NFL Week 2 Underdog Report: The 'Ben Johnson Bowl' and more

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams went 21-of-35 for 210 yards and a score in his first game under Johnson. He made up for a subpar passing day with six rushes for 58 yards, 12 more than Detroit ran for as a team last week, and a touchdown. 

On paper, the Lions have more talent than the Bears. Still, they may need time to adjust to life without Johnson and former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who left to become head coach of the New York Jets, leaving Detroit vulnerable to its former OC.

Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts (+2.5)

The Colts beat the Dolphins by a score of 33-8 last week, largely due to the efforts of quarterback Daniel Jones. He surprised many by beating out Anthony Richardson Sr., the fourth pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, for the starting job. 

Jones finished last season with the Vikings after being released by the New York Giants and is now playing on a one-year, $14M contract with the Colts. So far, so good, as Jones accounted for all of Indianapolis' touchdowns, throwing one to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and running for two more against Miami.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix struggled in the Broncos' 20-12 win over the Tennessee Titans last week, throwing for just 176 yards on 40 attempts with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also rushed eight times for 18 yards, well below the 4.7 yards per carry average he posted as a rookie.

The Broncos earned a 31-13 victory against the Colts last year, but faced Richardson, who threw two interceptions and finished the game with a 36.3 quarterback rating. Indianapolis went 0-2 to start last season and is 15-15 against Denver all-time (including playoffs). It would like nothing more than to take the lead and start 2025 with a pair of upset victories over a pair of AFC teams.