The oddsmakers have come out with the Week 2 lines and many of the match ups seem close. Even so, most games have a clear favorite and an underdog. The home teams are generally the favorites because they don’t have to travel and they get the crowd behind them, but that’s not always the case.
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Here is a look at the top NFL underdog picks for Week 2. There is always unpredictability so it is smart to take some of these wagers because games can be much more than about only pure talent, and for those that pick underdogs on the moneyline, it pays off really nicely when they hit.
Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons
The Carolina Panthers handled the Cowboys in their opener but must now hit the road for a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. It’s not a surprise that Carolina is the underdog, but it’s the fact that Atlanta is favored by 6 points. The Falcons are dealing this week with severe injuries to safety Keanu Neal and linebacker Deion Jones, two of the most important defenders on the team. Atlanta is likely to win this game, but this spread is too high.
Our Pick: Take the Panthers (+6)
Kansas City Chiefs vs Pittsburgh Steelers
The Kansas City Chiefs looked dynamic in their opening-week win over the Chargers, but are still five-point underdogs against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2. Pittsburgh tied on the road against the Browns and are still without running back Le’Veon Bell, but the oddsmakers don’t seem to be overreacting. The Chiefs are a great choice to cover the spread and there should be some serious thinking about Kansas City on the moneyline. Patrick Mahomes looked great at quarterback and the Chiefs have the ability to capture this one in a shootout.
Our Pick: Take the Chiefs (+4)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs New England Patriots
The Jacksonville Jaguars are facing off against the New England Patriots, so it’s understandable that they are the underdogs. However, the Jags gave New England all it could handle in last season’s AFC Championship game and get this game at home. Jacksonville is going to be extremely amped up. It is only a two-point underdog so this wouldn’t be a huge upset, but the Jaguars are a good pick to pull out the win at home even if star running back Leonard Fournette is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Our Pick: Take the Jaguars (+1)
Seattle Seahawks vs Chicago Bears
The Seattle Seahawks wouldn’t have been the underdogs on the road against the Bears in recent years but times are changing. Seattle lost a lot of talent off its defense this offseason and lost its opener to the Broncos. The Bears, meanwhile, gave the Packers everything they could handle before falling by a point late. Chicago looks to be improving but a three-point spread is high. The Seahawks have Russell Wilson and he should make enough plays to keep Seattle close. The Bears are the pick to win but Seattle is going to be able to cover this spread.
Our Pick: Take the Seahawks (+3.5) to cover.
Our Top Moneyline Underdog Pick
There are a lot of underdogs that will cover the spread this week, but it’s not often that more than a few actually come away with the upset win on the moneyline. The Jaguars are an easy choice to win their game, but they are only a small underdog against the Patriots so it won’t pay off huge. With that in mind, the Chiefs are the perfect underdog to back this week. They are playing a Steelers team dealing with a lot of strife and would pay off at +170 on the moneyline. Go with the Chiefs as they have the type of firepower to win this game on the road even against a talented Pittsburgh team. There are some good underdog picks in Week 2 but Kansas City is the best of the bunch.
Our Moneyline Pick: Take the Chiefs at +170 at Bookmaker.eu
Score Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs 30, Pittsburgh Steelers 27
Check out the latest NFL week 2 betting odds.
