- The Patriots face the Dolphins in a crucial AFC East matchup on Sept. 14.
- Jaguars and Bengals, both 1-0, clash in Cincinnati as playoff hopefuls.
- Eagles vs. Chiefs rematch headlines, with Kansas City seeking revenge for Super Bowl loss.
SALT LAKE CITY — We are back for Week 2 of the NFL season with a preview of this week's exciting matchups. More divisional matchups along with a Super Bowl rematch headline this week's games.
New England Patriots (0-1) vs. Miami Dolphins (0-1)
Sunday, Sept. 14, 11 a.m. MDT – Hard Rock Stadium (CBS)
AFC East foes both search for their first win of the season Sunday when the Patriots travel to Miami to take on the Dolphins.
Why New England will win:
The Patriots fell at home to the Las Vegas Raiders in the first game of the Mike Vrabel era. Despite the loss, Drake Maye showed some improvement at the quarterback position and should continue to grow in that role despite the limited weapons around him.
The team will have to establish the ground game early with rookie Treyveon Henderson and veteran Rhamondre Stevenson if they want to open up the passing game for Maye. The Dolphins allowed 156 rushing yards against the Colts last week while also surrendering 33 points to Daniel Jones and company.
If New England's offense can find balance and pick their spots for Maye to attack, they should put up points against Miami's defense.
Why Miami will win:
After a disappointing loss in Indianapolis in Week 1, the panic is already starting to kick in for a team that already had offseason drama and question marks entering the season. Head coach Mike McDaniel can't afford a division loss at home to send his team to 0-2.
Luckily for the Dolphis, Patriots' cornerback Christian Gonzalez remains questionable to play on Sunday with a hamstring injury. Geno Smith was able to throw for 362 yards against the New England defense who was without Gonzalez.
With the Patriots' pass defense looking weak at the moment, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and his explosive big-play receivers have a chance to bounce back this week. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will need to make plays to help the offense get back on track in order to avoid another loss.
Line: MIA -1.5
Over/Under: 42.5
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
Sunday, Sept. 14, 11 a.m. MDT – Paycor Stadium (CBS)
The Jaguars travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals as two AFC playoff hopefuls look to improve to 2-0 in 2025.
Why Jacksonville will win:
The Jaguars got their first win under first-year head coach Liam Coen when they defeated the Panthers 26-10 in Week 1. Coen was a big reason Baker Mayfield had a career year in Tampa Bay last season when Coen was the offensive coordinator. He is hoping to have similar success with Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars' run game looked good against Carolina but the Bengals held the Browns in check with just 49 rushing yards in their Week 1 win. Lawrence will have to take advantage of a shaky Cincinnati pass defense that allowed 290 yards to 40-year-old Joe Flacco.
Defensively, Jacksonville faces a tough test against Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offense. After only totaling 7 yards in the second half against Cleveland, Cincinnati has shown that they have the ability to get shut down and it will start with the Jaguar's pass rush getting pressure on Burrow.
Why Cincinnati will win:
Typically known for their slow starts to begin the season under head coach Zac Taylor, the Bengals not only started the season with a win but got a critical division win. Cincinnati's defense held the team back in 2024 and played a part in the team missing the playoffs for the second consectutive season.
However, it was the defense that picked up the offense in the team's win over Cleveland. With the offense totaling seven yards in the second half, new defensive coordinator Al Golden's defense came away with big stops and an interception to seal the win against the Browns.
The offense can be explosive with Burrow throwing to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and their emerging running back Chase Brown. They'll have a chance to showcase their talent against a Jacksonville defense that ranked 31st in total defense in 2024.
If the offense can regain it's form and Golden's new defense can play at a high level, they will have the chance to create nightmares on both sides of the ball against the Jaguars.
Line: CIN -3.5
Over/Under: 49.5
Denver Broncos (1-0) vs. Indianapolis Colts (1-0)
Sunday, Sept. 14, 2:05 p.m. MDT – Lucas Oil Stadium (CBS)
The Broncos take on the Colts in another battle of AFC playoff hopefuls that will also look to improve to 2-0.
Why Denver will win:
The Broncos escaped Week 1 with a win over the Titans in what many could say was a disappointing game for Denver. Quarterback Bo Nix, who many expect to take a leap in year two, struggled against Tennessee's defense. He completed 25-of-40 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown, while also throwing two interceptions. He averaged just 4.4 yards per completion.
Sean Payton will need a better game from his quarterback as the Broncos face a Colts team that showed little weakness in their win over Miami. Denver's defense is one of the best units in the league but the offense will have to improve upon their Week 1 performance if the Broncos are going to avoid the road upset.
Why Indianapolis will win:
Arguably no team impressed more in Week 1 than the Indianapolis Colts. Daniel Jones beat out Anthony Richardson in the team's quarterback battle during training camp and he showed exactly why.
Led by Jones, the Colts scored on every single possession against the Dolphins with Jones totalling 298 total yards and three touchdowns in Indianapolis' dominant 33-8 win. His resurgence will be key for the Colts moving forward.
They will be facing a Denver defense that is one of the best in the league but the Colt's offensive performance should give fans hope as they take on reigning defensive player of the year Pat Surtain II and the Broncos.
Line: DEN -1.5
Over/Under: 47.5
Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1)
Sunday, Sept. 14, 2:25 p.m. MDT – GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (FOX)
The Eagles and Chiefs meet in a Super Bowl rematch in Kansas City as the Chiefs look to get some revenge while Philly eyes a 2-0 start.
Why Philadelphia will win:
The Eagles dismantled the Chiefs in the Super Bowl last February, displaying a complete shutdown of Patrick Mahomes and company. Philadelphia celebrated their banner night with a win over the Cowboys though controversy struck before a down was played when defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Dak Prescott.
Carter is a dominant force on the Eagles interior line and was a game-wrecker for them in the Super Bowl. Having him back in the lineup should be a boost for a defense that allowed Dallas to score on their first four possesions last Thursday.
Jalen Hurts struggled to get the ball out to his top two receivers last week, with AJ Brown receiving just one target while Devonta Smith had three. Getting the ball in their hands should help a Philadelphia passing game that totaled 152 yards. Kansas City gave up 318 yards to Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in Week 1 so the Eagles can take advantage on the Chiefs defense.
Why Kansas City will win:
The Chiefs haven't started 0-2 since Andy Reid's second year with the organization in 2014, which happened to be the last time Kansas City missed out on the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes hasn't started 0-2 since his sophomore year of high school in 2011.
The Chiefs will face an uphill battle if they are going to prevent those streaks from ending. Losing wide receiver Xavier Worthy last week is a huge blow to an offense that struggled mightily the last time these two teams squared off. Mahomes will need to get more out of his other playmakers and offensive line in order to win this one.
Reid is one of the best coaches we have seen in the NFL and even greater offensive mind. He will be sure to have his offense ready as he looks to find the weaknesses in the Eagles defense.
The Kansas City defense will also need a much better performance than the one they showed in Brazil but following a similar blueprint to Dallas could help the Chiefs get their revenge on Philly.
Line: KC -1.5
Over/Under: 45.5
Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (1-0)
Monday, Sept. 15, 8 p.m. MDT – Allegiant Stadium (ESPN)
The Chargers and Raiders face off in an AFC West showdown in Las Vegas on Monday night.
Why Los Angeles will win:
The Chargers will take on their second AFC West rival in as many games after an impressive win over the Chiefs in Brazil. Justin Herbert looked comfortable in his second year under head coach Jim Harbaugh as he threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns. Herbert and the offense's performance shut down any doubt of the team's lack of playmakers.
They get a chance to have a repeat performance against a Raiders' defense that isn't as daunting as Kansas City's. Las Vegas pass rusher Maxx Crosby could create havoc so look for Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman to establish the run game early
Derwin James is the best defender on the Chargers' defense and can lineup all over the field in Jesse Minter's defense. He gives this Los Angeles defense a potential game wrecker at safety and should be a concern for the Las Vegas offense.
Why Las Vegas will win:
Geno Smith impressed in his Raiders debut, throwing for 362 yards against New England. However, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty struggled in his NFL debut rushing for 38 yards on 19 carries. The Raiders will have to get more from the talented Boise State product if they are going to remain undefeated.
The Pete Carroll and Jim harbaugh rivalry goes back their college days when Carroll was at USC and Harbaugh was at Stanford. That Pac-12 rivalry followed them to the NFL when the two were NFC West rivals with Carrol in Seattle and Harbaugh in San Francisco.
Carroll has the edge over Harbaugh with a 5-4 record with their most pivotal matchup coming in the 2013 NFC Championship game when Carroll's Seahawks defeated the 49ers 23-17. These two legendary coaches have followed each other everywhere and now face off against one another for the first time as AFC west foes.
Limiting Herbert is a must for Carroll and his defense if he is going to give his offense a chance to build off an impressive Week 1 performance.
Line: LAC -3.5
Over/Under: 44.5
