Week 1 is in the books, and I came away with just a 1-2 record. However, we could have just as easily had a winning week had the Jaguars not lost the lead by giving up a touchdown to the Commanders with less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter. As we look to bounce back in Week 2, here are three more underdogs to consider on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots: Steelers +2
The Steelers not only covered the spread as underdogs in Week 1, but they defeated the Bengals outright. They intercepted Joe Burrow four times, pulling off a win in overtime. Their offense wasn’t exactly great, though. New quarterback Mitch Trubisky threw for only 194 yards and a touchdown while they turned 22 carries into just 75 yards.
The Patriots looked completely overmatched in Week 1, falling to the Dolphins on the road. Mac Jones threw for 213 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and they only had 78 rushing yards on 22 carries. They don’t have many weapons on offense, especially at wide receiver. Both of these teams could struggle to score points this season, potentially making this a close game. However, with the Steeles having the advantage of playing this game at home, I like their chances to pull out a victory. While they were only 3-5 on the road last season, they were 6-2-1 at home.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts: Jaguars +3.5
The Jaguars and Commanders played an odd game. Carson Wentz was picked off twice, but he ended up with four touchdown passes. Trevor Lawrence wasn’t great, completing 24 of 42 pass attempts for 275 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Jaguars lost all eight of their road games last season, so the defeat in Washington extended that streak.
The Jaguars were more respectable at home last season with a 3-6 record. When they played the Colts there in Week 18, they won 26-11. With Frank Reich as the Colts’ head coach, they are 0-4 against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. The Colts would seem to have the superior team, but given their past struggles in Jacksonville, I’m going to the well again and will take the Jaguars to cover.
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers: Seahawks +8.5
The 49ers lost to the Bears in Week 1, which was another major upset. The weather didn’t help their cause, as rain significantly impacted the field. Both teams had to play under the same conditions, though, and the 49ers lost running back Elijah Mitchell (knee) in the process. Not only will be miss Week 2, but he’s expected to be out for at least eight weeks.
As bad as things went for the 49ers, the Seahawks had a great first game when they defeated the Broncos in Russell Wilson’s homecoming to Seattle. Geno Smith was more than serviceable, throwing for 195 yards and two touchdowns. It’s worth noting, though, that the Broncos fumbled away two goal-line carries and inexplicably went for a 64-yard field goal in the final seconds instead of using their timeouts to try and make it a closer attempt.
The Seahawks actually winning this game would be another major upset, one that I don’t think is coming. However, the 49ers don’t have an electric offense, especially if Trey Lance continues to struggle. It’s worth noting that early weather reports indicate this game could also be impacted by rain. In what could be a low-scoring game on both sides, the Seahawks could cover this hefty number.
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