NFL 2022-23 Week 2 Preview

  

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Okay, so we are now into the second weekend of the new NFL season. The Chiefs already beat the Chargers in the first game of this second week. But there are a whole bunch more games to go. This will give us a clearer picture of where each team is, including their strengths and weaknesses.

So let’s take a look:

Carolina at NY Giants – I will admit that the Giants surprised me with that win last week on the road in Nashville. It had been years since the last time they had actually won the season opener. So now, can they make it two in a row, to start a season off 2-0 for the first time in a long time? Well, they have a real shot, but it is not a given. The Panthers struggled against the Browns last weekend, but wound up losing – barely. They obviously want to avoid the 0-2 hole. But if the G-Men show the kind of resolve that they showed in last week’s game – again, not a given – they should be able to win this one. My pick: NY Giants

NY Jets at Cleveland – The Browns had a difficult time last week against their former quarterback and the rest of the Panthers. However, they came out winners in that one. Now, they have a golden opportunity to earn yet another win and get off to a very good start. This is a very winnable game for them. Cleveland should be able to keep Gang Green off the scoreboard for much of the game, and their offense should also have plenty of ammunition to comfortably get past the Jets in this one. My pick: Cleveland

New England at Pittsburgh – Bill Belichick has long been considered a genius in this sport, although some people are calling that into question now. It has been three years since the departure of Tom Brady, and the Pats figure to be well out of the playoff race according to most people. Maybe, although I still think that he was a big part of New England’s enormous success in recent decades. That said, they really do figure to struggle this season, and a game at Pittsburgh just one week after that discouraging loss to Miami is a rather difficult challenge. One, frankly, that I do not believe they will succeed in. My pick: Pittsburgh

Indianapolis at Jacksonville – The Colts looked a bit disappointing in last week’s opener. Meanwhile, Jax looked surprisingly strong, and almost pulled off an upset in Washington. So this one figures to be a tough game for both teams. The Colts would like revenge for that humiliating loss in last season’s finale, when they handed the Jaguars only their third win of the season. That loss kept the Colts out of the playoffs. So they would definitely like to get a “W” in this one. I suspect that they will. My pick: Indianapolis

Miami at Baltimore – Two 1-0 teams lock horns here in this one. Both of these teams figure to make serious runs to qualify for the playoffs, so that makes this an important game. The Fins beat the Pats last week in Miami, although they always seem to do that. The Ravens crushed the Jets on the road last weekend, but Gang Green is hardly the strongest measure of where a team is, or how good they are going to be. This game should reveal more about both clubs. But for now, I still suspect that the Ravens are the better team, and so they should find a way to win in this one. My pick: Baltimore

Washington at Detroit – The Commanders squeaked past the Jaguars last weekend, while the Lions almost pulled off a big win against the Eagles, but fell short. If this game were in Washington, my pick might be affected differently. But with home field advantage here, look for Detroit to not their first “W” for the season. My pick: Detroit

Tampa Bay at New Orleans – Since Brady joined the Bucs, there has been one team that knows how to bring it to them. Indeed, the Saints are an impressive 4-0 against Tampa since Tom Brady became their QB. Can they make it 5-0? They clearly are not intimidated, and just seem to match up well against them. The Bucs looked good last week, with their defense shutting down Dallas. But their offense hardly looked like they were putting up fireworks, and I see them struggling here in this one. Look for the Saints to pull off the win, and to take the early lead in the NFC South after this one. My pick: New Orleans

Atlanta at LA Rams – The defending Super Bowl champions got pounded against the Bills last weekend, and have had extra time to think about it. Now, the Falcons come into town, and there really should be no excuse for them not getting the job done in this one. This should be a clear cut victory, and possibly a chance for the champs to shine. The Falcons looked decent last week against the Saints, but the same old problems of not being able to hold a big lead proved to be their undoing. Even if they play well and find themselves up here, it frankly cannot even be trusted. My pick: LA Rams

Seattle at San Francisco – These teams both went the opposite way that I figured last weekend. The 49ers I believed would win, but they seemed to fall flat in the second half, after an impressive first half. As for the Seahawks, I thought that they would lose against the Broncos, but they showed more life than I gave them credit for. Still, this is a different week, and a different game. The 49ers will want to recover from the sting of last week’s loss, while the Seahawks will be hard pressed to try and maintain the high from their electrifying, very close win against Denver, with which they also seemed to have considerable luck on their side. Not in this one, though. My pick: San Francisco

Houston at Denver – The Broncos squandered simply too many opportunities last weekend. They probably should have won, but turnovers did them in, and they lost a game that should have been a win. They now have had a week to think about it, and will need to rein in all of those turnovers and missed opportunities. Look for the Broncos to recover in a big way and earn a convincing win here in this one. My pick: Denver

Arizona at Las Vegas – The Cardinals were a bit overwhelmed last weekend against Kansas City. And while that is not unusual, since the Chiefs can do that to a lot of opponents, this will be a tough game for them to recover in. The Raiders also lost a disappointing game last weekend, and also made adjustments. Both of these teams should be capable of winning, and neither wants to open up this new season by digging themselves in an 0-2 hole. But the Raiders should be a bit better, particularly with home field advantage on their side. Look for them to take control at some point in the second half. My pick: Las Vegas

Cincinnati at Dallas – The cowboys have a lot of concerns. Dak Prescott is out, and their offense really looked suspect in last weekend’s loss. Already, the season looks a lot more uncertain than it seemed to before the loss to Tampa. As for the Bengals, that was a strange, back and forth game. They probably should have found a way to win, and frankly, I thought they had, except for that shockingly bad field goal attempt right at the end. But they were in the Super Bowl last season for a reason, and are frankly the better team. They should be able to prove it, and to come away with their first win of the new season. My pick: Cincinnati

Sunday Night: Chicago at Green Bay – The NFL’s oldest rivalry is renewed here. However, it has hardly been much of a rivalry as of late. The Bears simply have not earned many wins against the Packers since the Brett Favre era, and that trend continued under Aaron Rodgers. If anything, it seems like it has grown even more extreme. Chicago did earn themselves a nice win last weekend. But Lambeau Field has traditionally been very challenging for them in recent season. This might be a little too much for them too quickly. Even though the Packers looked flat against the Vikings, look for them to bounce back, and for Rodgers to find his same old magic against the Bears…again. My pick; Green Bay

Monday Night Game 1: Tennessee at Buffalo – The Titans lost a dispiriting game against the G-Men last weekend, while the Bills are off to an electrifying start with that solid blowout win against the Rams in Los Angeles. Whether or not the Bills fulfill their tremendous promise remains to be seen. Last year, the Titans managed to stun the Bills during that incredible run that helped catapult them to be the AFC’s number one seed. However, I still believe that the Bills are the better team, and home field advantage should really help, as well. To my thinking, a well-rested Bills squad should be able to earn a solid win here at home in this game against the Titans. My pick: Buffalo

Monday Night Game 2: Minnesota at Philadelphia – Both teams are coming off impressive wins, and both teams should have strong reason to feel that they can win this coming game, as well. Philly is slightly favored, although this one feels so even, that it really could go either way. If this were being played in Minnesota, my pick would be different. But with home field advantage in their favor, look for the Eagles to capitalize and earn their second straight win to improve to 2-0. My pick: Philadelphia