NFL Week 2 Preview: Picks, Odds & Matchup Stats

NFL Week 2 Preview: Picks, Odds & Matchup Stats

September 13, 2018 – by Seth Trachtman

With NFL Week 2 kicking off on Thursday night, here’s a preview of three of this week’s biggest games.

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Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers: Picks, Odds & Matchup Stats

The Steelers head into their home opener winless — and loss-less — after a rare tie at Cleveland in Week 1. The fact that Pittsburgh avoided a loss is somewhat miraculous given that they turned over the ball six times (for a -5 turnover margin) in the mediocre Cleveland weather. Ben Roethlisberger was responsible for five of those turnovers himself, continuing the long-time narrative that he plays worse on the road. Big Ben now will face a Chiefs secondary that struggled in Week 1 against the Chargers, allowing Philip Rivers to throw for 418 yards. That number could have been much worse if not for several wide open drops by Chargers wideouts. The Chiefs are hoping to get star safety Eric Berry back this week, while Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell remains a holdout. Backup James Conner did perform relatively well as the workhorse in Bell’s stead, rushing for 135 yards and two scores on 31 carries.

For the Chiefs, the Patrick Mahomes show started with a bang in 2018, against a Chargers defense that was elite in 2017 (granted, LAC was missing star pass rusher Joey Bosa). The Chiefs offensive line held up well in Week 1, so it will be interesting to see if that can continue vs. a Steelers squad that led the NFL in sacks last year, and had seven sacks in Week 1. Either way, one wonders whether the Chiefs will use a heavy dose of Kareem Hunt to try to slow down the Steeler pass rush, something KC got away from in a 19-13 Week 6 loss to Pittsburgh last year, when KC only tallied 15 rush attempts the entire game. (The Steelers struggled to stop the run late last season without Ryan Shazier, and allowed 4.7 yards per carry last week against Cleveland.) Speedy wideout Tyreek Hill took over the game against LAC with three touchdowns, and was on the receiving end of seven of Mahomes’ 15 completions. Hill is just one of several potent receiving weapons Pittsburgh will have to contend with, though KC failed to establish Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce last week.

Head to Head: The Steelers have had KC’s number since Andy Reid came on board in 2013, winning four of five matchups, with the only exception being a win by the Chiefs in 2015 when Ben Roethlisberger was injured.

Point Spread on Wed afternoon: Steelers -4 (opened at Steelers -5)

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Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers: Picks, Odds & Matchup Stats

It’s never too early in the season for a big rivalry game, but this one features two NFC North teams with Super Bowl hopes and 1-0 records. The Vikings took down San Francisco 24-16 in Week 1, as the acclaimed Minnesota defense was too much for Jimmy Garoppolo and company to handle. The Vikings offense showed balance under new coordinator John DeFilippo, with 39 dropbacks and 32 rush attempts, though they only averaged 3.6 yards per carry rushing. The run game could be an area of emphasis in Week 2, though, after the Packers yielded 5.1 yards per carry to Chicago last week. QB Kirk Cousins started his Vikings career on a good note, with 6.8 yards per pass attempt, 244 passing yards, and two touchdowns; this week he’ll face a Green Bay secondary that addressed some if its issues this offseason, after allowing 7.9 yards per pass attempt last year (third worst in the NFL). In Week 1, the Packers held Mitchell Trubisky to only 155 yards passing, but Cousins and his receivers are far more proven than Chicago’s QB and wideouts.

Aaron Rodgers played hero for the Packers after leaving in the second quarter of Sunday’s game with a knee injury, only to reenter the game down 20 points in the third quarter. In Rodgers fashion, he managed to lead a comeback to a triumphant 24-23 win while throwing for 286 yards and three TDs. It’s assumed Rodgers will play in Week 2, but his mobility was clearly impacted by the injury and likely will be hindered on Sunday. That’s a concern, considering that the Vikings defense injured Rodgers’ collarbone last year, and registered three sacks in Week 1. The possible good news for Rodgers and the Packers offense is that Minnesota is hurting in the secondary, with Mackensie Alexander missing Sunday’s game and Trae Waynes also leaving with a knee injury. However, with running back Aaron Jones suspended, Green Bay failed to establish the run with Jamaal Williams (3.1 yards per carry in Week 1), and the task won’t get any easier vs. a Vikings defense that allowed only 3.7 yards per carry in 2017.

Head to Head: Minnesota has dominated the head-to-head series recently, winning four of the last five games after the Packers had six straight wins from 2013-2015.

Point Spread on Wed afternoon: Packers -2

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New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys: Picks, Odds & Matchup Stats

Week 2’s Sunday night matchup features two squads coming off disappointing Week 1 losses. The Giants offense struggled to get into a rhythm against an strong Jaguars defense, scoring only 15 points as Eli Manning also threw a pick-six. One of the bright spots was rookie running back Saquon Barkley, who had a 68-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and finished his first game with 106 yards rushing. Wide receiver Odell Beckham also re-established himself as a force after missing most of 2017 due to injury, tallying 11 receptions for 111 yards. However, Manning’s slump from last year continued in the 2018 opener, with a paltry 6.1 yards per pass attempt. If there was any good news, it was that the Giants’ revamped offensive line held up against an elite Jags defensive line, allowing only two sacks over 39 dropbacks. That type of performance will need to continue against a Cowboys team led by star pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence.

There were major offseason concerns about the Cowboys’ lack of receivers and deteriorated offensive line. After losing 16-8 at Carolina in Week 1 and failing to score until the fourth quarter, those concerns still appear valid. QB Dak Prescott took six sacks and was limited to only 170 yards passing in his season debut, while running back Ezekiel Elliott had only 69 rushing yards on 16 carries. On paper, the Cowboys seem to lack big-play threats after losing receiver Dez Bryant and tight end Jason Witten, and their longest offensive play on Sunday went for just 20 yards. The Giants struggled to stop the pass last year, allowing 7.5 yards per attempt, but held Jaguars QB Blake Bortles to a pitiful 5.3 yards per attempt in Week 1.

Head to Head: The Cowboys claimed both games in the division rivalry last season, while the Giants had won the previous three matchups. Overall, the Cowboys lead the series 9-7 since the 2010 season.

Point Spread on Wed afternoon: Cowboys -3 (opened at -3.5)

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