Monfreda's Picks: Week 2 Winners Around the NFL

You've waited all week for it, and it's finally here–Sunday. A day of rest, relaxation, and best of all, football. NFL regular season football.

It's a day that's spent in a variety of ways. For some, the couch is home for seven consecutive hours with commercial free - well, still largely commercial free, anyway - football playing on the widescreen. For others, it's all eyes on their favorite team as their second contest of the season gets underway.

Some go as far as setting up multiple televisions to watch multiple battles at once throughout the evening.

It's hard to go wrong with any of those options. In fact, as long as your Sunday consists of watching football, it's almost certainly a good day.

There is one thing that's a must, however: Regardless of how you choose to spend your Sunday, it should always start with taking a look at Monfreda's picks around the NFL.

Week 2 winners around the NFL - First slate

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys

We start with an NFC East showdown that showcases two of the league's best pass-catchers in Malik Nabers and CeeDee Lamb. For both teams, it's their second week facing off against a division rival. And, for both teams, Week 1 left a tally in the loss column.

There is a difference, though. While the Giants were handled rather easily by a Commanders team that didn't look all that great themselves, the Cowboys went toe-to-toe with the reigning Super Bowl Champions from Philadelphia. I don't expect the play from either team to change too drastically this week, either. Winner: Dallas Cowboys

Seattle Seahawks @ Pittsburgh Steelers

It's impossible to not make this about D.K. Metcalf, the Seahawks' now-former wideout. The problem is, I'm not clever enough to come up with a good joke about Metcalf reuniting with his old squad; sorry about that.

Aaron Rodgers seemed to turn back the hands of time in Week 1, throwing four touchdowns against a formidable New York Jets' defense to earn a win on the road. For Seattle, growing pains was the theme of their first contest of the year, mustering up 150 total yards through the air with each runner finishing their day south of 50 yards on the ground. Much like the above duel, I don't expect the play from either team to change too drastically this week.

Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers

First-overall pick in action

Los Angeles Rams @ Tennessee Titans

If you thought Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks were the poster boys of growing pains this past week, you didn't see rookie signal caller Cam Ward and his new group of pass-catchers. Ward finished his NFL debut with 112 yards, completing 42.86% of his passes. It was a game littered with dropped passes.

Still, Ward himself also left a lot to be desired. Per our 'True' QB Stats, which measure what should've happened as opposed to what actually did happen in effort to accurately measure a quarterback's efficiency by correcting things such as drops, the rookie went 2/8 on third down, 1/6 in two minute drill situations, 4/13 in clutch time and 2/8 when escaping the pocket. As a passer alone, Ward was efficient on merely 33% of his pass attempts inside the pocket. Yikes. These are rates Matt Stafford didn't come remotely close to last week, even working with wideout Davante Adams for the first time.

Winner: Los Angeles Rams

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets

Although the Jets fell victim to Aaron Rodgers in Week 1, Aaron Glenn's squad put a lot of good on tape. Perhaps most importantly, Justin Fields put together a strong opening argument for being the team's long-term signal caller.

But Josh Allen and the Bills are a different animal–that was made clear this past Sunday night. The Jets look much improved, but this is one I expect their AFC East rivals to win. Winner: Buffalo Bills

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are a team that simply fail to impress me. New England, on the other hand, is mightily improved from one season ago; had Geno Smith and the Raiders' offense not come out firing on all cylinders, this team may be 1-0 right now.

And yet, I can't escape the feeling that this one is Miami's get-right game. Normally an 8-33 defeat is enough to write a team off, but Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane give the Dolphins too much firepower to stay down for the count. You can bet this is a team tired of hearing about their embarrassing outing last week, too. Winner: Miami Dolphins

More [former] first-overall picks in action

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals

Somehow, the Bengals totaled 113 yards through the air last Sunday and still managed to walk away victorious. This is a team that compiled seven - yes, seven - yards of total offense throughout the entire second half in Week 1.

Jacksonville's offense, on the other hand, was a well-oiled machine. Although Trevor Lawrence only posted 178 passing yards throughout the day, Travis Etienne reminded the NFL world why he was once a first-round selection by way of a 143-yard outing on the ground. Be that as it may, there's no real chance Cincinnati's offense struggles nearly as much as it did in Week 1 against their NFC North rivals from Cleveland. Winner: Cincinnati Bengals

San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints

I could've picked against the Saints each week this season with a smile on my face. And even though New Orleans still dropped their Week 1 contest, the team proved to be much better than I assumed they'd be. Spencer Rattler, in particular, had a virtually flawless final two drives which should've added 10 total points to the scoreboard and forced overtime. Rattler's 'True' 2 minute drill efficiency was a sky-high 81.82%.

With all that in mind, I may start picking the Saints to win some football games soon. But it won't be this week, even with Mac Jones under center for the 49ers as Brock Purdy remains sidelined with an injury. Superstars such as Fred Warner and Christian McCaffrey are too much to overcome in my eyes.

Winner: San Francisco 49ers

Final first slate picks; Week 2, around the NFL

Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens

This AFC North showdown features two teams that should've walked away victorious in Week 1, but sloppy football late changed that outcome. Now, Myles Garrett and Lamar Jackson face off with hopes of getting their squad back on the right track.

For my money, it will be Lamar and the Ravens that prevail. Still, this Cleveland team is better than expected–remember, they held Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offense to seven yards throughout the entire second half last week. That's unbelievable!

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions

It's a battle of two NFC North teams that are trying to adjust; the Lions without Ben Johnson, and the Bears with Ben Johnson.

Things are different in Detroit with a new coordinator on both sides of the ball. The offense was notably different without Johnson's presence as neither David Montgomery nor Jamyr Gibbs finished with north of 25 yards on the ground in Week 1. That's almost as ridiculous as the Browns holding Cincinnati's offense to seven yards in one half, right? But things aren't perfect with Johnson and Caleb Williams in Chicago, either. Last Sunday, Chicago went stagnant in the fourth quarter, allowing 21 points to walk away losers of a 27-24 contest. That shouldn't happen this week.

Winner: Chicago Bears

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