NFL Week 2 expert picks for Ravens vs. Bengals, Rams vs. 49ers and every other game (2024)

Read the latest edition of The Athletic’s NFL expert picks.

The first week of the 2023 NFL season produced some wild games and surprising results, including the three of the top Super Bowl contenders in the AFC (Cincinnati, Buffalo and Kansas City) all losing in their openers.

It was also a huge week for road teams as they went 10-6 for the week outright and 12-4 against the spread.

The most significant development from the opening week is the injury to New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, going down just four plays into his tenure with his new team. That means the Jets will be relying on the Zach Wilson experience again for now, and that is a gut punch to a fan base that was dreaming of a Super Bowl this year.

The two most impressive performances in Week 1 belonged to San Francisco, who went into Pittsburgh and humiliated the Steelers on both sides of the ball, and the Dallas Cowboys, who were 40-0 winners against the divisional rival New York Giants. The 49ers (against the Rams) and Cowboys (playing the Rodger-less Jets) are more than a touchdown favorite in their Week 2 games.

Read more: Which NFL teams can least afford an 0-2 start? Our experts react to Week 2 storylines

The biggest line of the week is Buffalo, which hosts Las Vegas as nearly a double-digit favorite against the Raiders. The expectation is that Josh Allen will rebound from a brutal four-turnover game on Monday night.

The Eagles (Thursday night at home against Minnesota) and Lions (home against Seattle) are also favored by a touchdown. There are also nine home underdogs this week, including Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Houston, Los Angeles Rams, Arizona, New England and Carolina.

All odds via BetMGMand update live.

Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles (Thurs.)

Defending NFC division champions will face off in prime time again when the Minnesota Vikings take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. These teams also met in Week 2 last season, a 24-7 Eagles victory. Philadelphia is a big favorite at home.

Week 2 kicks off on Thursday at 8:15 p.m. ET from Lincoln Financial Field. This will be the season’s first edition of “Thursday Night Football” on Amazon Prime Video.

The Eagles’ quest to return to the Super Bowl started with a 25-20 road win over the New England Patriots. Philadelphia jumped out to a 16-0 lead after the first quarter but couldn’t muster much offense and had to hold on late. New England’s defense kept Jalen Hurts and company in check, as the Eagles had just one play from scrimmage that gained more than 20 yards. Getting the running game going will probably be a point of emphasis after managing less than four yards per carry against the Patriots.

Minnesota hopes for better results following a disappointing 20-17 home loss to Tampa Bay. Kirk Cousins threw for more than 300 yards but had three turnovers, including a crushing interception in the red zone. He didn’t get any support on the ground, with Alexander Mattison mustering just 34 yards on 11 carries. Whichever team can gain the upper hand running the ball will be a key to the outcome on Thursday night.

Plenty of pressure will be on both defenses, given the offensive firepower on each team, but Philadelphia gave up 382 passing yards to Mac Jones and the Patriots. It now must try and contain the combination of Cousins and All-Pro Justin Jefferson, who caught nine balls for 150 yards vs. the Buccaneers. The Eagles also could be down two starters, with linebacker Nakobe Dean expected to miss several weeks because of a foot injury and cornerback James Bradberry in concussion protocol. Of course, Cousins’ struggles in prime-time contests are well documented, and the Vikings fared very poorly in their last visit to the City of Brotherly Love.

Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions look to make another statement when they welcome the Seattle Seahawks to the Motor City on Sunday. After posting one of the more impressive Week 1 wins, the favored Lions host a Seahawks team hoping to avoid a discouraging 0-2 start.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday from Ford Field. The game will be televised on FOX.

The Lions have had plenty of time to break down their season-opening road win over the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, in which Dan Campbell’s team made big plays on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, Pete Carroll’s Seahawks were thoroughly outplayed by the Los Angeles Rams in all phases in a disheartening 30-13 home loss.

Detroit’s offense was solid but not spectacular in Week 1, relying on its running game to set the tone early and then secure the hard-fought victory late in the fourth quarter. More explosive plays could be on tap this Sunday with the Lions back on familiar turf and facing a Seattle defense that was shredded by Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ Cooper Kupp-less passing game. Also, look for rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs to get more touches after flashing potential vs. the Chiefs.

Improvement has to start on offense for the Seahawks after managing 180 total yards against Los Angeles. There were no turnovers, and Geno Smith was only sacked twice, but everything else was out of sync. Smith and company may want to look at last year’s game film when the Seahawks came to Detroit in Week 4 and left with a thrilling 48-45 victory. The back-and-forth affair featured 1,075 yards of offense and was highlighted by a 32-point fourth quarter.

Los Angeles Chargers at Tennessee Titans

The Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans suffered two of the closest losses of the NFL’s opening week, and they face each other in Week 2. The Chargers are favorites as each team looks to pick up its first win of the season.

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Nissan Stadium. The game will be televised on CBS.

Last week, the Titans couldn’t get anything going on offense, and the Chargers couldn’t stop anything on defense. Ryan Tannehill could use a good performance after throwing three interceptions in Tennessee’s season opener against the Saints. Nick Folk converted five field goals for the Titans’ only points in their first game with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. The Saints (fifth-fewest yards allowed per game last season) boast a stingy defense, but the Titans offense led by Ryan Tannehill can’t feel great heading into this game after not scoring a touchdown in Week 1.

The Chargers appear to have problems after Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and the Miami Dolphins took a blowtorch to Brandon Staley’s defense in Week 1. Miami has one of the league’s best offenses when healthy, but the Chargers’ lack of progress on defense in Staley’s third season is hard to ignore and something Tennessee will try to exploit on Sunday.

But it’s not all doom and gloom in Los Angeles. The Chargers offense didn’t skip a beat under new coordinator Kellen Moore and even excelled in new areas. After averaging 89.6 rushing yards per game last season (third worst), Los Angeles exploded for 234 yards rushing against Miami. Austin Ekeler turned his 16 carries into 117 yards, and Joshua Kelley ran 16 times for 91 yards. Tennessee had the NFL’s best-rushing defense last season and was stout again on Sunday. Will the Chargers continue to succeed on the ground, or was last week’s performance simply a mirage? Ekeler suffered an ankle injury near the end of Week 1 game.

Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars

A 2022 AFC Divisional Round rematch occurs Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars are a small underdog despite having the home-field advantage.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday at EverBank Stadium Jacksonville. CBS will provide coverage.

What an odd first week for the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs. Defensive standout Chris Jones (holdout) and Travis Kelce (injury) missed the Week 1 loss. Eleven players caught passes from Patrick Mahomes, but the offense struggled and only scored six points in the second half against Detroit. And just like that, the Cheifs are staring at the possibility of beginning the season 0-2 for the first time since 2014.

Yet, most people aren’t concerned about how the Chiefs will respond, even with the current offensive weapons surrounding Mahomes looking as mediocre as ever before. Why? It’s the Chiefs. Andy Reid and the Mahomes have a catalog of hits that make it impossible ever to count Kansas City out.

Still, Sunday’s game against Jacksonville could say a lot. When the Chiefs and Jaguars met in January, the Jags put up a fight, losing 27-20. Eight months later, Jacksonville is improved. As always, the spotlight will be on third-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence as he attempts to out-duel the reigning NFL MVP Mahomes. With the arrival of former Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley, Lawrence’s potential to outshine Mahomes for a day grows, as does Jacksonville’s chances at taking down the defending champs to move to 2-0. Ridley caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in his debut for Jacksonville against Indianapolis.

Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons

Do the Green Bay Packers have another franchise quarterback? That’s a bit of an overreaction, but Jordan Love kicked off the post-Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay by beating the Chicago Bears. The Packers will look to build on that momentum as they enter Week 2 as slight favorites on the road against the Atlanta Falcons. Both teams will look to improve to 2-0.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The game will be televised on Fox.

Love threw for 245 yards and three touchdowns against a flimsy Bears defense in a 38-20 win. Love wasn’t perfect, and the score could have been even more lopsided. Still, Love beat up on the Bears even without second-year receiver Christian Watson, who figures to be the quarterback’s primary target once he recovers from a hamstring injury. Watson’s status won’t be the only one worth monitoring ahead of the Packers’ bout with Atlanta. Running back Aaron Jones left Green Bay’s season-opening win with a hamstring injury, though he said he could have returned after the game if needed.

The Falcons took care of business in a familiar fashion in Week 1, and there’s no reason to believe they will stray from their identity against the Packers. Atlanta averaged the third-most rushing yards per game in 2022, and they appear set on remaining one of the league’s top rushing units this year. Atlanta recorded more yards on the ground (130) than through the air (115) against the Carolina Panthers. Rookie sensation Bijan Robinson paired with Tyler Allgeier to make an efficient duo out of the backfield as the Falcons ran their way to a win.

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals

Sunday’s AFC North showdown between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens represents an early-season battle between division foes and a rematch of one of last postseason’s Wild Card matchups. Looking for revenge, the Ravens are road underdogs.

Bengals-Ravens is set for 1 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

Here’s the big question: Should the Ravens feel like underdogs here? Maybe — they’re headed into a division matchup against a Bengals squad with legitimate Super Bowl expectations and against a squad with the worst Week 1 performance in the NFL. Former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, now healthy, will need to shoulder much of the offensive load with starting running back J.K. Dobbins officially lost for the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles. A season debut this Sunday for tight end Mark Andrews could provide another target and offensive weapon for Jackson, who missed the playoff game between the two teams last season with a knee injury.

The Bengals suffered from an embarrassing Week 1 showing on offense, with quarterback Joe Burrow completing only 14 of 31 passes for 82 yards. Yet, as much as they’re ready to move on from the Browns, the similarities they’ll see this weekend vs. the Ravens are striking. The Ravens’ defense usually gives Brian Callahan’s Joe Burrow-led offense a fair share of difficulties. Jackson is a dual-threat quarterback, and the Bengals defense struggled against a similar quarterback in Deshaun Watson last week.

Burrow did miss the entire preseason with a calf injury, which could be lingering into the first few games of the season, even though he is playing. Cincinnati will look to get its top-two pass-catching options going after Tee Higgins was held without a catch and Ja’Marr Chase only had 39 yards receiving on five catches against Cleveland.

Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to start the post-Tom Brady era 2-0 when they host the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The Buccaneers are slight favorites coming from a satisfying road win, while the Bears hope to rebound from a lopsided home loss to their archrivals.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium. The game will be televised on FOX.

New Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield got the job done in his first game as Brady’s replacement, throwing two touchdown passes with no turnovers in the Bucs’ 20-17 win in Minnesota. Mayfield will no doubt take his shots against a Bears defense that gave up several big plays in their 38-20 blowout loss to Green Bay, but more will be needed from the running game. Rachaad White had just 39 yards on 17 carries, with his longest run being a six-yard gain.

The same issues that characterized last season’s struggles reared their head early for Justin Fields and Chicago’s offense. The Bears converted just three of 13 third-down opportunities, failed to produce big plays in the passing game, and Fields had two turnovers, including a pick-six. The Bucs yielded 369 yards of offense to the Vikings, most of that through the air, but generated three takeaways and did what was necessary to limit the damage on the scoreboard.

The Bears’ ability to run the ball (122 yds. vs. Green Bay) and protect Fields (sacked four times) will be two keys if they want to defeat the Bucs and snap their 11-game losing streak.

Las Vegas Raiders at Buffalo Bills

The Jimmy Garoppolo-led Las Vegas Raiders head across the country for an AFC test against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Even after a tough loss on Monday night, the Bills are big favorites.

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. CBS will broadcast the game.

It’s been 12 years since the Raiders opened up their season with back-to-back road games. Their opponents that season, in order, were the Denver Broncos and, you guessed it — the Buffalo Bills. While unexciting, the inclusion of Jimmy Garoppolo into Vegas’ QB1 spot gives them an experienced leader behind center who’s played in and won some big games, which is something the Raiders haven’t done in a very long time. With the reigning NFL rushing champion Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams as the lead wide receiver, and the Raiders riding the highs of a Week 1 win in Denver, Sunday feels like a massive opportunity for Las Vegas to move to 2-0.

Jakobi Meyers was Garoppolo’s top target against the Broncos, catching nine passes on 10 targets for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Meyers suffered a concussion against the Broncos and may not be available for Sunday’s game.

A win for the Bills at home vs. the Raiders wouldn’t qualify for a statement win. However, a victory would help restore the confidence in Buffalo after Monday’s loss to the Jets. It starts with Allen playing better after he threw three interceptions against New York and lost a fumble. He’s only two games removed from a three-touchdown, 352-yard passing performance in the playoffs versus Miami, but it just feels like ages ago since recording one of those iconic Allen types of games.

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson – two of the top picks in this year’s NFL Draft – square off this week. Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts are favored by less than a field goal on the road against Stroud and the Houston Texans.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at NRG Stadium. The game will be televised on Fox.

The Colts and Texans found themselves in similar positions in their season openers. Both watched their quarterbacks make their professional debuts. Both had first-year head coaches vying for a hot start. And both lost by multiple scores.

Houston couldn’t keep up with Baltimore early in the second half, but the Colts gave the Jacksonville Jaguars a scare. Richardson threw for 223 yards, a touchdown and one interception while rushing for another touchdown and leading Indianapolis in rushing. Stroud also flashed upside, throwing for 242 yards in an offense that struggled to run the ball.

The Colts’ running back corps struggled against Jacksonville without Jonathan Taylor. Deon Jackson fumbled twice and managed just 14 yards on 13 attempts. The Texans allowed the most rushing yards of any team last season but kept Baltimore’s ground game in check.

Stroud and Richardson will undoubtedly be the focal point of Sunday’s game. Both coaches are interesting stories to follow. Texans coach DeMeco Ryans was the coordinator for arguably the league’s best defense last season, the San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile, Shane Steichen took the Colts’ job after serving as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, leading Philadelphia to the Super Bowl and beating Ryans’ 49ers in the NFC Championship game.

New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals

The New York Giants look to reboot their season with a win against the Arizona Cardinals after a disastrous 40-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football,” the Giants are favored by less than a touchdown on the road.

Kickoff is at 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday at State Farm Stadium. The game will be televised on Fox.

New York will be looking for a bounce back from quarterback Daniel Jones … its offensive line … and its special teams unit. Every phase of the game struggled for the Giants against Dallas. If we’re cutting the Giants some slack, the Cowboys are Super Bowl contenders with a punishing defense, and New York fell behind so quickly it didn’t have much of a chance at all last week.

Things should look differently this Sunday, but the Cardinals were competitive in Week 1 and even briefly had a lead over the Washington Commanders in the fourth quarter. Arizona wasn’t great, especially on offense, with Joshua Dobbs starting, but it didn’t look like a team peppered with accusations of tanking during the offseason. New Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon had the defense playing hard. Arizona forced three turnovers in the first half, including a fumble returned for a touchdown.

The biggest concern for the Giants entering this game is a repeat of the offensive line struggles displayed against Dallas. The Cowboys’ seven sacks were the most of any defense in Week 1. The team with the next-most sacks? Arizona, with six.

After a dismal Week 1, the odds indicate the Giants are positioned to get in the win column against a weak opponent. But if they don’t, things may shift against coach Brian Daboll after he won the NFL’s Coach of the Year award last season.

San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams

We’re locked in for an NFC West battle between two 1-0 teams this Sunday when the San Francisco 49ers visit the Los Angeles Rams. San Francisco is favored by more than a touchdown on the road.

Kickoff is at 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The game will air on FOX.

Raise your hand if you predicted the Rams, without star wide receiver Cooper Kupp, would find a way to enter their Week 2 divisional bout against the Niners with a win under their belt after crushing Seattle last week. It’ll be more challenging against a balanced San Francisco team with elite talent on both sides of the ball. Matthew Stafford looked healthy going 24-for-38 for 334 yards. Rookie Puka Nacua is one to keep an eye on as he filled in for Kupp with 10 catches for 119 yards. Tutu Atwell also had 119 receiving yards.

San Francisco will offer numerous challenges for the Rams, and simply describing the 49ers’ talent as elite feels like an under-sell. Whether it’s Christian McCaffrey in the backfield, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk lined up out wide, or Trent Williams at left tackle, San Francisco’s offense features some of the league’s best players. At the same time, guys like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner lead the 49ers’ defense.

Second-year quarterback Brock Purdy showed no signs that he is still recovering from offseason elbow surgery in the 49ers’ 30-7 win over Pittsburgh on the road in Week 1. Facing Aaron Donald and the Rams’ defense that held the Seahawks to less than 200 yards could be more challenging.

New York Jets at Dallas Cowboys

Only the New York Jets could have a huge Week 1 win against a divisional rival (and Super Bowl contender) but still feel like a potential knockout blow for their season. But that happened when Aaron Rodgers went down just four plays into his Jets tenure, turning the offense back over into the hands of Zach Wilson. As a result of that season-changing injury, the Jets go into their Week 2 game on the road against the Dallas Cowboys as more than a touchdown underdog.

Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game will be televised on CBS.

For the Jets, this season will look familiar to everything they saw last year. The defense has the potential to be dominant and will keep them in pretty much every game they play, as it did on Monday night. The skill position players, specifically Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, will provide enough big plays to offer hope offensively.

But the quarterback situation and the offensive line have the potential to hold all of that back.

And they will have a brutal matchup against a Dallas defense coming off a dominant Week 1 performance. The Cowboys’ defense forced five fumbles (recovering two of them) and intercepted Daniel Jones twice, recording seven sacks and 12 quarterback hits. They have the potential for another big game against Wilson and the Jets’ offensive line.

Dallas’ offense wasn’t quite as dominant as the 40-point Week 1 outburst would have you believe (there was a special teams touchdown and a defensive touchdown in there, as well as some short fields to work with), and the Jets’ defense should provide an even stiffer challenge than the Giants did.

Washington Commanders at Denver Broncos

Sean Payton opened his Denver Broncos coaching tenure with a surprise onside kick and ended it with an expected result for Broncos fans: A tough, one-score loss at home thanks to an inefficient offense that was again held to under 17 points. Peyton gets another crack at his first Denver win on Sunday when the Broncos are a field goal favorite over the Washington Commanders.

Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET from Empower Field at Mile High. The game will be broadcast on FOX.
For Denver, Russell Wilson looked a little better in Week 1 than last year, but it was still an offense that lacked explosiveness and any downfield threat, averaging just 5.2 yards per attempt. It was the 12th time in 18 games that Denver was held to less than 17 points. It will be another challenge on Sunday against a Commanders defense that was one of the best in the NFL a year ago.

Washington used that defense to help sneak by Arizona in a 20-16 win. The Commanders’ defense did not allow a single touchdown in that game (Arizona’s only touchdown was a defensive touchdown) and forced two turnovers.

The concern for the Commanders, though, is on the offensive side of the ball, where second-year quarterback Sam Howell wasn’t exactly impressive in Week 1. He only threw for 202 yards on 31 attempts and turned the ball over twice, including a fumble in his end zone that resulted in Arizona’s only touchdown.

This is another game in Denver where the offense will look like a chore for both teams. As such, the over/under of 39 points is rightfully the lowest total of any NFL game on the schedule.

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots

The AFC East will be in the “Sunday Night Football” spotlight when the Miami Dolphins visit Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots. The Dolphins are slight road favorites after pulling out a thrilling victory in the best game of the Week 1 Sunday slate.

This divisional clash will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium. NBC will provide the “Sunday Night Football” broadcast.

Miami has already racked up the frequent-flyer miles and the yards after making the cross-country trek to Los Angeles and putting up more than 500 yards of offense in a 36-34 win over the Chargers. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 466 yards with three touchdowns and, perhaps more importantly, wasn’t sacked. Tyreek Hill consistently torched the Chargers’ secondary, finishing with 215 yards and two scores on 11 catches.

New England’s defense did a decent job of keeping Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense in check last Sunday. The Patriots outgained the defending NFC East champions by 131 yards, but a pick-six thrown by Mac Jones helped the visiting Eagles build an early 16-0 lead they never relinquished in an eventual 25-20 win. Jones finished with 316 passing yards and three scores, but that’s probably not Bill Belichick’s preferred blueprint moving forward. Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott will need to provide more production on the ground, especially considering the Dolphins gave up more than 200 rushing yards to the Chargers’ duo of Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley.

The coaching chess match between the defensive-minded Belichick and offensive wizard Mike McDaniel is worth keeping an eye on, but don’t overlook the timing of this contest either. Last season, Miami’s visit to Foxborough was in Week 17 with the Patriots earning a 23-21 victory on New Year’s Day. Teddy Bridgewater started that game for the Dolphins, but this time, it will be a healthy Tagovailoa under center.

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers (Monday)

The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers kick off the first of two “Monday Night Football” games. The Saints are favored against their NFC South counterparts as they aim to get a 2-0 start.

The divisional matchup is set for 7:15 p.m. ET Monday at Bank of America Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN.

No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young will get his first taste of a Saints defense that has made life difficult for opposing offenses over the past few seasons. It will be a tall task for Young, who threw two interceptions and averaged 3.8 yards per attempt last week in his NFL debut. The Panthers haven’t exactly surrounded their prized quarterback prospect with high-end weapons, making Young’s early growing pains a bit more pronounced. Nonetheless, Panthers fans should be excited as Young makes his home debut.

The Saints upheld their defensive reputation on Sunday in a 16-15 win over the Tennessee Titans, but the offense struggled. In his debut, quarterback Derek Carr threw for more than 300 yards, but the Saints scored just one touchdown and twice kicked a field goal inside the red zone.

The ability to finish drives should only improve with time for Carr and the rest of the offense. Chris Olave caught eight passes for 112 yards, and Rashid Shaheed caught five passes for 89 yards. It has the benefit of an extra day of preparation this week and drawing a Panthers defense that did not force a turnover in Week 1. Carolina’s defense has star power with defensive end Brian Burns, but the unit will be without starting cornerback Jaycee Horn, making it even more difficult for the Panthers’ secondary to keep up with New Orleans’ passing game.

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers (Monday)

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns could not have had more opposite debuts in Week 1, with the Browns routing Cincinnati and the Steelers getting completely embarrassed by the 49ers. Those two showings make the Browns a small favorite on the road.

Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET Monday night from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

Pittsburgh being a home underdog for a second week in a row is certainly eye-opening, and it makes the Steelers an intriguing team due to the combination of being a home dog and playing on Monday night. Traditionally, Mike Tomlin has been one of the league’s best coaches as a home underdog (though it did not matter much in Week 1), while the Steelers have been dominant in home Monday night games. Pittsburgh has won 19 consecutive home Monday night games since the 1991 season. While all of that certainly paints a promising picture for Pittsburgh, none of it will matter if Kenny Pickett and the offense look as out of sorts as they did in Week 1.

Pittsburgh has yet to total 400 yards or score more than 30 points in a game with Matt Canada as its offensive coordinator.

Cleveland’s offense, led by Deshaun Watson, also had some issues in its opening-week win but still has the potential for a dominant running game with Nick Chubb. The Browns suffered a big loss on the offensive line with Jack Conklin going down with a season-ending knee injury, but Pittsburgh is also missing a key part of its run defense with Cam Heyward being sidelined with a groin injury.

Do not expect a ton of offense in this game, as the over/under is set at 40 points.

(Photo of Lamar Jackson: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)