NFL Week 2 Rewind

Daniel Dobish Sports Betting Expert

6 minute read

After the first week of action, some bettors tend to overreact and overcorrect based upon one game's worth of results. Week 2 is now nearly in the books, sans for the two games scheduled for Monday night. That gives us a little more of a sample size for all NFL teams, although the jury is still out for some, and others did a Jekyll and Hyde to make things more tricky than ever. We break down the results after every weekend's games.

Updated on 12/22/2024

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NFL WEEK 2 RESULTS

WAGER (Favorites-Underdogs)
Straight Up (SU): 9-7
Against the Spread (ATS): 5-10-1
WAGER (Home-Away)
Straight Up (SU): 11-5
Against the Spread (ATS): 8-7-1
WAGER (Totals O/U)
Over-Under: 5-10-1

NFL SEASON RESULTS

WAGER (Favorites-Underdogs)
Straight Up (SU): 19-12-1
Against the Spread (ATS): 13-18-1
WAGER (Home-Away)
Straight Up (SU): 17-14-1
Against the Spread (ATS): 18-13-1
WAGER (Totals O/U)
Over-Under: 10-21-1

BIGGEST UNDERDOGS TO CASH

Cowboys +7.5 (ML +285) 20 vs. Bengals 17
Jets +6.5 (ML +225) 31 @ Browns 30
Cardinals +5.5 (ML +210) 29 @ Raiders 23 (OT)
Dolphins +3.5 (ML +154) 42 @ Ravens 38
Jaguars +3 (ML +140) 24 vs. Colts 0

BIGGEST FAVORITES TO CASH

Packers (-10.5) 27 vs. Bears 10
Bills (-10) 41 vs. Titans 7
49ers (-8.5) 27 vs. Seahawks 7

BIGGEST ROAD FAVORITES TO CASH

Buccaneers (-2.5) 20 @ Saints 10

BIGGEST BAD BEAT OF THE WEEK

If you were backing the Ravens at home in Week 2, you felt pretty good for most of the afternoon. In fact, Baltimore opened the game with a Devin Duvernay kickoff return for touchdown for the first score of the day across all games, instantly making it 7-0, and almost a cover right from the jump.

In the second quarter, the Ravens pushed the accelerator, and took a 28-7 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Dolphins came out of the break with the first score, as QB Tua Tagovailoa threw his second touchdown of the afternoon, this time hitting TE Mike Gesicki, havling Baltimore's lead at 28-14. But QB Lamar Jackson had a 79-yard scoring run, and it was 35-14 heading to the final 15 minutes. It looked like the boys from Charm City were in command, and an easy cover was coming.

The Dolphins had other ideas, however. Tua threw touchdown strikes to WR River Cracraft, WR Tyreek Hill and then Hill yet again, knotting the game up 35-35 with 5:19 remaining in regulation.

Tua wasn't done. Justin Tucker booted a 51-yard field goal with 2:18 left, and it appeared order might be restored, but Tagovailoa hit WR Jaylen Waddle with his second touchdown of the afternoon, and Tua's fourth TD pass of the final quarter, and sixth of the afternoon, to give Miami the amazing comeback win.

It wasn't your textbook bad beat, happening in the closing seconds, but when you were covering for the better part of the day until the final five minutes or so, it still hurts.

Tagovailoa became the second-youngest QB to throw for at least 450 yards and six touchdowns since 1950, with only Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes accomplishing the feat at a younger age during the span. Tua also joined Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Bob Griese as the only QBs in Miami history to toss at least six TD passes in a single game.

BAD BEAT HONORABLE MENTIONS

ATLANTA at L.A. RAMS (-10.5)

The Rams fired out to a 21-3 lead at halftime, as the defending Super Bowl champs looked like the team they were last season. At 9:22 of the third quarter, QB Matthew Stafford hit WR Cooper Kupp on a 10-yard scoring strike to make it 28-3. Atlanta fans, unfortunately, know that score very well.

The last time the Falcons were up by that infamous 28-3 score, it blew the lead in Super Bowl LI. This time, it appeared the Falcons could turn the tables and make it all the way back from that deficit, albeit in a much less important game.

Atlanta chiseled away at the lead when rookie WR Drake London secured a 4-yard touchdown pass from QB Marcus Mariota to make it 28-10 heading to the fourth quarter. PK Matt Gay knocked through a chip-shot field from 20 yards out to make it 31-10. The Rams appeared to be in good shape for the cover of the double-digit number.

However, the Falcons scored the final 17 points of the game, including the side-flipping touchdown with 4:57 to go, losing by a 31-27 score.

ARIZONA at LAS VEGAS (-5.5, Total - 52)

If you were a Raiders side bettor, or an UNDER bettor, things certainly went south in a hot hurry on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

After a 24-19 loss and non-cover last week, the Raiders appeared to be on track to bounce back from the victory on Sunday. Las Vegas fired out to a 20-0 lead at halftime, as Cardinals QB Kyler Murray and the offense looked completely lost, and the Arizona defense didn't appear to have much of a clue in the first 30 minutes, either.

The Cardinals trailed 23-7 heading to the fourth quarter, but with a little magic, Arizona could still easily get back into this game. And that's exactly what it did.

Murray took over in the fourth quarter, engineering a pair of touchdown drives, making it 23-15 midway through the fourth, then tying it 23-23 with a second touchdown and two-point conversion to force overtime.

In fact, Murray ran it in himself with zeroes left in regulation, and he kept a play alive before throwing a dart to WR A.J. Green in the back of the end zone for the deuce. After a lengthy review, the call on the field stood, and the Cardinals were suddenly covering for the first time since 5:22 of the first quarter.

UNDER bettors still had a shot, but the Raiders put the ball on the ground, and CB Byron Murphy Jr. scooped it up and returned a fumble 59 yards for a touchdown with 3:51 left, giving Arizona money line bettors a nice win. But it also helped the total push at most shops at 52, and it was a total collapse for Raiders side bettors.

CHICAGO at GREEN BAY (Total - 42.5)

The Bears and Packers combined for 10 points in the first quarter, so OVER bettors figured it would be a struggle. However, things perked up in a hurry as Green Bay scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 24-7 lead to the break. OVER bettors needed just 12 more points in the final 30 minutes to cash a winner.

OVER bettors received half of that. We had just a PK Cairo Santos field goal from 44 yards away to cut it to 24-10 in the third quarter, and a PK Mason Crosby field goal from 28 yards out for the final score, 27-10. OVER bettors deserved a much better fate.

L.A. CHARGERS at KANSAS CITY (-4)

The Chargers lead this one 10-0, and they took a 17-7 lead, so side bettors of the Chiefs weren't really feeling it in the first 45 minutes. However, it was 17-17 after a chip-shot field goal just two seconds into the fourth quarter, and all of a sudden Kansas City side bettors were feeling good again.

L.A. drove down the field, and Chargers money line bettors were excited. After blowing a 10-point lead, it appeared the Bolts were about to re-take the lead with just under 11 minutes to go. However, DB Jaylen Watson had a pick-six go 99 yards the other way, turning what was about to be a 24-17 lead for the Chargers into a 24-17 lead and cover for the Chiefs instead. As you would imagine, the crowd at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium went crazy, and the Chiefs added a field goal with 3:20 left to make it 27-17.

But of course, with just 71 seconds left in regulation, the Chargers drove it down the field and cashed in on a 7-yard touchdown from QB Justin Herbert to WR Joshua Palmer to make it 27-24. If you were laying the points, it was a short-lived time you were covering, but for the fourth quarter on you appeared to be on the right side after a sluggish start. It was like losing twice.

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Daniel Dobish

Dan is a handicapper and sports betting expert for VegasInsider with years of experience writing for a number of top publications in the industry. More from Daniel Dobish