Week 2 is shaping up a little differently from the usual public-versus-sharp tug-of-war. At BetMGM, the ticket count and the money are lining up more often than not, which makes the obvious split-fishing spots harder to find. Still, there are a few numbers worth leaning into if you want to go against the crowd.
The Steelers are getting 5 points at New England, and while this isn’t a massive public lean - just 51 percent of the bets are on Pittsburgh - the money tells a different story. Sixty-four percent of the handle is backing the Patriots.
That kind of gap matters, and it gets even harder to feel good about Pittsburgh after how ordinary it looked against what was supposed to be a bad Falcons team. Now it has to keep pace with a well-rested New England group, and that’s a tough sell.
Tampa Bay is drawing much louder support from the public, with 78 percent of the bets coming in on the Buccaneers. The handle is on the same side too, so this one doesn’t offer the cleanest fade on the board.
Even so, Cleveland is where I’d look if I wanted to buck the market. That’s less about believing in the Browns and more about respecting the Jaguars, who made Cleveland look worse than it probably is in Week 1.
Tampa doesn’t have the same kind of edge Jacksonville does, and that makes the Browns appealing in this spot.
The Jaguars-Broncos total has already climbed from 44 to 45.5, and that alone should make anyone pause before grabbing the over. More than anything, this feels like the market reacting too strongly to Denver’s Week 1 loss. I still think the Broncos have one of the best defenses in the league, and if they show up the way many expected last week, this game could get messy fast and turn into a defensive grind.
The Seahawks-Cardinals total sits at 41, and this is another place where the sharp side is clear. The under is drawing 73 percent of the money, and that’s the side I’d ride.
The Chargers may have helped Arizona look like a functional offense, but Seattle is a different challenge. Jacoby Brissett and company should have a harder time moving the ball, and the Seahawks’ own attack will be limited with backup Drew Lock at quarterback.
Take the under.
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Jaguars Loss Just Sparked A Travis Hunter Debate Fans Feared
The Jaguars Week 2 loss to Denver did more than drop Jacksonville to 0-2, it reignited the conversation around Travis Hunters role and how the team is using its most talked-about newcomer. Hunter spent most of the afternoon on defense at cornerback, saw only limited work on offense, and still found himself in the middle of a pivotal moment when a pass interference flag went against him in a game the Jaguars could not afford to let slip away.
Liam Coen moved quickly to defend Hunter after the penalty, while also taking issue with the unsportsmanlike conduct call that followed. For a team still trying to settle its identity early in the season, the debate now is not just about one play, but about how Jacksonville balances Hunters two-way value with the need for cleaner execution in tight games. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Have A Defensive Problem They Cant Ignore
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Campanile started with a four-man rush but had to send extra help later as the Broncos held up better than Jacksonville did up front. Josh Hines-Allen said he needs to raise his own level after being kept out of the sack column, and that kind of self-assessment matters for a defense that now has to prove its first game was the baseline, not the outlier. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Hunter Conversation Just Got More Personal For Jaguars Fans
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The personal side of Hunters Jaguars journey has become part of the conversation around how he is being used, especially after Leanna Hunter voiced criticism of Liam Coens handling of Travis during the game. For Jacksonville fans, it adds another layer to a storyline that is no longer just about development and play selection, but also about how closely this new chapter is being watched beyond the sideline. [Read more 🡒]