CINCINNATI — Well, if week one of the 2021 NFL season taught us anything, it’s that, indeed, anything can happen. Even a 35-point victory over the Packers. I see you New Orleans! And wow, what a Monday Night Football game that was. That was the first time in the regular-season, under head coach John Harbaugh, that the Ravens blew a 14-point lead. See, anything can happen.
Now as we head into week two, the positive thinking of anything can happen could be taken to another level this week with six divisional games. Here’s a look at the key games this week two as well as score predictions for all games this week
Thursday Night Football: New York Giants @ Washington Football Team – 8:20 p.m. on NFL Network (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Kristina Pink) Radio: Westwood One (Ian Eagle, Tony Boselli)
This game may not attract the football fans who like high-scoring affairs. But this is still a game with a lot to like: divisional rivalry, two teams searching for their first win and two teams that know each other so well that it’s likely this game will be close. The last three meetings between these two teams have all been decided by six points or less.
Another reason to like this game is that in the NFC East, any win a team can get will move them one step closer towards a division title. And that’s a big one step closer.
I was surprised by Washington losing week one. It’s not a bad loss, but they didn’t play the brand of football they established as their identity in 2020. Washington’s defense only recorded two sacks of Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, and allowed him to throw for 347 yards. Can they get more pressure and sacks against a Giants offensive line that, quite frankly, is awful.
The Giants did not look good in their season-opening loss against the Broncos. My big question is is Daniel Jones the answer at quarterback? He hasn’t done much to suggest he is with a bad habit of causing turnovers throughout his two-plus seasons in the league. Running back Saquon Barkley is someone Jones can lean on in both the running game and the passing game, but it’s concerning him playing two games in five days immediately coming off a torn ACL.
Washington will be starting backup quarterback Taylor Heinecke after starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a hip injury in week one. Heinecke has experience. I mean he did start a playoff game against Tampa Bay, and he did play well in that game.
This game will be close, but now that the keys have been handed to Heinecke, can he deliver on a short week of preparation for a divsional opponent?
Game pick: Giants 16 Football Team 13
Las Vegas Raiders @ Pittsburgh Steelers – 1 p.m. on CBS (Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn)
This is a game between two teams both coming off really impressive week one wins. Las Vegas kept battling all night Monday against the Ravens and eventually got a big turnover in overtime to set up quarterback Derek Carr’s game-winning touchdown to Zay Jones. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, showed that they were being slept on throughout training camp and the preseason. Five starters lost from last season’s defense? No problem. T.J. Watt was a man possessed Sunday at Buffalo with two sacks and five quarterback hits, putting his money where his game is. He let his game do the talking. The offense is still non-explosive, but they made plays when they needed to in the fourth quarter at Buffalo.
I think this game will be really close between two-long time intersectional rivals. But playing at home in front of fans and 60,000 waving Terrible Towels for the first time since 2019, I think the Steelers will prevail and get off to a surprising but statement-making 2-0 start.
Game pick: Steelers 27 Raiders 21
Dallas Cowboys @ Los Angeles Chargers – 4:25 p.m. on CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson)
This is, without question, the game of the week. And it could be really high-scoring. We saw the incredible performance from Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in his first game back from injury last Thursday night. If you’re a Cowboys fan, that has to make you feel good about what your quarterback is able to do from a numbers standpoint.
One of the more impressive performances from week one was Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert leading Los Angeles to a road at Washington, a team that has the No. 1 defense in the NFL. And all Herbert did was dice up the Washington defense for 347 yards passing in the Chargers 20-16 win.
Where I worry this game could get out of hand is the Cowboys defense. Outside of forcing four turnovers at Tampa Bay, they got shredded by Tom Brady and his cast of weapons. Now without pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, who broke his foot in practice Wednesday, who is Dallas going to turn to up front. And can their defensive backfield make life difficult for Herbert to throw the ball?
Game pick: Chargers 34 Cowboys 24
Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michelle Tafoya) Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Rod Woodson)
Whenever these two teams get together, the hype is always plentiful. Unfortunately, the game never lives up to it. Especially last season, when Mahomes and the Chiefs lit up the Ravens defense to the tune of 27 first half points and an eventual 34-20 win. For as great and of a walking highlight reel Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is, he has struggled mightily against Kansas City the last two times he has faced them.
I don’t like that this game is in week two. I’d love to see it late in the season when both teams are in full-form. The scary part is, though, the Chiefs may already be in, at least, midseason form. Tyreek Hill picked up right where he left off in 2020 with an 11-reception, 197-yard, touchdown performance in a comeback week one win against the Browns. Add in Travis Kelce’s two touchdowns, Patrick Mahomes throwing for 337 yards in their week one win and the Chiefs offense is already humming.
That’s scary for a Ravens defense that was shredded by Derek Carr and the Raiders in week one. Another scary synopsis for the Ravens; dropping to 0-2 if they lose this game. And considering that the other three AFC North teams have winnable games this Sunday, 0-2 would put them in a very tough spot to dig out of.
Game pick: Chiefs 34 Ravens 20
Monday Night Football: Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers – 8:15 p.m. on ESPN (Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters) Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner)
When the schedule came out back in May, I thought this was a terrible game to have on Monday Night Football. Lions-Packers? What a mismatch. But… after both teams performances in week one, this is an important game. For Green Bay at least.
What was that from Green Bay in week one? That was just embarrassing. Are they that bad, though? I don’t think so, but that was a really bad performance in week one. The good news for them is that every other team in the NFC North also lost. But this game is important for them to bounce back against a team they should beat, especially with a road trip to San Francisco looming in week three and a home game against Pittsburgh looming in week four.
Detroit has nothing to lose in this game. Give them credit for fighting back hard at the end against San Francisco, but they can’t keep finding themselves down 38-10 in the third quarter of every game.
Division games are, more often than not, close. These two teams have played a lot of close games in recent seasons, including an air-tight one on Monday Night Football in 2019 that Green Bay won thanks to a terrible illegal use of hands to the face call on Detroit defensive end Trey Flowers. I think this game could be close too, but I will roll with Green Bay playing at home in front of a capacity crowd at Lambeau Field.
Game pick: Packers 27 Lions 17
Other week two games
New England Patriots @ New York Jets – Again, you never know with division games because they can always be close. And more often than not, they are. This game could be too, but I will roll with the better team in this matchup.
Game pick: Patriots 24 Jets 17
Denver Broncos @ Jacksonville Jaguars – I was surprised Trevor Lawrence didn’t perform better than he actually did in his NFL debut last week. He threw for three touchdowns, but he also threw for three interceptions. And that was a game Jacksonville was supposed to win against a Houston team who may not win another game this season. Or, after last week, maybe they will win more than just one game.
Denver looked strong in week one. That was a toss-up game, and it went their way. I like this Denver team, and a 2-0 start could land more eyeballs on them as possible playoff contenders.
Game pick: Broncos 24 Jaguars 20
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins – I’ll come out of the gate and say it: I’m not worried about Buffalo. Yet. But this is a game they need to win. In a loaded AFC, an 0-2 start could be damaging. Miami has always played Buffalo tough, as evidenced by last season’s 31-28 nail-biter between these two teams in South Florida in week two. And you know Miami still has a sour taste in their mouths after their season ended with a 56-26 blowout loss to Buffalo in week 17 of last season.
Game pick: Bills 28 Dolphins 24
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles – This game really intrigues me. Maybe Philadelphia is better than we thought, and maybe Jalen Hurts is an NFL-caliber quarterback. A good one at that. San Francisco looked as advertised last week at Detroit, until they surrendered 16 points in the final minutes. One thing I look at in a matchup like this is unfamiliarity. The 49ers haven’t seen this Eagles team with this offense. And Robert Saleh, the 49ers former defensive coordinator, isn’t there to help devise a gameplan to stop it. Therefore; this is my upset pick of the week.
Game pick: Eagles 30 49ers 27
Los Angeles Rams @ Indianapolis Colts – Talk about a rough first two home games to open the season for the Colts. The Rams have too much firepower, and I don’t think the Colts defense will be able to water that firepower down in this game.
Game pick: Rams 31 Colts 20
Cincinnati Bengals @ Chicago Bears – More coming in my Bengals weekly preview on Saturday. This is a tricky game. The Bengals now are not a pushover for any team. Meanwhile, is Chicago a team that scares you as a Bengals fan? If Justin Fields starts at quarterback, then yes. But there is no clear indication he will be starting over Andy Dalton this Sunday.
Game pick: Bengals 28 Bears 20
Houston Texans @ Cleveland Browns- Most people probably thought when the schedule came out the Browns would lose at Kansas City in week one and then bounce back comfortably in week two against Houston. And I think the Browns will bounce back, but I’ll be watching their secondary against Houston’s receivers.
Game pick: Browns 30 Texans 17
New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers – Another division game that can go either way. New Orleans was the most impressive team in week one. They’re a playoff-caliber team with that defense and if Jameis Winston continues to play mistake-free football. Carolina looked strong in week one as well, and they have an opportunity for a marquee win this Sunday against New Orleans.
Game pick: Saints 27 Panthers 20
Minnesota Vikings @ Arizona Cardinals – Arizona had another impressive week one performance this season, but my question for them is: can they build off it throughout the season? They have the roster to do it, and it’s a more talented roster than the Vikings, a team that, I think, needs to win this game or else they could be headed for a very dark season.
Game pick: Cardinals 31 Vikings 20
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – This is a trap game for Tampa Bay. A game against a divisional foe. First game with not as much pageantry as the Super Bowl and Opening Kickoff night. And it’s right before a two-game road trip to the Los Angeles Rams and New England. Good news for them: Tom Brady has played in numerous trap games over the years.
Game pick: Buccaneers 34 Falcons 17
Tennessee Titans @ Seattle Seahawks – Everybody talks about how bad Green Bay was last week. Did anyone see how bad the Titans looked? Derrick Henry had eight rushing yards in the first half Sunday against Arizona. EIGHT. He had over 2,000 rushing yards in 2020. And now they go to Seattle.
I can’t wait to see the Seahawks stadium full again. Those fans are incredible. I remember there was a poll in The Athletic amongst the NFL team beat writers that asked if you could leave the current team you cover to go cover another team, what team would that be? Seattle got the most votes. Not just for how loud their home games are, but also because the Seahawks have been one of the most consistent teams the last nine seasons and how awesome would it be to cover Russell Wilson?
Game pick: Seahawks 34 Titans 14
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 