The best non-Chiefs games of Week 2: Who will bounce back?
By Grant Tuttle
It's officially Week 2 of the NFL season. The season is beginning to enter its full swing and a lot of teams, including the Chiefs are looking to bounce back in a big way after a disappointing start. Luckily for us, the second week of the NFL season looks just as captivating as the first with some heavy-weight matchups.
We already know that we are going to be watching the Kansas City Chiefs. Aside from that game, which games should we watch? We discuss three non-Chiefs games that are worth taking a look at this week.
1. Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
Game time: Sunday, September 17, 12:00 PM CT
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: Bengals -3
TV: CBS/NFL Sunday Ticket
The Baltimore Ravens are turning into a trendy pick for this year's AFC Championship. It's understandable, frankly. John Harbaugh has the experience leading his team on playoff runs and Lamar Jackson won an MVP. Generally a good coach and quarterback lead to good things. Now, entering Week 2, the Ravens have a real opportunity to catapult themselves above the competition in the AFC North.
The Cincinnati Bengals find themselves searching for answers after dropping their first matchup against the Browns. In that matchup, Joe Burrow managed only 82 yards passing. While the weather conditions were less than ideal, the Browns outplayed the Bengals in every phase of the game. Now, the question is, are the Bengals a team that is for real? Or were they a team that had already flashed in the pan?
Now, the two games face off in a big-time game that will change the trajectory for each team. If the Bengals drop to 0-2 and have lost to Baltimore and Cleveland, it could be a challenge to make up enough ground to win the North. In a divisional game that has a ton of meaning, I'm expecting a barnburner.
The Bottom Line: Look, the Bengals looked rough in Week 1, but we can't expect that forever. Joe Burrow will turn it around this week and this will be a high-scoring game. Neither the Bengals nor the Ravens have a defense to get excited about. Give me the Ravens in an overtime thriller.
Prediction: Baltimore Ravens: 27 Cincinnati Bengals: 24 (OT)