Week 1 NFL Lines
Week 1 of the 2015 NFL season kicks off in about 24 hours. Stay tuned for five months of high drama, crushing disappointment, and eye-opening surprises. In other words, pro football is back! The opening act of any new season is often a bit tricky to handicap. Oddsmakers lean on offseason moves, preseason performances, and injury reports to make an educated guess as to which teams are tracking to be the teams to beat, and which ones will be punching bags for the rest of the league. That said, only two matchups carry a spread larger than 6 points, so there will definitely be a feeling out period for most of the 32 teams. Here’s an early look at the Week 1 betting lines.
Green Bay at Chicago +7 – The Bears look abysmal. Alshon Jeffery might not go, and the “rebuilt” defense is sure to collapse like a house of cards at the hands of Aaron Rodgers. The Pack outscored the Bears 93-31 in 2014. Even without Jordy Nelson and a banged up Randall Cobb, expect the road favorites to easily cover.
Indianapolis at Buffalo +3 – This has the makings of an upset. How a suspect Colts defense deals with Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor could be the difference. The Buffalo secondary ranked first in touchdowns allowed in 2014, so Andrew Luck could be in for a long afternoon, especially if his shaky offensive line is abused by a stout Bills front three.
Miami at Washington +4 – If the Dolphins are going to advance above mediocre, they must not only win this game, but win comfortably. Ryan Tannehill is gradually morphing into a reliable franchise signal-caller, and free-agent prize Ndamukong Suh should invade Kirk Cousins’ nightmares before halftime. Miami’s secondary can be exploited, so DeSean Jackson has a chance to make some noise, if he’s healthy.
New Orleans at Arizona -2.5 – With an over/under of 48, this sets up to be a scoring bonanza. Will the Saints really utilize a ground-and-pound attack? Or does Sean Payton unleash Brandin Cooks on a secondary that ranked 29th in yards allowed in 2014? With Carson Palmer back, the ‘Zona offense should be potent as long as the offensive line holds up.
Tennessee at Tampa Bay -3 – Battle of the top two 2015 draft picks. Jameis Winston looked green in the preseason, while Marcus Mariota was very polished. The Bucs clearly have more weapons on offense, although Mike Evans might not suit up due to a hamstring strain.
Baltimore at Denver -4.5 – The last time Baltimore paid a visit to Mile High Stadium was in Week 1 of the 2013 campaign. Peyton Manning launched 7 touchdowns in a blowout victory that set the tone for a dominating Super Bowl run. Denver has a new coaching staff that is preaching more offensive balance, but as long as Peyton is under center, this will be a throw first attack.
NY Giants at Dallas -6 – The Giants defense and offensive line resemble triage units. Odell Beckham Jr. will get his, but the Romo-Bryant connection is poised to inflict serious damage even if the uncertain backfield flops. These NFC East tussles have a tendency to be back-and-forth affairs.
