Betting on Week 2 matches often sees a reversal of the fortunes we observed in the opening week of the season. Some teams are not as bad as they looked and others are not nearly as good as the score indicates either.
For Week 2, that gives us pause on New Orleans and Philadelphia who pulled off surprise routs. We also doubt the Packers are as bad as they looked against the Saints. So check out the Week 2 NFL betting trends and remember to watch for the opposite action because oddsmakers are watching as well.
Thursday Night
NY Giants +3 @ Washington, Total 41 at FanDuel | Matchup Report
Some people (The Backwards Oracle included) believe this will be a Washington rout. And while the Giants are regular losers as underdogs (4-19 SU past 23) they are also regular winners against the spread (18-5 ATS in those same 23 games).
Giants are 4-19 SU in their last 23 games when playing as the underdog.
Washington 4-18 SU in their last 22 games at home.
Giants are 6-1 SU, 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games against Washington.
Giants are 18-5 ATS in their last 23 games on the road.
Giants are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games at Washington
Giants are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against an opponent in the NFC East
Giants are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games played in September.
Giants are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games played in week 2.
Giants have played UNDER 7 straight years in Week 2 – why? No idea.
Giants have played UNDER past 7 games as underdogs
Giants are 0-5 SU, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games played on a Thursday
Washington 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played in September.
Washington 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games played in week 2.
Washington OVER is 8-2 Washington’s last 10 games played on a Thursday.
Washington 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games when playing as the favourite
Cincinnati @ Chicago -3, Total 45 at FanDuel | Matchup Report
Line has already moved from -5-5 to -3 as of midweek.
Bears are 10-2 SU in their last 12 divisional games
Bears are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games played in September.
Bengals are 1-18-1 SU in their last 20 road games.
Bengals 12-5 SU in their last 17 games against an opponent in the NFC North
UNDER is 14-5 Chicago’s last 19 games at home.
Bears are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games played in Week 2.
Bears 4-11 ATS in their last 15 games as the favorite
Buffalo @ Miami +3.5, Total 48 at Draft Kings | Matchup Report
Dolphins 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games at home
Dolphins are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games.
Bills 20-3 SU in their last 23 games as the favorite
Bills are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games
OVER is 5-0 past 5 meetings
Bills are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games against Miami
OVER is 7-2 Buffalo’s last 9 games on the road.
OVER is 7-3 Buffalo’s last 10 divisional games
Bills 8-1 SU, 6-3 ATS past 9 as road favorites
Dolphins 8-2 ATS past 10 as home dogs and 17-5 ATS past 22 overall as underdogs
Dolphins 9-3 ATS in their last 12 divisional games
Houston @ Cleveland -12.5, Total 48 at FanDuel | Matchup Report
This will be the biggest point spread in the history of the reborn Cleveland Browns. Previous high was -11.5 Dec. 30, 2007 at home to the 49ers.
UNDER is 9-2 past 11 meetings of these teams
Texans covered 6 straight vs Browns
Texans have played 6 straight Week 2 UNDERs
Texans 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing as the underdog
Texans failed to cover past 4 as double-digit underdogs
New England @ New York Jets +5.5, Total 42.5 at Draft Kings | Matchup Report
Jets have lost 10 straight September games and are 1-9 ATS in the process.
Patriots are 19-3 SU in their last 22 games against NY Jets
Patriots just 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games as the favourite.
Jets are 5-14 ATS in their last 19 games against an opponent in the AFC East division
Jets are 7-3 ATS past 10 as home underdog
Denver @ Jacksonville +6, Total 45.5 | Matchup report
Since 2011, Jaguars are 1-17 SU as home dogs of 6 or more points and just 4-14 ATS.
Jaguars have lost 16 in a row SU and 14 in a row SU as underdogs.
UNDER is 9-2 Denver’s last 11 games as the favorite.
Denver is 17-4 SU in their last 21 games played in Week 2.
Jaguars 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games against Denver.
Denver has played 5 straight UNDERs as road chalk
San Francisco @ Philadelphia +3, Total 50 | Matchup Report
Eagles are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 games played in Week 2.
Eagles are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games against San Francisco.
49ers 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games when playing as the favorite
49ers are 6-1 SU past 7 as road favorites (OVER is 5-1-1 in those games)
Eagles have covered 5 straight as home underdogs
UNDER is 12-3 Philadelphia’s last 15 games at home
LA Rams @ Indianapolis +3.5, Total 48 | Matchup Report
A weird OVER trend, as the Rams are 14-2 in their last 16 games vs AFC South teams. Figure that out if you can. Another weird totals trend, this tome to the UNDER – 17-4 Rams’ last 21 games as the favorite. Meanwhile Indy does not bite very hard as a dog, winning just five times in the last 26 tries when catching points.
Colts are 5-21 SU in their last 26 games as underdog, including eight straight
Rams 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games played in September.
Las Vegas @ Pittsburgh -6, Total 47 | Matchup Report
OVER is 11-2 Las Vegas’ last 13 conference games
OVER is 9-2 Las Vegas’ last 11 games as the underdog.
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Las Vegas’ last 17 games
Raiders 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games against Pittsburgh.
New Orleans @ Carolina +3, Total 44.5 | Matchup Report
Saints 12-1 SU in their last 13 Sunday road games
Saints 10-1 SU in their last 11 divisional games
Saints 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 games.
OVER is 11-3 past 14 meetings
Saints 19-6 ATS in their last 25 games on the road.
Saints are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games played in Week 2.
Panthers 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games when playing as the underdog.
Tennessee at Seattle -6.5, Total 54 | Matchup Report
OVER is 11-1 Tennessee’s last 12 Sunday road games
Titans 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games against Seattle.
Pat 6 meetings between these teams in Seattle all played UNDER
Seahawks 26-4 SU past 30 September home games as chalk
Sunday Night –Â Kansas City @ Baltimore +3.5, Total 54.5 at Fanduel | Matchup Report
Chiefs have won 15 straight September games SU(12-3 ATS)
Chiefs 1-10-1 ATS in their last 12 games
Chiefs  0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games
Chiefs 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games at Baltimore
Chiefs 20-2 SU in their last 22 games against an opponent in the AFC
Ravens 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games when playing as the underdog.
Monday Night Football Trends – Detroit vs Green Bay -11.5, Total 48 – Bet at FanDuel
Packers are 1-6 ATS as double-digit favorites since 2015 and played 8 straight UNDERs when DD chalk. Detroit has played 6 straight UNERS as double-digit dogs.
Packers 11-1 SU in their last 12 divisional games while the Lions are 1-11 SU in the NFC North.
Packers 27-3 SU in their last 30 games when playing at home against Detroit.
Lions 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games played in September.
Lions 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games played on a Monday.
OVER is 7-2 Detroit’s last 9 games as the underdog
OVER is 22-8 Green Bay’s last 30 games played in September
Packers 7-1 SU in their last 8 games played on a Monday.
Archived Week 2 NFL Betting Trends piece from Sept. 16, 2020
If you ignored Week 1 betting trends, you ignored a chance to win plenty of wagers, so let’s not make the same mistake twice. Week 2 betting trends see even more steaks and team tendencies, including a few that favor Cleveland on Thursday night.
Among the highlights you will find below:
- a 3-26 SU run for Detroit in Green Bay
- the Bears have not covered a home spread against the Giants since 1991
- the biggest home underdog number for the Chargers since John Elway was in town in 1998
- the foolishness of betting against the Patriots as an early-season underdog.
(Trends are regular-season and odds are opening numbers from FanDuel and Draft Kings).