Following a tell-all opening week of the 2015 NFL season, excitement is already at a fever pitch for another packed slate of games for Week 2.
With bye weeks still a couple of weeks on the horizon, all 32 teams are in action again over the weekend with a more traditional slate that includes just one Monday Night Football encounter. Throw in a Thursday night battle as the Denver Broncos visit the Kansas City Chiefs, and you have yourself a jam-packed weekend of football.
Here's a look at all of the odds, as well as predictions for Week 2.
Week 2 NFL Odds and Predictions
Odds courtesy of Odds Shark
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has gotten used to doing things on his own in Dallas throughout his career, but the next several weeks will bring an unfamiliar challenge even for him.
That's because star Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant suffered a broken foot in the team's season-opening win over the New York Giants that will keep Bryant out for an extended time. He's already had surgery, which means he'll be out for the foreseeable future.
The replacement process has already begun for a receiving corps that is far from deep, as ESPN's Todd Archer noted, but Romo is sure to have his hands full:
Romo shouldn't struggle to put up some serious yardage against an Eagles defense that still showed plenty of room for improvement Monday night in Atlanta. Julio Jones alone went for nearly 150 yards and two touchdowns.
That left the Eagles reeling in a 26-24 loss to the Falcons, but the way Philadelphia responded should have the team ready for Dallas. DeMarco Murray shrugged off a slow start by rushing for a touchdown and catching another, and he's excited about the offense's potential, per the team's Twitter:
The Cowboys are better up front with Sean Lee back, but Murray should still be in line to gash his former team. Avoiding an early hole will allow Philadelphia to establish the ground game like it couldn't in Week 1 and will also allow the defense to play better and more carefree.
Following an opening weekend with plenty of ups and downs for both, expect the Eagles to improve most in the upcoming week to take an early NFC East lead.
Prediction: Eagles 28, Cowboys 24
Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers
Just one week into the season, the Houston Texans are already staring at themselves in the mirror as they prepare for a Week 2 trip to Carolina.
The Texans' 27-20 defeat to the Chiefs on Sunday didn't look so bad in terms of the final score, but it unfolded much more worrisome than that. Houston's offense struggled impeccably, forcing a switch to Ryan Mallett under center that appears to be a permanent one.
There's been no official word from the Texans on who will start, but Mallett's improvements down the stretch indicate he'll be the guy. Either way, Chris Brown of SmartFootball.com noted that Carolina likely won't lose any sleep over it:
The offense eventually got things going, but defensive ineptitude is what should worry Texans fans the most. J.J. Watt and the front line got some push, but not enough to keep Houston's secondary from getting torched by Alex Smith.
The Panthers don't have the types of weapons to seriously take advantage in that department, but it's not like the Chiefs are flush with receiving threats. The Chiefs still punished Houston on the ground en route to their 27-point first half, and the Panthers will do the same behind bruising tailback Jonathan Stewart.
Prediction: Panthers 21, Texans 15
via http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2567019-nfl-predictions-week-2-early-odds-picks-and-projections-for-upcoming-schedule
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