“Pick ‘Em or Kick ‘Em”™: FGT VS. Urban Sports Scene 2024 Week 2 NFL Picks

September 12, 2024

By the Football Garbage Time Staff

If you followed last year, you won over 60% of your picks, and we aim to do even better this year.

And if you’ve been following us, you know that we here at Football Garbage Time have gone head-to-head against Wally, Will and Ray at Urban Sports Scene on our NFL Picks for the last 7 seasons. Why? Because they’re awesome competitors, they KNOW their sports, and, heck, they’re just good guys! This year we’ll have their picks up right HERE, so keep it tuned in, to both us and them, because we’ll be picking all season all long.

Without further to do, here we go:

Week 1 Games

Ha Kung Wong’s Picks

Ha Kung’s Thoughts:

After a 64.7% record three seasons ago, and 63.3% (178-103) two seasons ago, I ended up with 63.4% (180-104) last season. So that’s nine years in a row with over a 60% pick rate. I also had 85% right for Locks of the Week (17-3) and 42.1% for Upsets of the Week (8-11), so not only did I beat my 2022 percentages for both Locks and Upsets, but I have nine years in a row of Locks being over 70%.

I started out in Week 1 going 13-3 (81.2%), missing my lock of the week (along with 43% of Yahoo eliminator pool participants) but hit on my upset of the week.

Let’s get to that Lock (for Survivor Leagues) and Upset for Week 2…

Lock of the Week ➡ Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5) over Carolina Panthers

It’s not like the Chargers blew the doors off in Week 1, but they looked much better than I thought they’d be, getting rookie Ladd McConkey involved (5 of 7 for 39 yards and TD) as well as J.K. Dobbins (135 rush yards and a TD), while limiting an underwhelming Raiders offense to just 10 points. Well, guess what? The Chargers get to face an even more underwhelming offense this weekend in the Carolina Panthers who only managed 193 total yards, converting only one 3rd down. I have zero faith in the Panthers, so I like the Chargers as the lock of the week.

Upset of the Week ➡ Buffalo Bills (+2.5) over Miami Dolphins

I honestly went back and forth on this one for a while, but ultimately, Raheem Mostert being ruled out and De’Von Achane being limited pushed me towards the Bills and the upset. Josh Allen did Josh Allen things in Week 1 tallying 2 TDs through the air and 2 TDs on the ground. Turns out, he doesn’t need any name receivers to be good, but Khalil Shakir and rookie Keon Coleman filled in nicely on top of a balanced ground game around James Cook, who totaled over 100 yards from scrimmage. The Dolphins weren’t bad either, as Tyreek Hill managed to unsurprisingly score an 80-yard TD, and Achane dominated in the short passing game. Being in Miami might tip slightly in favor of the Dolphins, but missing their two top backs (or at best having only one of them at less than 100%) probably will be the difference. I like the potential upset here.

Joanne Kong’s Picks

Scott King’s Picks

Wole’s Picks

Wole’s Thoughts:

Check out Wole’s thoughts on his picks in the recent Urban Sports Scene Podcast!

@UrbanSports_Ray and @Wole_USS are making our NFL Week 2 picks, now (or on the YouTube stream (https://t.co/ecLYtLHRvJ). You can also check them out on the @FBGarbageTime website now as well. #nflpicks @Sports4all41 @NFLFantasy_More @RyanWhitfieldNE @kongfu4u @temptherat https://t.co/47ImkqLIuK

— Wole (@Wole_USS) September 12, 2024

Ray’s Picks

Ray’s Thoughts:

Week 2 Cousins bounces back and the Vikings are legit!

Check out more of Ray’s thoughts on his picks in the most recent Urban Sports Scene Podcast!

Will’s Picks

Coming Soon!

Will’s Thoughts:

Check out Will’s thoughts on his picks in the most recent Urban Sports Scene Podcast!

Ryan’s Picks

Coming Soon!

George’s Picks

George’s Thoughts:

You can’t overreact to week 1 but some performances require serious reassessments.

I thought a full camp and preseason would get DeShaun Watson back to being a serviceable NFL QB. But he looks cooked and so do the Browns. Jacksonville fumbled the win away in Miami but it was a good performance overall. Take the Jaguars.
Wasn’t sure where the Cardinals would sit but I liked their performance as much or than the Rams performance at the Lions. Arizona wins by wearing down that Los Angeles front with James Connor and Kyler Murray.

The other thing to do in week 2 is bet against who you can’t trust in a close game. And even with Jordan Love out I don’t trust Anthony Richardson more than I don’t trust the Matt Lafleur to scheme an offense for Malik Willis. Take the Packers.

And with very low confidence I’ll take the Commanders against their kryptonite, Daniel Jones and the Giants.