NFL Week 2 Early Lines vs. Line Movement Predictions (2022)
Week 1 of the NFL regular season is in the books. The first week left no shortness of chaos, as there were numerous upsets, kicking mishaps, and even a tie. Generally, the betting public overreacts to what happens in Week 1 of the NFL season. This allows Vegas to set lines favorably for themselves, then move them when they see the action come in where they want it. Below is a look at some of the more interesting lines of Week 2 and where they are likely headed.
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Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs
The Thursday night game is one of the best of the week, featuring two of the best teams from the best division in football. The Chiefs dominated in Arizona on Sunday, while the Chargers held off a late surge by the Raiders to start the season 1-0.
The Chiefs are currently 3.5-point favorites, and it’s not surprising that the Chargers have received much of the early money. The line looks destined to drop to the key number and maybe even beyond. If you’re on the Chiefs this week, wait. There’s a good chance you can get this at -2.5 come Wednesday.
Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions
For the first time since 2020, the Lions are favored to win a regular season football game. Detroit opened as 2-point favorites over the 1-0 Commanders, despite losing at home in Week 1 to the Eagles. Don’t look for the “Hard Knocks†bump to wear off for bettors just yet, as the Commanders needed some magic late to escape against Jacksonville in Week 1.
Look for the line to swell throughout the week and possibly even pass through the key number. If you’re looking to bet Washington, you will likely find much more favorable lines at the end of the week.
New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
Last week, the Steelers were very suspiciously listed as 6.5-point underdogs against the defending AFC champions. They ended up winning that game. This week, the Jets are suspiciously only 6.5-point underdogs against the Browns, despite looking absolutely horrible at home in Week 1 against the Ravens.
This feels like the game where Vegas is trying to bait bettors, and if they like the action they’re getting on both sides, this line isn’t going to move at all, even if it seems like the Browns should see it tick in their favor.
New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers
The Patriots’ offense was horrible in Week 1, and they’re about to face a defense that picked off Joe Burrow four times and sacked him seven times. Yet, the Patriots are slight road favorites this week. Bill Belichick very rarely loses two games in a row, but that shouldn’t deter bettors from favoring the Steelers throughout the week and swinging this line in favor of Pittsburgh.
In addition, the total is set at 41. This number may drop because of how bad the Patriots looked in Week 1, but remember, the NFL is a week-to-week league. If it gets under 40, the Over is a solid option.
Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys were embarrassed on Sunday night, and to make matters worse, Dak Prescott is expected to miss 6-8 weeks to have surgery on his thumb. The Bengals looked more than a little suspect in Week 1, and despite their best efforts to revamp their offensive line, they allowed seven sacks.
Cincinnati is currently favored by 6.5, and with Prescott’s bad news, this line could swell well over the key number. However, keep in mind that the Cowboys’ defense did play well in Week 1, and Micah Parsons is going to have a lot of opportunities against this Bengals’ offensive line.
Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
Under new Head Coach Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings absolutely destroyed the Packers in Week 1. Yet they find themselves slight road underdogs against the Eagles in Week 2. The Eagles came out of Detroit with a win, but they did allow 181 rushing yards, with D’Andre Swift averaging 9.6 yards per carry.
The spread is at Eagles -2, but do not be surprised to see this line move toward the away team as Monday night’s kickoff approaches. To see this move toward the Eagles at any point would be a bit surprising.
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Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.