The NFL season is back! Early mornings, Scott Hanson, clearing out Monday calendars, the Chiefs winning, the Panthers losing and the pageantry of 16 football games.
Get excited with some thrilling Week 1 matches including the two top AFC teams meeting in Kansas City in the opener, the Packers and Eagles going at it in Brazil, an all-Florida clash when the Jags head to Miami to play for the Dolphins, a rivalry matchup when the Rams and Lions go at it years after swapping QBs and finishes off with Aaron Rodgers and the Jets meeting the mighty 49ers in San Francisco.
Arizona +6.5 (at Buffalo)
Week 1 underdogs of 6.5 or more are 27-13-1 against the spread while Josh Allen is 8-16-1 against the number when favoured by four or more.
Carolina +4 (at New Orleans)
Division road underdogs of 6.5 or fewer are 21-8-1 against the spread in Week 1 while the Saints’ Derek Carr covers at just 42.5% when favoured.
Washington +3.5 (at Tampa Bay)
The new regime is hoping to get off to a big start and they get a great spot with Week 1 road team that won between 4 and 6 games the year prior 52-21-5 against the spread.
Detroit -3.5 (v LA Rams)
Opening week home favourites against teams who were .500 or better cover at 64% while Jared Goff is 35-9 against the number the last three seasons when playing indoors.
Home division underdogs are 23-6 against the spread in Week 1 since 2009 and that has transferred to the straight up record with those home dogs 18-9-2 off the bat.
Under 41 Minnesota @ NY Giants
The under is 17-6-1 when Daniel Jones is playing at MetLife Stadium.
Under 40 Las Vegas @ LA Chargers
The under is 20-10 in Justin Herbert’s last 30 games and Jim Harbaugh was a big under coach during his last stint in the NFL.
Under 44 NY Jets @ San Francisco
Primetime unders are on a 79-48 run the last two seasons and both teams ean heavily the run.
Kansas City -3 (v Baltimore)
Opening week home favourites against teams that finished last season .500 or better cover at 64% making the Chiefs a nice play to kick off the season.
Green Bay +2 (v Philadelphia in Brazil)
Packers coach Matt LaFleur is 22-10 against the spread when listed as an underdog while Eagles QB Jalen Hurts hae covered just six of 21 when favoured away from Philadelphia.
Detroit -3.5 (v LA Rams)
Opening week home favourites against teams who were .500 or better cover at 64% while Jared Goff is 35-9 against the number the last three seasons when playing indoors.
NY Jets +4.5 (at San Francisco)
Super Bowl losers are 5-19-1 against the spread in Week 1 while Aaron Rodgers has won 10 straight Monday Night Football games.
The Colts are the best underdog play of the week while the Panthers and Cards are listed among the best bets. Big underdogs cover at nearly 68% in Week 1 so fancy the Pats line is too big.
Favourites of three or more with a worse record than their opponents cover at nearly 82% so the Chargers are a play. Dallas have failed to cover any of their last seven as an underdog and the Browns have won their last two openers. The Commanders are listed among the best plays.
Njoku finished last season with four touchdowns in his last four regular season games while Dallas ranked 9th in touchdowns caught by opponents.
These are the lead backs (or QB in the case of Josh Allen) against four bottom six run touchdown conceded teams from last season.
Goff topped 300 yards five times last season. Gibbs topped 54 yards nine times last year including four of five when getting 12 or more carriers. Robnson has five-plus targets in five of his last six games, topping 44 yards in all six.
Love hit 12 yards in six of his first seven starts last season. Jones has topped 24 yards in six of eight first month games across the last two seasons. Cousins went over this number in five of eight last year.