The first week of NFL regular-season action brought us plenty of surprising results.
Naturally, football fans around the world tend to overreact to said results because one regular-season game is the only sample size people have to work with. I'm guilty of doing so, and you probably are, too.
But after Week 2's slate of games, we will have a slightly better idea of what to think of players and teams.
So let's go through the betting lines for each of the 16 contests on the docket and then make a final-score prediction for each matchup. After that, we'll focus on three marquee games that feature two good teams fighting to establish division or conference supremacy.
Marquee Matchups
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Are the Broncos going to have a totally different identity in 2015?
In its 19-13 Week 1 win, Denver showed its defensive chops by shutting down both the Baltimore Ravens' passing and running games. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco passed for just 117 yards despite throwing the ball a whopping 32 times. Baltimore compiled 73 rushing yards, and the offense was 2-of-13 overall on third-down situations, not finding the end zone once.
But where was that explosive Denver offense Sunday?
The Broncos have finished second, first and second in points scored in the past three seasons, led by Peyton Manning, a stud receiving corps and capable running backs. New head coach Gary Kubiak brought his offensive concepts with him to Denver, but he and the aging Manning will probably need some more time to adjust to each other.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, are coming off a solid 27-20 victory in Houston against the Texans. Quarterback Alex Smith led the offense with 243 passing yards and three touchdowns. Running back Jamaal Charles had trouble finding a rhythm on the ground but still had 103 total yards.
Kansas City's defense remains formidable, and it should keep a transitioning Broncos offense from a monster performance Thursday. However, a solid Chiefs offense doesn't have the firepower to put enough points on the board to defeat its AFC West rival, even at home.
Prediction: Broncos win 24-21
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers
The Seahawks defense didn't look like itself Sunday.
Seattle allowed 34 points (seven of which were the result of a 75-yard Tavon Austin punt-return touchdown) to a ho-hum St. Louis Rams offense. Rams quarterback Nick Foles threw for 297 yards and a score despite throwing only 27 passes. St. Louis won the game in overtime, 34-31.
One has to wonder how much of that was due to Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor being conspicuously absent from the contest due to a long-standing contract holdout.
If Chancellor remains out and Seattle keeps struggling as it did against the Rams, there's no question Aaron Rodgers and his Packers offense will have their way in the 2014 NFC Championship Game rematch Sunday at Lambeau Field. Green Bay defeated the Chicago Bears 31-23 on the road in Week 1, although the Bears weren't necessarily the toughest opponent the Packers could have drawn.
This matchup looked like a classic "great defense versus great offense" battle when the NFL schedule came out, but it could end up as a shootout with both teams looking to win on the strength of their offenses.
Since this contest is at Lambeau and Rodgers is much better than Foles, the Packers should take this one.
Prediction: Packers win 31-23
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills
After New England's three AFC East rivals all won their games Sunday, Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy released a piece Tuesday entitled "After Patriots, AFC East still a trio of zeros." Essentially, he said the Bills, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets are all scrubs this season because of their performances in past years and have no shot at challenging the Patriots, who defeated the Steelers 28-21 last Thursday, for the division title.
Talk about bulletin-board material.
Per ESPN.com's Mike Rodak, the column was a popular topic in the Bills locker room after its release. Buffalo safety Aaron Williams commented on his feelings toward Sunday's Week 2 matchup the Patriots, saying: "I don't like New England, so yeah it's definitely personal for me. That's just the way I feel. They're a great football team. Don't get that twisted at all. That's why they're the four-time NFL champs."
Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus took it a step further.
In terms of play on the field, however, this contest has the makings of a close game.
The Patriots have a lethal passing game and a solid run game, while the Bills defend both well, as they showed in a 27-14 win over the Indianapolis Colts Sunday. On the other side of the ball, inexperienced Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor will attempt to outsmart Bill Belichick as the mastermind tries to work with a depleted secondary.
For the upstart, brash Bills, this early-season game is a big deal. For the veteran Patriots? Not so much, probably. The motivated Buffalo squad will happily take a close win on its home field.
Prediction: Bills win 27-24
Note: All statistics are from ESPN.com, and all betting information is from OddsShark.com, with the exception of the odds for the Ravens-Raiders matchup, which are from VegasInsider.com.
via http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2567311-nfl-picks-week-2-updated-lines-and-final-score-predictions-for-all-games
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