Get ready to close out Week 2 in the NFL with a double dose of “Monday Night Football.” Just make sure to have your remote handy to toggle back and forth to catch all the action.
The first of three twin bills on the “Monday Night Football” schedule will kick off tonight when the Carolina Panthers host the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers square off against the Cleveland Browns. Though the two games will not begin simultaneously, they will overlap, leaving fans without a rooting interest to decide how to take in all the action.
USA TODAY Sports will have live coverage of each contest, so check back often throughout the night for all the latest:
What time is kickoff for ‘Monday Night Football’?
Saints vs. Panthers is set to kick off at 7:15 p.m. ET, while the Browns and Steelers will start things off at 8:15 p.m. ET.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
How can I watch Saints vs. Panthers and Browns vs. Steelers on ‘Monday Night Football’?
Saints vs. Panthers will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2, while Browns vs. Steelers can be seen on ABC and ESPN+.
Saints vs. Panthers odds
New Orleans enters the contest as 3-point favorites, according to BetMGM.
Saints vs. Panthers predictions
Lorenzo Reyes: Panthers 18, Saints 17
The reason why I like the Panthers here is their pass rush. The Saints gave up four sacks and Carolina sacked Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder four times. Bryce Young is still learning, but if he limits turnovers he will give the Panthers a shot here. Still, I think there are better plays out there.
Tyler Dragon: Saints 24, Panthers 17
Rookie Bryce Young was shaky in his NFL regular-season debut. Derek Carr was steady in his Saints debut. The Saints have a better defense and a better collection of skill players on offense even without the suspended Alvin Kamara.
Victoria Hernandez: Saints 17, Panthers 10
Bryce Young will feel more comfortable at home and will have learned a lot from his NFL debut. But the Saints are more experienced and last week proved they have gelled enough to get a win.
Jordan Mendoza: Saints 27, Panthers 23
Derek Carr looks comfortable in his new home, and the defense takes advantage of Bryce Young trying to find his footing in the NFL.
Browns vs. Steelers odds
Cleveland is 2.5-point favorites on the road at Pittsburgh, according to BetMGM.
Browns vs. Steelers predictions
Lorenzo Reyes: Steelers 21, Browns 20
Pittsburgh was arguably the worst letdown of Week 1 after a positive offseason. I think the Steelers will be much better and will bounce back. Cleveland was impressive in its opener against the Bengals, but I still think the Browns are vulnerable on offense. Look for Kenny Pickett to get George Pickens involved much earlier.
Tyler Dragon: Saints 24, Panthers 17
Rookie Bryce Young was shaky in his NFL regular-season debut. Derek Carr was steady in his Saints debut. The Saints have a better defense and a better collection of skill players on offense even without the suspended Alvin Kamara.
Victoria Hernandez: Browns 21, Steelers 17
Both teams surprised in Week 1, for quite opposite reasons. I expect the Steelers to show a little more life than their embarrassing season opener, but Cleveland’s confidence will lead them to win on the road.
Jordan Mendoza: Browns 20, Steelers 16
The Browns defense didn’t let the Bengals breathe in a dominant win, while Pittsburgh was overpowered by San Francisco. Riding the momentum, Cleveland gets another divisional win thanks to its defense wrecking havoc.
New ‘Monday Night Football’ anthem will introduce theme song
ESPN is debuting a new “Monday Night Football” anthem that will lead into broadcasts, starting with the Week 2 twin bill.
Chris Stapleton, Snoop Dogg and drummer Cindy Blackman Santana cover Phil Collins’ classic song “In The Air Tonight” in an abbreviated version that will take viewers into the game’s open with announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
Stapleton croons while Snoop inserts football-centric rap verses. Blackman Santana delivers the iconic drum solo that fuels the anticipation for that evening’s games.
The artists, and the song, were chosen in light of ESPN’s creative content team’s focus-group research that revealed the “MNF” brand contains a level of nostalgia dating back to the era in which announcer Howard Cosell called the games.
For more, read Chris Bumbaca’s full story on the project.
Odds for ‘Monday Night Football’ games
Highlighting Monday Night Football odds, the New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns are among the best bets for NFL Week 2 in twin-pronged MNF action. The Saints are favored by 3 points over the Carolina Panthers, while the Browns are favored by 2.5 over the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Both favorites are the road team. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023.
According to the top NFL betting apps, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson might not have the best NFL MVP betting odds in 2023, but he is rising. Neither of these teams are among those with the best early Super Bowl betting odds, but the season is young.
Still, a few of these teams are among the most popular NFL future bets with young quarterbacks such as Bryce Young (Carolina) and Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh) in tow.
Not interested in these games? Our guide to the NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds, Sunday Night Football odds and/or Monday Night Football odds.
If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place bet online. And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. — Richard Morin
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