NFL Week 2: The Early Bird Gets Paid

Sunday might still be a few days away, but it’s never too early to look at the lines.

I won’t get into my full slate of picks until later this week (after all, I don’t want to tip my hand to the Johnny Wishbone crew), but for all you junkies out there who just can’t stay away from the early action, here’s my early favorites for Lock of the Week... (as always, my picks are in all caps)...

PACKERS (+1) at Giants – Let me make sure I have this straight… The G-Men are likely playing without their starting QB, their starting RB and a D that just got lit for half-a-hundo… and they are favored to beat anyone?!? And not just anyone, but arguably the greatest QB of my generation and a Defense that I keep hearing people say will be a surprise this year (by the way, how many people does it take to dub someone a “sleeper” before they are no longer classified as such? Just wondering).

But where was I…

Oh yeah, the Giants stink. Their own fans will tell you as such. I even know one lifelong diehard Giant fan (I won’t mention names, but it rhymes with Greg Grubenstien) who already has dreams of Darren McFadden, which as he knows would only be possible with the league’s worst record and subsequent top pick in next year’s draft.

Such high hopes after Week 1? Very optimistic indeed.

Combine all this with the Packers coming off a nice win against an above average Philly team in Week 1, and how the Cheeseheads are underdogs is mind boggling.

If you like early action, take it now before Eli is officially out and it swings four points the other way.

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BENGALS (-6.5) at Browns – I’m typically not a fan of road teams giving up big spreads, especially in a rivalry game. Then there’s this game.

I’ve got two sets of numbers for you… 34-17 and 30-0.

Those were the scores of the Bengals/Browns games last year… a Bengals sweep.

So the Bengals put up 27 on what many call the NFL’s best defense in Week 1, while holding the Ravens to 20… and the Browns are gonna come within a touchdown how again?

Whether its Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Tim Couch or Bernie Kosar, I can’t imagine it will matter.

With the Over/Under set at 41.5, that means the experts see a 24-17 game.

I’m thinking more along the lines of 34-13.

Check back later this week to see which one of these beauties gets my pick as the Lock of the Week!