NFL Week 2 picks, predictions and best bets
USA TODAY Sports’ Lorenzo Reyes is back with his NFL best bets for week 2 games of the NFL season.
Two of the brightest young quarterbacks in the NFL will duel under the prime-time lights of “Sunday Night Football” in Week 2.
C.J. Stroud, last year’s NFL offensive rookie year, will lead the Houston Texans against the Chicago Bears and Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL draft.
Both teams are coming into Sunday night’s game with 1-0 records – even if it wasn’t all that pretty.
Williams threw for just 93 yards and failed to record a touchdown during Chicago’s 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1. Meanwhile, the Texans got two touchdowns from Stefon Diggs and 150 rushing yards from Joe Mixon to get past the Indianapolis Colts.
USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest updates, scores, highlights, wild plays, analysis and more throughout the Bears-Texans game. Follow along.
The game will air on NBC and Peacock. The game is also available to stream for free on Fubo.
Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst) will be on the call, with Melissa Stark adding reports from the field for NBC.
Both rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze (knee) and six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen (heel) were listed by the Bears as questionable for Sunday night’s game against the Texans. While Odunze is available, Allen is inactive for the game.
Bears’ inactive players:
Texans’ inactive players:
The Texans are favorites to defeat the Bears, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2024.
Here are the USA TODAY Sports’ expert picks for the game:
Caleb Williams accomplished a rare feat in Week 1, becoming the first No. 1 overall quarterback selection to win his NFL debut since David Carr with the Houston Texans in 2002.
Williams’ debut was less than ideal statistically — 14 completions on 29 attempts for 93 yards and no touchdowns in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans.
David Carr’s win came in the inaugural game for the expansion Texans, a 19-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Before Williams’ win last week, the past 15 No. 1 picks who were quarterbacks were a combined 0-14-1 in their first starts, beginning with the Cincinnati Bengals’ Carson Palmer in 2003.
The NFL’s top 18 players in average annual salary are all quarterbacks, according to OverTheCap.com. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott became the league’s highest-paid player on the season’s opening Sunday, agreeing to a four-year, $240 million deal. Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the first non-quarterback on the highest-paid list after striking a four-year, $140 million contract extension this offseason.
We have a complete list at every position:
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