NFL Week 2 picks, predictions for every game (straight-up and ATS): Darnold's revenge

NFL Week 2 picks and predictions, in theory, should be a lot easier to come by now that we have at least some sample size of games to pull from. At the same time, however, there is a balancing act of trying to figure out what was real, what may not be, and what deserves the always valuable wait-and-see approach.

For instance, are the New England Patriots just much better than we though, or are the Cincinnati Bengals simply off to their typical slow start in the 2024 season? Where you come down on that could determine a lot about your NFL Week 2 predictions. The same could be said for the New Orleans Saints' beatdown of the Carolina Panthers or even the Minnesota Vikings blasting the New York Giants.

Even with Week 1 being difficult, we had a high-quality start to our straight-up picks and a profitable start with our ATS picks. Let's keep that energy going as we dive into our NFL Week 2 predictions for every game.

Note: All lines are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. All bets are 1 unit unless otherwise noted. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

2024 NFL Picks Straight-Up Record: 11-5 | ATS Record: 9-7-0

NFL Week 2 predictions: Picks straight-up and ATS for every game

There are quite a few tricky matchups this week. Yes, the Ravens look substantially better than a team like the Raiders -- but a 9.5-point spread is not a fun thing to tackle. The same is true of an ugly number like a 7-point spread in the Lions-Bucs matchup. And let's not forget the difficulty after just one week of this season of who's better between the Giants and Commanders as they face off. But hey, we had a good read in Week 1 -- maybe that only continues into Week 2 picks.

Toughest NFL Week 2 predictions to make

Lions at Buccaneers (+7)

As mentioned, this is a tough one. Yes, it was against a poor Commanders team but Baker Mayfield and Tampa Bay looked pretty damn fierce in their Week 1 victory. Now they get to host a Detroit Lions team that remained quite good but also needed overtime to beat a Rams team that had players dropping like flies to injuries.

End of the day, the Lions are probably still the best team in this matchup, which makes the straight-up pick pretty drama free. That full touchdown + extra point number on the spread, however, is just too big for me to not give the Bucs some credit and take Tampa ATS.

Falcons (+6.5) at Eagles

We'd be lying if we said that it was pretty from the Atlanta Falcons -- but I'd also be lying if I said it won't get better. As Kirk Cousins gets a bit healthier and less rusty, we should see this offense start to take a fuller form. And while it was a loss to the Steelers, the defense didn't allow a touchdown in said loss. Then there's the Eagles, a team that played on a Slip 'N' Slide in Brazli and still had some questionable moments.

Much like with the previous game, give me the Eagles as favorites straight-up but I think we see more from Atlanta this week and they keep it within the 6.5 number on the spread.

Easiest NFL Week 2 pick on the board

Seattle Seahawks (-3.5) over New England Patriots

I'm not fooled by the Patriots -- sorry! Jerod Mayo and his defense looked great and that should continue but they also played a Bengals offense that was clearly rusty, clearly out-of-sync after a weird camp and preseason, and that committed self-inflicted wounds throughout the game. Now we have a Seahawks team coming to Foxborough and that seems like it could be a terrible matchup for New England. The mistakes won't be as easy to capitalize on, nor as plentiful, and the Seahawks defense should be salty enough to give Jacoby Brissett far more problems.