2023 NFL Preseason Week 2 Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (8/19)
The 2023 NFL preseason is here! While the NFL regular season will bring a ton of action, we’ll have you covered through the summer as there are plenty of chances to bet and money to make. We’ll have you covered throughout the 2023 NFL preseason with our best odds, picks, and predictions for each and every game. Let’s dive into the action as the first full week of the preseason gets underway. Here are our top odds, picks, and predictions for Saturday’s NFL preseason games.
2023 NFL Preseason Odds & Picks
Here are our top picks and predictions for Saturday’s NFL preseason action.
Jaguars vs. Lions
Jacksonville escaped Dallas with a 28-23 win in the first game of the preseason. The Jaguars went 10-for-17 on third downs offensively and added over 400 yards on 72 plays. Trevor Lawrence played a little bit of the first week. It's unclear if he'll earn any snaps in this game against the Lions. Lawrence's backups, Nathan Rourke and CJ Beathard, added one touchdown and no interceptions against the Cowboys. Rourke had one massive play, scrambling away from pressure to throw a touchdown. But other than that, the Jaguars only got outstanding production from Tank Bigsby and D'Ernest Johnson in the run game. On the other hand, the Lions beat the Giants 21-16. Jared Goff didn't play. Instead, it mainly was Nate Sudfeld for the Lions. He finished with two interceptions and no touchdowns. I'll take the Under in this game.
Pick: Under 39.5 (-110)
-Jason Radowitz
Dolphins vs. Texans
Miami couldn't move the ball against the Falcons last week. The Dolphins lost 19-3 behind the combination of Skylar Thompson and Mike White. Those two combined for no touchdowns and three interceptions. Miami's run game still has plenty of potential between Myles Gaskin and De'Von Achane. Plus, the defense held Atlanta to just 13 first downs. Meanwhile, C.J. Stroud went 2-for-4 with one interception in his NFL preseason debut. He'll learn from that and get better. Houston will likely return to playing Stroud, Davis Mills, and Case Keenum in this game. All three quarterbacks are viable options in the preseason. The Houston defense also held New England to nine first downs and 164 total yards. I'll take my chances with Houston.
Pick: Texans -1.5 (-110)
-Jason Radowitz
Bills vs. Steelers
Buffalo defeated Indianapolis, 23-19, in Anthony Richardson's pro debut in the NFL. Matt Barkley outshined all quarterbacks in that game, completing 14-for-15 on 172 yards passing with two touchdowns. It'll be Barkley and Kyle Allen dueling out for that first backup spot for Josh Allen. However, Josh Allen and the starters will likely play the first quarter of this game. They'll take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who defeated the Buccaneers, 27-17 in the first week of preseason. The Steelers opted to play all four quarterbacks in that game. Mason Rudolph got the bulk of the play. He went 7-for-12 for 132 yards and a touchdown. The Steelers have a true playmaker in Calvin Austin II. He caught two passes for 72 yards and earned two carries for 23 yards. Look for Austin II to continue his dominance. I'll take the Over in this game.
Pick: Over 42 (-110)
-Jason Radowitz
Bears vs. Colts
The first preseason game was a perfect day for Justin Fields, going 3-3 with 129 yards and two touchdowns. Although he did on -7 air yards, we’re seeing just how well the addition of DJ Moore, who scored a true 62-yard touchdown, can make this offense better. This week Anthony Richardson was named the official starter for the Colts. In the previous game, Richardson played three series, going 7-12 for 67 yards, an interception. Since there is no quarterback competition, we shouldn't expect him to get any more playing time than the first game. Even with the limited playing time, the Bears' first unit made a huge impression in the first game, and should pull out a victory against a Colts team that could struggle this season. The moneyline could be a good bet, but the safest is getting more than a field goal.
Pick: Bears +5.5 (-110)
-John Supowitz
Buccaneers vs. Jets
The Jets depth on the defensive line gives them an edge in the preseason, as we witnessed in the team’s dominant victory over the Carolina Panthers a week ago. New York recorded nine quarterback hits and five sacks last week, and they’ll match up against a thin Buccaneers offensive line. Offensively, Zach Wilson seems to be playing with less pressure on his shoulders, and it’s shown. I give him the lean over Kyle Trask in the quarterback battle. The line has moved in New York’s favor, and I agree with taking the Jets even above a field goal.
Pick: Jets -3.5 (-110)
-Matt Barbato
Titans vs. Vikings
Neither of these squads saw their first units get any play during their Week 1 Preseason contests, and I expect a similar situation here. For Tennessee, Malik Willis looks to get a lot of run as he and a banged-up Will Levis fight for the backup QB spot. Both struggled against a Chicago defense that was one of the worst in the league last year. Minnesota got torched by Drew Lock in Seattle last week, but he’s a QB who has started games in the NFL. Tennessee doesn’t present the same kind of depth that Seattle showed, and the Vikings should see some more success on both sides of the ball in this matchup. It’s likely neither of these teams see much success in the regular or preseason, so the smart move is to go with the home underdog.
Pick: Vikings +2.5 (-105)
-Ryan Rodeman
Chiefs vs. Cardinals
It’s safe to say we’ve likely seen the last of the Kansas City starters in the preseason this year. The Chiefs used a strong second half to eclipse the Saints in their Week 1 contest and will look to do the same against a plucky Cardinals unit. Arizona won’t see many wins this year, but they got one in their first game last week against a Denver team that played their starters a decent amount. There isn’t much in the way of talent or depth on the Cardinals’ roster, but every last player on the field Saturday is fighting for an NFL roster spot so you can expect them to play with some heart. At home, I like this Arizona squad to keep this game within a touchdown. I’ll back them again against the Chiefs.
Pick: Cardinals +7.5 (-108)
-Ryan Rodeman
Patriots vs. Packers
The Packers could give Jordan Love even more playing time this weekend after he completed 7-of-10 passes for 46 yards and a touchdown in the preseason opener. Meanwhile, I’m not sure if we’ll see Mac Jones or many of New England’s other starters after the majority of starters sat last week. With the Packers looking to get Love more experience, I suspect they’ll take this game a bit more seriously than a more experienced Patriots team that’s more inclined to solve some depth questions.
Pick: Packers -2.5 (-110)
-Matt Barbato
Broncos vs. 49ers
Both of these teams lost their preseason openers in ugly fashion. The difference was San Francisco didn’t play any starters in its 34-7 loss, while Denver gave Russell Wilson and the starting offense several series against Arizona. Wilson took a few drives to get going, even against Arizona’s backup defense. It was not an inspiring start to the Sean Payton era. But the preseason opener gives us some insight to use in handicapping this game. The Broncos are going to likely give their starters some run, while I’d be surprised if Kyle Shanahan dressed any of his starters. The Broncos need to build Wilson back up in Payton’s offense, while the 49ers are mainly entrenched at their starting spots. I’ll lay it with a Denver team that’ll likely have starters going up against backups who just got blown out.
Pick: Broncos -4 (-110)
-Matt Barbato
Raiders vs. Rams
Last week, the Raiders’ Aiden O’Connell looked like the best QB on the field that included first round picks Trey Lance and Sam Darnold. It wasn’t a fluke either as O’Connell showed this same accuracy in college. A few more preseason performances like that and he could be breathing down Jimmy G’s neck very soon. The Rams, meanwhile, looked outmatched against the Chargers’ backups. LA is a veteran team with a lot of top end talent, but little depth. This matchup with Vegas will provide a difficult test that I’m not sure they’re up to pass. I expect to see a lot of scoring, mostly on the Raiders’ side, and am targeting an over on the total as my favorite pick.
Pick: Over 39.5 (-110)
-Ryan Rodeman
Cowboys vs. Seahawks
As expected, the Dallas first unit did not get any playing time, which will likely be the case for this second game. The quarterback depth is set with Dak as the starter and Cooper Rush as the backup, which will give Will Grier another opportunity to get playing time, and he got a lot of work going 22-31 for 199 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. No quarterback competition for the Seahawks this year, as Geno Smith has firmly locked in the starting job. Seattle also kept their veteran starters off the field, and the two notables of early-round picks, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Charbonnet, did see some action. Both offenses looked great in the last game, so the best bet is to take the over.
Pick: Over 40.5 (-110)
-John Supowitz
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