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RB “Peep-iel” Elliott a Factor for Pats

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DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is concerned longtime Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Will Grier are telling secrets.

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As the New England Patriots prepare to travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys on Sunday, Elliott and Grier add tangible value with their knowledge of the inner workings of the Cowboys’ operation.

“Certainly Will knows where a lot of the bones are buried,” Schottenheimer said. “Zeke obviously does as well. Those are thing you talk about, and you think about, ‘OK, let’s adjust this one.’ We certainly have more than one hand signal for most of our core concepts, and sometimes you can use it to your advantage because they think they know what’s coming. And they hear something they think, ‘Oh, hey, it’s this,’ and we’re smart enough to adjust those things.”

Grier was waived in August when the Cowboys made a trade to acquire Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers.

Elliott played 103 career regular-season games in Dallas and was released in the offseason. He’s a close friend of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and has unique insight, despite the team changing offensive coordinators from Kellen Moore to Schottenheimer. But head coach Mike McCarthy has taken over play-calling this season.

The cat-and-mouse game can work both ways.

Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore played for the Patriots from 2017-20 and was a prized pupil of head coach Bill Belichick. Well-traveled wide receiver Brandin Cooks spent the 2017 season in New England.

“Everybody does it, you get a player that’s been somewhere, you talk to him about different things,” Schottenheimer said. “And then you’re very selective about how much you put into it. Excited to see Will, it’ll be great to see him, but I’m sure he is definitely being interrogated and spending a lot of late nights with their defensive coaching staff.”

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien belly-laughed when asked if he interrogated the new practice squad quarterback.

“Interrogating?” O’Brien asked rhetorically Tuesday. “Schotty is a good guy, I’ve known Schotty for a long time. I think that’s the way it is in this league — and it goes both ways. It’s always going to happen. At the end of the day, you’ve got to study the film.

“I’ve never thought in all of my years in the league that any of that was an overriding factor in a win or a loss. I don’t think we’re trying to hold a light over anybody and (asking), ‘Tell me what you did on July 20, 2023.’ We’re not doing that. We’re not interrogating anybody. We’re trying to put together the best game plan we possible can.”

–Field Level Media

Patriots Keep Winning Streak Over J.E.T.S. Alive

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Matthew Judon recorded a safety with 2:19 to go and the visiting New England Patriots preserved a 15-10 win over the New York Jets on a rainy Sunday in the Meadowlands.

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The Patriots (1-2) extended their winning streak against their AFC East rival to 15 games, dating to 2015. That ties the Kansas City Chiefs’ run against the Denver Broncos for the NFL’s longest active streak against a single opponent.

Zach Wilson and the Jets (1-2) attempted to salvage a dismal offensive performance with an 87-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that cut their deficit to 13-10. But after New York got the ball back, Judon beat left tackle Mekhi Becton on third-and-long and took down Wilson in the end zone for his second sack of the day.

The Jets forced two three-and-outs to stay alive. Wilson’s Hail Mary throw with 1 second left reached the end zone but fell incomplete, with Randall Cobb just missing the grab.

Wilson completed 18 of 36 passes for 157 yards and the Jets managed just 38 rushing yards. New York had six three-and-outs and 171 total yards (2.8 per play).

Mac Jones went 15-of-29 passing for 201 yards and a touchdown, and Ezekiel Elliott led the Patriots in rushing with a season-high 80 yards on 16 totes.

The score was 3-0 after one quarter thanks to Chad Ryland’s 48-yard field goal on New England’s opening drive. Ryland went on to miss from 48 and 57 yards during the second quarter.

In the meantime, the Jets went nowhere on their first five possessions, which netted 1 yard and one first down. Wilson took a 12-yard sack early in the second quarter and received a chorus of boos as the Jets went three-and-out.

The Patriots made it 10-0 when Jones hit uncovered tight end Pharaoh Brown over the top after a play-action fake with 10:38 left in the half. Brown chugged 58 yards to the end zone for his first touchdown since 2020 with the Houston Texans.

Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook combined for 29 rushing yards on the Jets’ sixth possession, which included a fourth-down conversion before Greg Zuerlein’s 52-yard field goal with 1:21 left.

Ryland made it 13-3 Patriots with a booming 51-yard field goal with 10:31 left in the third quarter. The teams combined to punt on their next six possessions before the Jets’ touchdown drive.

Wilson completed seven passes on the march, and after a pass interference call on New England brought the Jets to the 1, fullback Nick Bawden pushed in for his first career touchdown with 5:24 left.

Props for NFL Week Three

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CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Bye weeks are on the horizon, but with all 32 teams in action this week, another full smorgasbord of prop picks shuffles in along with NFL Week 3. Newer bettors can be overwhelmed by the almost limitless offerings. Viewing your props as merely a derivative of how you expect the game to unfold is critical.

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With that strategy in mind, here are our top five player props for Week 3.

Ryan Tannehill over 197.5 passing yards (-118 at FanDuel) Per DVOA metrics, the Browns rank second defensively. However, a big part of their ranking involves the three points allowed the Bengals on a wet day in Cleveland.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had all sorts of problems during the game, and it’s not a stretch to say that he’s nowhere near fully healthy this season due to a lingering calf injury.

In Week 2, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett threw for 222 yards.

FanDuel has a projection under 200 passing yards for Tannehill, and that number is short.

It’s worth noting that according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Tannehill ranks seventh in intended air yards per attempt (8.6 per game), whereas Burrow and Pickett rank 23rd and 24th.

Tyler Allgeier over 40.5 rushing yards (-115 at BetMGM) – The Atlanta Falcons are flying high and off to a 2-0 start. A big part of their success has been the running game behind the duo of Allgeier and Bijan Robinson.

Robinson will get the bulk of the headlines as a first-round rookie, but Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith seems committed to getting Allgeier touches, especially near the goal line.

Interestingly, Allgeier (31) has two more carries than Robinson (29) through two games.

And although Atlanta is tied for first (51%) with Dallas in average run rate, their average margin of victory (+7.5) is 22.5 points less than the Cowboys.

Allgeier posted at least 48 rushing yards in his two games against the Panthers (ninth) and Packers (14th), two teams ranked higher in run defense EPA than the Lions.

Look for the Falcons to continue to share the workload with Allgeier rushing for over 40.5 yards.

Jordan Love over 1.5 passing touchdowns (+135 at BetMGM)
Green Bay missed a golden opportunity to stay perfect on the season after blowing a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Falcons.

The 1-1 Packers host New Orleans to take on a Saints team off to a 2-0 start.

New Orleans (+2.0) has the lowest margin of victory of any of the remaining undefeated teams. And according to TeamRankings, the Saints sit third in their luck factor metrics.

We’ve noticed with Green Bay the offense might not always look fluid, but it has been potent inside the red zone — tied for first with an 83.3 percent touchdown conversion rate.

Love ranks fourth (75.2) in the league in Total QBR with six touchdowns on the season and has yet to throw an interception.

Raheem Mostert under 13.5 receiving yards (-110 at BetMGM) – I don’t want to rely on too many overs, which ushers in this play on Mostert receiving yards.

The Dolphins running back had a heavier workload in Week 2, with 18 rushing attempts compared to 10 in the season opener.

Mostert gets the bulk of carries, but Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will continue to use Mostert sparingly in their passing game.

In Week 1, the Dolphins had 466 receiving yards against a Chargers team that ranks 29th in EPA against the pass, and Mostert still finished with two catches for 13 yards.

Miami already has five players with at least 65 receiving yards, and McDaniel said he’s ready to roll out rookie running back De’Von Achane in a more consistent role starting Sunday.

JuJu Smith-Schuster under 35.5 receiving yards (-115 at PointsBet) – Smith-Schuster signed a three-year deal worth $33 million and signs pointed to the former Steelers and Chiefs receiver playing a major role.

Through two games, he’s averaging just 30.5 receiving yards and has yet to score a touchdown.

A closer look at his NFL Next Gen Stats reveals that Smith-Schuster (-2.1) ranks 97th among 99 players in yards after catch above expectation (YAC +/-) with at least eight targets.

Enter the New York Jets, a team with a strong secondary.

New York ranks 13th in defensive DVOA, and Smith-Schuster will likely line up against Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.

Per Pro Football Focus, Gardner is tied for 10th in pass coverage with a 79.2 rating.

Despite being tied for second on the team in targets (13), Smith-Schuster is only fifth in total reception yards (61).

Given the matchup with Gardner and this being a divisional game, I like the Patriots wide receiver to stay under 35.5 receiving yards.

49ers Control Shorthanded Giants, 30-12

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SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – SF’s Brock Purdy passed for a regular-season career-high 310 yards and two touchdowns to help the San Francisco 49ers post a 30-12 victory over the New York Giants on Thursday night.

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Niners’ RB Christian McCaffrey rushed for a touchdown and totaled 119 yards (85 rushing, 34 receiving) for the 49ers (3-0), who won their 13th consecutive regular-season game. Deebo Samuel had six receptions for 129 yards and one score, George Kittle caught seven passes for 90 yards and Ronnie Bell hauled in his first career touchdown catch for San Francisco.

Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa recorded his first sack since signing a five-year, $170 million extension with the 49ers. The contract is the richest for a defender in NFL history.

Former 49ers running back Matt Breida rushed for a touchdown for the Giants (1-2), who played without star running back Saquon Barkley (ankle). The running game struggled without Barkley, with New York totaling 29 yards on 11 attempts.

Daniel Jones was 22-of-32 passing for 137 yards and one interception for the Giants.

San Francisco controlled the ball for 39:10 and had a 78-46 edge in plays. Purdy completed 25 of 37 passes as the 49ers outgained the Giants 441-150.

New York moved within 17-12 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter on Breida’s 8-yard scoring run. Jones was sacked on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt.

San Francisco tacked on a 21-yard field goal by Jake Moody to hold an eight-point lead with 4:08 remaining in the period. Moody added a 36-yarder to increase the margin to 23-12 with 12:47 left in the game.

The 49ers put the game away on Purdy’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Samuel with 5:58 remaining in the contest.

San Francisco scored two second-quarter touchdowns while taking a 17-6 lead into halftime.

Purdy connected with Bell on a 9-yard scoring pass to give San Francisco a 10-3 lead with 7:49 left in the second quarter. Just over six minutes later, McCaffrey scored on a 4-yard run to boost the lead to 14.

New York’s Graham Gano kicked a 57-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining in the first half.

San Francisco opened the game with a 15-play, 64-yard drive before settling for Moody’s 28-yard field goal. The Giants answered with a 44-yard field goal from Gano.

–Field Level Media

Nine First-Timers for Canton

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CANTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nine first-time eligible players, including former All-Pros Antonio Gates and Julius Peppers, are among the 173 modern-era nominees announced Tuesday by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Other first-time nominees for the Class of 2024 are wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Jordy Nelson, running back Jamaal Charles, offensive linemen T.J. Lang, Josh Sitton and Max Unger, and defensive lineman Haloti Ngata.

Gates, a tight end, and Peppers, a defensive end, were considered among the best at their positions earlier in the 2000s. Both three-time All-Pro selections, Peppers and Gates were named to the Hall of Fame’s All-2000s team. Peppers also got the nod on the All-2010s team.

The list of modern-era nominees is made up of 94 offensive players, 62 defensive players and 17 special teams players. The 173 nominees will be pared to 25 semifinalists in November and eventually further whittled before the 50-member Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee votes on the Class of 2024 before Super Bowl LVIII.

The committee also will consider seniors finalists Randy Gradishar, Steve McMichael and Art Powell, and Buddy Parker from the coach/contributor category. Parker coached three NFL teams from 1949-63.

Finalists from the 2023 class nominated again for 2024 are Jared Allen, Willie Anderson, Dwight Freeney, Devin Hester, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Patrick Willis and Darren Woodson.

To be elected to the Hall of Fame, a nominee must be named on 80 percent of ballots.

–Field Level Media

Browns Contemplate ’23 Without Chubb

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CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb will undergo season-ending knee surgery, coach Kevin Stefanski said. The Browns believe Chubb injured multiple ligaments in his knee during Monday’s 26-22 setback to the host Pittsburgh Steelers.

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“Like we talked about last night, Nick has a knee injury that will require surgery that will end his season,” Stefanski said in a Zoom call Tuesday. “… Very disappointed for Nick. He means a lot to this team, he means a lot to this organization. So, he will be missed but he will bounce back, I have no doubt of that.”

Stefanski confirmed Jerome Ford will serve as the featured back while the team looks to add another rusher. As for possibly reconnecting with free-agent Kareem Hunt, who was Cleveland’s second-leading rusher last season, Stefanski said the following:

“We’re [in the] early stages at looking at different options right now, so I can’t really speak on to anybody specific.”

Chubb rushed up the middle for a gain of 5 yards with 14:14 left in the second quarter and was in the process of being tackled by Pittsburgh linebacker Cole Holcomb when safety Minkah Fitzpatrick dropped his shoulder and ran directly into Chubb’s left knee.

The hit by Fitzpatrick caused Chubb’s leg to bend, and Chubb sat up and grabbed his knee and could be heard yelling in anguish through the field microphones.

Chubb, 27, rushed for 64 yards on 10 carries before exiting. He has 170 yards on 28 carries this season.

The four-time Pro Bowl selection topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of the past four seasons, including a career-high 1,525 last season. Chubb had 996 yards as a rookie in 2018 before beginning his streak of 1,000-yard seasons.

Ford, 24, replaced Chubb on Monday and gained 106 yards on 16 carries and also caught a touchdown pass. Pierre Strong also ran for a touchdown for the Browns (1-1), who host the Tennessee Titans (1-1) on Sunday.

Hunt, 28, had 468 yards and three touchdowns on 123 carries during the 2022 campaign, also hauling in 35 catches for 210 yards and a score.

–Field Level Media

Dolphins Hold on For Win Over Patriots

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Miami’s RB Raheem Mostert rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns, and the Miami Dolphins held on for a 24-17 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday night.

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Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa completed 21 of 30 passes for 249 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Tyreek Hill was limited to 40 receiving yards but had the lone touchdown catch for Miami (2-0).

Patriots’ QB Mac Jones completed 31 of 42 passes for 231 yards, one touchdown and one interception for New England (0-2). The Patriots have lost their first two games of the season for the first time since 2001.

New England pulled within 17-10 with 11:21 to go in the fourth quarter. Jones rolled right and found Hunter Henry, who caught a 6-yard pass for his second touchdown in as many weeks.

Miami responded with a touchdown to increase its lead to 24-10 with 8:45 remaining. Tagovailoa took the snap out of the shotgun formation and quickly handed the ball to Mostert, who found daylight and sprinted 43 yards for his second touchdown of the game.

Once again, the Patriots tried to claw back. Rhamondre Stevenson punched in a 2-yard rushing touchdown up the middle with 5:25 remaining to finish a nine-play, 75-yard drive.

The Patriots’ final drive stalled at the Dolphins 30-yard line after a wild play in which Mike Gesicki caught a pass and tossed a lateral to offensive lineman Cole Strange. The 310-pound Strange tried to muscle past the first-down marker, but officials ruled that he was down just shy of the line to gain after a replay review.

The Dolphins opened the scoring with three minutes left in the first quarter on a 23-yard field goal by Jason Sanders.

Miami made it 10-0 with 9:39 to go in the second quarter. Mostert cut toward his left and outraced a Patriots defender for an 8-yard score.

New England got on the scoreboard with a 49-yard field goal by Chad Ryland with 1:49 remaining in the first half.

Miami answered with 11 seconds to go before the break to increase its lead to 17-3. Tagovailoa zipped a pass to Hill, who caught it in stride just across the goal line for a 2-yard touchdown.

–Field Level Media

Miami: Tough Opponent for Patriots

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FOXBORO – A prolific performance on offense in their season opener propels the Miami Dolphins into a visit to the New England Patriots on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium, near Boston.

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Miami (1-0) captured the league’s attention with 536 total yards in a 36-34 road win against the Los Angeles Chargers. They could become the fourth team in NFL history to put up 500-plus yards in their first two games of the season.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa passed for 466 yards and three touchdowns in the season opener, and he promptly was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He completed 11 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns to wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

Miami head coach Mike McDaniel offered another key statistic: Zero.

That’s how many yards and points the Dolphins can bring with them from Week 1.

“Literally, zero,” McDaniel deadpanned. “I checked with the league. We can’t take the points from last game and put them in the points of this game.

“So it was a really, really cool little thing that you’ll look back on. And that night, as a team, it felt nice to see some of those rewards. But the goal this offseason, the goal for these guys’ lives wasn’t like, ‘Man, I’m going to have a good game.’ So you have to keep that in perspective.

“But I’m excited to see what they do with that moving forward.”

It will not be easy against New England (0-1), which is coming off a hard-fought, 25-20 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1. The Patriots trailed 16-0 after the first quarter but rallied to give themselves a chance for a late victory.

Mac Jones completed 35 of 54 passes for 316 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for the Patriots. Kendrick Bourne caught two touchdown passes and Hunter Henry hauled in one.

“We’ve already talked about what we can do better, and just going out there and trying to do it is a challenge,” Jones said. “But that’s the fun part about the game. You get a chance to learn from your mistakes and then go out there, and it’s going to come up again.”

Jones and his teammates on the Patriots spent this week preparing for a Dolphins defense that now is led by veteran coordinator Vic Fangio. His defensive style relies heavily on zone schemes rather than man-to-man coverages.

“I have a ton of respect for Vic as a coach and what he’s done,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said.

The Dolphins’ offense will match up against a New England defense that produced three sacks, three tackles for loss, four pass break-ups, four quarterback hits and a fumble recovery in Week 1.

Ja’Whuan Bentley led the team with nine tackles, while rookie Christian Gonzalez had seven tackles to go along with a sack, a tackle for loss and a pass break-up.

McDaniel, who is hopeful left tackle Terron Armstead returns after missing Week 1, praised the Patriots’ defense and Belichick, its longtime architect.

“It’s amazing that the orchestration of the defense is so consistent, so fundamentally consistent and sound,” McDaniel said. “Very, very detailed. And the leader of the ship was at the same job when we were all like, ‘What’s an iPod?’

“The coolest part about what they do is it’s not because they’re entitled. It’s because they work at stuff. You can really see it.”

Armstead practiced Thursday without what had become an accustomed non-contact jersey, a sign he could play Sunday night.

Miami has won four of the past five meetings with the Patriots. The Dolphins lead the all-time series, 59-53.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Week Two | Game Previews

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NFL Previews: Week Two

(Staff and Wire Service Report)

Green Bay at Atlanta: GB QB Jordan Love enjoyed life on the road in the opener — three TD passes in a 38-20 win over the Bears — and matches up with Desmond Ridder at Atlanta in his encore performance. The Packers’ traveling party might look a little different due to injuries. RB Aaron Jones, WR Christian Watson and LB Quay Walker (concussion) were all iffy late in the week. Ridder ran a no-risk offense to notch a win over the Panthers. The Falcons are more grind than glitter, but flashy rookie RB Bijan Robinson has Green Bay’s attention as part of a tandem with RB Tyler Allgeier (two TDs in Week 1).

Las Vegas at Buffalo: LV WR Jakobi Meyers caught a pair of TD passes last week but was in concussion protocol as the Raiders got ready for the angry Bills, who dropped their opener to the Jets in overtime thanks to four turnovers. Las Vegas enjoyed the debut of Jimmy Garoppolo, who is 4-1 all-time against the AFC East. The Bills are accustomed to seeing a more comfortable Josh Allen at home. He had 21 TDs (one rushing) in home games in 2022 (Lions QB Jared Goff led the NFL with 23). Allen admitted he was careless with the deep ball, leading to three interceptions in Week 1. He’ll continue to look for WR Stefon Diggs, who had 6-115 in his last game against the Raiders. Las Vegas looks to balance its offense with RB Josh Jacobs. Still getting into gear after skipping the preseason due to his contract status, he extended his active streak in Week 1 to 26 games with 50-plus yards from scrimmage.

Baltimore at Cincinnati: Cincinnati is looking to bounce back from a 24-3 loss to the host Browns in Week 1. Facing Myles Garrett and an intense Cleveland pass rush in the rain, Joe Burrow and the Bengals could never get the offense in gear, recording just 142 yards of total offense. Burrow had 82 passing yards. The Ravens beat the visiting Texans 25-9 in their home opener, sacking C.J. Stroud five times and holding Houston to just 268 yards of total offense. The Bengals are trying to avoid a repeat of last year’s 0-2 start before winning 12 of their final 14 games to end the regular season and capture their second straight AFC North title. The Bengals also started 0-3 in the division before turning things around. Baltimore is banged-up and has already lost starting RB J.K. Dobbins for the 2023 season, due to an injured Achilles’ heel.

Seattle at Detroit: Lions QB Jared Goff has gone 359 straight pass attempts without getting picked off. That is the third-longest streak in NFL history behind only Aaron Rodgers (402) and Tom Brady (399). Detroit (1-0) missed the 2022 playoffs thanks in part to a shootout loss to the Seahawks. Seattle beat the Lions 51-29 late in the 2021 season and left Detroit last season with a 48-45 triumph. Blocking — and personnel up front — are top-level concerns for the Seahawks. Neither starting offensive tackle is expected to be available due to injury. That’s tough news when contending with Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson, who had eight hurries of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in the opener.

Indianapolis at Houston: Top draft picks and QBs of the future Anthony Richardson (Colts) and C.J. Stroud (Texans) tangle for the first of what is likely many division meetings with the losing team dropping to 0-2. These teams tied under different circumstances to open the 2022 season and made coaching changes in the offseason. Each coach preached this week about the importance of avoiding dangerous hits. The Ravens sacked Stroud five times, tied for the third-highest total from Week 1. Richardson absorbed four sacks plus additional blows while scrambling for 40 yards and a touchdown, but left the game on the final drive after being blasted trying to run for another TD inside the 5.

Kansas City at Jacksonville: The Jaguars and Chiefs meet for the third time in less than a year, with Jacksonville looking for its first win over Kansas City since 2009. The Chiefs beat Jacksonville in the divisional playoffs in Kansas City in January. Kansas City expects to be closer to full strength than Week 1, with DT Chris Jones (contract-related) and TE Travis Kelce (knee) absent. Both are shooting to play. Jacksonville used a 14-point flurry in 1:05 in the fourth quarter to separate from the Colts last week. WR Calvin Ridley had 101 yards and a TD in his first game with the Jaguars. In QB Patrick Mahomes’ only game at Jacksonville, he posted 378 yards and three TD passes, and the Jaguars have never held him under 300 yards in three career meetings.

L.A. Chargers at Tennessee: Titans QB Ryan Tannehill said the offense couldn’t be much worse than it was in a 17-16 loss to the Saints last week. And, well, even if the Chargers don’t say so — allowing 17 pass plays of 15-plus yards to the Dolphins represents a special tier of defensive incompetence. Dinged up WR DeAndre Hopkins (ankle) and Tannehill haven’t had much time to get on the same page. RB Derrick Henry is the constant for Tennessee and posted his 43rd career game with 100-plus yards from scrimmage. The Chargers prepped for Week 2 largely without RB Austin Ekeler (ankle) and top pass rusher Joey Bosa (hamstring). Joshua Kelley picked up the slack with 91 rushing yards last week and QB Justin Herbert has an enviable assortment of weapons that now includes massive rookie WR Quentin Johnston.

Chicago at Tampa Bay: All of the new toys in the Bears’ offense were barely unwrapped in an 18-point loss to the Packers. Justin Fields promises a more aggressive approach pushing the ball downfield to No. 1 WR DJ Moore and Darnell Mooney. Tampa Bay had three takeaways at Minnesota and survived a 150-yard game from Justin Jefferson to beat the Vikings thanks to Baker Mayfield’s two TD passes. Mayfield claims he decoded the Minnesota defensive signals and showed serious grit playing through a shoulder injury. WR Mike Evans caught a TD pass to put the contract drama with the Bucs in the rearview mirror, and he caught three TDs in his last meeting with the Bears. Chicago’s coverage adjustments include finding a replacement for CB Kyler Gordon, who landed on IR with a broken hand.

N.Y. Giants at Arizona: In a league defined by close games — there were eight in Week 1 decided by one score — the Cardinals and Giants fared very differently in 2022. The Giants were 8-4-1 in one-score games and finished with a 9-7-1 record last season. They qualified for the playoffs and saw Brian Daboll in his first season be named NFL Coach of the Year. The Cardinals sustained a debilitating stretch of injuries and were 2-6 in one-score games in 2022. That resulted in a 4-13 record and the firing of head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Neither team fared well in Week 1. The Giants were shut out 40-0 in the largest such loss in the history of their rivalry with the Cowboys and Arizona managed a meager 210 yards in a 20-16 loss to the Commanders. Both teams have health concerns, including Giants LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and TE Darren Waller (hamstring).

San Francisco at L.A. Rams: One of the unexpected Week 1 showings was delivered on the road by the Rams’ defense at Seattle, smothering the Seahawks to limit the favored division foe to 14 yards of total offense in the second half. Now they look to beat the 49ers in the regular season for the first time since 2018. Brock Purdy showed no ill effects from offseason elbow surgery, guiding a 30-7 win over the Steelers to improve to 6-0 as a starter in the regular season. Purdy makes his first start against the Rams, who became all too familiar with RB Christian McCaffrey (149 total yards, 2 TDs) in Week 8 last year. Los Angeles hopes to be able to introduce rookie WR Puka Nacua to the 49ers after he had 10 receptions for 119 yards in his debut last week. Nacua was added to the injury report Thursday with an oblique injury.

N.Y. Jets at Dallas: Defense spared the Jets in an overtime thriller with the Bills as the coaching staff scrambles to shake off the emotional toll of losing Aaron Rodgers for the season while feverishly working to ready Zach Wilson. Jets coach Robert Saleh continues to refer to his “championship defense” and the heart of that unit, All-Pro DT Quinnen Williams, could have QB Dak Prescott perspiring considering the Cowboys’ starting guards missed practice time with injuries this week. The Dallas offense barely broke a sweat in Week 1, smacking the Giants 40-0 with touchdowns from their defense and special teams. Pass protection is a worry for New York. The Cowboys had seven sacks against the Giants and LB Micah Parsons had 15 in 2022. Dallas won its final eight home games last season but has lost three consecutive games to the Jets.

Washington at Denver: Denver WR Jerry Jeudy plans to play for the Broncos, who needed a dose of good news on the injury front after a training camp marred by bad breaks. QB Russell Wilson was efficient — 79.4 percent completions, 2 TD passes — in his first game with Sean Payton as head coach but Denver had only six offensive possessions in a loss to the Raiders. Washington’s defense held the Cardinals under 250 total yards and more of the same might be needed as QB Sam Howell makes his first career road start and third overall. The home team in this matchup has won five meetings in a row and Washington coach Ron Rivera has never defeated the Broncos, including a Super Bowl 50 loss when he coached the Panthers. Denver’s rebuilt offensive line gets a test from the Washington D-line comprised almost entirely of first-round picks with Chase Young (neck) back on the practice field and expected to play.

Miami at New England: Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins put up video-game numbers in the Week 1 victory over the Chargers — 466 yards, three TDs — with WR Tyreek Hill hauling in 11-215-2. Tagovailoa wasn’t intercepted in three starts vs. AFC East opponents in 2022. The Patriots have lost four of the past five games with the Dolphins but saw positive signs from their passing game in Bill O’Brien’s return to the play-calling role. QB Mac Jones has two or more TD passes in four consecutive games and boosted his TD-to-INT ratio to 9-1 in his past six home starts with a strong effort against the Eagles last week. Neither team was able to gain consistent traction in the running game last week and the Patriots are fighting multiple injuries to starters up front. It’s reunion day for multiple players. Former Dolphins in New England include WR DeVante Parker, TE Mike Gesicki and DT Davon Godchaux. Current Patriots with Miami ties are OL Isaiah Wynn, WR Braxton Berrios, CB Justin Bethel and DE Chase Winovich.

NFL: Week 2 At a Glance

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CINCINNATI – (Wire Service Report) – The idea that things are not so bad as they seem will be put to the test on Sunday.

Teams suffering a beatdown of 10-plus points in Week 1 rebound to cover the spread at a bettable rate in Week 2, according to statistics beginning with the 2014 season.

We have a primary play and a pair of bonus bets for Week 2.

THE HEADLINER
Ravens at Bengals, 1 p.m. ET Sunday

The line: Bengals (-3.5)

With those Week 1 victims 10-3 against the spread the past two seasons – the Bengals were routed by the Cleveland Browns 24-3 last Sunday – a bounceback effort is coming.

Cincinnati’s potential isn’t even the biggest reason for an optimistic outcome in the Bengals’ home opener.

It’s the Ravens’ lackluster Week 1 victory over the Houston Texans in which their three-headed running back attack (JK Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill) gained 63 yards on 24 carries.

And Dobbins suffered a season-ending injury.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson led Baltimore with 38 yards on six carries – more impressive than his final passing stats (17 for 22, 169 yards, no TDs and one interception).

Houston held a narrow edge in total yards, 268-265, against Baltimore, which was penalized 13 times for 108 yards and surrendered 242 passing yards to rookie CJ Stroud in his NFL debut.

he Ravens’ defensive backfield is far from healthy and there is trouble on the offensive line.

Early this week, coach John Harbaugh said safety Marcus Williams and offensive linemen Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum won’t play in Cincinnati.

After managing only 142 total offense in Week 1 at Cleveland, Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, et al, can’t wait to get into the starting blocks.

Burrow struggled mightily last week, going 14 for 31 for just 82 yards, good for a 52.2 passer rating.

“Nobody is panicking in here,” Burrow said. “Week 1 doesn’t define anybody’s season. Obviously, (we were) not very good out there. … But we’ve been in this spot before, we’ve come back stronger and had a great year, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

After a 1-3 start, the Bengals won 12 of their final 14 regular-season games last season.

The pick: Bengals -3.5

BETTING TRENDS

The key to the weekend is finding the best fit for the Week 1/Week 2 trend.

According to Action Network stats, since the start of the 2014 season, teams that lost by at least 10 points in Week 1 have covered the spread at a 62.9 percent rate in Week 2.

The Panthers, Bengals, Colts, Texans, Steelers, Bears, Seahawks and Giants are the candidates to bounce back.

BONUS COMBO

Another game that fits the trend, along with a player prop to consider.

Saints at Panthers, 7:15 p.m. ET Monday

The line: Saints (-3.5)

In Week 1, the Saints were what was expected of them: a struggling offense without suspended star running back Alvin Kamara and with quarterback Derek Carr in his first game.

That 16-15 win over Tennessee was a home game, but the scene shifts to the road and the Monday Night Football spotlight.

Carolina’s 24-10 setback in Atlanta provided a nice opportunity for rookie quarterback Bryce Young to find his footing against an aggressive defense.

Panthers coach Frank Reich should be able to help Young’s game-planning from Week 1 to Week 2 and the pair can find the right recipe to cover this number against New Orleans.

The pick: Panthers +3.5 but Saints if line goes to (+/- 3.0)

PROP CORNER

Lions RB David Montgomery rushing yards

The Detroit Lions upset the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, and Sunday’s opponent, the Seattle Seahawks, dropped a 30-13 stunner at home to the Los Angeles Rams.

The Seahawks, 5.5-point underdogs, fit the Week 1 blowout/Week 2 rebound model but that’s not the play here.

It’s Montgomery against the Seahawks’ run defense.

Seattle wasn’t awful, statistically anyway, against the Rams running backs – but that’s because LA QB Matt Stafford was carving up the secondary.

If Seattle devotes more attention to its pass defense, the run D will be even more vulnerable.

Montgomery’s workload in KC is the final word here. He carried the ball 21 times, and volume is the king when it comes to player props.

With the winning number of 57+ rushing yards and a game that should stay close throughout, this feels like a relatively easy cover.

The pick: Montgomery over 56.5 yards (available at BetMGM)

– Field Level Media