NFL picks against the spread Week 2 — Del’s redemption

I’ll start out by saying this — at least there are 16 weeks left in the season. Week 1 did not treat the Del well, to say the least. There were a lot of unexpected surprises — Terrelle Pryor most notably — who kept their teams in games and managed to cover the spread, if not win outright. My top three selections were a disappointing 0-2-1 to kick off the season, but there’s still more than enough time to improve.

Time to quickly forget and move onto the next week of action. Below you’ll see Del’s Week 2 NFL Picks. As usual, be sure to jump ahead after the chart for analysis of the top three selections. Also, remember to check back later when Doc Brown posts his picks for the week.

We’re kicking things off with the Falcons at home against the Rams for our first lock of Week 2. Atlanta is a very good football team and should once again be a contender in the NFC. With a banged up Roddy White, who has been dealing with a high ankle sprain and could miss this week’s game, the Falcons struggled to score points against a charged-up Saints team playing in its first game since the return of Sean Payton. However, no NFL team that has started 0-2 has gone on to make the playoffs since 2008. My gut tells me the Falcons won’t start their 2013 campaign 0-2, but instead take care of business at home against St. Louis and win by at least a touchdown.

Speaking of the Saints, another line that jumped out at me this week was Drew Brees and company laying 3.5 on the road against Tampa Bay. The Bucs lost to the Jets last week, thanks in part to a stupid penalty late in the game. Still, the Jets are not very good. Meanwhile, Josh Freeman was stripped of his captainship this season, which is determined based on team voting. A recent report indicated that the Bucs held a players-only meeting before the season to question whether or not head coach Greg Schiano rigged the vote. You get the point — this team has issues. Don’t be surprised if the Saints blow the doors off Tampa Bay.

And finally, I’m wrapping up the Week 2 locks with an underdog on the road in the San Francisco 49ers. Colin Kaepernick lit it up against the Packers last week and the Niners’ offense looked unstoppable at times. Their defense was suspect, but the Seahawks do not have nearly the type of talent on offense that Green Bay has. If San Fran can bottle up Marshawn Lynch the way the Panthers were able to last week, I like their chances to win outright. Three points seems like a gift in a game that I feel should be more of a pick em.