NFL Parlay Picks Week 2
One week of NFL games isn’t enough to get a full read on who these teams are just yet, so tread lightly in week two. I expect several teams to respond after poor performances last Sunday; that being said, here are my recommended week two NFL Parlay picks.
NFL Parlay #1 (Safe)
Bears -4.5 vs. Vikings
The Bears scored 59 points in Week 1 in the strangest ways possible. Their biggest names in the passing game had quiet days. Colston Loveland was shut out, Rome Odunze caught two passes, and Luther Burden III finished with five catches and a fumble. Chicago still beat Carolina 59-37 and piled up 552 yards, 291 of them on the ground. Caleb Williams and D’Andre Swift carried the load, which tells you this offense has another gear it never had to use.
Minnesota’s comeback over Green Bay was a great story. The Vikings erased a 22-10 deficit and won 39-22. That game was at home, though, and this one is not. Kyler Murray is out with a concussion, so Carson Wentz will start at Soldier Field. Jauan Jennings is also out, and running back Jordan Mason is on injured reserve. That is a lot of missing pieces for an offense trying to keep pace with a team that just scored 59. I like the Bears to cover the 4.5 points at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Eagles -7 at Titans
A team rarely loses a Pro Bowl guard and the fan base cheers, but that is where the Eagles are. Landon Dickerson had the worst game of his career in Philadelphia’s 24-22 win over Washington and landed on injured reserve with a knee injury. The film explains the reaction. Saquon Barkley ran for 83 yards on 15 carries, but 78 of those yards came after contact. Jalen Hurts still threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Drew Kendall, a 2025 fifth-round pick, is expected to step in at left guard. Cleaner blocking up front should open the run game and make Hurts that much more dangerous.
Eagles cover the 7 points in Nashville.
Jaguars +3 at Denver
If you can find a line where you can get +3.5, I would jump at it. I know the Broncos have an excellent defense and are playing at home this week, but the Jaguars looked impressive. I don’t like picking a team “because they should be good” against a team that actually played well. If you were basing things purely on what you saw last week, the Jaguars look like the better team. I’m talking points
NFL Parlay #2
Cardinals +3.5 vs. Seahawks
The champs are starting Drew Lock. Sam Darnold is out with a glute injury he suffered five snaps into Week 1. Lock played well in relief, going 16 of 22 for 187 yards in a 13-10 win over New England. Still, this is a road game against a division opponent that knows Seattle well.
Arizona has nothing to lose. The Cardinals opened the year with a preseason win total of 3.5 and still went into Los Angeles and beat the Chargers 26-14 as heavy underdogs. Jacoby Brissett did not turn the ball over, Trey McBride caught nine passes, and Mike LaFleur’s team is back at home. Give me the Cardinals and the points at 4:25 p.m. ET.
Steelers +5.5 at Patriots
Everyone expects New England to respond, and they probably will. Still, 5.5 points is too many to pass up. The Patriots lost A.J. Brown to injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, and will miss at least four games. Romeo Doubs was held without a catch on three targets in the loss at Seattle, and his drop set up one of Drake Maye’s three interceptions.
Pittsburgh opened with a 20-13 win over Atlanta behind Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 221 yards and a touchdown. If New England pulls this off, it will likely be a field-goal game. I’ll take the points at 1 p.m. ET.
Saints +8.5 at Ravens
To me, this looks a lot like how the Week 1 game went against Detroit. The Saints fell behind 21-0, then scored on five of their last six possessions and lost 31-30 in overtime. Tyler Shough threw for a career-high 410 yards and three touchdowns. He showed off his arm strength and leadership in the comeback. New Orleans went for two after Noah Fant’s overtime touchdown, and the pass to Bryce Lance fell incomplete. Had it connected, Shough would have been the talk of the week. The comeback should not be forgotten either way.
Baltimore is a tougher test after a 41-23 win over Indianapolis, and Derrick Henry ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns. But the Ravens may be without Zay Flowers, who missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with a hamstring injury, and Ja’Kobi Lane is on injured reserve. I expect the Saints to get behind and make it interesting late. I like New Orleans and the points at 1 p.m. ET.
