It’s never to early to talk NFL and the lines for the opening week. After the NFL schedule was released last week, we now could make lines for week number one. Here are a few of the plays that have caught my eye to start the season.
Week 1
Best Bets
Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs -10
Thursday, September 10
The season opener has the defending champs (Kansas City Chiefs) a double-digit favorite (-10) against Bill O’Brien’s Houston Texans. This is a rematch of the divisional playoff game in which the Chiefs staked the Texans a 24-point lead only to see the Chiefs come back is resounding fashion winning the game by a score of 51-31. Everything points to taking Kansas City here since they will be getting their rings for winning the Super Bowl, Mahomes is a flatout superstar, they still have plenty of weapons on offense and the Texans traded DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason to Arizona. It all seems too good for the Chiefs and when that happens, I like to go the other way and that is what I’m doing in this spot. I have to take ten points in the opening game of the season with a team that was in the playoffs a season ago.
Texans +10
27 Chiefs
21 Texans
Sunday, September 13
New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills -5.5
The Bills will be on television plenty this season as they are coming off a fantastic season that got them a wildcard entry. Quarterback Josh Allen has outshined his counterpart Sam Darnold in the two years both have been in the league. The Bills went out and got wide receiver Stefon Diggs from the Vikings to help make Allen now with Tom Brady gone from the AFC East, the best QB in the division. The Jets offense still doesn’t do it for me, and the Bills are a much safer wager here.
Bills -5.5
23 Buffalo Bills
13 New York Jets
Las Vegas Raiders -1 @ Carolina Panthers
The Raiders could be looking ahead to opening their new stadium in their new city the week after on Sunday night against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Newly acquired QB Teddy Bridgewater hopes to get the Panthers back on a winning path. All-pro running back Christian McCaffrey will lead the way for Carolina against an average Raiders defense.
Panthers +1
26 Carolina Panthers
20 Las Vegas Raiders
Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers -8
Cards quarterback Kyler Murray has a special rookie season with 20 touchdowns, 3700 yards passing and 500 yards rushing. He’s hoping his sophomore season is even better with the acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins from Houston. San Francisco is laying more than a touchdown and against this Arizona offense it might prove to be to much.
Cardinals +8
27 San Francisco 49ers
24 Arizona Cardinals
Monday, September 14
Seven Point Monday Night Teaser
Pittsburgh Steelers -3.5 @ New York Giants
Tennessee Titans @ Denver Broncos -2.5
Seven Point Teaser
Steelers +3.5
Titans +9.5
This game will mark the return of “Big Ben” to the Steelers and on a teaser, you can get Pittsburgh with 3.5, so if the Giants and Saquon Barkley can somehow win by a field goal, you still win by the hook. The Titans resigned quarterback Ryan Tanneyhill in the offseason, and I’ll take 9.5 points anytime when Derrick Henry is my running back.
20 Pittsburgh Steelers
17 New York Giants
23 Denver Broncos
17 Tennessee Titans
Good luck everyone!!!
Football can’t get here fast enough!!!
