NFL Preseason Week 2 Betting Odds, Trends & Predictions

Aug 2015

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The NFL preseason moves into Week 2 and that means that the starters of all 32 teams should start seeing a bit more playing time in this week’s games. BetOnline sportsbook has taken this into consideration in its NFL betting odds for all the matchups and even though the lines are a bit sharper this time around there is still plenty of opportunity to cash-in on some of the games.

Thursday, Aug. 20

Buffalo at Cleveland (-1) 40

The Bills opened the preseason with a 25-24 loss to Carolina as 3.5-point home favorites, but the main takeaway was Tyrod Taylor’s 49 yards passing and 47 yards rushing. He is expected to get the start on Thursday night. Johnny Manziel wowed the home-town crowd in Week 1 with a 12-yard touchdown run, but the Browns’ offense as a whole gained less than 200 total yards in their 20-17 loss to Washington as 1.5-point favorites.

This is a golden opportunity to jump on Buffalo as a road underdog. The Bills showed the ability to move the ball and score points while Cleveland’s offense may never get on track this year.

Friday, Aug. 21

Seattle at Kansas City (PICK) 40.5

The Seahawks fell to Denver 22-20 in Week 1 as 5.5-point favorites at home. Russell Wilson saw limited action, but he should be under center for a few series in this contest. Seattle ended the game with just 92 yards passing against the Broncos. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid has to be encouraged by the play of backup quarterback Chase Daniel in his team’s 34-19 victory against Arizona last week as a two-point road underdog. He completed 17-of-21 attempts for 189 yards and three touchdowns.

Stick with the Chiefs to keep things going at home with another straight-up win. Seattle is still trying to shake-off the bad memories from is loss in last season’s Super Bowl and it may take a few more weeks for the fog to clear.

Saturday, Aug. 22

Baltimore at Philadelphia (-3.5) 44.5

This could be the matchup of the week after Baltimore ran past New Orleans 30-27 in Week 1 in a game that ended as a PUSH, while the Eagles pummeled Indianapolis 36-10 as five-point home favorites. Both offenses used a healthy rotation of quarterbacks in those wins, but fans should be treated to a matchup between the Ravens’ Joe Flacco and Philadelphia’s new starter Sam Bradford early in this contest. Flacco completed 5-of-6 attempts for 33 yards in very limited action against the Saints, while Bradford was inactive against the Colts.

This is one of the highest total lines on the board for this week’s games, but I still do not think it is high enough for this game. I went with the OVER on Philly last week at home and I am going the same way in this week’s matchup.

New England at New Orleans (-1) 43

The Tom Brady saga continues as the top storyline in New England this preseason and the Patriots have to be a bit concerned after losing to Green Bay 22-11 last week as 2.5-point home favorites. Brady sat that game out and his status for this week is still up in the air. The Saints were without Drew Brees as their starting quarterback last week, but his team still rolled-up 274 yards passing with a three-man rotation under center. New Orleans also rushed for 100 yards on the ground with six different backs carrying the ball.

New England head coach Bill Belichick would vehemently deny that the Brady situation is a distraction, but it is. Until there is some kind of resolution as to his fate pending a four-game suspension by the NFL, I am going to continue to go against the Patriots in the preseason.

Sunday, Aug. 23

Green Bay at Pittsburgh (-2.5) 41.5

Aaron Rodgers put the ball up 19 times in limited action against New England last week and he completed 11 passes for 117 yards. The Packers ended the day with 273 yards passing and another 133 yards on the ground. Pittsburgh dropped its second preseason game of the year after losing to Minnesota in the Hall of Fame Game with a 23-21 loss to Jacksonville last week as a 1.5-point road underdog. The good news was the offense’s ability to put some points on the board after managing just a field goal against the Vikings.

Green Bay’s offense appears to be ahead of the game early in the preseason and I see that carrying over to Sunday’s contest with another SU win on the road as an underdog.