NFL Week 2 teaser: Falcons, Steelers
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The Washington Football Team won our Week 1 teaser outright, but the Indianapolis Colts couldn't pull through and cover the -1.5 despite racking up almost 450 offensive yards and not punting once in the entire game. Blasphemy.
Here's what we've got for Week 2:
Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys
Line: Falcons +4.5
Teaser line: Falcons +10.5
Week 2 is often a bloodbath for public bettors, who tend to overreact to Week 1 results. This game is a perfect example. The Falcons were dismantled on their home field by the Seahawks, while the Cowboys could very well have left Los Angeles with a win over the Rams had they not been jobbed by a brutal offensive pass interference call. Public perception couldn't be much lower on Atlanta, while it's typically always high on Dallas.
In truth, however, the Cowboys aren't terribly deep - despite a great roster - and their depth is about to be tested. Star linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, tight end Blake Jarwin, and tackle Cameron Erving were all placed on injured reserve Monday, joining key starters La'el Collins and Sean Lee.
Atlanta's impressive offense will have success moving the ball against a banged-up Cowboys defense, while Dallas will struggle somewhat in that regard due to injuries on the offensive line. We get a great line on the Falcons by including them in this teaser, crossing two key numbers in what will be a closer game than many are anticipating.
Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers
Line: Steelers -7
Teaser line: Steelers -1
One team that won't have any sympathy for the Cowboys is the Broncos, who are dealing with their own wealth of injuries. Corner A.J. Bouye is out for a few weeks, leaving the team to rely on the trio of Bryce Callahan, Michael Ojemudia, and Essang Bassey. Callahan missed all of last season, while Ojemudia and Bassey are both rookies. After shredding the Giants' secondary in Week 1, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be licking his chops ahead of his first home game since last September.
That dynamic will put a lot of pressure on the Broncos' offense, which is shorthanded with Courtland Sutton and Phillip Lindsay both nursing injuries. Denver can't afford any missing parts against a lights-out Pittsburgh defense that ranks among the league's top units.
Both of these teams are playing on short weeks, but this matchup is a tough ask for the Broncos, who have to travel across two time zones for an early start. The Steelers are 30-4 straight up at home under Mike Tomlin when favored by at least a touchdown, and they'll comfortably move to 2-0 against a shorthanded Denver team.
Full teaser: Falcons +10.5, Steelers -1 ($110 to win $100)
(Odds source: theScore Bet)
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.