What a blockbuster Week 1 that was, with lots of fascinating storylines to dive into. First, let’s pour one out for the Browns and Giants fans who have to endure another year of Deshaun Watson and Daniel Jones. That was ugly, and the horizon is looking pretty bleak. On a more positive note, the 49ers and Chiefs picked up right where they left off, and somehow look even better than they did before. That's a scary proposition for those hoping to challenge them for the conference titles.
Injury-wise, only the Packers are set to see a significant downturn in fortunes. The Jordan Love injury was sad to see for one of the most exciting young stars in the NFL, but it also deprives us of one of the most interesting storylines of the 2024 season, as well as a blockbuster matchup against Anthony Richardson’s Colts this week. Hopefully, he can return sooner rather than later.
Anyway, let’s get into the Week 2 slate and see what edges our AI models have been able to give us. Remember, if you want full access to our betting insights and fantasy rankings, you can get 50% off with the code FF50 - Register here.
Game Previews and Betting Suggestions
1. New Orleans Saints vs Dallas Cowboys
The bet: Cowboys to cover -6.5 (-110)
Gridiron AI prediction: 63%
Two of the best performances of Week 1 came from these two teams. The question is, were the Saints and Cowboys in sublime form, or were the Panthers and Browns just miserable? This game is going to be a fantastic test to help answer that question.
While the Dallas offense got off to a fantastic start to build an early lead against the Browns, it has to be the defensive unit that left that game feeling better. Mike Zimmer’s first game as defensive coordinator couldn’t have gone much better, with Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Eric Kendricks leading an incredibly productive outing. They completely suffocated the Browns' offense. Now, Deshaun Watson obviously helped a fair bit with that, but it’s fair to say that Dallas looks to have a spectacular unit on the defensive side of the ball again this year.
It will be fascinating to see what Derek Carr and company can do when they take the field. Carr throwing four touchdowns was better than even the most optimistic Saints fan could’ve expected from Week 1, kicking off a make-or-break year for him in the perfect way. However, it did come against the Panthers, who we expect to be one of the worst teams in the league again this year. This is a proper test and will give us a better idea of where he and the New Orleans Saints offense are.
The bookies are not being very generous to the Saints, even after that performance, giving them 6.5 points in this game. Unfortunately for them, our models agree and are giving the Cowboys a 63% chance of covering the -6.5.
2. Las Vegas Raiders at Baltimore Ravens
The bet: Ravens to cover -9.5 (-110)
Gridiron AI predicted likelihood: 61%
The next game up is the biggest spread of the week, with the bookies putting the Baltimore Ravens as 9.5-point favorites over the Las Vegas Raiders. I think that’s a pretty fair assessment, to be honest. Despite losing to the Chiefs on opening night, the Ravens can feel pretty good about how that game went, with Lamar dazzling with his legs and Isaiah Likely emerging as a serious weapon.
There are, of course, a few things they will want to address, and the Raiders are a pretty good "get right" spot. First of all, Derrick Henry only had 13 carries. With the game script expected to be in the Ravens' favor in this one, you can expect that number to be a lot higher. Henry should be in for a good game against an opponent that just let J.K. Dobbins rush for 135 yards on 10 carries in his first game back from a serious injury.
Sticking with the run game, but moving over to Las Vegas, you have to feel like this is an area where the Raiders simply have to thrive, given who they have lining up under center. Gardner Minshew did very well in his fill-in duties in Indianapolis, but he is not a guy you want to rely on too much. As a team, the Raiders averaged just 3.2 yards per carry last week, and it’s hard to imagine them having much success against this Baltimore defense. Thankfully, it looks like they’ve found a stud in tight end Brock Bowers, who led the team in receptions, bringing in six catches for 58 yards.
I think the Raiders are going to struggle to move the ball against a Ravens team that will be looking to rebound strongly after the disappointing loss to Kansas City. Therefore, I will be siding with our AI models and backing the Ravens to cover the 9.5 points.
3. Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles
The bet: Falcons to cover +6.5 (-110)
Gridiron AI predicted likelihood: 75%
After an offseason of immense hype and excitement, in which many people pinned the Atlanta Falcons as the NFC South favorites, Week 1 had to be concerning for fans. Whether it was because of the game plan or Cousins’ state in his return from injury, it was notable how immobile he looked. Remember, this guy is 36 years old and coming off a torn Achilles. We may expect to see more cheeky camera shots of Michael Penix waiting on the sidelines if this level of play continues.
The bad news for Cousins and the Falcons is that they now have to go to Philadelphia and face a loaded defensive line, who will be licking their chops at the idea of chasing down an immobile Kirk Cousins. I would expect Bijan Robinson to be very busy here, as both a rusher and a receiver.
Philadelphia also looked disjointed at times in their Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers, but there’s definitely less cause for concern. First, they came away with a very important win, and second, there were plenty of signs of improvement from last year. Kellen Moore’s first outing as offensive coordinator should have excited Philly fans. He oversaw a much more balanced and dynamic offense, which is showing signs of once again being one of the most high-scoring in the NFL.
A.J. Brown is about as dangerous of a weapon as you’ll find in the entire NFL, DeVonta Smith is as reliable as they come as a second option, and Saquon Barkley finally appears to have found a place where his talents can be unleashed. The Falcons are going to have their hands full on Monday Night Football, and given they just fell to a Justin Fields-led Pittsburgh team, it’s going to be tricky.
Nevertheless, the bookies are aware of all this, reflected in the fact that they’ve made the Falcons 6.5-point underdogs. We have to remember that Week 1 often throws out very strange results. The Falcons were one of the offseason darlings, thanks to the moves they made, and there was always going to be some rust to knock off. Therefore, 6.5 points feels a bit generous, which has led our AI models to give the Falcons a 75% chance of covering. That is its most convincing prediction of the week.
4. New York Jets at Tennessee Titans
The bet: Jets to cover -3.5 (-110)
Gridiron AI predicted likelihood: 59%
Another offseason darling has been the New York Jets, who have had to patiently wait to see what Aaron Rodgers looks like in their offense. While it was undoubtedly disappointing to get humbled by the 49ers on Monday Night Football, it’s important to remember that the 49ers are a Super Bowl-caliber team. And the most important takeaway from that game is that Aaron Rodgers emerged healthy.
Rodgers showed a very nice connection with wide receiver Garrett Wilson early on and appeared to get some good zip on the ball. The game got out of hand for the Jets when the 49ers realized they could simply run over them, so it still feels like we haven’t quite seen them in full flow. I guess that should be expected, given Rodgers has just spent a year on the sidelines.
They now head over to Tennessee to take on a Titans side that will be angry after gifting a win to the Chicago Bears. Chicago could do very little on offense and only managed to win the game because of their defense and special teams, with a little help from Will Levis. While this looks like a much easier game for the Jets on paper, it will be important that they don’t underestimate this Titans defense, which received a lot of upgrades over the offseason and thrived in Week 1.
Tennessee has two very talented running backs to rely on in Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, so the Jets’ defensive line will also need to be ready to step up and ensure they don’t lose the time-of-possession battle again by so much.
The danger for Tennessee in this game is the unpredictable and volatile nature of their young quarterback, Will Levis. His insane throwaway attempt led to one of Chicago’s defensive touchdowns, and you never truly know what you’re going to get from him. That’s definitely a point of concern going up against a defense that has superstar talent at every level. It feels very likely to me that those defensive stars will be able to force a few mistakes from Levis, which is why I will agree with the AI models in their belief that the Jets can cover.
5. Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals
The bet: Total points over 49 (-110)
Gridiron AI prediction: Median predicted points total 52
The final game I want to highlight this week is an NFC West clash between the LA Rams and Arizona Cardinals. Both teams are coming off unfortunate losses, but likely with different outlooks.
The Rams pushed the Detroit Lions to the absolute limit, forcing them to win in overtime, but they are dealing with several key injuries along the offensive line. Multiple starters are projected to be out for this game and beyond, which will significantly dent their upside. They are also dealing with the loss of sophomore wide receiver Puka Nacua, who has been placed on IR after re-aggravating the knee injury that hampered him during the preseason.
While those injuries are undoubtedly a concern, the Arizona Cardinals are probably one of the few teams where those losses are manageable. Arizona is lacking talent all over their defense, and I still expect Matthew Stafford to be able to sling it. Cooper Kupp is among the league’s elite at the wide receiver position, and he will absolutely be able to make up for the loss of Nacua. With Kyren Williams in the backfield, the Rams should still be able to rack up points.
The good news for fans is that the Cardinals should also be in a position to rack up points. Kyler Murray and company got off to a solid start against the Buffalo Bills, and we should expect even more improvement against a slightly less stingy defense this week. Fans will have been confused to see just one catch from the fourth overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr., but there is no need to ring the alarm bells just yet. Adjusting to the NFL takes time, and Harrison had one of the best prospect profiles we’ve ever seen at the wide receiver position.
With him hopefully taking a step forward, McBride still dominating as one of the best up-and-coming tight ends, and James Conner as reliable as ever out of the backfield, this game should be a barnstormer. The bookies have set the total at 49, but our AI models predict a median total of 52 points to be scored. I will gladly back the over and enjoy the fireworks.
Thanks for reading through this week’s preview. If you would like to gain full access to all of our rankings and predictions, fueled by predictive models and artificial intelligence, then you can get 50% off with the code FF50. Register here.