Welcome to Week 2 of the 2023 NFL regular season, where we will discover if our Week 1 overreactions were warranted or not. Will Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals bounce back after a nightmare start to the season? Can Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills take care of the Las Vegas Raiders on a short week? Get ready for more surprises this weekend.
As we do every week, we’ve collected all of the best picks and gambling content from CBSSports.com and SportsLine and put them in one place, so you can get picks against the spread from our CBS Sports experts as well as additional feature content for each game, including plays from top SportsLine experts and the SportsLine Projection Model, best bets from our staff, survivor picks and more. Ready? Let’s jump in.
All NFL odds via SportsLine consensus odds.
Which picks can you make with confidence in Week 2? And which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Visit SportsLine, as its incredible model simulates every NFL game 10,000 times and is up over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception.
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Bengals -3.5, O/U 47
“At three I like the Bengals, so the Bengals -3 are a best bet. The new-look Baltimore offense never got going against Houston despite the score looking like it did with all those points, and Cincy’s offense, they’re always bad in Cleveland. Last year they had 220-something yards of offense, they went out the next week and scored 42 points. I don’t think this is indicative of the Cincy team we’re going to see throughout the rest of the year, and the weather didn’t help last week. Cincy’s pass defense was solid, the rush defense goes from facing Nick Chubb to Gus Edwards, Justice Hill and an injured offensive line that probably is going to be without Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum in this game. Key injures for the Ravens already rearing their ugly head like they do every year for the Ravens somehow.”
That’s R.J. White’s take from the Pick Six Podcast, where he, Will Brinson, Katie Mox and Alex Selesnick broke down every NFL game this week. Subscribe below for great NFL content every single day.
Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fubo (try for free)
Open: Bears -1, O/U 44.5
“The lookahead line had the Bears favored here but featured a big swing after the Bucs upset the Vikings and the Bears laid an egg. The latter was in line with my expectations for the Bears entering the season, but what if they aren’t as bad as they looked last week? And I don’t think the Bucs looked particularly good or even deserved to come out of that game with a win. My number for this game is Bucs -1.5, so there’s decent value on the Bears already, and pushing them up to +8.5 is the best teaser move you can make as you not only capture the 3, 4, 6 and 7 but also the 8, which is a more common number in recent years.”
That’s SportsLine expert R.J. White, who finished up more than 35 units on NFL ATS picks from 2017-22. He likes the Bears as a teaser leg this week. To check out his other picks, head on over to SportsLine.
Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fubo (try for free)
Open: Falcons -1, O/U 42
“It’s, of course, too early to make any definitive stamps on teams for the season, but the Packers (more specifically Jordan Love) confirmed a lot of what I had hoped he’d be in Week 1. Yes, he completed 55.5% of his passes in the opener, but he was making some elite throws in that win over Chicago, including three touchdown passes. And that was without No. 1 option Christian Watson. As for the other quarterback in this game, I wasn’t overly impressed by Falcons QB Desmond Ridder, despite his 83.3 completion percentage in the win over Carolina. I think Green Bay has the more explosive offense and that could prove to be too much for Ridder to keep pace with. Meanwhile, Love is 2-0 ATS in his two career starts and the Falcons are 1-5 ATS in their last six games as an underdog.”
Tyler Sullivan likes the Packers to move to 2-0 on Sunday. To read his Week 2 column, click here.
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fubo (try for free)
Open: Texans -1 O/U 41.5
“Last year the Colts inexplicably went 0-1-1 against Houston, but the final week of the season actually helped Indy land Anthony Richardson and move Houston out of the No. 1 spot and into C.J. Stroud. Which makes a potential win somehow better than revenge. Richardson got banged up last week but would have played if the game was on the line and isn’t even on the injury report going into this game. Call it what you want, but the Colts offense might turn Richardson — as an effective runner (he ran 10 times for 40 yards and a touchdown) and dangerous passer (24 of 37 for 223 yards, a touchdown and a pick) — into the Offensive Rookie of the Year, in a similar vein to Cam Newton if he can stay healthy the whole season. Indy can generate pass rush against a banged-up Houston offensive line and I trust the Colts coaching staff and Richardson to prevent the massive mistake more than I trust the Texans and Stroud to do so.”
CBS Sports Senior NFL Writer Will Brinson is on the Colts to cover the spread vs. their AFC South rivals in Week 2. To read his best bets, click here.
Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Chiefs -3, O/U 50.5
Before you make any Week 2 NFL picks or NFL parlays, you need to see what SportsLine senior analyst Larry Hartstein has to say. A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed working for Pro Football Focus. He tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Those selections form the basis of his SportsLine NFL best bets, which are 38-27-1 since the start of last season.
Now, Hartstein has locked in three confident Week 2 NFL best bets. If you successfully parlay his picks, you’re looking at a payout of almost 6-1. We can tell you he likes the Chiefs to cover three points this week, but to see his full parlay, head on over to SportsLine.
Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Chargers -3, O/U 46.5
“As someone who lives in Nashville, I was forced to watch all four quarters of the Titans game on Sunday and let me just say that my head still hurts from watching them play. The offense was so bad that I’m halfway convinced that they didn’t actually have a training camp this year, and if they did have one, Ryan Tannehill definitely wasn’t there. I mean, that’s the only conclusion that makes any sense to me after watching him play in Week 1.
“If you missed Tennessee’s opener, Tannehill threw three interceptions and completed fewer than 50% of his passes. He looked absolutely lost and I’m not sure he can be fixed in one week. The good news for the Titans is that they’re playing the Chargers, the one team in the NFL that seems to invent new ways to lose every week, well, except for this week, because I don’t think they’re going to lose.
“I think the Titans defense can keep this close and I also think that Tennesee could pull off the upset if Derrick Henry gets rolling, but in the end, I think this game will turn out like last week’s game for Tennessee where everyone but Tannehill plays well enough to win.”
John Breech likes the Titans to again cover the spread in Week 2. To read his full column, click here.
Las Vegas Raiders at Buffalo Bills
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Bills -9.5, O/U 48
R.J. White has been SportsLine’s No. 1 NFL against-the-spread expert over the last six years, going 535-450-30 against the spread to put him up more than 35 units on those picks at SportsLine since 2017. He’s also delivered a 56.5% hit rate on his Vegas contest picks over the last eight seasons, which is exactly what you’re getting here as he explains why he’s taking the Bills this week.
“The Bills (and in particular Josh Allen) laid a dud against the Jets, but I don’t think there’s anything fundamentally wrong with their offense. The Jets defense has had their number and Allen tried to do too much. That won’t be necessary against the Raiders, who weren’t tested deep at all last week against Russell Wilson. This line was Bills -10 before Monday night and I think it should’ve been higher.” To see which way R.J.’s leaning on all his contest picks, head on over to SportsLine.
Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fubo (try for free)
Open: Lions -3, O/U 51.5
“The Seahawks are 3-0 ATS in their last three meetings with the Lions, but you should know by now this Lions team is different. Detroit is actually 10-1 ATS in its last 11 games, which ranks No. 1 in the NFL in that span. After their upset victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, you know Ford Field is going to be rocking. In fact, it was rocking in the preseason. The Giants even had to use a silent count!
“The Seahawks’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams was surprising. I thought Seattle’s defense was going to be improved, but Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell both recorded 119 receiving yards apiece last Sunday. I guarantee no one had that on their bingo card. I’m not basing this pick solely off of Seattle’s Week 1 performance (it’s never smart to do that), but more off of the injury report. Left tackle Charles Cross and right tackle Abraham Lucas are both likely out Sunday, which could potentially spell disaster for Geno Smith. Is there a line for Aidan Hutchinson sacks? Take the Over.”
Jordan Dajani is high on Detroit this week. To check out his other best bets of Week 2, check out his column, here.
New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals
Time: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fubo (try for free)
Open: Giants -5.5, O/U 39
“The Giants are coming off a terrible showing at home in getting shut out by the Cowboys. Now they face a tough trip west to play the Cardinals, who showed well in their opener. The Cardinals had six sacks, which is not good for a Giants line that was brutalized against Dallas. This is now a tougher game for the Giants than expected. The Cardinals hang around.”
Senior NFL Writer Pete Prisco is taking the Cardinals to cover the spread against the Giants after doing so against the Commanders in Week 1. To read Prisco’s breakdown of every game this weekend, click here.
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams
Time: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (Fox), stream on fubo (try for free)
Open: 49ers -6.5, O/U 42
How about a player prop? Alex Selesnick (aka PropStarz) specializes in NFL, MLB and NBA prop betting, where he implements a combination of research, statistical analysis and mathematical modeling. He has been crushing his picks, and was a highly profitable 42-28 on NFL prop picks in his column during the 2022 regular season.
He likes 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk to continue to dominate this week after a special performance against the Steelers last Sunday, and is taking the Over on his receiving yards (57.5). To read his Week 2 player props column, head on over to Sportsline.
New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys
Time: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Cowboys -3, O/U 45.5
“Monday night was a gut punch for the Jets, who’ll now be going back to Zach Wilson at quarterback. This reverts them to what they were a year ago: a team with a great defense and phenomenal weapons, but lack the quarterback to string it all together. While they were able to ride the emotions of losing Rodgers and enjoy Josh Allen handing them the football four times en route to an overtime win, I don’t believe they’ll be as fortunate in Week 2 when they head to Dallas. Instead, they could be looking at a similar fate to what their MetLife Stadium roommates, the Giants, faced in Week 1.
“While it was an admittedly tough spot to be thrust into action under the circumstances, Wilson looked like the quarterback we remember. He stared down a throw that was easily intercepted by Matt Milano, looked uncomfortable in the pocket and largely played around the line of scrimmage. That’s not going to work against Dallas, who has covered 58% of its games since drafting Dak Prescott in 2016 (best mark in the NFL over that span). I also have concerns about New York’s pass protection after allowing a 50% pressure rate in Week 1 (third highest in the NFL). If that continues, the Cowboys’ stellar pass rush could feast.”
Tyler Sullivan believes the Cowboys are going to dominate this week. To read his Week 2 column and check out his best bets, click here.
Washington Commanders at Denver Broncos
Time: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here)
Open: Broncos -3.5, O/U 41.5
Before you make your Week 2 NFL survivor picks, you need to see which team the SportsLine Projection Model is backing. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 2 on an incredible 163-114 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates to the 2017 season. In Week 1, the model backed the Falcons in its NFL survivor pick. The result: Atlanta beat Carolina 24-10.
We can tell you the model likes the Broncos this week, but they aren’t the only team it has a good read on. To check out what the model has to say, head on over to SportsLine.
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Time: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC), stream on fubo (try for free)
Open: Dolphins -2, O/U 45.5
“Miami is coming off a high-flying offensive victory against the Chargers. Tua Tagovailoa was outstanding in that game. The Patriots lost to the Eagles, but the defense played well. That defense will keep them in this game as they slow down the high-flying Dolphins to win it late. Upset special.” — Pete Prisco on why he’s taking the Pats to stun the Dolphins. See all of Prisco’s Week 2 picks here.
Before you make your Dolphins vs. Patriots picks, make sure you check out the “Sunday Night Football” predictions from SportsLine NFL expert Emory Hunt. Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007. He is a former running back for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and knows the game from a player’s perspective. Hunt has a read on the pulse of the Patriots. In fact, he is an INSANE 17-4 (+1254) on his last 21 picks in games involving New England!
We can tell you he’s leaning under the point total, but to check out his against-the-spread pick, head over to SportsLine.
New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers
Time: Monday, 7:15 p.m. ET (ESPN), stream on fubo (try for free)
Open: Saints -2.5, O/U 41.5
“The Saints defense is strong but I also don’t think Bryce Young makes the mistakes he made in back-to-back weeks. … The Panthers defense looked stout for much of last week, Carolina is at home, it’s a Monday night game in Young’s first start against a division rival. I think Frank Reich brings out the kitchen sink for this Carolina offense and we see some sparks fly.” — Will Brinson on why he’s taking the Panthers. For all of Brinson’s Week 2 picks, click here.
Before you make any Saints vs. Panthers picks, you need to see which side Larry Hartstein is on. A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed working for Pro Football Focus. Larry tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Those selections formed the basis of his SportsLine NFL best bets article, which finished 36-25-1. In addition, Hartstein has a keen sense of what to expect from the Saints and is 45-29 on his last 74 NFL picks involving New Orleans, returning a whopping $1,234.
We can tell you he’s leaning Under the total, but to see his against-the-spread pick, head on over to SportsLine.
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Time: Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET (ABC), stream on fubo (try for free)
Open: Browns -1.5, O/U 42.5
“With the Browns coming off one of the most impressive wins of Week 1 and the Steelers coming off one of the worst losses, the obvious pick here seems to be Cleveland, but I hate doing the obvious thing. That’s why I never order waffles from the Waffle House. Too obvious. … I won’t be surprised at all if Deshaun Watson struggles in Pittsburgh. Watson wasn’t great against the Bengals, and now he has to face the Steelers without his All-Pro right tackle Jack Conklin, who’s out for the season after suffering a brutal knee injury against Cincinnati. The Steelers have won 20 straight Monday night games at home, which is an NFL record. They’ve beaten the Browns 19 straight times at home in the regular season and let me just say that there’s no way I’m picking against either of those streaks.” — John Breech, on why he’s taking the Steelers. See all of Breech’s Week 2 picks here.
Before you make any Browns vs. Steelers picks, you need to see which side R.J. White is on. White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 535-450-30 on his ATS picks from 2017-22, which returned more than $3,500 to $100 players. He also closed the 2022 NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 run on his last 193 against-the-spread and total NFL picks, returning more than $1,800 for $100 bettors. Moreover, White has a read on the pulse of the Steelers. In fact, he is an incredible 55-28-4 (+2,307) on his last 87 picks involving Pittsburgh!
We can tell you he’s leaning Under the total, but to check out his against-the-spread pick, head on over to SportsLine.
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Author: Jordan Dajani
September 16, 2023 | 8:50 pm
