Andrew Wilsher
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Well everyone, the new NFL season is officially underway, and to say that we’ve started off with a bang on Pickswise would be a huge understatement. Last week we went 4-1 on our NFL Best Bets, and on top of that we went 22-9-1 on our NFL picks on the side and total to end the week up +22.9 units! We also started Week 2 by going 2-0 on Thursday Night Football, as our picks on Vikings +7.5 and Over 48.5 cashed. Now, we’re back to have even more success as we bring you the best bets from each of our 5 Pickswise NFL experts. Let’s dive in.
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The Betting Queen: Chargers -3 over Titans (+100)
The Chargers fell to the Dolphins last week in a great shootout game, but I’m backing LA to get back to winning ways this week when they head to Tennessee to take on the Titans. The Chargers come off a loss in a close game with Miami and I’m expecting them to learn from their mistakes. Los Angeles has a coaching advantage in this one and is very effective at running the ball, and that’s without mentioning that Justin Herbert will always be a threat throwing the ball at quarterback. All things considered, I can’t see the Titans’ defense matching up well with this relentless Chargers offense.
Tennessee had a horrible performance against the Saints in Week 1 even though they lost by 1 point. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill had 3 interceptions and went under 50% in passes completed. It’s going to take time for Tannehill and the offense to get things going because they can’t keep relying on running back Derrick Henry to carry all the weight and keep them in games. And looking at the Chargers’ defense, I like their chances of stopping Tennessee’s run game. Tannehill doesn’t throw a lot and the Chargers’ defense should have plenty of chances to force turnovers. LA won’t be short of motivation given that the Chiefs lost last week too and the Chargers will know that they need to take advantage of Kansas City’s slump in the competitive AFC West. I’m picking the Chargers to storm past the Titans.
Be sure to check out our full LA Chargers vs Tennessee Titans predictions
LearLocks: Lions -4 over Seahawks (-120)
Detroit pulled the unthinkable in Week 1 with an upset victory over the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Now they get to play in front of a very passionate fan base in Detroit against a reeling Seahawks team. Seattle in Week 1 got torched all over the field by a bad Los Angeles Rams team. Given the way that he looked in Week 1 and the way that offense played as a whole, there are concerning signs that Geno Smith could be a 1-year wonder. That could just be due to typical Week 1 struggles, but the Seahawks have too much talent to underperform against that poor Rams defense.
On the other side, this Lions offense is strong and their defense is a much improved unit compared to last season. Jared Goff looked calm and confident in the pocket and Jahmyr Gibbs was fast and explosive in space. The main thing that really impressed me about the Lions is how well there defense played in a hostile road environment against Patrick Mahomes and that Chiefs offense. Detroit drafted some pieces and brought some veterans to strengthen that unit, and it looks like those moves have paid off. The Seahawks’ defense is the clear weakness of this team, and given that they couldn’t stop a nosebleed last game, I don’t think that will improve against a strong Lions offensive line and a great set of skill position players. I expect Seattle should show a lot of fight in this spot, as the Seahawks are trying to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start. However, this Lions team is for real in my book and we’re going to see them show out on Sunday.
Be sure to check out our full Detroit Lions vs Seattle Seahawks predictions
Andrew Ortenberg: Raiders +8.5 over Bills (-110)
The Buffalo Bills will look to bounce back from a disastrous Week 1 loss to the Zach Wilson-led Jets here against Jimmy Garoppolo and the Las Vegas Raiders. I don’t think Buffalo’s woeful performance was a total fluke, and I certainly am not going to lay double digits here with them on a short week. Jimmy G is a heck of a lot better than Wilson is, and he’s the type of stable veteran quarterback who isn’t going to be fazed by playing in a tough environment at Buffalo. He just gutted out a road win in an equally tough environment last week in Denver. The Raiders spoiled Sean Payton’s debut as Broncos head coach, and held Denver to just 16 points.
Josh Allen was atrocious on Monday night, turning the ball over four times, and the offense hasn’t looked the same since Brian Daboll left to become head coach of the Giants. The Jets were able to move the ball consistently on the ground against the Bills, so I’d expect Josh Jacobs to have a big day here. If Jacobs is having any success running the football and keeping the clock churning, it’s going to be very difficult for the Bills to cover this hefty spread. Garoppolo has started a lot of games in this league, and he’s hardly ever blown out. He’s the type of passer who might not have the ceiling, but he’s always going to keep you in the game. Which is why I’m jumping at the rare opportunity to grab more than a touchdown on the spread with him.
Be sure to check out our full Las Vegas Raiders vs Buffalo Bills predictions
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Andrew Wilsher: Bears +3 over Buccaneers (-110)
The Bears head down to Tampa to take on the 1-0 Buccaneers and I’m expecting a big bounce-back performance from Chicago in this one. The Bears just suffered a humiliating 38-20 loss to the Packers to put a dampener on what is supposed to be a big season for them but that should lead to a motivated effort from Justin Fields and company. Despite the defeat, Chicago generated just 18 fewer yards on offense than Green Bay and it may have been that this team just needed time to gel together. Darnell Mooney put in a solid performance to give the impression that he’s improved in the offseason, while DJ Moore will no doubt prove to be a threat as time goes on.
Ultimately this Bears team gets a great bounce-back opponent here against a Buccaneers team that was certainly flattered in last week’s 20-17 win over the Vikings. Minnesota seemed to dominate Tampa on both sides of the ball but lost the game due to turnovers, with an interception and two lost fumbles. But what’s worth paying attention to is that the Vikings recorded 127 more yards on offense in that game and had nearly double the passing yards that the Bucs had. It’s fair to assume that Tampa won’t be that fortunate in the turnover battle every week and must now contend with a ground-and-pound Chicago unit. This feels like an overreaction of both teams to me, where the Bears are better than what they showed last week and the Bucs are nowhere near as hot as their result suggests. Personally, I would have this game as a pick’em, but to get a field goal on the spread with Chicago feels like a steal. I’m taking the Bears +3 with confidence and wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them win outright.
Be sure to check out our full Chicago Bears vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers predictions
Phil Agius: Browns vs Steelers Under 38.5 (-110)
There remain more questions for the offenses of these teams to answer than the defenses, and a relatively low-scoring battle looks likely in Monday’s AFC North duel between the Browns and Steelers. Both teams played in Week 1 games that saw one of the sides fail to post a double-digit score, and both those contests failed to reach even the modest game total set for this matchup. The Browns allowed only 3 points to a high-powered Bengals offense, with Ja’Marr Chase limited to 39 receiving yards and Tee Higgins failing to catch a single ball despite being targeted 8 times. The Steelers will now likely have to deal with the impressive Browns cornerback trio of Denzel Ward, MJ Emerson and Greg Newsome without WR Diontae Johnson, who is doubtful with a hamstring injury.
The new-look Browns offense remains a work in progress and gets a second straight testing examination having achieved a pass grade against the Bengals without looking as sharp as they would have wanted. With two solid defensive lines taking the field in this contest and Myles Garrett and TJ Watt hunting quarterbacks, the under looks a great bet for this intriguing showdown.
Be sure to check out our full Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers predictions
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