NFL Odds and Spreads – Week 2 Line Movement
By Robert Duff in NFL Football
Published:
- Week 2 of the NFL season got underway with Thursday’s New York Giants-Washington Football Team game
- Which betting line has moved the most since opening? What’s the smallest spread of the week?
- All of the wagering information on every NFL game is listed below
It was a tough opening week in the NFL odds for some playoff favorites. The defending AFC East champion Buffalo Bills fell 23-16 at home to the reigning AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
In another matchup of 2020 playoff participants, the defending NFC South champs the New Orleans Saints hammered the reigning NFC North winners the Green Bay Packers 38-3.
Overall, it just wasn’t a good week to be favored. Straight up, favorites and underdogs split right down the middle, each winning eight games. Against the spread, favorites were a dismal 5-11.
How are all of these upsets impacting the Week 2 NFL lines? Let’s look at which betting markets have shown some interesting movement.
NFL Week 2 Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | +144 | +3 (-102) | O 40.5 (-112) |
| Washington Football Team | -172 | -3 (-120) | U 40.5 (-108) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| New Orleans Saints | -195 | -3.5 (-110) | O 44.5 (-110) |
| Carolina Panthers | -235 | +3.5 (-110) | U 44.5 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +120 | +2 (-110) | O 45.5 (-110) |
| Chicago Bears | -140 | -2 (-110) | U 45.5 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Houston Texans | +460 | +12.5 (-110) | O 48 (-110) |
| Cleveland Browns | -650 | -12.5 (-110) | U 48 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Los Angeles Rams | -190 | -3.5 (-105) | O 48.5 (-110) |
| Indianapolis Colts | +160 | +3.5 (+115) | U 48.5 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Denver Broncos | -290 | -6 (-115) | O 45 (-115) |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +230 | +6 (-105) | U 45 (-105) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Buffalo Bills | -180 | -3 (-120) | O 47.5 (-115) |
| Miami Dolphins | +155 | +3 (+100) | U 47.5 (-105) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| New England Patriots | -240 | -5.5 (-110) | O 43 (-105) |
| New York Jets | +195 | +5.5 (-110) | U 43 (-115) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| San Francisco 49ers | -155 | -3 (-105) | O 49 (-110) |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +135 | +3 (-115) | U 47.5 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +225 | +6.5 (-115) | O 47 (-110) |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | -280 | -6.5 (-105) | U 47 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Minnesota Vikings | +170 | +4 (-110) | O 50.5 (-110) |
| Arizona Cardinals | -200 | -4 (-110) | U 50.5 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Atlanta Falcons | +550 | +12.5 (-110) | O 51.5 (-110) |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | -800 | -12.5 (-110) | U 51.5 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Dallas Cowboys | +160 | +3.5 (-115) | O 54.5 (-110) |
| Los Angeles Chargers | -190 | -3.5 (-105) | U 54.5 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Tennessee Titans | +230 | +6 (-105) | O 54 (-115) |
| Seattle Seahawks | -290 | -6 (-115) | U 54 (-105) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Kansas City Chiefs | -200 | -3.5 (-110) | O 54.5 (-110) |
| Baltimore Ravens | +170 | +3.5 (-110) | U 54.5 (-110) |
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
| Detroit Lions | +410 | +11.5 (-110) | O 48.5 (-105) |
| Green Bay Packers | -575 | -11.5 (-110) | U 48.5 (-115) |
Odds as of September 16th at DraftKings.
Buying Into Russell Wilson
Last season, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson started out like gangbusters. He was the NFL MVP favorite early on in the year as Seattle started 5-0.
Wilson charged out of the gate again this season like a bull entering the ring. During a 28-16 Week 1 win over the Indianapolis Colts, Wilson’s passer rating was 152.3.
Russell Wilson finds with Tyler Lockett for their second TD connection of the day
A 69-yard bomb 💣
(via @NFLBrasil)pic.twitter.com/EjMCQgKLlc
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 12, 2021
His performance has apparently caught the eye of NFL bettors. Seattle opened as the 3-point pick at home over the Tennessee Titans. That margin has since grown to Seahawks -6.
Those wagering on Seattle are flying in the face of history. Tennessee lost 38-13 to the Arizona Cardinals in the season opener. Under current head coach Mike Vrabel, the Titans are 6-3-1 ATS in the week following a double-digit point loss. Straight up, they are 8-2 in those 10 games.
One Goes Up, Another Goes Down
Two games are tied for the largest movement in the total during Week 2. The over/under on the Pittsburgh Steelers-Las Vegas Raiders game shortened from 49 to 47 points. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys-Los Angeles Chargers total jumped up from 52.5 points to 54.5.
The public is backing the under on the Steelers-Raiders game to the tune of 83%. Again, they are going against the trend. The total has gone over in six straight Las Vegas games and four of the last five Pittsburgh games.
Steelers-Raiders Week! #Steelers pic.twitter.com/XS6bOCxCgJ
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) September 17, 2021
With the Dallas spread jumping up two points, the under is proving be the public play at 82%. There’s a chance all that under action could cause the line on the total to shorten before Sunday.
The total has gone over in six of the last eight Cowboys games. However, the under was the correct play in five of the past seven Chargers contests.
Will Andy Be Dandy?
The Chicago Bears are looking to rebound from a lopsided setback against the Rams last week in Los Angeles. Chicago QB Andy Dalton gets to look for his first win with the Bears against his first NFL team.
Zoom with former #Bengals QB Andy Dalton as he now prepares to face his old team with the #Bears. pic.twitter.com/yY8Sxpkq9s
— Laurel Pfahler (@LaurelPfahler) September 16, 2021
The Cincinnati Bengals come to Soldier Field off an impressive 27-24 overtime decision at home over the Minnesota Vikings. As a two-point underdog, this is the closest spread of the week.
It’s already come down a point from Chicago -3, so it’s doubtful there will be any more line movement.
Big Numbers on Bucs, Browns
Tampa Bay is a 12.5-point pick over the Atlanta Falcons and the Cleveland Browns are given the same point spread edge over the Houston Texans.
Did anyone notice the time on Tom Brady’s computer?
Buccaneers play the Falcons this week https://t.co/teoXKZ1tgm
— Savage (@SavageSports_) September 14, 2021
Las week, Houston beat Jacksonville, the NFL’s worst team a year ago. It’s possible that Atlanta could be the NFL’s worst team this season.
The Falcons opened as 12.5-point underdogs. Cleveland was the 11.5 chalk to start. Hard to see either of these lines moving before Sunday.
Zach vs Mac Gets Low Number
It’s New England’s Mac Jones vs Zach Wilson of the New York Jets as these two rookie QBs make their second NFL starts. Jones and the Patriots scored 16 points against the Miami Dolphins. Wilson and the Jets managed 14 points facing the Carolina Panthers.
The rookie starting QBs went 0-3 on the day.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence: 28/51, 332 yards, three TDs, three INTs, 70.1 rating
Jets QB Zach Wilson: 20/37, 258 yards, two TDs, INT, 82.9 rating
Patriots QB Mac Jones: 29/39, 281 yards, TD, 102.6 rating
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) September 12, 2021
Considering those miniscule outputs, it’s actually a bit surprising the total on this game is as high as 43 points.
Adding Up To Big Totals
The biggest number of the week in terms of the total is a tie. Both the Cowboys-Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs-Baltimore Ravens are set at 54.5 points.
When you realise it's Patrick Mahomes vs Lamar Jackson in Week 2 🍿 pic.twitter.com/irkfyseR5e
— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) September 15, 2021
We’ve already discussed the Dallas-LA game previously, so let’s dig into KC-Baltimore. Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Lamar Jackson of the Ravens have clashed three times since both became NFL starting QBs.
The average total for those three games is 55.3 points. So it looks like the number on this game is just about where it should be.
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
