NFL MATCHUPS

Last-second field goals. Teams flooding the field for congratulatory hugs before the game officially ended. Nine underdogs upsetting their opponents.

The first week of the NFL season gave fans enough drama to make up for the seven months of offseason inactivity.

It will be hard to recreate that theater, but Week 2 includes a clash between playoff-caliber teams Sunday night and other matchups that will carry postseason implications as the year progresses.

Below are our picks against the spread. Last week’s record: 5-11

BROADCAST LOCALLY

Broncos at Jaguars

11 a.m. CBS

Line: Broncos -6 Total: 45

Urban Meyer started his tenure as an NFL coach poorly, with a Jaguars loss against the ransacked Texans roster. His second outing will only be tougher as he tries to advise the rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence on facing a strong Broncos defense led by linebacker Von Miller, who posted two sacks in his return from the ankle injury that sidelined him in 2020. Denver (1-0) will be without receiver Jerry Jeudy, who is expected to miss at least four weeks due to an ankle sprain. But the Broncos’ defense should be able to contribute some scoring of its own against a young passer. Pick: Broncos -6

49ers at Eagles

11 a.m. Fox

Line: 49ers -3.5 Total: 50

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts diced up the Falcons’ meager defense, throwing for three touchdowns and 265 yards, while escaping with one sack. News flash: The 49ers (1-0) are not the Falcons. In a Week 1 win over Detroit, the San Francisco defense again looked like the throttling unit of 2019, sacking Jared Goff three times and pressuring him into an interception that was returned for a touchdown. San Francisco’s starting running back, Raheem Mostert, had season-ending knee surgery, but his replacement, Elijah Mitchell, played well and should continue to do so. Hurts’ first true test of 2021 will be too tough to pass. Pick: 49ers -3.5

Cowboys at Chargers

2:25 p.m. CBS

Line: Chargers -2.5 Total: 55

What warm-up? Putting up 403 passing yards and three touchdowns in the Cowboys’ Week 1 loss, Dak Prescott showed that he wasn’t going to ease his way back from last season’s gruesome ankle injury while nursing a shoulder muscle he strained in training camp. Ezekiel Elliott served mostly as a blocker against Tampa Bay’s defense. He might reprise that role against the Chargers (1-0) run defense.

The Dallas offensive line will get a boost now that guard Zack Martin, who missed the season opener on the COVID-19 list, is available. But it lost tackle La’el Collins to a five-game suspension for a violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Couple Dallas’ offensive line reshuffling with the still-developing defense going against Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen, and it looks as if the Cowboys (0-1) may have to wait another week for their first win. Pick: Chargers -2.5

Chiefs at Ravens

6:20 p.m. NBC

Line: Kansas City -2.5 Total: 55

When the Ravens (0-1) are done looking at tape from their Week 1 overtime loss to the Raiders, they should send the footage to Maxx Crosby’s agent. The Raiders defensive end sacked Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson twice and hit him five other times while repeatedly beating offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva off the line.

This week, the same porous Baltimore offensive line that let Crosby have his way will collide with Kansas City’s elite pass rusher, Chris Jones, who sacked Baker Mayfield twice in Week 1 after shifting to defensive end from his natural spot on the interior line. The Ravens’ cast of replacement running backs was at least serviceable, but if that line cannot protect Jackson against Jones and his teammates, then good luck trying to keep scoring pace with Patrick Mahomes and company, who have beaten Baltimore in their last three meetings. Pick: Kansas City -2.5

Lions at Packers

6:15 p.m. Monday ESPN

Line: Packers -10.5 Total: 48

R-E-L-A-X.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers spelled out that directive to fans in 2014 after the team started 1-2. Of course, Rodgers and company rebounded from that start to wind up ... losing in the NFC Championship Game. Same as they did to end the 2020 season. And the 2019 season. He essentially repeated the mantra after Sunday’s 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints when he told reporters, “It’s just one game.” It won’t be time for hyperventilating unless something goes awry for Green Bay (0-1) this week against the Lions (0-1). It won’t. Rodgers is still one of the league’s best quarterbacks, in one of the league’s best offenses, and he’ll relish the chance to remind everyone of that. Pick: Packers -10.5

OTHER GAMES Bills at Dolphins

11 a.m.

Line: Bills -3.5 Total: 47.5

After watching Josh Allen absorb three sacks and eight hits from the Steelers defense last week, coach Sean McDermott will certainly adjust the protection to keep his franchise quarterback upright. Lurking in the Dolphins secondary will be cornerback Xavien Howard, who led the NFL in interceptions (10) last season. It was Howard’s forced fumble and recovery in the fourth quarter against the Patriots that broke the game open for the Dolphins’ Week 1 win. Allen and the Bills (0-1) should be able to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive, but with these AFC East rivals sniffing each other out, it will be close. Pick: Bills -3.5

Rams at Colts

11 a.m.

Line: Rams -4 Total: 47.5

Russell Wilson made one of the league’s better defenses look like an impostor in Week 1, and now Indianapolis must prepare for the offensive calculus of Rams coach Sean McVay, who now has a quarterback who can execute his schemes. As Matthew Stafford dissected the Bears’ secondary for 321 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-14 victory last week, he looked more comfortable than ever throwing downfield strikes.

The Colts (0-1) signed veteran safety Andrew Sendejo this past week to help patch the secondary, but having to defend against two aggressive quarterbacks in back-to-back weeks seems too tough a task for Indianapolis. Pick: Rams -4

Saints at Panthers

11 a.m.

Line: Saints -3 Total: 46

Jameis Winston began his tenure as New Orleans’ starting quarterback with a win in part because of a smothering effort from the Saints’ defense against a Packers team that seemed to forget that the preseason had ended.

Continuity could be an issue for Winston this week as eight members of the Saints — mostly offensive coaches — tested positive for the coronavirus. The team is still practicing in North Texas while the city recovers from Hurricane Ida and it could lose its top cornerback, Marshon Lattimore, who had surgery on his right thumb Tuesday. That’s a lot of responsibility to put on Winston, but the team’s experience and resolve could be enough to help it cover the spread against the Panthers (0-1). Pick: Saints -3

Raiders at Steelers

1 a.m.

Line: Steelers -6.5 Total: 48.5

This will be a chess match between Raiders tight end Darren Waller, who had 105 receiving yards in Monday’s win, and the Steelers defense, which figures to rely heavily on the versatility of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. If the Steelers can disrupt Waller’s routes at all, they will force Derek Carr — who targeted Waller 19 times Monday — to hold the ball longer while looking for the Raiders’ other receiving threats, Henry Ruggs III and Hunter Renfrow.

The Raiders’ rookie right tackle, Alex Leatherwood, struggled with pass protection and now must face T.J. Watt, a Defensive Player of the Year Award candidate. If the Raiders continue the pass-first approach while running back Josh Jacobs nurses a toe injury, Pittsburgh will end up 2-0. Pick: Steelers -6.5

Falcons at Buccaneers

11 a.m.

Line: Buccaneers -13.5 Total: 52

Don’t expect Tom Brady to need a comeback from a 28-3 deficit this time. Four seasons have passed since his Super Bowl LI win, but if the Falcons (0-1) couldn’t stop the Eagles’ second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts from throwing for three touchdown passes last week, then they will surely struggle with the Bucs (1-0) and Brady, whose cast of receivers is arguably the best of his 22-year career. Oddsmakers expect this to be the largest mismatch of the weekend, and rightly so. Pick: Buccaneers -13.5

Texans at Browns

11 a.m.

Line: Browns -12.5 Total: 48

The Browns (0-1) spent all offseason preparing for last week’s rematch against the Chiefs — and a run at an AFC championship — only to fail to keep pace because of self-inflicted mistakes. Whatever frustrations Cleveland has from letting that game slip through its fingers should find an outlet in the Texans (1-0). Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will again be out as he recovers from offseason knee surgery. But the Browns don’t need him to beat Houston. Pick: Browns -12.5

Bengals at Bears

11 a.m.

Line: Bears -3 Total: 45

In Week 1, the Bengals rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who had a shaky preseason, reminded everyone that he can indeed fulfill his job description and catch a football. He collected five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings. The Bears’ secondary is arguably their weakest unit, and it allowed Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford to throw for 321 yards last week. If the Bears defense allows a similar performance, neither Andy Dalton nor Justin Fields at quarterback would be enough to compensate. Pick: Bengals +3

Patriots at Jets

11 a.m.

Line: Patriots -5.5 Total: 43

Patriots running back Damien Harris’ fourth-quarter fumble in the red zone ended a final drive by the rookie quarterback Mac Jones, and New England (0-1) fell to Miami, 17-16, last week. The score should not be so close against the Jets (0-1), who allowed six sacks of their rookie quarterback, Zach Wilson, last week. Blocking for Wilson becomes harder this week without left tackle Mekhi Becton, who is recovering from a dislocated kneecap. One first-year passer will start his career 0-2, and even if the Jets adjust their protection, it will probably be Wilson. Pick: Patriots -5.5

Vikings at Cardinals

2:05 p.m.

Line: Cardinals -4 Total: 51

Kyler Murray’s video-game-like numbers last week (he threw for 289 yards and delivered five total touchdowns, scoring one himself on a 2-yard rush) came against a developing Titans defense, and it’s doubtful that the Vikings (0-1) will allow a similar performance. Even a curtailed Cardinals offense should be enough to outgun the Vikings’ unbalanced attack. In Week 1, running back Dalvin Cook rushed for only 61 yards while Kirk Cousins threw 49 times and took three sacks. Against the Cardinals (1-0), who sacked Ryan Tannehill six times last week, the Vikings won’t be able to match Murray’s fireworks.

Pick: Cardinals -4

Titans at Seahawks

2:25 p.m.

Line: Seahawks -5.5 Total: 54

The Titans’ experiment of adding receiver Julio Jones to Derrick Henry’s offense failed miserably in Week 1, when the two combined for 106 total yards. After giving up five sacks to Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones, Tennessee offensive lineman Taylor Lewan conceded on Twitter that Jones had exposed him.

Those problems, as bad as they were, may be correctable. More concerning was the fact that Tennessee’s defense allowed Kyler Murray to throw for 289 yards and score five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing). It’s fair to assume that same defense will struggle against Seattle’s Russell Wilson, who threw four touchdown passes against a tough Colts defense last week. Pick: Seahawks -5.5