TITANS at GIANTS

1 p.m., Giants by 2 ½, 39 ½

HANK’S HONEYS: Jameis Winston will be better than last week when he was totally unprepared to play quarterback at any level above Pop Warner. Nevertheless, if the Giants are going to cover, they are going to have to get something out of their running game, a lot more than the 36 yards human bowling ball Cam Skattebo gained against the Rams’ stacked fronts. Not only will the Titans put extra people in the box but they have Jeffery Simmons in the middle of that front. Brian Daboll returns as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator and he’s done a few things with Cam Ward that have worked. Either way, it’s a slog. Take the under.

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Titans and the under.

JETS at LIONS

1 p.m., Lions by 6 ½, 48

HANK’S HONEYS: Aaron Glenn returns to the Motor City and, ironically, it’s his old defense that could make the difference here. The Lions D was utterly embarrassed by the Bills in Buffalo after collapsing late against the Saints in Week 1. But this is a Jets offense they can handle, especially after being challenged by Dan Campbell for 10 days. The “same old Jets” talk resurfaced after their fourth quarter collapse last week. We don’t think that’s the case but, if either team is going to bounce back, it’s the one that’s accustomed to doing so. Since 2023, the Lions are 12-3 ATS following a loss.

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Lions and the under.

CHIEFS at DOLPHINS

1 p.m., Chiefs by 11 ½, 46

HANK’S HONEYS: Trap game in tropical heat, a bit of a short week following an exhausting OT win. The Chiefs have their challenges in Miami but do we have any choice but to fade the woefully outmatched Dolphins every week? It is their home opener after two games out west but they have demonstrated no ability to stop a high-powered offense or to muster up a decent drive. The K.C. run defense tightened up somewhat against Jonathan Taylor last week and should be able to contain De’Von Achane, Miami’s only legitimate weapon. There’s always the threat of a back door cover, is Malik Willis going to play catchup against Patrick Mahomes?

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Chiefs and the under.

SEAHAWKS at COMMANDERS

1 p.m., Seahawks by 7 ½, 40 ½

HANK’S HONEYS: It’s a tough travel spot for the Seahawks, a second straight game on the road cross country. It’s also a flat spot against a team they can take lightly with a tough stretch of schedule coming up. The Commanders will be desperate in their home opener after dropping two divisional games on the road and Dan Quinn’s game plan will be to keep this close. Full marks to Seattle’s defense but Marcus Mariota is a capable backup quarterback who can dink and dunk with the best of them, keeping the Commanders in the game. The line is bloated, an overreaction to the Jayden Daniels’ injury and last week’s blowouts. The value is on Washington.

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Commanders and the under.

PANTHERS at BROWNS

1 p.m., Panthers by 2 ½, 43

HANK’S HONEYS: For some reason, mostly because of how their defense played in Tampa, there is a lot of love for the Brownies this week. But one must ask oneself: are the Browns going to win two games in a row? Moreover, is Deshaun Watson going to win two games in a row? He’s going to have to outduel Bryce Young, who has shown major signs of development so far under Dave Canales. Yes, the Browns can play a little defense, especially at home. But of the two QBs, Watson is likely to turn the ball over more and a couple of extra possessions would allow Carolina to cover the modest number.

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Panthers and the under.

BENGALS at STEELERS

1 p.m., Bengals by 3 ½, 42 ½

HANK’S HONEYS: We’re going to keep hitting the under on the Steelers as Aaron Rodgers keeps running around with a piano on his back. The Cincy D looks a lot better than advertised and we don’t see the Steelers doing much scoring. But it’s the Steelers’ defense, particularly T.J. Watt, that provides the rationale for grabbing the hook here. Forget which teams are playing. Anytime an AFC North team is getting more than a FG at home, it’s worth considering. Joe Burrow was sacked five times and hit another five by the Texans’ front in Houston. True, Burrow was cooking with Ja’Marr Chase but the Steelers are hopeful Joey Porter Jr. can return to lock up with Chase this week.

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Steelers and the under.

TEXANS at COLTS

1 p.m., Texans by 2 ½, 42 ½

HANK’S HONEYS: The Texans aren’t an 0-2 team and they almost certainly won’t be an 0-3 team. Hitting the road may actually be a good thing for them, a bit of a fresh start. Defense, as they say, always travels and this will be the Texans’ chance to unleash theirs after two tough QB matchups against Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. If their inspired pass rush is as good as it was a week ago, it’s going to be a long day for Daniel Jones, whose mobility is still constrained coming off last year’s Achilles injury. This poor-tackling defense has allowed more than 500 yards in both games. The Colts have lost their last five home games ATS and last nine overall.

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Texans and the over.

VIKINGS at BUCS

4:05 p.m., Vikings by 1 ½, 43

HANK’S HONEYS: Mistake-prone Baker Mayfield had mixed results against the Browns’ blitz last week and nobody blitzes more than the Vikings. Mayfield has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long, a no-no against Brian Flores’ disguised coverage schemes. Meanwhile, Kyler Murray’s return gives the Vikings a boost against a Bucs defense that has had problems getting off the field. The Vikes have navigated through the troubled waters of Murray’s absence to two wins and his running ability adds another dimension.

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Vikings and the under.

RAMS at BRONCOS

8:20 p.m., Rams by 2 ½, 45

HANK’S HONEYS: The travel schedule has been brutal for the Rams. The game in Australia was a joke and now they are on a short week in altitude favored against a very good Broncos team. The Giants were moving the ball before Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers left the game and the Rams essentially played against a one-dimensional team the rest of the way. The Broncos, meanwhile, scored 17 unanswered to finish out their impressive win over the Jaguars with their top tier defense shutting down Trevor Lawrence. Mattthew Stafford may still be without Puka Nacua and Davante Adams will not be going up against inexperienced DBs.

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Broncos and the under.

EAGLES at BEARS

Monday, 8:15 p.m., Eagles by 4 ½, 41.5

HANK’S HONEYS: The Bears were a 1 ½-point favorite before Caleb Williams suffered the most painful hamstring injury in the history of football and this much of a swing just isn’t justified. The Bears have an extra day to get Tyson Bagent, a capable backup, through concussion protocol and if he can’t go, Case Keenum can still manage the game with the Bears’ ability to run the football. The Eagles are just 24th defending the run with missed tackles and leaky run fits an issue. Philly is 0-2 ATS after squeaking out wins over the Commanders and Titans. Saquon Barkley is nursing a stinger sustained last week so the Eagles aren’t fully healthy either.

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Bears and the over.

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LOOK BUT DON’T TOUCH
PATRIOTS at JAGUARS

1 p.m., Jags by 2 ½, 45 ½

HANK’S HONEYS: The Patriots’ defense is legit and comparable to the Broncos’ D that the Jaguars found so difficult last week. Coming off an altitude game can be just as difficult as playing in it and that’s where the Jaguars find themselves this week. On the other hand, there are red flags for the Pats as well, playing in the Florida heat after two emotional games — a Super Bowl rematch and a home opener — while looking ahead to their showdown with the Bills next week. Drake Maye hasn’t been sharp at all and he’ll be facing a fired-up Jags defense.

CAN’T HELP YOURSELF?: Jaguars and the over.

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BEST OF THE REST

CHARGERS at BILLS; 1 p.m., Bills by 7 ½, 50

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Chargers and the over.

CARDINALS at 49ERS; 4:05 p.m., 49ers by 8 ½, 47 ½

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: 49ers and the over.

RAVENS vs COWBOYS in RIO DE JANEIRO; 4:25 p.m., Ravens by 3 ½, 52 ½

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Ravens and the over.

RAIDERS at SAINTS; 4:25 p.m., Saints by 3 ½, 44

IF I WERE A BETTING MAN: Saints and the over.

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WEEK’S BEST BET: Texans. The turnaround starts here.

LAST WEEK: 9-7, 8-8 OVER/UNDER

OVERALL: 21-11, 17-15 OVER/UNDER

BEST BETS: 0-2