From the point that the Week 1 betting lines come out in April to the point that the games kick off in September, there is a heck of a lot of time for spreads to move all over the place. There have been a few lines that have taken some wicked turns in this period of time for one reason or another, and these beg to be analyzed.
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Updated NFL Week 1 Betting Odds
(original lines in italics)
Chiefs at Patriots (-8/47.5) (-7/50)
Jets at Bills (-7/41.5) (-6/43)
Falcons at Bears (+6.5/51) (+5.5/50.5)
Jaguars at Texans (-5/40) (-4.5/42)
Eagles at Redskins (-1/47.5) (-2.5/48)
Cardinals at Lions (PK/48) (-2.5/49.5)
Raiders at Titans (-2/51.5) (PK/53.5)
Buccaneers at Dolphins (+2.5/45.5) (-2/48)
Ravens at Bengals (-2.5/42.5) (-1/44)
Steelers at Browns (+9/47) (+9.5/47.5)
Colts at Rams (+3/44.5) (+3.5/48)
Seahawks at Packers (-3.5/49.5) (-2.5/50.5)
Panthers at 49ers (+6/48.5) (+4/49)
Giants at Cowboys (-4/47.5) (-6/50.5)
Saints at Vikings (-3.5/48) (-4/48)
Chargers at Broncos (-3.5/43.5) (-3.5/44.5)
(Odds provided by BookMaker.eu)
NFL Week 1 Biggest Line Movements
Giants at Cowboys
Opening Spread: Dallas -6
Current Spread: Dallas -4
Arguably the biggest news of the entire offseason came in the form of Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension. We’re not all that sure as to whether he will or will not ultimately serve his time this year. Regardless, the bettors have been all over the Giants over the course of the entire offseason. Eli Manning and company do seem poised for another run at the Super Bowl this season, and Dallas is due for a tremendous setback after last season’s magical 13-win campaign. If Elliott isn’t able to play in this game, it’s going to be hard to see a ground game anywhere near as strong as it has been. Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris together don’t strike us as anywhere near as good as the former Ohio State Buckeye, and that could be crucial against the G-Men.
Buccaneers at Dolphins
Opening Spread: Dolphins -2
Current Spread: Buccaneers -2.5
Of the 32 projected starting quarterbacks in the NFL, the only one that suffered a catastrophic injury in the preseason was Ryan Tannehill. We ask ourselves whether the new signee, Jay Cutler is really that much worse than Tannehill; surely, he’s not 4.5-points worse. But let’s not forget that Jameis Winston looked awfully impressive over the course of the entire offseason and was under a huge microscope thanks to being on “Hard Knocks.” Add up the trust that bettors have in Winston with the distrust they have in Cutler, and it’s easy to see why Tampa Bay is going to be a road favorite in this contest after opening up as a short pup.
Raiders at Titans
Opening Spread: Pick ‘Em
Current Spread: Titans -2
The difference between Tennessee -2 and a pick ’em isn’t a lot, but that isn’t the point here. The most interesting part about this spread is that the early betting was all in the favor of the Raiders. Derek Carr is healthy and has at least looked serviceable in the preseason. But it’s almost like now that Marcus Mariota has proven to be healthy and at the top of his game again after his leg injury at the end of the season, that’s all the more reason to back the Titans. We aren’t sure which way this is going to go, but clearly, neither are the bettors. Could we see another swing back in the other direction to let Oakland end up as the favorite in this game? It’s entirely possible.
(You can find current NFL Week 1 odds on our odds comparison page)
