2011 NFL Week 2 Predictions: Point Spreads and Picks

“Point Spreads and Picks” is dedicated to helping you win your weekly work pool. If your ambition is to break a local bookie, let us remind you certain types of gambling are illegal, and there is no future in it.
Week 1 record: 11-5. No, really.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Oakland Raiders v Buffalo Bills -4.5
The Raiders went on the road and beat Denver as a 4-point underdog. They now face Buffalo in similar disfavor. It’s only one game, but the Bills, fresh from a shellacking of the Chiefs at Arrowhead, appear several touchdowns better than the Broncos (here we are employing the transitive property of NFL wins and losses. it always works, you needn’t question it).
Pick: Buffalo -4.5
Green Bay Packers v Carolina Panthers +10.5
Green Bay pushed the second best team in the NFC all over the field in Week 1. Drew Brees put up crazy numbers against the Packers, and Cam Newton impressed in his debut. Newton is no Brees, however, and the Packers are not the Arizona Cardinals.
Pick: Green Bay -10.5
Kansas City Chiefs v Detroit Lions -8
The Chiefs lost their home opener to a Bills team that was supposed to be awful. Now, they go on the road to face the Lions who are vastly improved. Eight points is a lot, but Matt Cassel can make it happen.
Pick: Detroit -8
Cleveland Browns v Indianapolis Colts +2.5
With Hillis the only Peyton taking the field in this game, the Colts are in serious trouble. But, as the Browns could not beat the Bengals at home last week, despite Kerry Collin’s prohibitive presence, it is impossible to lay points on Cleveland.
Pick: Indianapolis +2.5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Minnesota Vikings -3.5
Donovan McNabb threw for 39 yards against San Diego in Week 1. He netted just 158 yards, and 1 fewer touchdown than Tarvaris Jackson. Lucky for the Vikes, they still have Adrian Peterson, and McNabb out rushed the Buccaneers starting running back 32 yards to 15.
Pick: Minnesota -3.5
Chicago Bears v New Orleans Saints -7
The Bears offense was impressive against the Falcons. The Saints defense was poor, facing the impressive Packers. Jay Cutler is no Aaron Rodgers, but seven points is a lot if you don’t play D.
Pick: Chicago +7
Jacksonville Jaguars v New York Jets -11
Jacksonville did just enough to beat a Titans team with, at best, 50% of Chris Johnson. Tony Romo, meanwhile, did just enough to hand the Jets their first victory. Can the Jags make enough mistakes to clear eleven points? Not if Mark Sanchez makes a few of his own.
Pick: Jacksonville +11
Seattle Seahawks v Pittsburgh Steelers -14.5
Oh boy. This will be something. I only wish I was a Steeler fan so I could appreciate the dismantling that is going to take place on Sunday.
Pick: Pittsburgh -14.5
Baltimore Ravens v Tennessee Titans +6.5
Baltimore embarrassed Pittsburgh, a team with considerable talent. The Titans have a talented running back in Chris Johnson, and receiver, Kenny Britt, but as a team, are nowhere near the level of the Steelers.
Pick: Baltimore -6.5
Arizona Cardinals v Washington Redskins -4.5
The Redskins are all of a sudden a presence in the NFC East. They beat Eli Manning’s Giants, and for that deserve our praise. The Cardinals gave up buckets of yards to the Panthers last week at home, and now face a much more solid offense, at least to hear ‘Skins fans tell it.
Pick: Washington -4.5
Dallas Cowboys v San Francisco 49ers +3.5
A blocked punt and Tony Romo cost Dallas their first game. Without two kickoff returns by Ted Ginn Jr., the 49ers lose to Seattle. If anyone knows how to factor special teams into their football wagering, they are smarter than I. For our purposes, we are going to bet against the team that nearly lost to TJack’s Seahawks.
Pick: Dallas -3.5
Cincinnati Bengals v Denver Broncos -5.5
Bewildering line of the week. The Bengals are supposed to be terrible. The Broncos, undeniably, are. Denver just lost to the Raiders at home, and are now favored by six points. Granted, Cincinnati’s kicker is no Sebastian Janikowski, but the Broncos will get no respect from us until they earn it.
Pick: Cincinnati +5.5
Houston Texans v Miami Dolphins +2.5
Are the Texans for real? Perhaps, though the Kerry Collins led Indianapolis Colts couldn’t beat my bowling team right now. The Dolphins held tight against the Patriots for about three quarters, then revealed some defensive weakness. Houston is good enough to exploit any teams D, especially if it’s wounded.
Pick: Houston -2.5
San Diego Chargers v New England Patriots -6.5
If your team has to play the Patriots, hope it happens early when the season isn’t specifically on the line.
There’s always a silver lining.
Pick: New England -6.5
Philadelphia Eagles v Atlanta Falcons +3
Pretty good storyline here. Michael Vick returns to Atlanta in a match up of two NFC favorites. Atlanta didn’t look so good in their opener, Philadelphia did. Still hard to give any points between these two. So we won’t.
Pick: Atlanta +3
Monday, September 19
St. Louis Rams v New York Giants -6.5
It seems inconsistent to cry injuries after one week, and no one listens anyway. But, both of these teams have wide spread injury issues, the Rams, the more dire of the two. There is no one we want to see fail more than Eli Manning. St. Louis simply doesn’t have enough left to make it happen.
Pick: New York -6.5
Good luck. We want full credit.


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