2021 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 2

Las Vegas Raiders (1-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

Sunday, September 19, 1PM ET

It was rather impressive what both of these teams did in Week 1. Both required a comeback to get the W, but pulled it off in dominant fashion to avoid falling to 0-1 to start the year. Now who will keep the momentum rolling and who will tumble back to the middle of the pack?

I’m going with the Pittsburgh Steelers to get the job done at home. They’ve got a defense that just stopped Josh Allen in his tracks and an offense that can get going when they’re not faced with one of the best defenses in the league. Sounds like a recipe for success against a talented but flawed Las Vegas Raiders roster.

Derek Carr will be expected to sling it all game long, with Josh Jacobs seemingly nursing an injury. That’ll mean a surplus of opportunities for T.J. Watt to get after the quarterback. That’ll also mean at least a few sacks and maybe even a turnover or two. It’s going to take a herculean effort from Carr to get the win, and I’m not sure he has it in him.

Najee Harris finally gets going after a slow start to his rookie season, and Ben Roethlisberger does his usual thing. It’s not a monstrous offensive performance for the Steelers, but they muster more than enough points to win in the friendly confines of Heinz Field.

Prediction: Steelers win 33-24