Top NFL Week 1 Betting Picks, Odds & Predictions

As of now, the games for NFL Week 1 are more than set and have the latest betting odds. So there’s no excuse to not start gearing up for the kickoff of the 2017 season. It just seems like yesterday that the Atlanta Falcons were spending the last 25 minutes of Super Bowl LI melting down against the New England Patriots, blowing a lead in historic fashion while Bill Belichick and Tom Brady snuck away with yet another title. However, we’re not that far away from training camp — and members of the Dallas Cowboys are already in legal trouble, always a sign that we’re approaching the new football year.  Take a look at our recommendations for your NFL betting in the opening week of the season.

Top NFL Week 1 Betting Picks, Odds & Predictions

Football Is Coming. pic.twitter.com/MEnCnlgBfr

— NFL (@NFL) July 17, 2017

Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots

When: Thursday, September 7, 8:30 PM Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts TV: NBC Radio: 101 The FOX (Kansas City) / WBZ-FM 98.5 (New England) Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Week 1 Odds: Patriots -7½ The regular season opens with the Kansas City Chiefs heading to New England to take on the defending champions. Let’s see, though, we also have the Chiefs trying to apprentice rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes while also keeping allegedly elite signal-caller Alex Smith happy. Smith, the master of the check-off short passing game, is eminently easy to predict — and we know how well the Patriots do at feeding off other teams’ flaws. I see this game turning into a laugher as the Patriots open the season with a statement about the difference between their own level and that of the defending AFC West champions.

Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins

When: Sunday, September 10, 1:00 PM Where: FedExField, Maryland TV: FOX Radio: SportsRadio 94WIP (Philadelphia) / 980am (Washington) Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Week 1 Odds: Redskins -2½ Darren Sproles is still in Philadelphia, and Carson Wentz enters his second season wiser than a year ago. Kirk Cousins returns to lead the Redskins, but he no longer has DeSean Jackson streaking down the field. The Redskins have major problems on defense that the draft and free agency did not really solve, and while like Cousins’ ability to drive his team up and down the field, I’m not sure that the Redskins will have solved the puzzle of how to move the ball without Jackson. Give me the Eagles to cover.

Oakland Raiders at Tennessee Titans

When: Sunday, September 10, 1:00 PM Where: LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee TV: CBS Radio: 95.7 The GAME  (Oakland) / WGFX FM 104.5 (Tennessee) Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Week 1 Odds: Raiders -1 Marcus Mariota, DeMarco Murray and that Titans’ offensive line will be motivated to show that they are ready to compete in the AFC South. However, you can also bet that Derek Carr and the Raiders will be ready to get some redemption for that ugly postseason loss, when the Raiders had to start their third-string quarterback. Oakland was racing toward a bye in the AFC playoffs last year when Carr went down, while the Titans were still putting things together. Give me Oakland to open the season with a big statement.

Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers

When: Sunday, September 10, 4:25 PM Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California TV: FOX Radio: WBT 1110 AM (Carolina) / KSAN 107.7 FM (San Francisco) Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Week 1 Odds: Panthers -5½ Are the Panthers over that Super Bowl hangover that plagued them for most of the 2016 season? Are the 49ers ready to start yet another new coaching regime? Cam Newton has to be ripe for a statement game, and that porous San Francisco defense will make a terrific foil for him in the season’s opener. Blaine Gabbert, somehow, is still the startinq quarterback by the Bay, and I see Carolina making him run for his life all day long.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

When: Sunday, September 10, 8:30 PM Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas TV: NBC Radio: 101.9 FM  (NY) / 105.3 The Fan (Dallas) Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Week 1 Odds: Cowboys -5 The Giants beat the Cowboys TWICE last year. The Cowboys let five starters on defense get away in free agency, and they’re relying on the draft and injury rehab to make up the difference. David Irving will miss the first four games because of PED allegations. Ezekiel Elliott will likely have a suspension stemming from domestic violence allegations and/or an altercation this past weekend when he sent a Dallas-area bouncer to the hospital. So no, the Cowboys aren’t going to win their opener, and they certainly won’t cover. Give me Eli and the Giants in another season-opening laugher.

New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings

When: Monday, September 11, 7:10 PM Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota TV: ESPN Radio: WWL 105.3 FM (New Orleans) / KFXN-FM (Minnesota) Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Week 1 Odds: Vikings -3½ Despite the return of Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings (at least for now) plan to keep Sam Bradford at quarterback. He did lead the Vikings to a 5-0 start last year, but they still missed the playoffs once opponents figured out that Bradford couldn’t throw the ball down the field with any sort of consistency. In comes a New Orleans team that plays much more poorly on the road than they do in the Superdome, but led by a quarterback who has to be looking for some redemption after an awful 2016. I see the Viking defense doing just enough to eke out this win, but it will be close enough for the Saints to cover.