Early Sunday NFL Slate
Saints (-3) vs. Panthers
Sunday, Sept. 25 | 1 p.m. ET
Let’s call a spade a spade: the Panthers and Baker Mayfield stink. They were gifted a relatively easy schedule to start the year, a year in which Matt Rhule needed to have a good season to keep his job, and they’ve started 0-2. They lost to the Browns in Week 1 and then lost to the Giants last week. They are toast.
The Saints should have no trouble sending the Panthers season further into chaos in this one.
Saints vs. Panthers Pick: Saints -2.5 | -120 at DraftKings
Texans vs. Bears (-2.5)
Sunday, Sept. 25 | 1 p.m. ET
This is our first game of the week that nobody cares about. How exciting!
Anyways, the wrong team is favored in this one. Last week, a game in which the Bears were losing pretty much the entire time, Justin Fields only threw the ball 11 times. That is ludicrous in todays NFL, where passing is king. He did run the ball 8 times, but some of those were designed QB runs.
The Texans have looked frisky in their first two games, going 2-0 against the spread against two teams that were projected to be in the playoff race in the Colts and the Broncos. Granted, those two teams might just be bad, but it is not as though the Bears are some juggernaut. Give me the Texans to cover and win straight up.
Texans vs. Bears Pick: Texans +3 | -110 at PointsBet
Chiefs (-6.5) vs. Colts
Sunday, Sept. 25 | 1 p.m. ET
This is a tough one, as the Colts have looked dreadful in the first two weeks but have enough of a history of turning things around under head coach Frank Reich. The Colts haven’t won in Week 1 in his five-year tenure, nor has Reich ever won a game in Jacksonville. So, the Colts being 0-1-1 is basically on schedule.
The Chiefs defense, and especially pass-rush, looks invigorated as they have added some youth to the defense in the offseason. With that said, a full touchdown in Indianapolis is too rich for my blood, as I have faith in Reich to right the ship. I’ll lay the points with the home team.
Bills (-5.5) vs. Dolphins
Sunday, Sept. 25 | 1 p.m. ET
With both of these teams looking like legit contenders, this might be the game of the week. The Bills have now defeated the defending Super Bowl champion and last year’s AFC No. 1 seed in their two games so far, by a total score of 72-17.
The Dolphins are also 2-0, fresh off a wild comeback against the Ravens. Tua Tagovailoa has looked much better than I anticipated through two games, but the Dolphins won’t have receivers running wide open all game against the Bills like they did against the Ravens. The Bills stay hot in this one.
Bills vs. Dolphins Pick: Bills -5 | -113 at BetRivers
Lions vs. Vikings (-5.5)
Sunday, Sept. 25 | 1 p.m. ET
I’m not sure why we are giving the Vikings close to a touchdown in this one. The Lions have scored a combined 71 points through two games and have legitimately looked good on offense. Those are not a flukey 71 points, either. Now, they won’t continue to score over 35 points a game, of course, but schematically and talent-wise this offense is legit.
The Vikings probably aren’t as bad as they looked on Monday night against the Eagles, but they probably aren’t as good as they looked in Week 1 against the Packers either. The Lions could win this one outright and will keep this close regardless.
Lions vs. Vikings Pick: Lions +6 | -107 at PointsBet
Ravens (-3) vs. Patriots
Sunday, Sept. 25 | 1 p.m. ET
Bill Belichick is learning the hard way what life is like without the greatest QB of all time. The Patriots won last week, but their offense has been dreadful through two games. They have scored a combined 24 points, including only 7 points in Week 1 against a Dolphins team that just gave up 35 last week.
The Patriots aren’t nearly equipped to go bombs-away on the Ravens like the Dolphins did last week, so I will gladly take the points with the Ravens in this one.
Ravens vs. Patriots Pick: Ravens -3 | -105 at PointsBet
Bengals (-4.5) vs. Jets
Sunday, Sept. 25 | 1 p.m. ET
This is now the third game in a row in which the Bengals are favored by 4+ points, and yet they are 0-2 to show for it. With that said, the reason the Bengals have struggled to start is because their offensive line has been dreadful, and they have played two of the best defensive lines in football.
That latter part won’t be true in this game, as the Jets have one of the weakest defensive lines in the NFL. It feels risky backing the Bengals after two bad showings, but their offense should be worlds better against a bad Jets defense. I’ll accept that risk and lay the points with them.
Bengals vs. Jets Pick: Bengals -4.5 | -107 at PointsBet
Raiders (-2) vs. Titans
Sunday, Sept. 25 | 1 p.m. ET
Gross. Both of these teams are an equally disappointing 0-2. The Raiders blew a 20-0 halftime lead, at home last week to a Cardinals team that was ready to lay down and die. The Titans, meanwhile, gave the Giants their first Week 1 victory since 2016, and then in Week 2 got absolutely pounded by the Bills 41-10.
I admittedly don’t have a great feel for this one, but Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has a track-record of getting the Titans to bounce-back after rough losses in his six-year tenure as the Titans head coach. I’ll take the points with the home team.
Raiders vs. Titans Pick: Titans +2.5 | -110 at Caesars
Eagles (-6.5) vs. Commanders
Sunday, Sept. 25 | 1 p.m. ET
We’ve got a juicy matchup in this one. The Eagles look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders after their domination of the Vikings on Monday Night Football in Week 2, while Carson Wentz plays his first game against Philly since they benched then traded him in 2020.
A touchdown spread feels like a lot, but that is the play here. Wentz has been exactly as advertised through two games in Washington — capable of making spectacular throws, but also capable of perplexing decision-making and questionable awareness in the pocket.
Eagles vs. Commanders Pick: Eagles -6.5 | -103 at Tipico