Doc Brown and Del had a rough opening week, but that is to be expected for the first week of the NFL season. We’re shaking that one off and we’re prepared to give you some prime picks for week two. In particular, Doc Brown has highlighted three games he really likes this week. Week one gave us a decent sense of teams. Week two is about finding out how the losers respond. Here are Doc and Del’s week two NFL picks:
(ATS = Against the Spread, SU = Straight Up)
I feel comfortable knowing that Doc and Del agree on all three of the Doc’s top three plays. Let’s start our analysis with Tampa Bay-Minnesota.
The Vikings look bad. Their defense is still alright, but their offense, despite its playmakers, is shaky. Donovan McNabb was elusive in the pocket but he could hardly throw; he only threw for 39 yards. That won’t change much even at home against the Bucs. Tampa Bay on the other hand is a solid team that had a difficult week one matchup against a very good team. Against an opponent more on their level, they won’t fall behind and they’ll be able to stick to their gameplan of feeding LeGarrette Blount the ball. The three points are a gift — Bucs will win this straight up.
Dallas looked very good Sunday. Tony Romo’s blunders and a blocked punt kept them from beating a very good team on the road. We know they can play well on the road, so San Francisco should hardly present a challenge. This is a clear mismatch and I feel like I’m missing something by wondering how the spread isn’t five or six. Dallas should roll over a weak 49ers squad. (Just don’t kick to Ted Ginn Jr.!)
Miami hung with New England in the first half but their pass coverage was suspect all game. I don’t think that will change in one week even if they cut Benny Sapp who got burned several times. Like New England, Houston has a good passing game and comparable receiving weapons. They should do well offensively against the Dolphins. The question is if the Texans defense will be able to contain Miami enough to cover the spread. I think they will.
The other pick Doc was considering for his top three was Pittsburgh. The Seahawks suck. They are really bad. The Steelers will be pissed from last week and they’ll be looking to take it out on someone. Seattle will be the unlucky recipient of their wrath. It won’t be pretty.
For more NFL picks, see what our boy Sam went with in week 2 over at his site Play Action Picks.
