Bernard leads the backfield with 80 combined yards and a receiving score. Dalton lights it up again, throwing for 340 yards and two additional TDs to Ross and Tyler Eifert. Bengals, 27-20
 

L.A. Chargers at Detroit (+2.5), 47.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The Bolts' escape last week against the Colts came at a price, as Mike Williams and Hunter Henry both suffered knee injuries, though Williams at least might still play Sunday. The real loser was Melvin Gordon, though. Austin Ekeler's huge performance — not to mention the fact that Justin Jackson ripped off gains of 20 or more yards with two of his measly six carries — sabotaged whatever leverage the holdout might have thought he had. There have been conflicting reports on when he might rejoin the team, assuming he isn't traded, but another couple games like that from the duo replacing him could push him to reconsider his self-imposed exile lickety-split. The Lions squandered a big lead in the desert, and probably should have lost in overtime, but hey, they're still undefeated! The running game didn't amount to much with Kerryon Johnson and C.J. Anderson splitting touches and not being able to build up any kind of momentum or feel, and while Matthew Stafford posted the expected big numbers against a depleted Cards secondary, having rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson and retread slot man Danny Amendola as his top weapons was not according to script, or potentially very repeatable. This seems like an offense still not quite sure what it's good at, or what it should be focusing on.

The Skinny

• LAC injuries: RB Gordon (out, contract dispute), WR Williams (questionable, knee), TE Henry (out, knee), K Michael Badgley (questionable, groin)
• DET injuries: LT Taylor Decker (questionable, back), LB Jarrad Davis (questionable, ankle)
• LAC DFS chalk: WR Keenan Allen (DET 32nd in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2018)
• DET DFS chalk: none
• LAC DFS tournament plays: WR Travis Benjamin (DET 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2018), WR Dontrelle Inman (DET 27th in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2018)
• DET DFS tournament plays: none
• Key stat: DET ranked 30th in QB rating against in 2018
• Weather forecast: dome

The Scoop

Ekeler gains 80 combined yards, but it's Jackson turn to shine with 90 yards and two touchdowns. Philip Rivers throws for 260 yards and two scores to Allen and Benjamin. Johnson leads the Lions backfield with 70 combined yards and a receiving TD. Stafford throws for 250 yards and and a second touchdown to Kenny Golladay. Chargers, 31-20
 

Minnesota (+3) at Green Bay, 44.0 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

It's touching that in honor of the NFL's 100th anniversary, the Vikings deployed an offense straight out of the 1930s. Maybe they'll break out the leather helmets next. Kirk Cousins' 10 pass attempts in Week 1 was simply ridiculous, but it's not like they needed to air it out more given what the defense was doing to the Falcons. Dalvin Cook appears poised to become the league's next high-volume monster, knees willing, but he could have his work cut out for him in Week 2 against a Packers front seven that looked much improved against the Bears. Aaron Rodgers has a somewhat checkered resume against Minnesota — his eight career losses is more than his total against either Chicago or Detroit, but his 110.0 QB rating is higher than his mark facing either of his other two NFC North foes. The Vikings have mostly had his numbers lately, though — the last time Rodgers threw multiple TD passes against them was Week 16 of 2016.

The Skinny

• MIN injuries: LG Pat Elflein (questionable, knee), CB Mackenzie Alexander (out, elbow)
• GB injuries: LT David Bakhtiari (questionable, back)
• MIN DFS chalk: RB Dalvin Cook (GB 32nd in passing DVOA vs. RBs in 2018)
• GB DFS chalk: none
• MIN DFS tournament plays: TE Kyle Rudolph (GB 27th in DVOA vs. TEs in 2018)
• GB DFS tournament plays: TE Jimmy Graham (MIN 30th in DVOA vs. TE in 2018)
• Key stat: MIN was one of only two defenses in 2018 (CHI being the other) to finish in the top seven in QB rating against, yards per carry allowed, third-down defense and red-zone defense
• Head-to-head record, last five years: 5-4-1 MIN, average score 22-20 GB, average margin of victory 11 points. However, MIN is 5-1-1 in the last seven meetings with an average score of 22-17 MIN.
• Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-70s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Cook gallops for 90 yards and a score. Cousins actually gets to toss the ball a bit, throwing for 220 yards and a TD to Stefon Diggs. Aaron Jones manages 60 yards, but his fumble gets returned to the house by Eric Kendricks. Rodgers throws for 240 yards and a touchdown to Jimmy Graham. Vikings, 24-13
 

Jacksonville (+9) at Houston, 43.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

For one brief shining moment, as D.J. Chark hauled in a beautiful deep ball from Nick Foles for a touchdown, it looked like the Jaguars might have a legitimate passing game to go with their still-strong defense. Foles got hit and suffered a broken collarbone on the same play, however, and the performance of sixth-round rookie Gardner Minshew in his place raised the question of whether it was just the Chiefs' afterthought of a pass defense that made Jacksonville's attack look good. Then again, the Texans' secondary wasn't much better than Kansas City's in 2018, and it showed little ability to slow down Drew Brees when it mattered in Week 1. Deshaun Watson was great but got sacked six times despite Laremy Tunsil being parachuted in to watch his blind side, and while the Jags' banged-up pass rush isn't at full strength, it still got to Patrick Mahomes a handful of times. If Watson is forced into a position yet again where he feels it's up to him to make something happen and hangs onto the ball too long, it could turn into a coming-out party for seventh overall pick Josh Allen.

The Skinny

• JAC injuries: QB Foles (IR, collarbone), WR Marqise Lee (questionable, knee), LT Cam Robinson (out, knee), DE Yannick Ngakoue (out, hamstring), DE Calais Campbell (questionable, foot), DT Marcell Dareus (questionable, elbow), CB A.J. Bouye (questionable, hip)
• HOU injuries: WR DeAndre Hopkins (questionable, ribs)
• JAC DFS chalk: none
• HOU DFS chalk: none
• JAC DFS tournament plays: QB Minshew (HOU 28th in passing yards allowed in 2018), WR Dede Westbrook (HOU 31st in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2018)
• HOU DFS tournament plays: QB Watson (JAC 32nd in rushing yards allowed to QBs in 2018)
• Key stat: HOU led the league in YPC allowed in 2018 at 3.4, and was third in rushing yards allowed per game at 82.7.
• Head-to-head record, last five years: 8-2 HOU, average score 21-18 HOU, average margin of victory 15 points.
• Weather forecast: clear, temperature in the low 90s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Leonard Fournette rumbles for 70 combined yards and a touchdown. Minshew struggles in his first start, throwing for 240 yards but getting picked off twice. Carlos Hyde manages 70 yards, while Duke Johnson adds 60 combined yards and a TD. Watson throws for 250 yards and scores to Will Fuller and Jordan Akins. Texans, 24-13
 

New England at Miami (+18.5), 47.5 o/u – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

There really isn't a lot I want to say about the Antonio Brown situation other than to point out the Patriots clearly don't need him. They thrashed the Steelers while barely using Sony Michel, and given how their defense has been playing since the end of last season, they may not need a lot of offense at all to win most weeks. Of course, that won't stop Tom Brady from piling up the points when he gets a chance. The Dolphins in general have given this latter-stage dynasty some trouble in recent years, but this Miami squad has nearly been stripped down to the chassis — the latest player rumored to be on the block is Minkah Fitzpatrick, because why would a rebuilding team want to hang onto last year's 11th overall pick when they can move him off his best position (slot corner) to safety and reduce his market value before flipping him? Crikey. This spread is absurd, but after the Fish made Lamar Jackson look like Patrick Mahomes and Mark Ingram like Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson last week, there might be no bottom to how bad this team can be — even in a divisional matchup at home they should, in theory, be highly motivated for.

The Skinny

• NE injuries: TE Ben Watson (out, suspension), C David Andrews (IR, illness), RT Marcus Cannon (questionable, shoulder)
• MIA injuries: WR Albert Wilson (out, calf), C Daniel Kilgore (questionable, shoulder), S Reshad Jones (out, ankle)
• NE DFS chalk: RB Michel (MIA 26th in YPC allowed, 27th in rushing TDs allowed, 31st in rushing yards allowed in 2018), RB James White (MIA 30th in passing game DVOA vs. RBs)
• MIA DFS chalk: none
• NE DFS tournament plays: none
• MIA DFS tournament plays: RB Kenyan Drake (NE 30th in YPC allowed in 2018)
• Key stat: MIA was 31st in third-down offense in 2018, successfully converting only 30.1 percent of its attempts
• Head-to-head record, last five years: 6-4 NE, average score 30-20 NE, average margin of victory 17 points. In their six victories during that stretch, NE has won by an average score of 36-14.
• Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the high 80s, 14 mph wind, 5-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Michel erupts for 140 yards and two TDs, while White adds 70 combined yards. Brady throws for 250 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Josh Gordon and Julian Edelman. Drake only gains 60 yards but finds the end zone in garbage time. Ryan Fitzpatrick throws for 210 yards and a pick-six to Jason McCourty. Patriots, 35-10
 

Kansas City at Oakland (+7.5), 53.5 o/u – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT

Tyreek Hill's collarbone injury might sound like the kind of thing a "clumsy" child would show up in the emergency room with, but I'm sure the NFL investigated it thoroughly. With the speedster sidelined, Sammy Watkins erupted against the Jags, but it's not yet clear whether Demarcus Robinson or Mecole Hardman will be able to benefit from the available targets. There's also little clarity in how the backfield will shake out with LeSean McCoy now in town — he saw 11 touches to Damien Williams' 19 last week. What does seem clear is that the Chiefs' defense is still something of a sieve, and that points could flow for both teams any time they're in action. The Raiders put all their offseason drama aside for their final home opener in Oakland, and a divisional rivalry game might help them stay focused. Derek Carr finally looked like he was running a Jon Gruden offense, and if he keeps humming, the unit could produce some big performances on a consistent basis despite its seeming lack of star power.

The Skinny

• KC injuries: WR Hill (out, collarbone), LT Eric Fisher (questionable, groin)
• OAK injuries: RG Gabe Jackson (out, knee), CB Gareon Conley (questionable, neck)
• KC DFS chalk: QB Patrick Mahomes (OAK 32nd in passing TDs allowed in 2018), WR Watkins (OAK 30th in DVOA vs. WR3), TE Travis Kelce (OAK 32nd in DVOA vs. TE in 2018)
• OAK DFS chalk: RB Josh Jacobs (KC 31st in YPC allowed, tied for 29th in rushing TDs allowed in 2018)
• KC DFS tournament plays: RB Williams / McCoy (OAK 30th in rushing yards allowed in 2018)
• OAK DFS tournament plays: QB Carr (KC 31st in passing yards allowed in 2018), WR Hunter Renfrow (KC 29th in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2018), TE Darren Waller (KC 25th in DVOA vs. TE in 2018)
• Key stat: KC ranked second in third-down conversions in 2018, moving the chains 47.2 percent of the time. OAK ranked 30th in third-down defense.
• Head-to-head record, last five years: 8-2 KC, average score 29-18 KC, average margin of victory 12 points.
• Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-60s, 10-12 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Williams leads the Chiefs backfield with 90 combined yards and a TD, while Shady adds 50 yards. Mahomes throws for 320 yards and three touchdowns, hitting Kelce twice and Robinson once while Watkins again tops 100 yards. Jacobs bangs out 120 yards and a score. Carr throws for 290 yards and touchdowns to Waller and Tyrell Williams. Chiefs, 34-24
 

New Orleans (+2.5) at L.A. Rams, 52.0 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

A rematch of the PI Bowl from last year's NFC championship, both teams come in 1-0 after surviving something of a Week 1 scare. The Saints got into a slugfest at home with the Texans but landed the last haymaker, and for the most part they looked like the team most expected them to be, flashing their teeth on both sides of the ball. The Rams got off to a sluggish start and the offense didn't really get going until Todd Gurley did, and a win in Carolina looks less impressive than it did before Thursday's rough showing against the Bucs. As Jared Goff's amazing stretch of productivity continues to fade into the rear view mirror, it's increasingly been on Aaron Donald and the Rams defense to keep them afloat. Over the team's last nine games, including the playoffs, they've held the opposition to 23 points or less six times, going 4-2 in those games.

The Skinny

• NO injuries: DT Sheldon Rankins (out, Achilles)
• LAR injuries: none
• NO DFS chalk: RB Alvin Kamara (LAR 32nd in YPC against in 2018), WR Michael Thomas (LAR 28th in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2018)
• LAR DFS chalk: RB Gurley (NO 29th in passing game DVOA vs. RB in 2018), WR Brandin Cooks (NO 30th in DVOA vs. WR1, 32nd vs. deep throws in 2018), WR Robert Woods (NO 31st in DVOA vs. WR2)
• NO DFS tournament plays: RB Latavius Murray (see Kamara above)
• LAR DFS tournament plays: QB Goff (NO 29th in passing yards allowed in 2018), RB Darrell Henderson (see Gurley above)
• Key stat: In nine games since LAR's bye in Week 12 of last year, including the 2018 postseason, Goff has completed 58.0 percent of his passes (192-for-331) with an 8:9 TD:INT and 5.9 YPA, averaging 218.2 passing yards per game.
• Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the mid-80s, less than 10 mph wind, zero percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Kamara piles up 130 combined yards, while Murray punches in a score. Drew Brees throws for 240 yards and a TD to Thomas. Gurley runs for 80 yards and a touchdown, and Henderson makes an impact with 60 scrimmage yards and a receiving TD. Goff throws for 250 yards and a touchdown to Woods. Rams, 24-23
 

Chicago at Denver (+2.5), 40.5 o/u – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

The Bears' offense was brutal in its opener, wasting another strong effort from the defense, and the grumbling has started in earnest about Mitchell Trubisky. Now in his third NFL season, he's shown little sign of being ready to handle more responsibility, but even for a dinker and dunker, a 5.1 YPA is extreme. It might help if Matt Nagy could figure out that Mike Davis is not one of his best options out of the backfield, but the real issue might be that Trubisky has no one reliable to throw to downfield other than Allen Robinson. Again, though, there could be a chicken and egg thing happening — is Trubisky bad because Nagy doesn't trust him to air it out, or is the QB not trusted to air it out because he's bad? Is Anthony Miller a bust because Trubisky can't get him the ball downfield, or is Trubisky not throwing him the ball downfield because Miller's a bust? It's weird to think that facing Von Miller might help them sort out those questions, but the Broncos defense got trucked by the Raiders last week, so there could be more opportunities for Chicago to move the ball than they saw against the Packers. Joe Flacco looked like a veteran stopgap at quarterback (which, well, he is) and Denver's backfield timeshare didn't do much for either Phillip Lindsay or Royce Freeman, and it's hard to see them getting things going against Chicago unless the Bears defense can never get off the field.

The Skinny

• CHI injuries: TE Trey Burton (questionable, groin)
• DEN injuries: RT Ja'Wuan James (out, knee), LB Todd Davis (questionable, calf)
• CHI DFS chalk: none
• DEN DFS chalk: none
• CHI DFS tournament plays: Bears DST (first in scoring defense, first in takeaways, tied for third in sacks in 2018)
• DEN DFS tournament plays: none
• Key stat: CHI was one of only two defenses in 2018 (MIN being the other) to finish in the top seven in QB rating against, yards per carry allowed, third-down defense and red-zone defense
• Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the high 80s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

David Montgomery leads the Bears backfield with 80 yards and a TD, while Tarik Cohen adds 60 combined yards. Trubisky throws for less than 200 yards but finds Miller for a touchdown. Freeman ekes out 40 yards to lead the Broncos backfield. Flacco throws for less than 200 yards as well, getting picked off twice and sacked five times. Bears, 20-6
 

Philadelphia at Atlanta (+1.5), 51.0 o/u – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT

It was very sporting of the Eagles to let Washington score 17 points before they started playing last week. Jolly good show, chaps. Once they got going, they looked like a legit contender on both sides of the ball, with Carson Wentz being surgical in the pocket, the backfield committee producing no matter who got the ball, and the opposition secondary being forced to deal with more options than it can handle. DeSean Jackson won't have a revenge motive against one of his former franchises in Week 2, but that might just give someone else a chance to thrive. The Falcons, on the other hand, looked like a disjointed mess on offense. The Vikings are a tough opponent, but almost nothing seemed to work for Atlanta, and by the second half the gameplan seemed to have been reduced to "chuck it to Julio and pray." Mind you, that usually works, and they're likely to lean heavily on it again with the superstar closing in on becoming the franchise's all-time leading receiver, but new/old offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter better come up with something else quick. Otherwise, as the song says, his schemes will be his ticket out.

The Skinny

• PHI injuries: none
• ATL injuries: none
• PHI DFS chalk: QB Wentz (ATL 32nd in fantasy points allowed to QB, 29th in passing TDs allowed in 2018), WR Alshon Jeffery (ATL 27th in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2018)
• ATL DFS chalk: none
• PHI DFS tournament plays: WR Nelson Agholor (ATL 27th in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2018)
• ATL DFS tournament plays: QB Matt Ryan (PHI 30th in passing yards allowed in 2018)
• Key stat: Julio Jones is 102 yards away from becoming ATL's all-time receiving yards leader.
• Weather forecast: dome

The Scoop

Miles Sanders leads the Eagles backfield with 60 yards, but Jordan Howard grabs a short TD. Wentz throws for 300 yards and touchdowns to Jeffery and Agholor. Devonta Freeman picks up 70 scrimmage yards and a score. Ryan throws for 340 yards and three TDs, hitting Calvin Ridley twice and Julio once, with the latter claiming the franchise receiving record late in the third quarter. Falcons, 31-27

Tampa Bay (+6.5) at Carolina, 49.5 o/u – Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EDT

Both teams went into Week 1 with some questions to answer at quarterback, but instead of solving their respective mysteries at the position things just got murkier. Is Jameis Winston simply shot after too many years of bad O-line play and the weight of the expectations that came with being the first overall pick in 2015, and the franchise's supposed savior? Throwing three interceptions against a Niners defense that only managed to snatch two picks all of 2018 certainly doesn't suggest coach Bruce Arians has been able to fix the fifth-year QB, at least not over the course of a few months of practices. Tampa Bay's options behind Winston aren't particularly thrilling, though, especially with Blaine Gabbert nursing a shoulder injury, so Arians might be stuck with him until the 2020 draft. On the other sideline, Carolina was left wondering if Cam Newton is close to 100 percent healthy after he neither ran much in the opener — it was the first time in his career he recorded negative rushing yards in a game — nor showed much ability to challenge secondaries downfield with his surgically repaired shoulder. Newton's average intended air yards per target of 6.3 ranks 25th after one week, putting him behind the likes of Case Keenum and Eli Manning and tied with Marcus Mariota. (Of course, Patrick Mahomes was only at 5.9 after letting his receivers do most of the work after the catch against the Jags. It's an imperfect science.) If this game ends up being decided by the rushing attacks and defenses, it's advantage Panthers in a big way thanks to Christian McCaffrey and Luke Kuechly, even if Ronald Jones did show a flicker of his sleeper potential for Tampa Bay last week.

The Skinny

• TB injuries: none
• CAR injuries: TE Greg Olsen (questionable, back)
• TB DFS chalk: none
• CAR DFS chalk: RB McCaffrey (TB 30th in rushing TDs allowed in 2018)
• TB DFS tournament plays: QB Winston (CAR tied for 27th in passing TDs allowed in 2018), WR Breshad Perriman (CAR 32nd in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2018), TE O.J. Howard / Cameron Brate (CAR 24th in DVOA vs. TE in 2018)
• CAR DFS tournament plays: QB Newton (TB 32nd in QB rating allowed, 30th in passing TDs allowed in 2018), WR D.J. Moore (TB 29th in DVOA vs. WR1), WR Curtis Samuel (TB 29th in DVOA vs. WR2), TE Olsen (TB 28th in DVOA vs. TE in 2018)
• Key stats: TB ranked 32nd in red-zone defense in 2018, allowing TDs on 77.6 percent (45 of 58) opposition RZ possessions — although SF went 0-for-3 against them in Week 1. McCaffrey scored on two of his four RZ touches in Week 1.
• Head-to-head record, last five years: 7-3 CAR, average score 24-17 CAR, average margin of victory nine points. Five of the last six meetings have featured totals of 41 points or less, with the only exception being last year's 42-28 CAR victory in Week 9.
• Weather forecast: cloudy, temperature in the low 80s, less than 10 mph wind, 0-5 percent chance of rain

The Scoop

Jones leads the Bucs backfield with 70 combined yards. Winston steadies the ship a little, throwing for 240 yards and a TD to Howard while only getting picked off once. McCaffrey stays hot with 140 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Cam again doesn't run much but throws for 260 yards and scores to Moore and Samuel. Panthers, 24-16
 

2019 regular-season record: 10-5-1, 8-8 ATS, 10-6 o/u
2018 regular-season record: 160-94-2, 112-134-10 ATS, 113-139-4 o/u
2017 regular-season record: 164-92, 111-131-14 ATS, 114-138-4 o/u
2016 regular-season record: 155-99-2, 110-136-10 ATS, 139-112-5 o/u
2015 regular-season record: 157-99, 137-111-8 ATS