NFL Week 2 ‘Monday Night Football’ game picks and predictions

Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season wraps up tonight with a doubleheader featuring two rivalry games: the Saints (1-0) against the Panthers (0-1) and the Browns (1-0) against the Steelers (0-1). Read on for our picks and predictions.

The second week of the 2023 NFL season is nearly over, and it ended up even spicier than Week 1. It was a weekend of comebacks, as the New York Giants (1-1) pulled off an epic 21-point rally against the Arizona Cardinals (0-2), the Washington Commanders (2-0) rallied from a big deficit in the second half against the Denver Broncos (0-2), and our Atlanta Falcons (2-0) shocked the Green Bay Packers (1-1) with a 12-point fourth-quarter rally.

We’ve got a rare Monday Night Football doubleheader on tap this week, and Falcons fans will definitely want to watch at least one of these games closely. That’s because the early game features a clash between the hated New Orleans Saints (1-0) and Carolina Panthers (0-1) in a game that could have long-term implications. Later in the evening, we’ve got another divisional game between the Cleveland Browns (1-0) and Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1).

Let’s get right to tonight’s pick, which I’ll be making on a straight moneyline (aka picking the winner) basis. I’ll still provide the information on the spread and over/under, for those interested. At the bottom, I’ll show the rest of the staff’s picks for the game.

All odds are taken from DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change. See the current odds here.

Monday Night Football early: New Orleans Saints (1-0) at Carolina Panthers (0-1)

The pick: Saints (-155)

Spread: Saints -3 | Over/Under: 39.5 | Moneyline: Saints -155, Panthers +140

The other half of the NFC South faces itself to kick off Monday Night Football, as the Panthers look to rebound from their loss to the Falcons in Week 1 and the Saints look to stay undefeated after escaping a close game against the Titans. My honest opinion is that the Saints are extremely mid and the Panthers, while potentially spicy, just aren’t talented enough to compete this season. As much as I’d love to see Carolina hand New Orleans an L on national television, I think the Saints find a way to win.

Monday Night Football late: Cleveland Browns (1-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)

The pick: Steelers (+105)

Spread: Browns -2 | Over/Under: 39 | Moneyline: Browns -130, Steelers +105

Another divisional matchup is on deck later this evening, as two hated NFC North rivals clash. The Steelers are fresh off a shellacking at the hands of the 49ers, while the Browns dominated the flailing Bengals in Week 1. This one is tough to predict, but I think the Steelers find a way to bounce back in primetime against a good but flawed Cleveland team.

Staff picks

What are your picks and predictions for tonight’s Monday Night Football matchup?

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.