Best Week 2 total bets: Bounce back spot for Patriots
Unders went 12-4 in Week 1, a sign that many teams displayed sloppy football. That's not entirely surprising as players shake off the rust and teams work out new quirks in their offense to open the season.
We went 2-1 on our total plays in Week 1. Let's build on that this weekend. Here is every game's total and our best bets for Sunday.
Week 2 Totals| Matchup | Total |
|---|---|
| Chiefs @ Jaguars | 51.5 |
| Packers @ Falcons | 40.5 |
| Ravens @ Bengals | 46.5 |
| Bears @ Bucs | 41.5 |
| Seahawks @ Lions | 47.5 |
| Colts @ Texans | 39.5 |
| Chargers @ Titans | 45.5 |
| Raiders @ Bills | 46.5 |
| 49ers @ Rams | 44.5 |
| Giants @ Cardinals | 39.5 |
| Commanders @ Broncos | 38.5 |
| Jets @ Cowboys | 38.5 |
| Dolphins @ Patriots | 46.5 |
| Saints @ Panthers | 39.5 |
| Browns @ Steelers | 38.5 |
The Patriots trailed 16-0 to the Eagles in Week 1 before they even had a chance to blink. Part of that deficit came from Mac Jones throwing a pick-6. But as the game progressed, Jones and the Patriots' offense settled in against a defense that led the league in sacks last season.
New England's offensive line gave Jones a clean pocket to work from. He finished the day 35-of-54 for 316 yards. With Bill O'Brien back in New England calling plays, the Patriots offense should significantly improve this season. From quarters two through four, they showed that.
Jones' 54 throws - compared to just 22 running plays - is unsustainable and certainly not a recipe for success, but that was due to New England trailing most of the contest. O'Brien will ideally want to find a balance between the pass and ground game moving forward.
The Dolphins' defense - New England's Week 2 opponent - isn't as dominant as the Eagles'. Even though Miami won Sunday, it gave up 34 points to the Chargers. Granted, Jones is not Justin Herbert, and the Patriots' skill position players are not nearly as talented as Los Angeles'. However, it still showed there are holes in the Miami defense, and you can expect the Patriots to exploit them.
The game total is 46.5. The Patriots should hang around against a divisional rival and build on their Week 1 performance by putting up more than 22 points Sunday.
Cardinals under 16.5 pointsThe Cardinals competed in their season opener against the Commanders before Washington pulled away late. But Arizona scored 16 points, which was surprising for the projected worst team in the NFL.
Despite a surprisingly solid performance in a loss, Josh Dobbs is still the starting quarterback for Arizona, which tells you everything you need to know about where the Cardinals are headed. Dobbs attempted 30 passes but only managed to throw for 132 yards and finished with a 21 QBR.
The Cardinals play another middling NFC East team this week. Middling is actually putting it nicely after the embarrassing performance the Giants showcased last week.
New York lost 40-0 to the Cowboys on Monday Night Football in the Meadowlands. It's almost impossible to lose to a team by 40 and fail to score a single point in a game, but the Giants did it.
Whether that contest was more of an indictment of the Cowboys' prowess or the Giants' ineptitude remains to be seen. But we won't find that out this week given New York's opponent. There's no team anyone would rather see after an embarrassing loss than the Cardinals.
The only thing the Giants can do is watch the tape and then burn it. Brian Daboll is a great coach and motivator. There's no doubt he's going to flip the mindset of his team and have the players ready to go in Arizona.
Given the expectations, 16 points with Dobbs under center was actually an impressive performance. However, the Cardinals will take a step back this week and remind everyone why they'll have the first overall pick in April's draft.
Rams/49ers over 44.5 pointsBoth the Rams and 49ers dropped 30 points in Week 1 routs. Don't expect that type of offensive showcase in Los Angeles on Sunday, but this total is too low for two offenses capable of explosions and with masterminds Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan calling the plays.
The Rams entered this season entirely under the radar after last year's debacle. They impressed in a season-opening win over a Seahawks group that made the playoffs in 2022. Matthew Stafford, in the final years of his career, threw for 334 yards, had a quarterback rating of 91.3, and looked mobile in the pocket - even without top weapon Cooper Kupp.
The 49ers' defense is on an entirely different level than Seattle's, but the Rams' offense will shock some people this season.
Although San Francisco's defense usually steals the headlines, its offense looked sharp against the Steelers, who have a great pass rush. Brock Purdy shined with 220 yards and two touchdowns. He silenced any doubts about whether he deserved the starting job - at least for one week. It helps he has explosive playmakers all over the field to relieve some pressure off of him.
San Francisco's defense is frightening for any opponent, but the Rams will be prepared and help get this game over 44 points.
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X, formally known as Twitter, @soshtry for more betting coverage.
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