Week 1 in the NFL is always hard to bet on. We have no trends to go on, no stats to look at except the ones from last year, and some players have changed teams — so we have no idea how that impacts their new team.
2020 brings even more challenges. With no preseason and very little video footage from camps, we have so little to go on, you are almost taking shots in the dark with some picks. I’m keeping my expectations in check for Week 1 and keeping my buy-ins low. Now my picks…
Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs (-9.5, 54)
Embed from Getty ImagesKansas City has better NFL odds for the first game of the season, however, the last time these two teams played the Chiefs won 51-to-31 after going down 21-0 in the first quarter. The Chiefs scored 51 points in three quarters and the over/under is only 54? I’m smashing the over.
Despite the expected blowout, I’m also taking the Texans plus the points as I see the Texans running the ball more with David Johnson in the mix, and that will keep the Chiefs offense off the field which should result in a much closer game.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Football Team (+6.5, 43)
The Washington Football Team has a better defense than I think people realize, and when you couple that with the injuries on the Eagles offensive line, having lost two starters for the season, I think this game is closer than the odds makers expect. Washington will run the ball, something they’ll be able to do on this defense, and then play good defense. Give me Washington plus the 6.5.
Tampa Bay Bucs @ New Orleans Saints (-3.5, 49)
This may be the most intriguing game in Week 1 with Tom Brady and the new-look Bucs going to New Orleans to face a Saints team that is by-and-large the same team as last year. One of these two teams will win this division, and this game could go a long way to deciding that, despite it being only Week 1. Both offenses figure to be pretty high powered with two of the most efficient QBs in the last two decades. This has 35-28 written all over it, give me the over in this game.
