Eric Schroeder
My free play for Sunday is on the Carolina Panthers over the New Orleans Saints, as I'm laying the home chalk in what will prove to be a huge mismatch.
These teams, albeit we're in week two, are headed in opposite directions. It sounds crazy to say this, but the Saints are 0-2 for the fourth straight season. The offense is no longer as threatening as it once was, and the defense is porous.
Now you bring that team to Charlotte, where the Panthers are salivating after dominating the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, and it spells doom for Who Dat!
The Panthers have won seven of the past 10 meetings between these NFC South Division rivals, and I think they roll to an easy two-touchdown win. In fact, this is the best side on the entire card!
Take Carolina.
2* PANTHERS
Jack Brayman
My free play for Sunday is on the Philadelphia Eagles, in their NFC East showdown with the New York Giants.
Does it surprise anybody else the Giants are off to another slow start, after losing their first two games to the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions?
You would have thought this pass attack would be improved, as the Giants added Brandon Marshall. But with Odell Beckam Jr. banged up by a high ankle sprain, the offense has sputtered to score just 13 points in the two losses.
Now they have to face the Iggles in Philly? Trouble.
In 13 games at Lincoln Financial Field, New York quarterback Eli Manning has thrown 16 interceptions, including three in last season’s final meeting. And it's not as if there is much confidence in turning to the rushing game, as the Giants currently rank last in rushing yards per game with 97.
On the other hand, the Eagles put up 762 total yards in their first two games, good for fifth most in the league, and second most by teams that played their first two games on the road.
Play Philly in its home opener.
3* PHILADELPHIA
Tommy Brunson
Well, NONE of the stats that I could type here in this analysis section would point towards backing the visiting Bungles...err, Bengals, but as you well know - or at least should know by now in the NFL - when something looks too good to be true, it usually is.
I think that happens to be the case today at Lambeau Field where the desperate Cincinnati Bengals face the heavily-favored Green Bay Packers.
It does not get much worse than the start the soon-to-be fired? Marvin Lewis has his team off to, as Cincy has dumped their offensive coordinator as they search for their first touchdown of the new year. Shutout Week One at home versus Baltimore, and held to just 3 field-goals at home in a 13-9 loss to Houston, the Bengals are now tasked with facing a Green Bay team that pretty much was shredded by the high-powered Atlanta Falcons last Sunday night in Atlanta.
Green Bay did mount a comeback from 31-7 down, but that comeback fell shy. Now they try and duplicate their Week One effort at home versus Seattle, a game in which they held the Seahawks without a touchdown in a 17-9 home win and cover. We have seen that Seattle's offense has not been able to get going either, so not sure that Week One defense is the "real" Green Bay defense, and also not sure the Week Two Green Bay defense is not the "real" Pack defense either. I am sure that the "real" answer lies somewhere in between, and I am also sure that if the Bengals don't score this weekend, the Marvin Lewis era will be over before Cincy reaches their bye-week.
The Bengals defense has performed well, and I think that this game is going to be a lot closer than most expect.
I am grabbing the generous spot and looking for the desperate visitors to put up a fight for the full 4 quarters.
1* CINCINNATI
BRANDON LEE
Cubs vs. Brewers
Play: Cubs -124
The Cubs are worth a look again here as a short road favorite against the Brewers. Chicago is 9-2 over their last 9 games and have a chance to slam the door on the NL Central with a win today. The Cubs should be able to do just that behind today's starter Jose Quintana, who is red-hot with a 2.41 ERA in his last 3 starts. Cubs have won all four of his starts against the NL Central and are 6-2 in their last 8 road games against a team with a winning record, 26-11 in their last 37 off a loss and 20-8 in their last 28 during game 4 of a series.
DAVE PRICE
Minnesota Vikings +1.5
This line is a classic overreaction. The Bucs looked great least week in their 29-7 home win over the Bears, while the Vikings looked awful in their 9-26 road loss to the Steelers. Well, it's much easier to beat a terrible team like the Bears at home than it is to beat an elite team like the Steelers on the road. Now the Bucs will be going on the road for the first time against a Vikings team that has been great at home under Mike Zimmer. Case Keenum is a veteran backup in this league and he'll be much more comfortable at home here and in his second game in this offense. Jameis Winston is turnover-prone, and he will make some mistakes against a Vikings defense that is one of the elite units in the NFL. Minnesota is 14-4 ATS in home games over the last 3 seasons, including 7-0 ATS in home games in the first half of the season over the last 3 years.
FRANK JORDAN
New York vs. Philadelphia
Play: New York +6
The Giants are 0-2 and having big trouble with the offensive line which isn't giving time for Eli to hit all his weapons and what makes matters worse is they didn't address the running back issue in the offseason so there is no running game to take pressure off of the passing game to do everything. Philadelphia is 1-1 after a big division win in week one over Washington hit the road to take on the Chiefs and Kansas City put up a second fourth quarter touchdown with just over two minutes to go to ice the game away. This game will come down to whichever defense plays better. If the Giants defense isn't on the field so much and is rested and gets a turnover or two that can benefit the offense. If the Eagles defense plays strong and dominates the O-Line of the Giants they can cruise to a win as the Giants will have scoring issues once again. Look for the Giants to have solid protection as they will bring in more tight ends and have running backs chip giving Eli the time he needs to find the open receiver and pick up their first win 24-20.
Bill Marzano
Raiders / Redskins Over 54.5
I really like the total in this football game and I think it will play Over the posted 54.5 points...this is a very good Raiders football team and they are explosive offensively...Carr has a lot of weapons around him and they have a solid kicking game as well as special teams...the Skins are a decent football team, its their defense that is going to be their achilles heel this year...the Raiders defense is prone to giving up some big plays as well and I do expect the Skins to score as well...this game could be a shootout...a lot of numbers pointing to a high scoring game...Over 54.5 is the play.
The Real Animal
Steelers / Bears Over 43.5
Pittsburgh hasn't been tested taking on the Cleveland rookie QB and Sam Bradford a late scratch for Minnesota. So to a degree I'm not sure how good the Steelers' defense really is. They do have nine sacks but against two very inexperienced quarterbacks in Keenum and Kizer. It probably went unnoticed but Mike Glennon threw for over 300 yards at Tampa and was sacked just once in 45 attempts. Cohen and Howard showed potential at the running back spot in week #1 versus the Falcons at home. The Steelers haven't unleashed their terrific offense because they haven't had to against the Browns or Vikings. The men of steel are loaded with Martavis Bryant and Antonio Brown with Le'Veon Bell rounding into form. Remember Pittsburgh was #7 in total offense in 2016 and #3 in 2015. In Mike Glennon's career seven times he has started with his team in the role of a home underdog. Six of those seven starts resulted in 'OVERS'. Both of these offenses are due to wake up and this is a fairly low total. Although some numbers suggest 'UNDER', I think the Steelers could easily be caught looking ahead to the Ravens next week although after seeing the Ravens in Europe this morning, I have no idea why.
Bob Balfe
Lions +3
There is no doubt the Falcons are the front runner to get back to the Super Bowl, but they do have their struggles on the road and are going up against a Detroit team that is built for this fast turf just as much as Atlanta is. The key to this game is the Atlanta Offensive Line which has 2 key starters out today. The Lions have a quality defense and should put pressure on Ryan the same way the Falcons did against Aaron Rodgers last week. Detroit is going to be a scary team if this run game continues to get better. The wrong team is favored here.