Must Bet Games for NFL Preseason Week 2

Must Bet Games for NFL Preseason Week 2

Written by on August 14, 2017

Do we really have to keep talking about what NFL players do during the national anthem? Apparently so, as the nation is all caught up in the fact that Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch didn’t stand for the anthem before his team’s first preseason game. Most believe that Colin Kaepernick has been blackballed by the league because he didn’t stand for the anthem during games last season. Here are two interesting NFL preseason games this week. The NFL Odds for Week 2 of the Preseason are not available yet, but it’s never too early to gear up for the week.

Must Bet Games for NFL Preseason Week 2

Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks

When: Friday, 10 PM ET Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle TV: NFL Network Radio:  KFXN-FM (Minnesota) / 710 ESPN (Seattle) Opening NFL Preseason Lines: TBA

Vikings Look For 2-0

Minnesota opened the preseason last Thursday in Buffalo and won 17-10. Taking over for starting Sam Bradford, backup Case Keenum went 11 of 16 for 121 yards for the Vikes. The sixth-year player engineered a pair of scoring drives — both set up by passes to rookie receiver Stacy Coley. The Vikings signed Keenum in April as insurance with Teddy Bridgewater still recovering from a serious left knee injury sustained a year ago. That cost Bridgewater the entire season. Running back Dalvin Cook finished with five carries for 13 yards and had four catches for 40 yards in accounting for nearly half of the 127 yards Minnesota gained in the first two quarters. Cook is my early-season choice for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He might win the starting job because Latavius Murray is hurt and didn’t play vs. Buffalo. He probably won’t here, either. Murray is working his way back from offseason ankle surgery. Cook already has shown chemistry with Bradford with those four catches. “I think he’s going to be a valuable asset, not only in the run game, but I think we’re going to be able to utilize him in the pass game,” said Bradford. Minnesota lost running back Bishop Sankey in the game to a torn ACL and his season is over. The former Titans second-rounder never played to his college measurables in the pros. Sankey had been trying to hang on as a third- or fourth-stringer on the Vikings. Meanwhile, second-year WR Laquon Treadwell (thigh) returned to practice on Saturday. He sat out Thursday’s game after getting injured in a practice fight last week. He’s on track to play in the Vikings’ second preseason game.

NFL Preseason Week 2 Updated Winning Picks

Seahawks On Short Rest

Seattle opened the preseason Sunday night at the LA Chargers with a 48-17 win so obviously will be on short rest here. Top WR Doug Baldwin missed the game. Coach Pete Carroll said that Baldwin has a strained upper foot and is going to be fine. Carroll said that Baldwin could have played Sunday if the Seahawks had a regular season game. So Baldwin might be able to go here. Are the Seahawks a safe pick in Week 2 of the NFL Preseason? Seattle signed former Packer Eddie Lacy this offseason and it was presumed he’d be the starter. But news out of Seattle camp is that Thomas Rawls appears to be the clear No. 1 back right now. I still think Lacy will be the guy come Week 1 but Rawls certainly will see carries. Seattle leads the NFL with 13,144 rushing yards since 2011 but a lot of that was with Lynch as the guy. He came out of retirement and was traded to Oakland this offseason.

NFL Preseason Betting Trends

  • Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
  • Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
  • Vikings are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Seattle.

Carolina Panthers at Tennessee Titans

When: Saturday, Aug. 19, 3 PM ET Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville TV: NFL Network Radio: WBT 1110 AM (Carolina) / 104.5 The Zone (Tennessee) Stream Option: NFL Live Opening NFL Preseason Lines: TBA

Panthers’ McCaffrey Already Starring

If the Vikings’ Cook doesn’t win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award this year, then I’d be willing to venture that Carolina running back Christian McCaffrey does. In camp, McCaffrey has lined up at tailback in the I-formation, next to the quarterback in the shotgun, as a slot receiver, a wide receiver and behind the center in the wildcat formation. Even coach Ron Rivera said the 5-foot- 11, 205-pound dynamo was ahead of where most rookies are. Here’s what running back and teammate Jonathan Stewart had to say about his competition: “He’s pretty unstoppable as far as coming out of the backfield and running routes. I can tell you now there’s not going to be anybody in this league that can cover him one-on- one. He’s a special player." McCaffrey had 33 yards in seven carries in his preseason debut last week, a 27-17 win over Houston. Wide receiver Damiere Byrd, considered a fringe roster player, did nothing to hurt his chances by hauling touchdown passes of 50 and 8 yards from Joe Webb. The Panthers played without Cam Newton and he might not play a down all preseason. Newton had surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder on March 30. He threw with the team for the first time on the first day of training camp on July 26.

Titans Lose Ugly

It’s a good thing preseason games mean squat because the Titans looked awful in a 7-3 loss at the Jets. Starting quarterback Marcus Mariota, who like Newton won a Heisman Trophy in college, played for the first time since breaking his leg last Christmas Eve. He played two series vs. the Jets and finished 2 of 3 for 15 yards. Titans running back Derrick Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner, had eight carries for 29 yards. Running back DeMarco Murray (hamstring), wide receivers Corey Davis (hamstring) and Mekale McKay, cornerback Demontre Hurst, defensive lineman Karl Klug (ankle) all sat out. Their status for this week is unclear, although Davis won’t play. He was the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft but is dealing with a hamstring injury.

NFL Preseason Betting Trends

  • Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
  • Road team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

Expert NFL Preseason Week 2 Predictions

Unless there’s a good reason not to, you generally want to pick the home teams in preseason games. Do so both games here.