September 17, 2026
Eric Hartline/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The last time the Eagles played the Titans, Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown were still besties.
For the gambling degenerates, here are my Week 2 NFL picks. The team logos indicate who I think will win the game, not cover the spread. At the end of the picks, I'll note a few teams that I like based on the spread.
Lions at Bills (-5.5): This line is 5.5 points because the Lions will be down a couple of starting offensive linemen in Christian Mahogany and Blake Miller. They'll also be without CB D.J. Reed, after already having both starting safeties — Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph — on IR. That's a little too much to overcome.
Eagles (-7) at Titans: As usual, the Eagles won their football game Week 1 against the Washington Commanders. Also, as usual, there was plenty to gripe about in the aftermath. It's going to take some time for the Eagles to get their sea legs in the new scheme, which frankly looked a whole lot like the old scheme, if we're being honest.
But the schedule makers were kind to Philly this season, giving them early games against a pair of teams in the Commanders and Titans that had a combined record of 8-26 with a combined point differential of -289 in 2025.
The Titans' offense line contains a pair offensive tackles that give up a lot of sacks, a career backup starting at center, and a fifth-round rookie starting at RG. So I like that matchup for the Eagles. And then defensively, the only thing the Titans did reasonably well last season was stop the run, and this offseason they traded their 360-pound run stuffer, T'Vondre Sweat.
The Eagles get to 2-0, and we'll see what the next set of postgame gripes will be.
Packers (-3.5) at Jets: In Week 2, I think you can find some bargain lines based on unexpected Week 1 results. The Packers lost by 17 to the Vikings and the Jets dominated the Titans. If the Packers played the Jets Week 1, what would this line be? Like, 7.5? Something like that?
I do feel like the Packers are a little fraud'y, but they're still a lot better than this Jets team that really should be seeking to tank.
Vikings at Bears (-4.5): I have the Bears on "Could be special" alert after they put up 59 points on the Panthers Week 1.
Also, although Carson Wentz played well Week 1 in relief of Kyler Murray, I'll generally take any chance to bet against him.
Steelers at Patriots (-5.5): Above I mentioned that the Packers feel fraud'y to me. Well, my fraud'y AFC team is the Patriots, who feel like they are going to regress significantly after their unexpected Super Bowl run last season, as laid out in some detail here.
I don't like this Steelers team even a little bit either, especially on offense, but I do trust their defense to some degree. Pats win a tight one.
Panthers (-2.5) at Falcons: The Falcons' offense and the Panthers' defense had two of the worst showings in the NFL Week 1. Something has to give. I suppose I trust the Panthers' chances of scoring points more than the Falcons' with Cooper Rush possibly starting at QB again.
Browns at Buccaneers (-8): The Bucs lost four fumbles Week 1 in Cincinnati, which led to 24 Bengals points. And they still only lost by 6. That carelessness aside, they looked fine. They'll probably win the NFC South again with like 8 or 9 wins, and should be able to take care of the awful teams on their schedule, like the Browns, who continue to dumbfound me by starting Deshaun Watson.
Bengals at Texans (-2.5): The Texans were a "not what we expected" team in Week 1, as their offense looked good and their defense looked bad. And as noted above, the Bengals were beneficiaries of four Buccaneers fumbles Week 1.
I would love this line for the Texans if I knew for sure that Nico Collins is starting, but he injured his hamstring on Wednesday and might not play. The Texans are screwed without him, in a similar way that the Eagles would be screwed if DeVonta Smith got hurt. So for now I'll stay away, although I may revisit adding this to my picks against the spread later in the week.
Saints at Ravens (-9): The Ravens were very impressive in their blowout of the Colts Week 1 in Indy. Similarly, the Saints were impressive at times in their shootout OT loss against the Lions in Detroit. This feels like a really high spread and an overreaction to the Ravens' result Week 1. I'll take the points here.
Raiders at Chargers (-6.5): The Chargers got like half the people who participate in survivor pools knocked out Week 1, when they lost at home to an awful Cardinals team. The NFL schedule makers gift them a 2-0 record out of the gate with consecutive home games against the Cardinals and Raiders, and they were like, "Nah, we're good."
(I do think they'll rebound against the Raiders.)
Jaguars at Broncos (-3): The Broncos' offense looked a little like the Eagles' Week 1, in that they couldn't sustain long drives, except Jalen Hurts made a handful of big plays and Bo Nix... didn't.
Meanwhile, the Jags played a clean game in an easy win over the Browns and look like they may have picked up where they left off last season when the finished the season on fire.
Commanders at Cowboys (-4.5): Barring a tie, one of these Eagles NFC East rivals will begin the season at 0-2. The Commanders looked better than expected Week 1, particularly on defense and along their offensive line, while the Cowboys' defense looked even worse than it did last season.
Ultimately, this Commanders team still stinks while the Cowboys' offense still has a chance to be explosive, but I believe it'll be a close game. Give me the Cowboys to win, but I'll take the Commanders with the 4.5 points.
Seahawks (-3.5) at Cardinals: The Seahawks have won nine straight in this divisional rivalry. Number 10 is coming soon. And, sure, I suppose that laying 3.5 points isn't too much to ask.
Dolphins at 49ers (-13.5): Maaannnn, a 13.5 spread already this season? The Dolphins might not win a game.
Colts at Chiefs (-6.5): Credit to Andy Reid for going out and getting Kenneth Walker and building his offense around the run game while Patrick Mahomes was likely to still be hampered by his repaired ACL/LCL.
Giants at Rams (-7.5): The Rams were perhaps the NFL's most disappointing team in Week 1, as people were talking about an undefeated season before they were thoroughly dominated by the Niners.
They will be expected to bounce back in a big way in front of another national audience Week 2 against the Giants, but I'm not so sure we'll see that. They looked like a flawed team in Australia, and I thought the Giants showed a base level of competency that we haven't seen in years. I'm not going to go so far out on a limb to predict an upset here, but I'll take the 7.5 points.
• Last 11 seasons, ATS: 453-380-22 (0.543)
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