NFL Week 2 preview

COLUMBUS, Ohio —

Thursday Night Football: Minnesota Vikings @ Philadelphia Eagles – 8:15 p.m. on Amazon Prime Video (Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung)
Radio: Westwood One (Ian Eagle, Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty)
I’m surprised by what both teams did in week one. Minnesota gave their game away against a Tampa Bay team playing their first game in the post-Tom Brady era. Kirk Cousins threw for 344 yards- I try to tell you all he’s a better quarterback than he’s given credit for- and Justin Jefferson caught nine passes for 150 yards. And yet, that only amounted to 17 points.

Philadelphia won at New England, but they were outplayed. Badly. They were outgained 382-251. On a day where they honored Tom Brady, the Patriots showed signs that they may be a good team offensively. Overcoming a 16-0 deficit in the first quarter is admirable, especially against the defending NFC Champions.

Philadelphia beat Minnesota last year 24-7 on Monday Night Football, in a game their defense dominated. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was picked off twice in the second half of that game, while Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts delivered a sensational first half to allow the Eagles defense to finish off Minnesota in the second half.

Can Minnesota afford an 0-2 start? I think they can survive it, but it’s still not ideal. It’s a big game for them, but it’s also big for Philadelphia. The Cowboys have clearly asserted themselves as huge threat to the Eagles in the NFC East, and that puts pressure on them to take care of business at home.

I’m expecting a close game, but I still can’t trust Kirk Cousins in road prime time games.

Game pick: Eagles 23 Vikings 20 (Jake Elliot hits from 53 yards as time expires)

Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars – 1 p.m. on CBS (Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn)
The first of the big four matchups in the AFC this season, and Jacksonville has a huge opportunity to punch Kansas City in the mouth early.

Kansas City’s week one loss was surprising, but it was not unexpected. They could only do so much playing without Travis Kelce and Chris Jones, and the Lions exposed them for it. Both players will be on the field this week for the Chiefs.

Jacksonville took care of business against the Colts in week one. Say what you will, but that was a hard-fought and important win for a team out to prove this year that 2022 was not a fluke. Trevor Lawrence was efficient going 24/32 for 241 yards and two touchdowns, Travis Etienne ran for 77 yards and a touchdown and Calvin Ridley- back from a season-long suspension- racked up 101 yards on eight catches with a touchdown.

These two teams met in the Playoffs last year, a game won by Kansas City 27-20. That game had so much to it, from Mahomes’s high-ankle sprain to Chad Henne’s 98-yard touchdown-leading drive to the Jaguars squandering two chances in the fourth quarter… to Travis Kelce torching the Jaguars for 98 yards and two touchdowns on 14 catches. That will be the difference in this game.

Game pick: Chiefs 34 Jaguars 27

New York Jets @ Dallas Cowboys – 4:25 p.m. on CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson)
Even without Aaron Rodgers, this is my favorite game of the week.

What Dallas did to the Giants in week one was really impressive. It’s not the Giants are a bad team. It’s that Dallas is a really good team. Their defense is so talented, so relentless, so opportunistic. And if that offense starts clicking, which it will, look out. I don’t know who beats this team.

As for the Jets, I still think they can make the Playoffs. This roster, on both sides, is really talented. If Zach Wilson can be just average, they have a chance. And he’s had a whole offseason to learn under Aaron Rodgers. That’s crucial here. The problem is, he’s playing behind a very suspect offensive line. Look at the four snaps Rodgers was on the field. He was under pressure on every dropback.

That’s where this game will be decided. Yes, the Jets have a great secondary that can matchup with the Cowboys’ receivers. Yes the Jets have talent on offense. But that talent may be neutralized if the Cowboys pass rush overwhelms the Jets offensive line and Zach Wilson… which they will.

Game pick: Cowboys 34 Jets 17

Sunday Night Football: Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark)
Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic)
This is a really fascinating game. Like I can’t wait to see this game and how it unfolds.

Miami is for real. Tua is a really good quarterback. Tyreek Hill is uncoverable. Jaylen Waddle is lightning fast. We say it’s only week one, but Miami came into this season with expectations that this was how their offense was going to look like and so far it does.

But here’s what I want to see from them in this game. I want to see them bury New England. Just like Buffalo did on Monday Night Football in 2020 in Foxborough, and then again in the 2021 Playoffs. Buffalo ended New England’s reign over them. And although Miami has had success in New England in the past, this game would send waves around the NFL if they can go on the road in prime time and win or even win convincingly.

New England will be tough to beat, though. I actually think they showed something in their season-opener against Philadelphia. Mac Jones can bounce back this season, now that he has Bill O’Brien as his offensive coordinator. And he showed a lot of signs of progress in week one. Plus, that Patriots defense is getting Miami at a really good time. Just like the Jets, the offensive line is what can sink the Dolphins. Against the Patriots defensive line, I’m concerned for them.

Game pick: Patriots 24 Dolphins 21

Monday Night Football: New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers – 7:15 p.m. on ESPN (Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky, Laura Rutledge)
Radio: Westwood One (Bill Rosinski, Tony Boselli)
I’m really happy Bryce Young gets to make his home debut on Monday Night Football. This game comes from the NFC South, which is not one of the more exciting divisions in the NFL but still has some really interesting teams.

Two of those teams are in this game. New Orleans is so underrated. Derek Carr has always never been credit for what he did in Las Vegas. He’s one of the longest-tenured quarterbacks in Raiders history, he’s one of the best quarterbacks they’ve had statistically, and, yet, the Raiders went in a different direction. Now he’s with the Saints, a team oozing with offensive talent. Even last week, despite only scoring 15 points, the Saints still ran up 351 yards against a stingy Titans team.

Carolina has more talent than people realize. I really think they have a chance to click if their offense can mesh. Their defense only allowed 221 yards against the Falcons offense, so they can hold their own against the Saints offense.

Carolina has always done well against the Saints in the past, and I think that will be the case on Monday Night.

Game pick: Panthers 21 Saints 17

Monday Night Football: Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers – 8:15 p.m. on ABC (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters)
Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner)
I’m really intrigued to see this game. Cleveland has an opportunity to beat a wounded Pittsburgh team and start 2-0. Here’s the problem, though: the Browns have not won a road game in Pittsburgh since 2003.

I’ll say this: the Browns may be better than we thought. Their defense under new coordinator Jim Schwartz looks like it has the potential to be really good. And if DeShaun Watson can recapture his 2020 form and improve his accuracy, that combined with Nick Chubb and that defense can make this a really good team.

Whereas we underestimated the Browns, could we have overestimated the Steelers? They got their brains beat in by the 49ers last week, but does that show how bad they are or how good the 49ers are?

I think Pittsburgh will play desperate in this game, and that’s a bad thing for the Browns.

Game pick: Steelers 20 Browns 13

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons – 1 p.m. on FOX

Las Vegas Raiders @ Buffalo Bills – 1 p.m. on CBS (Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins)

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals – 1 p.m. on CBS (Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan, AJ Ross)

Seattle Seahawks @ Detroit Lions – 1 p.m. on FOX

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans – 1 p.m. on FOX

Chicago Bears @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1 p.m. on FOX

Los Angeles Chargers @ Tennessee Titans – 1 p.m. on CBS (Tom McCarthy, James Lofton, Jay Feely, Tiffany Blackmon)

New York Giants @ Arizona Cardinals – 4:05 p.m. on FOX

San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams – 4:05 p.m. on FOX

Washington Commanders @ Denver Broncos – 4:25 p.m. on CBS (Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Aditi Kinkhabwala)