Week 2 is underway, as the New York Jets won a shootout with the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football. It started out kind of slow, but things picked up quickly as both quarterbacks put up big numbers. I happen to have Tyrod Taylor in a fantasy league, and we get bonus points for passing, rushing, and receiving touchdowns over 50 yards. I was a fan of last night, even as the Bills lost 37-31.
That was just the appetizer for Sunday and Monday, with 14 games scheduled for Sunday, and back to a single game on Monday Night Football. The 49ers head on the road this week, and face a stiff challenge as they travel to face the Carolina Panthers. They are a 13.5-point underdog, traveling on short rest against a team that has had extra rest.
This is not a recipe for success, and it is reflected in the picks. The occasional few think the 49ers could cover, but I can’t find a single person who think they’ll actually win this game. OK, let me clarify. I can’t find a single non-49ers fan who thinks they can win this game. At this point, if they can cover the spread, I could live with that. Anything better than that and this team would be playing with house money.
SB Nation: Nobody out of 10
ESPN: Nobody out of 10
CBS Sports: Nobody out of 8
FOXSports.com: Nobody out of 6
USA Today: Nobody out of 5
Elliott Harrison, NFL.com: Panthers 38, 49ers 16
Greg Cote, Miami Herald: Panthers 30, 49ers 17
Dennis Manoloff, The Plain Dealer: Panthers 30, 49ers 16
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Panthers 35, 49ers 13
Neil Greenberg, Washington Post: 49ers cover +13.5
Pro Football Talk: MDS Panthers 30-10, Florio Panthers 35-13
We’re also back with the Crowd Line widget. Drop in your prediction here: