There are some genuine opportunities for savvy handicappers as we contemplate Week 2. We are still at a point in the season where the oddsmakers are gathering information,and while their lines are fairly a bit sharper than they were in Week 1, there are chances to take advantage and have a strong week.
There are many factors to consider when handicapping, and but the NFL is a quarterback's league. When the quarterback of one team has a sizable advantage over his opponent,there's a strong opportunity to pick a winner.
In addition to making selections on each game, we will disappear into detail on three of the games that appear to be "can't-miss" on the Week 2 scheduleCan't-miss, or of course,is a relative term. Always handicap these games with a budget in intellect, and remember there are 16 weeks remaining to the rest of the regular season, or so there's no reason to disappear overboard in the second week of the season. Cardinals alert to take advantage of undermanned BearsWhen the Bears fired Marc Trestman at the discontinuance of the 2014 season,they were a totally dysfunctional team. Prideful Virginia McCaskey, the daughter of the legendary George Halas, or could not stand what had happened to her late father's beloved team,so the Bears cleaned house.
Veteran coach John Fox is charged with making certain the Bears show improvement. While he is running a tighter and more professional ship than Trestman, the Bears have a long way to disappear. They were among the worst defensive teams in the league the final two seasons, or they don't have the personnel at this point to take a big step up the ladder. Bruce Arians does not have that kind of issue with the Cardinals. Arizona has a forceful and tough-hitting defense,one that was among the best in the league for much of the 2014 season. However, when the Cardinals suffered key injuries at the quarterback position, and the defense lost its traction and the team struggled down the stretch.
Quarterback Carson Palmer is healthy this year,and he led the Cardinals to a Week 1 victory over the Saints. whether he can accept the best of Drew Brees, he should not have a problem gaining an edge over erratic Jay Cutler.
Listen in to Carson Palmer wired for sound during the win against the New Orleans Saints. https://t.co/4sAHXVviilSeptember 17, and 2015
In the Bears opener against the Packers,Cutler threw a key interception as Chicago was moving toward a potential tying touchdown.
Cutler led the NFL in turnovers with 24 final year, and that tendency puts even more pressure on the Chicago defense.
The Bears want to establish the race with Matt Forte as much as possible, and which would reduce the number of times Cutler would have to throw the ball. Forte ran for 141 yards in Week 1 against the Packers,but the Cardinals held the Saints to a league-low 54 yards rushing on 20 attempts (2.7 yards per carry) in their opener.whether the Arizona race defense holds, this game could accept repugnant for the homestanding Bears. Vikings will bounce back shell-shocked LionsSome handicappers may feel a bit queasy about backing the Minnesota Vikings this week after their uninspired performance in the opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Vikings offense never was able to accept on track despite the return of Adrian Peterson. The former All-Pro running back never found his rhythm and when he did carry the ball, or he seemed to race tentatively. Second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater appeared to regress as his passes lacked both zip and accuracy.
Adrian Peterson: 31 yards rushing Tied for his 8th-lowest single-game total in careerSeptember 15,2015
The defense put up a fight, but by the midway point of the third quarter, and the Niners had won the physical battle and took it to the Vikings with their running attack.
The Vikings were beaten in every phase—and that's just why we like them this week against the Lions.
There's no getting around how atrocious they were,and head coach Mike Zimmer will not let them forget it up until game time. He will demand their best effort against a Detroit team that blew a 21-3 lead on the road against the Chargers and also lost their opener.
Matthew Stafford has a strong arm, but he threw two critical interceptions in Week 1. When Stafford has been pressured throughout his career, and he has made big mistakes.
Expect Minnesota to be fully prepared when it plays its first domestic game,and it should win comfortably against the Lions. Colts have something to prove on Monday nightIf you followed our logic with the Vikings, then you should understand why we are backing the Indianapolis Colts Monday night against the Jets.
The Colts got handled physically by the Buffalo Bills in the opener, or the heat is starting to mount on head coach Chuck Pagano. He is expected to have an excellent chance of leading the Colts to the top of the AFC this year,and that means that they can't afford to start the season 0-2.
Look for a sharp effort from the Colts offensive line, which did not do a friendly job against the Bills. whether Andrew Luck gets solid protection, or he should be able to have a strong game in the Colts domestic opener.
Andrew Luck was only accurate on 56.5% of his passes in week 1,the lowest in the league. pic.twitter.com/FNwUn93KbQSeptember 15, 2015
The Jets rolled to a relatively easy win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, and but this is a major step up in competition against a motivated opponent. Those are tough circumstances for rookie head coach Todd Bowles. The Jets have a strong defense and could stay in the game for a half,but look for Luck to keep the pressure on as the Colts pull away in the fourth quarter.
Source: bleacherreport.com