After months of anticipation, the 2020 NFL season is finally here.
We’ve already watched Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs throttle Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans in the Thursday night season opener, and now we are now less than 24 hours away from the first full slate of NFL action of the year.
Heading into Sunday, here are my best bets (against the spread) for the remaining 15 games of Week 1.
Point spreads and totals courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of September 12, 2020.
Buffalo Bills (-6.5)
The Bills are one of the most hyped teams entering the season. While that can be a recipe for disaster, I just don’t see them losing to the Jets by less than seven points on Sunday — they are too talented.
On a similar note, If you can find a prop bet offering odds on the first head coach to be fired in 2020, I’d recommend placing a healthy wager on Adam Gase to be that man.
Pittsburgh Steelers (-5.5)
Big Ben is back, James Conner is healthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster is primed for a big season, and the Steelers are once again among the premier defensive teams in the National Football League. The Giants have some nice young pieces that I like, but they simply aren’t equipped to hang with this veteran Pittsburgh team.
Look for a double-digit Steelers win on Monday night.
Saints/Buccaneers over 48 points
This is a matchup I see coming down to the final possession of the game. While there is plenty to like about both defenses, the offensive firepower will steal the show here.
Look for the final score in this game to end up in the 28-24 range in either direction.
Patriots (-6.5)
No Tom Brady, no problem for the Patriots in this one. Brian Flores looks like a hell of a good coach, and the Dolphins have some nice building blocks in place. But in the end, Bill Belichick and his new quarterback, Cam Newton, should win their debut together by double digits.
Titans (-2)
I’d have a different opinion on this game if the Broncos were completely healthy. Unfortunately, Denver will be without Von Miller, Bradley Chubb will probably be limited, and Courtland Sutton is likely going to be a game-time decision. The Titans, on the other hand, will enter the game at almost full-strength and recently got substantially better with their signing of Jadeveon Clowney.
Look for a relatively low-scoring game with Tennessee winning by a touchdown.
Eagles (-5)
Yes, Washington is loaded up front on defense, and the Eagles have major question marks along their offensive line. Nonetheless, I don’t have much faith in Dwayne Haskins, and I see Carson Wentz doing just enough to lead his team to a season-opening win by a touchdown or more.
Browns/Ravens over 48 points
It’s hard to see the Browns winning this game, and the current spread is sitting on a number that I just don’t like. I do, however, think there will be plenty of offense, particularly for Baltimore, in this NFC North tilt.
I see the Ravens putting up a point total in the mid-to-upper-30s by themselves. As long as Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland offense look competent, this over should hit comfortably.
Raiders/Panthers over 47.5 points
Going into this game there are a lot of unknowns on the Panthers side. One area I feel confident in is their potential ability to score points on the Raiders’ defense. Likewise, the Raiders unquestionably got better this past offseason on the offensive side of the ball.
Look for the point total in this matchup to reach the upper-50s.
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