Week Two of the NFL season is where we can pretty much throw out everything we learned from last season and go forward with a legitimate idea on who in the NFL has a legit shot at accomplishing anything this season. More than that, we can take a solid look at how I’m doing with my picks as I shake off any of my own preconceived notions.
Screw the Giants is what I’m saying. I didn’t think they’d make the playoffs, but I did not see this dumpster fire of rat king carcasses happening.
This week
Straight up: 11-5
Against the spread: 8-8
Season
Straight up: 21-10
Against the spread: 16-15
For the week on the straight up picks I finished tied for 51st, not a solid result. A lot of us had a pretty good Week Two. More importantly, I’m tied at No. 26 out of 114 NFL Experts after two weeks.
Who had the best week? Peter King and Mark Mravic at MMQB, Mike Clay at ESPN and Chris Simms at Bleacher report all went 14-2. Our worst record for the week belongs to Michael Robinson and Colleen Wolfe of the NFL Network who both went 4-6.
Against the spread it was Nate Davis of USA Today, John Halpin of Pickwatch, FiveThirtyEight and Christopher Gasper and Brad Almquist of the Boston Globe who had the best week, going 12-4. Dana Larson of the Dallas Morning News was all by herself in the basement, going 4-12. I’m currently tied at No. 23 on the season and, again, I blame the Giants.
Here are your early lines for Week Three
Thursday
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers (+2.5)
Sunday
Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars (+4)
Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills (+3)
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers (-6)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears (+7.5)
Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions (+3)
Cleveland Browns at Indianapolis Colts (+1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings (N/A)
Houston Texans at New England Patriots (-13)
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets (+6)
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (-6)
Seattle Seahawks at Tennessee Titans (-2.5)
Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers (-9)
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers (+3)
Sunday Night
Oakland Raiders at Washington Redskins (+3)
Monday
Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals (+3)
Some interesting trends out of this group. First, that’s a lot of home dogs for a single week. Out of 16 games, only four teams are favored to win inside their own stadium. There’s only one double digit line this week after we had about 38 of them seven days ago, with the Patriots at -13 against the Texans. The second biggest line belongs to the Packers who are -9 against the Bengals. I’m not sure how I feel about either of those right now. I’m glad I have a few days to think about it.
All the prime time games this week are home dogs. Who has the best chance to cover or win out of that crew? At first glance, probably the Redskins, but that doesn’t mean I’ll pick them. Interesting that no one seems to have an early line for that Tampa Bay vs Minnesota game. It might go to EVEN or Vikings -1/1.5, but I don’t see it hitting any more than that. If Bradford is out again, it’ll be +3/5.5.
Week Two Injuries
It was a bad weekend for some of the NFL’s top tight ends. Leading the injury report is Carolina Panthers star Greg Olsen, who broke his foot against the Buffalo Bills Sunday. He’ll be out six to eight weeks. He suffered what is called a “Jones fracture” which will require the surgical insertion of a screw. It’s the same injury that cost Dez Bryant seven games back in 2015 and Julio Jones most of 2013 season.
https://twitter.com/CarPanthersNews/status/909513594882183170
If you were warned not to draft Rob Gronkowski for your fantasy team, and if you were within earshot of me you were, then you’re eating it hard today over his strained groin. Frankly, it’s probably not the worst thing that’s ever happened to Gronk’s groin. The good news is he might not miss the Patriots’ Week Three match up with the Texans. How effective he’ll be is another matter.
Jordan Reed left the Rams – Redskins game Sunday afternoon after taking a hard hit to the chest. He’s officially been diagnosed with a contusion of the sternum, which is basically a nasty chest bruise. He should be able to suit up against the Raiders, but might be limited depending on the amount of pain he has to deal with.
Jordan Reed pic.twitter.com/RUPGjHbobz
— Tango & Cash Money Records (@gheorghetheblog) September 17, 2017
It should surprise no one to see oft injured Tyler Eifert back on an injury report. He’s still experience soreness in his knee and back after off-season surgery and according to reports, if he doesn’t show any significant improvement, he won’t play against the Packers Sunday.
Speaking of the Packers, wide receiver Jordy Nelson got a bruised leg that knocked him out of Sunday night’s game early. He’ll probably won’t practice much until Thursday or Friday, but I expect him to play this Sunday against Cincinnati.
Green Bay defensive tackle Mike Daniels went down in the Falcons game too with a strained hamstring, but I don’t expect him to miss a game. He might have to share more snaps on the inside.
In that same game, Falcons defensive end Vic Beasley Jr. tore his hamstring and will miss at least four weeks of action as it heals.
When you hear that Vic Beasley is out for a month. pic.twitter.com/kpO5jACQDR
— DBN Fanatics (@DBN_Fanatics) September 18, 2017
Is it time for the Derek Henry era to begin in Tennessee? We’ll probably get a solid look at it against the Seahawks Sunday as DeMarco Murray is listed as day-to-day after straining his hamstring Sunday against the Jaguars. With Henry stepping in, there’s no reason to rush Murray back, but since their head coach is Mike Mularkey, any dumb shit can happen.
Marshal Yanda, guard for the Baltimore Ravens and maybe the best at his position in the game, broke his left ankle against the Browns Sunday and has been lost for the season.
It was feared that Broncos rookie left tackle Garret Bolles had broken his ankle as well, but head coach Vance Joseph told a local radio station Monday that it was just a bone bruise and he’s week-to-week. He probably won’t play Sunday in Buffalo.
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