Week 1 Picks Agains the Spread
N.F.L. Week 1 Predictions: Our Picks Confronting the Spread
Dueling Alabama quarterbacks and a rematch of January's Browns-Chiefs playoff game make for a compelling start to the regular season.
Here'south our NFL Calendar week 15 picks against the spread and predictions
It's back.
The N.F.L. regular flavour is upon us, with an additional 17th game for every team, and with some difficult-earned certitudes. From at present until Feb, the league volition try its darnedest to again complete its schedule without break — from Covid-xix, hurricanes, whatever — until Super Basin LVI can be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
What happens between at present and then, though, is upwardly to variables on and off the field. It's fair to assume that just a handful of contenders have a shot at a championship, simply what about as a week-to-week chaos agent? Well, that function could be filled by nearly any team. This week's matchups include playoff rematches, the debuts of rookie quarterbacks and the returns of star players from injuries.
Here'southward a look at Calendar week 1, with all picks made against the spread past a new columnist who takes over the duty for the 2021 season.
[Follow our live updates of Calendar week ane games.]
Dominicus'south All-time Games
Image
Cleveland Browns at Kansas Metropolis, 4:25 p.m., CBS
Line: Chiefs -vi | Total: 53
A rematch of last season's A.F.C. bounded playoff gives new players on Cleveland and Kansas City the opportunity to testify their value. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, a three-fourth dimension Pro Basin selection who is playing for his fourth team in iv years, will effort to pressure level Patrick Mahomes. Kansas Metropolis's upgraded offensive line — it has five new projected starters, including tackle Orlando Dark-brown and guard Joe Thuney — looks to prevent jarring hits like the i in last season'due south playoff game that sent Mahomes into the concussion protocol.
Odell Beckham Jr.'due south return from a genu injury will give Kansas Urban center'south defence another threat to account for. Just if Mahomes is well protected, information technology will exist risky to bet against him. Choice: Kansas Urban center -6
Greenish Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints (kinda), 4:25 p.m., Play a joke on
Line: Packers -4 | Total: l
Hurricane Ida's devastation in New Orleans caused this game to be relocated to Jacksonville, Fla., adding another disruption to teams whose off-seasons were total of them. The Packers and a disgruntled Aaron Rodgers finally settled their differences for peradventure one concluding endeavour at a Super Basin. The Saints, who have operated in Texas since late August, begin the post-Drew Brees era with Jameis Winston at quarterback. His test volition exist finding targets to carry the load of Michael Thomas, the team'south summit receiver who is out for six weeks later having foot surgery, in the off-season.
The Packers have had roster continuity and have non dealt with like logistical hurdles. Option: Packers -4
Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.chiliad., CBS
Line: Bills -six.5 | Total: 49
The Steelers deteriorated toward the end of terminal season while the Bills improved. Pittsburgh drafted Najee Harris in the first round to heave an abysmal rushing attack that netted only 3.6 yards an endeavour, ranking last in the league. Just quarterback Josh Allen's ascent into being one of the league's best players should keep with Buffalo's addition of wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to complement Stefon Diggs, who led the Due north.F.L. in receiving yards and catches terminal season. Bills fans should go their tables ready. Pick: Bills -6.5
Image
Arizona Cardinals at Tennessee Titans, i p.m., CBS
Line: Titans -2.five | Total: 52
Julio Jones. Derrick Henry. A.J. Brown. The Cardinals' defense force will exist the commencement unit of measurement to attempt to incorporate Tennessee'south new-look offense. Volition it focus on stopping Henry and pitter-patter defenders close to the line of scrimmage? Will it double-team Jones and leave Brown in homo coverage? Vice versa? Regardless of the strategy, Arizona volition exercise so with a young linebacker corps and questions at cornerback after Patrick Peterson departed in gratis agency and his replacement, Malcolm Butler, retired during training camp. Even with J.J. Watt now on the border, countering the Titans' assault volition be more the Cardinals can handle and so early in the season. Selection: Titans -ii.5
Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams, 8:xx p.grand., NBC
Line: Rams -7.5 | Full: 45.5
The Rams and the Bears added veteran quarterbacks in the off-flavour and received different receptions from their fans. Los Angeles fans embraced Matthew Stafford as their hope to reach the Super Bowl, while the Bears faithful called unsuccessfully for Andy Dalton to be benched for the rookie Justin Fields. Perhaps Coach Matt Nagy is showing Fields mercy as he starts Dalton confronting a Rams defense anchored by Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. That unit of measurement led the N.F.Fifty. in nearly every statistical category terminal season and, despite losing some free agents, at that place is enough talent to frustrate Dalton in prime number fourth dimension. Option: Rams -7.5
Seattle Seahawks at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.yard., Fox
Line: Seahawks -2.five| Total: 49.5
The Colts hoped new scenery would resurrect the 2017 version of Carson Wentz, who helped atomic number 82 the Eagles in the regular flavor on a run to a title. But a pes injury and a stint on the Covid list robbed him of valuable training campsite reps with his new teammates. He'll face a Seahawks defense force that surrendered the second-near passing yards in the league to opposing teams last season but that hopes linebacker Bobby Wagner and prophylactic Jamal Adams tin turn the unit of measurement into a more than consistent threat. (Adams's 9.5 sacks final season were the most ever past a defensive back.)
Seattle will lure opponents into trying to proceed up with the scoring footstep of Russell Wilson, D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, every bit it did last year. Wentz will be the beginning to discover out how much tougher that has get. Pick: Seahawks -2.5
Sunday'due south Other Games
Los Angeles Chargers at Washington Footballers, i p.thousand., CBS
Line: Chargers -one| Total: 44.5
Oddsmakers predict this volition be a tossup considering the Chargers enter this season equally an unknown under their new coach, Brandon Staley. On paper, the squad should improve with quarterback Justin Herbert, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Award winner; a remodeled offensive line; and the return of safe Derwin James. Just information technology may take time for the squad to fully grasp Staley'south system and for the offensive line to jell. Blocking Washington'southward laissez passer blitz, led by Hunt Young, last season's Defensive Rookie of the Twelvemonth Award winner, is a tough offset job. Pick: Washington +1
Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m., Fox
Line: Falcons -three.five | Total: 48
The Eagles placed their organized religion in Jalen Hurts when they traded Carson Wentz to the Colts, and selected his old Alabama teammate DeVonta Smith in the showtime round of the draft to boost a receiving corps often criticized for its lack of product. They'll bask going upwardly against a Falcons defense that immune the almost passing yards in the league last season.
Atlanta focused on improving its offense in the draft, selecting tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick, and it's possible that could carry the Falcons in this game. But it is likewise possible that Philadelphia can upset a team that is somewhere between rebuilding and contending. Pick: Eagles +three.5
Image
Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m., Fox
Line: Vikings -three | Full: 48
The Bengals elected to reunite quarterback Joe Couch with his Louisiana Land teammate receiver Ja'Marr Hunt in the draft rather than pick upwardly an offensive lineman to protect him as he returns from major knee surgery. Hunt caught only one of 5 targets in the preseason; the rookie attributed the drops to a lack of concentration. That alibi makes sense with Chase adjusting to playing once more after opting out of the 2020 college football flavor. Just his acclimation to the North.F.L. intensifies confronting a secondary which now includes cornerback Patrick Peterson, an 8-time Pro Bowl selection. Selection: Vikings -3
San Francisco 49ers at Detroit Lions, 1 p.thousand., Trick
Line: 49ers -7 | Full: 45
It'due south full rebuilding mode in Detroit, where the team's new double-decker, Dan Campbell, helms a defense that ranked terminal in yards allowed terminal season and volition endeavour to restore the conviction of Jared Goff, 26, a franchise quarterback the Rams sent packing in the off-season.
That fledgling experiment volition be provender for the 49ers' elite movement-based rush and a San Francisco defense sharpening its teeth after being wiped out by injuries concluding season. Omnibus Kyle Shanahan has elected to commencement Jimmy Garoppolo over the rookie Trey Lance, but either quarterback could win this 1. Selection: 49ers -7
Jets at Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m., CBS
Line: Panthers -5.5 | Total: 45
Sam Darnold gets an early on opportunity to show his old squad what he could have been with quality coaching and a consistent receiver. Rusher Christian McCaffrey is back after missing much of the 2020 season with various injuries, and Darnold has one of the league's nearly underrated receiving duos in D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson, who both posted 1,000 yards last flavour.
Zach Wilson, whom the Jets drafted with the No. 2 overall pick to replace Darnold, has his work cut out for him. Pick: Panthers -five.5
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots, four:25 p.m., CBS
Line: Patriots -3 | Full: 43.five
The Dolphins added receiving threats in Will Fuller V and Jaylen Waddle to help the second-yr quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's evolution as a downfield passer. But that may non exist evident in his first game this season against the Patriots, equally Double-decker Bill Belichick will surely utilize a plan to misfile the young passer.
Tagovailoa faces his successor at Alabama, Mac Jones, who so impressed the New England coaching staff with his ability to process information before and later the snap that they released Cam Newton at the terminate of camp. Jones will need to draw on that savvy against Miami's aggressive defense force. Pick: Patriots -3
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans, ane p.m., CBS
Line: Jaguars -2.5 | Total: 44.5
The Texans officially named the veteran journeyman Tyrod Taylor as their starting quarterback, relegating Deshaun Watson to the demote. Their cloudy quarterback situation directly contrasts with Jacksonville's. The Jaguars' optimism over Trevor Lawrence, the No. i overall option in the draft, is high. The fizz surrounding him and the starting time-twelvemonth N.F.Fifty. omnibus Urban Meyer should pick up even more than afterwards they face up a Houston defense that ranked 30th in yards allowed terminal season and got worse after releasing J.J. Watt. Selection: Jaguars -2.5
Denver Broncos at Giants, iv:25 p.thousand., Fox
Line: Broncos -three | Total: 42
The Giants' assessment of Daniel Jones as the franchise'due south future gets existent insight as he faces a Broncos defence force rife with talent. Linebacker Von Miller returns from an ankle injury that sidelined him final season, and his presence could disrupt Jones from finding new teammates like receiver Kenny Golladay and tight finish Kyle Rudolph. Those additions, along with the Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley's returning to the lineup, should help the third-year starting quarterback as the season progresses. But against the Broncos' defense, which should be on the field less because of the risk-averse play of Teddy Bridgewater, information technology may non be plenty. Selection: Broncos -3
Monday'south Matchup
Baltimore Ravens at Las Vegas Raiders, 8:15 p.m., ESPN & ABC
Line: Ravens -iv.5 | Total: 51
The Ravens lost depth at running back when the starter J.Thou. Dobbins and the reserve Justice Hill both sustained season-catastrophe injuries in training military camp. Only quarterback Lamar Jackson still commands respect as a runner and passer, and Monday provides him and the team an opportunity to showcase the development of their scheme with the addition of the veteran receiver Sammy Watkins. Las Vegas gave up 389 yards a game last season, ranking 25th in the league. The unit hopes to have improved under the new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue, only the Ravens' experience should give them an edge. Option: Ravens -four.5
Thursday's Game: Buccaneers 31, Cowboys 29
Image
We picked the Bucs -8, playing at home, expecting a shootout but anticipating that the Cowboys defense wouldn't be prepare to pin down a seasoned Tampa Bay crew that returned all 22 starters from their Super Basin win. What nosotros didn't look was Dallas'southward criminal offense to get all in on the pass, letting Dak Prescott rehab a strained shoulder musculus past … throwing for 403 yards.
Information technology took an eleven-play, 57-yard field goal drive in the game's terminal 1:22 for Tampa Bay to seal the win that would take gone the other manner if Cowboys kicker Greg Zuerlein had been able to connect on a 31-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter, ane of ii misses. All that to say, we knew Dallas was stacked, but figured the criminal offence would need more time to click. Timelines in Jerry's Globe don't work that way.
How Betting Lines Work
A quick primer for those who are not familiar with betting lines: Favorites are listed next to a negative number that represents how many points they must win by to encompass the spread. Baltimore -4.5, for example, means that Baltimore must beat Las Vegas past at least v points for its backers to win their bet. Gamblers tin too bet on the full score, or whether the teams' combined score in the game is over or nether a preselected number of points.
brooksyoultorbed86.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/09/sports/football/nfl-week-1-predictions.html
0 Response to "Week 1 Picks Agains the Spread"
Post a Comment