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Dan Leach's 2015 NFL Locks: Week 2 'For The Money'

By Dan Leach
Follow Dan on Twitter @dtmleach

Season's greetings to one and all! It seems like it took forever, but the 2015 NFL campaign is finally here and not a second too soon. As the NFL season heats up, so do my NFL picks, which will be here for you each and every week to help you win your pick-em-pool, embarrass your friends and just become a more whole football fan and human being.

I will take a look at five games each week with the best value and rate them on a sliding lock of the week 1-10 Bagels and Lock scale. And……away….we…..go!

 

DTM Song Of The Week: "Round Here" By The Counting Crows, Live at The House

Easily one of my fave bands of all-time. I was lucky enough to see them last week at Freedom Hill Amphitheater in Sterling Heights, where they opened with one of the most biting and emotional songs I have ever heard in "Round Here." While the Crows aren't as big as they once were, they are still musically tight and beautiful.

Lead singer Adam, Duritz is still good an epic rant or two and their songs remind you of how beautiful life is. Duritz an enormous sports fan -- who lost his mind when his beloved Golden State Warriors won the NBA title last year -- and lives and breathes Cal Bears Football.

This is definitely one of his favorite times of year like it is for so many of you. I still feel that Duritz is one of the more underrated songwriters of the last 25 years. If the Crows come back to your town anytime soon, do yourself a favor and go see one of the great bands of this generation. Never a bad date idea with your special someone or if you're looking to make someone your new squeeze.

 

Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears: Sunday 1 p.m. EST, TV: FOX (Cardinals -2)

The Bears are simply garbanzo beans and even though they stay at home after their loss to the Packers in Week One, it won't help against a Cards team with a truly healthy Carson Palmer and a solid defense that will shut down any chance of the Chicago offense getting going.

The Cards won in dominating fashion at home last week against the New Orleans Saints and look to get a nice early season road win. The Bears are going to have a very tough year and it will become very apparent with their second straight home loss to start the 2015 campaign.

5.5 on DTM Bagels and Lock of the Week Meter – Cardinals (- 2)

 

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills: Sunday 1 p.m. EST, TV: CBS 62 (Pick Em)

The Bills absolutely stunned the Indianapolis Colts -- one of the AFC favorites -- in a Week One romp at Orchard Park in Sexy Rexy's first game as the Bills head man. Tyrod Taylor looked fantastic and the Bills defense gave Andrew Luck and Co. fits all day until the latter stages of the game.

The Pats looked the part of the defending champs in the Thursday opener against Pittsburgh. While the Steelers made a late charge, the Pats were never in trouble when it mattered most. Look for them to do the same against the upstart Bills, who will be more solid this season than many thought they would be. However, the Bills will be made into mince meat by Terrific Tom and Co.

6.5 on DTM Bagels and Lock of the Week Meter – Patriots (Even)

 

San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals: Sunday 1 p.m. EST, TV: CBS 62 (Bengals -3)

The Super Chargers got a gift win at the hands of the Detroit Lions last Sunday after Detroit decided to stop playing football in the second half and pretend they were in a contemporary art class at Yale. This S.D squad does have some pieces on both sides of the ball that will make it competitive, but had no business beating a Lions team that completely dominated them.

Cincy could not have looked much better in their romp over the Raiders in the Black Hole. Look for the "Red Herring" Andy Dalton to keep the Bengals offense humming along and for the Cincy defense to give Phillip "Little Rivers Band" fits all day long.

7.1 on DTM Bagels and Lock of the Week Meter – Bengals (-3 buy down to 2.5)

 

Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars: Sunday 4:05 p.m. EST, TV: CBS 62 (Dolphins -6)

The Fins won an ugly game at Washington in Week One, but showed signs of having the type of team that could be tough to beat if both sides of the ball are playing at a high level. We all know the Jags have been a perennial doormat for years, but with Blake Bortles having a plethora of weapons finally and the defense being one of the better units in the AFC, long-suffering Jacksonville fans might have some special moments this year.

Sunday will be one of them as they will hang with Miami throughout and I would not be stunned at all of the Jags pull what would be considered a pretty big upset as a six-point home underdog.

7.4 on DTM Bagels and Lock of the Week Meter – Jaguars (+6)

 

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings: Sunday 4:05 PM EST, TV: FOX (Vikings -3)

S.O.L.

"What else did your expect?"

"It's the freaking Lions."

Those are just some of the phrases uttered by long-suffering Honolulu Blue and Silver fans after gagging away what would have been an enormous win on the road to start the 2015 campaign in San Diego. After starting the game in a Bon Jovi "Blaze of Glory," the Lions could not have been more inept in the second half.

They will have to clean that up in Week Two and be in a position to finish an angry Vikings team that looked horrid in Week One at San Francisco or things could get really tenuous for Detroit.

The Vikes come off a short week after a late Monday Night Football game on the other side of the country and seem to have way more problems than Detroit does. This game is on grass and outdoors for just the second time in Minnesota since 1981, and both those things have given the Lions problems in the past.

The good news, though, is Detroit has more talent then Minny and there is no way Calvin Johnson will be targeted as many times as there are quarters in a dollar this week. Look for the cream to rise to the top and for the Lions to take a lead and not relinquish it in embarrassing fashion this time around.

DETROIT 31 VIKINGS 17

8 on DTM Bagels and Lock of the Week Meter – Lions (+3)

 

ODDS TIDBIT

Lions drop from 18-1 ($100 wager wins $1800) to win the NFC to 30-1 ($100 wins $3000) after week one loss to Chargers and are now 65-1 ($100 wins $6500) to win Super Bowl 50 after opening the season at 40-1 ($100 wager wins $4000)

DTM'S 2015 Record ATS: 3-2

DTM'S 2014 Record ATS: 58-40-1

DTM's ATS Record in last 15 Super Bowls: 13-2

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