Staff Against the Spread Picks, Week 2

Footballguys Staff's Staff Against the Spread Picks, Week 2 Footballguys Staff Published 09/16/2021

Footballguys is proud to return the Footballguys' staff Against the Spread Pool Challenge. Multiple staff members will pick the winner of their eight most confident NFL games against the Las Vegas line. Winners will be announced from week to week, and the best overall record will be crowned Against the Spread Champion. Picks and ranks are due on Wednesday, so any late-breaking news may not be reflected in the choices.

Please note that this contest should NOT be viewed as direct sports wagering advice, especially later in the season. Since the staff is trying to beat one another, picks may be made to go against the grain trying to catch up in the standings. This example of game theory is more in tune with playing a contest such as this - so again, do not use these picks as direct advice towards which games to pick every week. Rather, use these picks to see the top choices each week, especially the staff members towards the top of the standings.

Here are the specifics:

  • It lasts for 18 weeks
  • Pick 8 games against the spread each week
  • Games are not weighted; each game correctly picked is worth one point in the standings
  • If you miss a week, you will be awarded the lowest score for that week minus 1 point
  • Standing will be determined by the total correct picks
  • Tiebreaker: number of weeks with the most number of correct picks

Last Week's Picks

  • Correct picks are in bold.
  • LW is the number of points earned last week.
  • Tot is the number of points earned this season.
Visiting Team Dal Ari Jac LAC Min NYJ Phi Pit SF Sea Cle Den GB Mia Chi Bal
Home Team TB Ten Hou Was Cin Car Atl Buf Det Ind KC NYG NO NE LAR LV
Home Line -7.5 -2.5 +2.5 +1.5 +3.5 -4.5 -3.5 -6.5 +7.5 +1.5 -6.5 +1.5 +3.5 -2.5 -7.5 +4.5 LW Tot
Aaron Rudnick - TEN - - MIN CAR PHI BUF - SEA KC DEN - - - - 4 4
Alessandro Miglio - TEN - WAS CIN - ATL BUF - SEA KC - GB - - - 2 2
Andrew Garda TB - HOU - MIN - ATL - SF SEA KC - GB - - - 3 3
Andy Hicks DAL - JAC WAS CIN - - - - IND CLE DEN - - - LV 5 5
Ben Cummins - - JAC - - - PHI - SF SEA - DEN GB NE LAR - 5 5
Bob Henry - TEN - WAS CIN CAR - PIT - - - DEN GB - LAR - 5 5
Clayton Gray TB - - WAS - CAR ATL - - IND - DEN - NE LAR - 3 3
Dan Hindery TB - JAC - CIN CAR PHI - SF SEA - DEN - - - - 6 6
Danny Tuccitto - TEN JAC WAS - - ATL - - SEA KC - GB - LAR - 2 2
Dave Kluge - - JAC LAC - - - PIT - SEA KC DEN - NE CHI - 4 4
Devin Knotts - - - WAS MIN NYJ - - DET IND - DEN - NE CHI - 1 1
Jason Wood DAL ARI JAC WAS MIN CAR PHI PIT - - - - - - - - 5 5
Jeff Haseley TB TEN - WAS - CAR - - - - - DEN GB - LAR BAL 3 3
Jeff Tefertiller - - JAC WAS - - PHI - SF SEA KC - - - LAR BAL 4 4
Joe Bryant - TEN JAC LAC MIN CAR ATL - - SEA - - GB - - - 3 3
Justin Howe TB ARI HOU LAC CIN NYJ PHI PIT - - - - - - - - 6 6
Keith Overton - ARI - - - CAR - PIT - SEA KC DEN GB - LAR - 6 6
Keith Roberts - - JAC WAS - CAR - - SF SEA KC DEN GB - - - 4 4
Lauren Carpenter TB TEN JAC WAS MIN CAR ATL BUF - - - - - - - - 1 1
Matt Bitonti DAL TEN - - - CAR - BUF SF - CLE - - - LAR BAL 5 5
Matt Carey DAL - JAC - - CAR PHI PIT - - CLE - - - CHI LV 6 6
Phil Alexander - TEN HOU - MIN - - PIT - SEA - DEN - NE CHI - 4 4
Ryan Weisse DAL TEN JAC WAS - CAR - - - - - NYG GB MIA - - 3 3
William Grant TB TEN - WAS - - - - - SEA KC DEN - NE LAR - 3 3

Standings

  • Tot is the number of points earned this season.
  • Wk01 is the number of points earned in Week 1.
  • Etc.
  • People who missed picking for a week are awarded the lowest score for that week minus 1 point
Staff Member Tot Wk01 Wk02 Wk03 Wk04 Wk05 Wk06 Wk07 Wk08 Wk09 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Wk15 Wk16 Wk17 Wk18
Dan Hindery 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Justin Howe 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Keith Overton 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Matt Carey 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Andy Hicks 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Benj Cummins 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bob Henry 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jason Wood 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Matt Bitonti 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Aaron Rudnicki 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Dave Kluge 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jeff Tefertiller 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Keith Roberts 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Phil Alexander 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Clayton Gray 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Andrew Garda 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jeff Haseley 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Joe Bryant 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ryan Weisse 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
William Grant 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Alessandro Miglio 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Danny Tuccitto 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Devin Knotts 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Dave Larkin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jeff Bell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sean Settle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sigmund Bloom 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

This Week's Picks

  • Tot is the number of points earned this season.

Visiting Team NYG Buf Cin Den Hou LAR LV NE NO SF Atl Min Dal Ten KC Det
Home Team Was Mia Chi Jac Cle Ind Pit NYJ Car Phi TB Ari LAC Sea Bal GB
Home Line -3.5 +3.5 -3.5 +6.5 -12.5 +3.5 -5.5 +5.5 +3.5 +3.5 -12.5 -4.5 -2.5 -5.5 +3.5 -10.5 Tot
Aaron Rudnick Buf Cin Den Cle Pit Car Sea KC 4
Andrew Garda Buf LAR Pit NO Phi Dal Sea KC 3
Andy Hicks Buf LAR LV NE Ari Dal Sea KC 5
Ben Cummins Mia Cin Den Cle NE Sea KC 5
Bob Henry Cin Cle LAR NE Phi TB LAC KC 5
Clayton Gray Was Cle Car Phi TB Ari Sea GB 3
Dan Hindery Cin Hou LAR Pit SF TB Ari 6
Danny Tuccitto Cin Ind Phi TB Ari Sea Bal 2
Dave Kluge Was Buf LAR NE NO Phi Ari GB 4
Devin Knotts Was Mia Ind Phi Atl Ari LAC KC 1
Jason Wood Buf NE NO Phi TB Ari Sea GB 5
Jeff Bell Was Cin LAR Pit Phi Ari KC GB 0
Jeff Tefertiller Was Den Pit NE TB Ari Sea GB 4
Justin Howe Was Mia Cin Jac Hou LAR LV NYJ 6
Keith Overton Buf Cin LAR NO Phi Ari Dal KC 6
Keith Roberts Den Hou LAR NE Phi TB LAC KC 4
Matt Bitonti Den LAR NE Phi Ari Sea KC Det 5
Matt Carey Was Chi Hou Pit Car Atl LAC Bal 6
Phil Alexander Mia Cle Pit Car Phi Min Sea GB 4
Ryan Weisse Buf Cin Den LAR Car Ari Dal KC 3
Sean Settle Was Buf Den Hou LAR Car Phi LAC 0
Sigmund Bloom Mia LAR NE NO SF Ari Sea GB 0
William Grant Was Buf Cin LAR Pit Ari Dal KC 3

Consensus Winners

  • There are two teams who 14 staff members picked: the Rams over the Colts and Arizona over Minnesota.
  • There are two unanimous picks: Washington over the Giants and Seattle over Tennessee.

Toss-Up Games

  • There are three games with almost (or exactly) an even split in staff picks:
    • Houston (5 picks) at Cleveland (5 picks)
    • The Saints (5 picks) at the Panthers (6 picks)
    • Dallas (5 picks) at the Chargers (5 picks)

Odds and Ends

As always, the picks are due by Wednesday night. Most of the staff agree that picking this weekend's games on Wednesday night is very difficult because you don't have much information about injuries and practice. If your league allows you to pick the later games separate from the rest, take advantage of it and make your Sunday and Monday picks as close to the weekend as possible.

A reminder that these picks are against the Las Vegas lines – so getting above 50% is respectable, above 53% gets you into the profitable zone (accounting for the Las Vegas house odds of taking 10% of every losing wager) – and anything above 60% is outstanding. That may sound easy enough, but it is much, much harder than it might seem.

Good luck this weekend!

Photos provided by Imagn Images

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