NFL Confidence Pool Picks Week 2

The 2026 NFL season opened with four outright upsets. The loudest was Arizona, an 8.5-point underdog, walking into SoFi Stadium and beating the Chargers 26-14.

A few other results were not upsets on the board, but they still landed with a thud. New Orleans, a touchdown dog on the road, was shut out in the first half, then poured in 24 points after the break to force overtime. New head coach Kellen Moore went for the win and missed the two-point try. Chicago traveled to Carolina and dropped 59 on the Panthers. That would have been a statement if the Bears had not given up 37 of their own.

I do not sit and mark every Sunday pick as the games come in. I know the top six. After the 15- and 11-point plays both lost, I assumed the week was toast. Then I ran the numbers. We went 10-6 for 94 points.

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

Week 2 Games

16 points – San Francisco 49ers over Miami Dolphins:

Miami is still sorting out last week's collapse. San Francisco already looks like a finished product on both lines, and Levi's is a brutal place to invent solutions in Week 2. Once the 49ers pin Miami behind the chains, the speed game never gets to breathe.

15 points – Los Angeles Rams over New York Giants (MNF):

Monday at SoFi is the Rams' first real home snap after Melbourne. Stafford should have a cleaner pocket than he did overseas, and the Giants just spent a lot of emotion beating Dallas. That kind of hangover shows up late on the West Coast.

14 points – Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Cleveland Browns:

Cleveland left Jacksonville with no rhythm and no answers up front. Tampa gets to play that version of the Browns at home, where one early scoring burst turns the rest of the afternoon into a chase.

13 points – Philadelphia Eagles over Tennessee Titans:

Tennessee could not finish drives against the Jets. Philadelphia already proved it can win ugly in a division game. Nissan Stadium will be loud; the Eagles won't invent a second-half offense if they stay on schedule.

12 points – Baltimore Ravens over New Orleans Saints:

Baltimore just posted 41 on the road. New Orleans needed overtime to stay even in Detroit. When Lamar can run and throw in the same series, the Saints' structure starts leaking points they cannot get back.

11 points – Los Angeles Chargers over Las Vegas Raiders:

Las Vegas won a conservative game against a flattened Miami team. That plan gets thinner at SoFi. Herbert still has the explosives to end the debate before the fourth quarter if the Raiders sit back.

10 points – Kansas City Chiefs over Indianapolis Colts (SNF):

Indianapolis just absorbed a 41–23 hit. Arrowhead on Sunday night does not offer a soft landing. Kansas City does not need a masterpiece; it needs red-zone finishes, and that has been the separator since last Monday.

9 points – Chicago Bears over Minnesota Vikings:

Chicago just scored 59. Minnesota just scored 39. Soldier Field favors the team that already showed it can stack possessions instead of living on chunk plays. The Vikings will have moments. Consistency after halftime is the problem.

8 points – Seattle Seahawks over Arizona Cardinals:

Seattle already won a tight opener as champion. Arizona stole one in Los Angeles and now has to host a defense that still looks like it sets the terms. If the Cardinals fall behind early, the game gets one-dimensional fast.

7 points – Carolina Panthers over Atlanta Falcons:

Atlanta lost a road grinder. Carolina lost a track meet. This is the Panthers' chance to make it messy at Mercedes-Benz with short fields and a conservative script. Atlanta has not shown it can close that kind of game yet.

6 points – New York Jets over Green Bay Packers:

Green Bay got carved up in Minnesota. The Jets just handled Tennessee and now get a visitor still searching for timing. MetLife rewards the team that wins first down; Green Bay has not done that for four quarters this season.

5 points – Houston Texans over Cincinnati Bengals:

Cincinnati won a home shootout. Houston just hung with Buffalo into the 30s. Reliant Stadium turns this into a pressure game for the vistors, and Burrow's pocket is less reliable on the road in Week 2 than the box score from Sunday suggests.

4 points – Washington Commanders over Dallas Cowboys:

Dallas dropped Sunday night at MetLife and now hosts a division rival that already lived in a one-score game. Washington's path is ugly and specific: stay even into the fourth and make Dallas finish drives it failed to finish last week.

3 points – Jacksonville Jaguars over Denver Broncos:

Jacksonville looked settled at home. Denver looked overmatched in Kansas City. Mile High cuts the margin, but Jacksonville's front can still knock Denver off schedule and steal the short fields that decide these September games.

2 points – Buffalo Bills over Detroit Lions (TNF):

New stadium, Thursday night, two 1–0 teams. Allen at home still wins the tiebreaker when the game opens up. Detroit can hang tough for three quarters; Highmark in September usually asks for a fourth that visitors do not have.

1 point – New England Patriots over Pittsburgh Steelers:

Pittsburgh won a low-event home game. New England lost a 13–10 kickoff in Seattle. Foxborough still turns September into a possession fight, and one stalled Steelers series is enough to bury this pick or cash it.

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