The second week of the season would seem to be too early for critical games, but the 16 teams that lost their openers have huge incentive to avoid an 0-2 start.
Teams that start 0-2 have only a 25 percent chance of making the playoffs. A team that starts 2-0 has a 70 percent chance.
–Three games match teams that lost their openers – Panthers at Falcons, Browns at Buccaneers and Commanders at Cowboys — so the losers start off 0-2. The Titans, who host the Eagles, and the Dolphins, who are at the 49ers, are big underdogs and figure to start off 0-2. San Francisco is the most popular pick in the elimination pools.
–The Bills became the first team to start off 2-0 when they beat the Lions on Thursday night.
–There are two other primetime games with the Colts at the Chiefs on Sunday night and the Giants at the Rams on Monday night. The Rams are trying to bounce back from their embarrassing game against the 49ers in Australia.
–Fox has the doubleheader game and more than half the country will see Washington at Dallas with Seattle at Arizona and Miami at San Francisco dividing up the West Coast audience, although the Dolphins, of course, will be shown in Miami.
–The best late game may be the Jaguars at the Broncos, but it is a CBS game that will be shown mainly in the western part of the country. The Jaguars bring a nine-game regular season win streak that includes a win at Denver late last year into the game, while Denver is trying to avoid an 0-2 start after losing to the Chiefs last week.
–The best early game may be the Bengals at the Texans with Joe Burrow going against the Houston defense that was shredded by Josh Allen last week.
–After losing the Super Bowl last year, the Patriots also play a big game hosting the Steelers as they try to avoid an 0-2 start. CBS is putting its top crew of Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt on the game.
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