We are just a week away from the first regular-season game in the 2020 NFL season. There were no preseason games, and 66 of the NFL’s players have opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns, and the stands may be empty in a number of stadiums. Teams are not going to live in the sort of bubbles that have kept the NBA and NHL free of COVID-19 transmission during their postseasons, but the league is pushing forward, which means that sports betting enthusiasts have plenty of opportunities to put down money on an uncertain opening week.
Basically, the first couple weeks of the regular season will serve as the preseason, in terms of getting offenses on track. Expect low-scoring affairs as teams figure out their schemes.
Which NFL games should you bet on? Here are our picks for the top games of that week.
NFL Betting News:
Must-Bet Games in Week 1 for this 2020 Season
N.Y. Jets at Buffalo Bills
Bills -6½ | Total: 40
Sunday, September 13
The Jets finished 7-9 a year ago, which was overachieving. No game showed that overachievement more than their thrashing of Dallas in Week 4 (although that game also showed problems at work in the Cowboys’ system that would turn a 3-0 team into an 8-8 flop). Buffalo picked up Stefon Diggs at wide receiver via trade with Minnesota, and they added defensive end A.J. Epenesa in the draft to a defense that was already stout. They also picked up Zack Moss in the draft to give the team an infusion of youth at tailback.
The Jets did well in the draft, adding a needed offensive tackle in Mekhi Becton in the first round and picking up wideout Denzel Mims in the second round. It will take Mims some time to develop into an NFL wide receiver; he has raw speed and talent that he showed at Baylor, but he won’t be running crisp routes in Week 1. Given the difference in talent — and given that the game is in Buffalo, where the tailgate scene should be raucous even if the stands are empty or limited — I like Buffalo to win and cover.
Jets vs Bills | Check the Odds
Green Bay Pakers at Minnesota Vikings
Vikings -3 | Total: 46
Sunday, September 13
The Packers won both of the meetings between these two teams a year ago, ending a streak of five games in which the Vikings had gone 4-0-1 (two of those wins took place while Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was out with a broken collarbone). So we can expect the Vikings to come out with plenty of motivation.
The Packers’ run defense was absolutely gashed by San Francisco in the NFC Championship, and as a unit they ranked 23rd in run defense efficiency, according to Football Outsiders. So Vikings tailback Dalvin Cook should find plenty of room to run. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has an extremely mixed record in clutch situations, although he did deliver big-time in New Orleans in the NFC wild card game last year. When the Vikings are a home favorite under head coach Mike Zimmer in the first seven weeks of the season, they have covered in 12 of 16 games. The Packers, of course, still have Rodgers, but they didn’t do much to make their offense more dangerous. I like Minnesota to win and cover.
Pakers vs Vikings | Check the Odds
Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons
Seahawks -1 | Total: 49
Sunday, September 13
Since Dan Quinn left his job as Seattle’s defensive coordinator to take the head coaching job in Atlanta, the teams have met four times — and Seattle hasn’t covered in any of those games. However, this meeting should change that. With Russell Wilson at quarterback, the Seahawks have gone 40-30-1 straight up on the road and covered in 37 of those games (55.2%). The Seattle offense ranked fifth for DVOA according to Football Outsiders in 2019, while Atlanta ranked 15th. Since then, the Falcons lost wideout Mohamed Sanu and tight end Austin Hooper (although the Patriots just waived Sanu, so watch out for the Falcons getting him back). Both teams bolstered their defenses, but I like Seattle to win and cover.
Seahawks vs Falcons | Check the Odds
