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NFL betting guide: 5 best wagers for Week 2

By Rucker Haringey

FOXBOROUGH, MA - SEPTEMBER 09: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots gestures at the line of scrimmage during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - SEPTEMBER 09: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots gestures at the line of scrimmage during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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The madness of Week 1 made NFL betting pretty difficult last week. Expect things to calm down in Week 2 and make money off these five wagers.

Last week was tough on everyone trying to make money off of the NFL schedule. Week 1 is always unpredictable, but the opening weekend was insane. Fortunately for everyone, things generally start to calm down a little by Week 2. That means you’re in a much better position to win serious money this week.

In the interest of full disclosure, we went 2-3 last week. It was a tough start, but our rationale was solid. No one expected the Buccaneers to run wild on the Saints. Deshaun Watson’s decision not to show up against the Patriots cost us the over/under in that game. No one could have predicted six turnovers from the Steelers either.

On the plus side, we nailed Baltimore hammering the Bills and the Rams waxing Jon Gruden. There’s a lesson to be learned there. Betting against overmatched coaches is a good strategy. That’s something we’re going to put into effect for this week’s picks. Without further delay, let’s get to this week’s bets. As always, all odds are provided by Oddsshark.com.

5. Bet against Gruden again

Nothing about the way the Raiders played in Week 1 should give anyone confidence in Gruden’s ability to thrive in today’s NFL. Oakland also has the misfortune of traveling to Denver to take on a Broncos team that looked pretty good in their opening win.

Giving up 5.5 points isn’t ideal, but it’s a comfortable margin in this game. Derek Carr is one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL at dealing with pressure. That’s music to the ears of Vance Joseph and company. Look for Von Miller and Bradley Chubb to be in the Raiders’ backfield all day long. It’s going to be a long day for Carr and the offense.

On the other side of the ball, Oakland can’t rush the passer at all. Perhaps Khalil Mack could have helped them do that, but that’s a discussion for another day. Case Keenum will have all day to throw in this one. Look for the Broncos to add to Gruden’s misery. Tease the line up by a couple of points if you’re in the mood.