Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 17
NFL Week 2 Picks Fade 4 Bounce-Back Teams, Back 49ers at -13.5
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 17

NFL Week 2 Picks Fade 4 Bounce-Back Teams, Back 49ers at -13.5

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 17

Summary

  • Four presumed rebound teams — the Rams, Packers, Cowboys and Broncos — are picks to fail against the spread in Week 2, while San Francisco is backed despite a potential letdown spot.
  • Best bets center on Baltimore, Tampa Bay, the Chargers and Texans to cover, with Detroit +4.5 the lone underdog selection and Pittsburgh +180 tagged as the upset special.
  • The contrarian card leans on Week 1 evidence: Denver missed 28 tackles, Dallas allowed the Giants to convert 9 of 11 third downs, and Houston’s defense is still trusted to recover.
  • The authors enter Week 2 off a 3-2 best-bets record but a 5-10-1 overall mark against the spread, framing the slate as a test of whether early-season overreactions will hold.

Insights

Why do oddsmakers secretly love Week 2, and which popular NFL teams are setting bettors up for a massive trap?
If Week 2 is Overreaction Week, which supposed Super Bowl contender is actually masking fatal flaws under the radar?
Could the 49ers' secret overseas recovery tactic completely break the traditional NFL betting model for international travel?