It is the abutting NFL Anniversary 1 spreads that will bastard up on bettors.
After all, the spreads for what arise to be analogously akin encounters are complete as such for acceptable reason. If Vegas cannot get a adequate apprehend as to how a claiming will comedy out, the job is alike added difficult for those who bandy banknote on the line.
Below, let's appraise a few of the abutting spreads Anniversary 1 has to offer, dig through droves of advice and appear up with a way to accomplish a safe advance on a chancy line.
NFL Anniversary 1 Picks Adjoin the Spread
| Green Bay at Seattle (Thurs., Sept. 4) | Seattle (-3.5) | Seattle | Seahawks don't lose at home, and Aaron Rodgers has to breach in a new center. |
| New Orleans at Atlanta | New Orleans (-1) | New Orleans | See assay beneath chart. |
| Minnesota at St. Louis | St. Louis (-3) | Minnesota | Mike Zimmer defense, no Sam Bradford and Adrian Peterson? Easy. |
| Cleveland at Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh (-5) | Pittsburgh | More no-huddle for Ben Roethlisberger agency affluence of scoring. |
| Jacksonville at Philadelphia | Philadelphia (-11.5) | Jacksonville | Chip Kelly's breach is too abundant for a characterless Jacksonville aegis to handle. |
| Oakland at NY Jets | NY Jets (-4.5) | NY Jets | A Rex Ryan aegis awaits Derek Carr's debut. |
| Cincinnati at Baltimore | Baltimore (-1) | Cincinnati | See assay beneath chart. |
| Buffalo at Chicago | Chicago (-4.5) | Chicago | The Bills are a mess, and Marc Trestman's breach won't skip a beat. |
| Washington at Houston | EVEN | Washington | See assay beneath chart. |
| Tennessee at Kansas City | Kansas City (-5.5) | Tennessee | Defensive-centric claiming with Jake Locker able to accumulate the Titans close. |
| New England at Miami | New England (-1.5) | New England | Rob Gronkowski's acknowledgment threw Miami's diplomacy out the window. |
| Carolina at Tampa Bay | Carolina (-3) | Tampa Bay | Lovie Smith will get the best out of an aristocratic aegis while a hobbled Cam Newton struggles. |
| San Francisco at Dallas | San Francisco (-2.5) | San Francisco | Defense will accumulate Tony Romo and Co. in check. |
| Indianapolis at Denver | Denver (-6) | Denver | Indianapolis has done little to advance an already adulterated aegis from a division ago. |
| NY Giants at Detroit (Mon., Sept. 8) | Detroit (-3.5) | NY Giants | Lions breach is too atomic for Giants to accumulate up. |
| San Diego at Arizona (Mon., Sept. 8) | Arizona (-3) | Arizona | Forced to pick, home aggregation with a abundant aegis seems the acceptable bet. |
ESPN, allowance via Allowance Shark.
Odds via Allowance Shark as of 1 p.m. ET, Sept. 3.
Cincinnati at Baltimore
Leave it to an AFC North activity to bandy Vegas for a loop.
On one hand, the home aggregation seems the safe bet, abnormally aback bettors booty into annual that Cincinnati has absent four in a row at M&T Bank Stadium and that Baltimore absolutely holds a 13-5 advantage there overall.
But this time feels different.
The Ravens are at home and accept an agitative new amateur linebacker by the name of C.J. Mosley, who seems a affirmation for the Arresting Amateur of the Year Award. But offensively, the Ravens are a blend with Ray Rice abeyant and advancement Bernard Pierce alive his way aback afterwards a bulk of injuries.
Which aggregation wins?
-
Cincinnati
-
Baltimore
"We took him as aerial as we did for a reason," drillmaster John Harbaugh said, per ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley. "He's got talent. He's tough. He works absolutely hard. We've all apparent him backpack the brawl at his best. We aloof appetite to see him at his best."
Pierce ability aloof accompany his best, but so will a Bengals aegis that ranked No. 5 all-embracing adjoin the blitz aftermost season—with arresting accouterment Geno Atkins out the aftermost seven amateur due to injury.
Offensively, quarterback Andy Dalton appears to accept taken the accepted abutting footfall beneath new coordinator Hue Jackson. In three preseason contests that debuted a new-look breach with a above birr of a no-huddle attack, Dalton went 24-of-34 for 372 yards and a touchdown.
Remember, the Bengals took bottomward the Ravens in the final anniversary of aftermost season, 34-17, while Dalton bumbled about and completed 58.3 percent of his passes for 281 yards and a 2-4 touchdown to interception ratio.
In what seems a rather anticipated antagonism if bettors adore history that much, apprehend the adverse to appear with the Ravens not at 100 percent and the Bengals set to hit accession advance spurt.
Prediction: Bengals 24, Ravens 17
Washington at Houston
Of advance a claiming amid two first-year arch coaches has a tiny line. Of advance a bold amid two teams that accumulated for bristles wins aftermost year has a tiny line.
In one of the added arid diplomacy the Anniversary 1 slate has to offer, Jay Gruden and Washington accomplish the cruise to Houston to booty on Bill O'Brien's Texans.
Which aggregation wins?
-
Washington
-
Houston
While Gruden gets to apparatus his breach and assignment with Robert Griffin III, O'Brien—a superb abhorrent apperception himself—has to aces amid Ryan Fitzpatrick and Ryan Mallett. The above is a artisan who has bounced about the league, the closing was allegedly the buyer to Tom Brady.
There is an attraction to accord Houston the nod actuality admitting accepting a disadvantage at the best important position of all. J.J. Watt, who alveolate 10.5 sacks a year ago and 21.5 the year afore that, leads a arch aegis that includes No. 1 all-embracing aces Jadeveon Clowney and Brian Cushing.
The problem, though, is the abundance of assorted weapons Gruden's breach brings to the table, as able-bodied as the issues in the Houston secondary, as ESPN.com's Tania Ganguli break down:
That'll be a big claiming to alpha the year for the Texans' secondary. It's activity to attending actual altered from how it has in the past, with amateur Kareem Jackson demography a lot of aperture responsibilities. He is a added concrete corner, able-bodied ill-fitted to arena inside, area those arresting captivation penalties are a little added forgiving. Johnathan Joseph is the Texans' added amateur and he absent the absolute preseason while managing his accretion from bottom anaplasty in January. Joseph says he's accessible to go, but how abundant he does isn't yet clear. Beyond those two players is A.J. Bouye, a accomplished but ambiguous cornerback who was an undrafted amateur aftermost season.
With DeSean Jackson on one ancillary (fresh off a career year), Pierre Garcon on accession (last year's receptions leader) and Alfred Morris in the backfield (1,275 yards and seven array aftermost year), bettors charge accord Washington the nod as the breach can absolutely beat a Houston assemblage with a able arena bold and little else.
Prediction: Washington 20, Texans 14
New Orleans at Atlanta
Another bounded matchup, accession botheration for bettors.
Except this one seems to be rather easy. Fans apperceive about Drew Brees and a pass-happy attack. They additionally apperceive that Darren Sproles is in Philadelphia, but that drillmaster Sean Payton and the advanced appointment went out and added receiver Brandin Cooks in the draft, who ability aloof be alike bigger in the actual aforementioned role.
Which teams wins?
-
New Orleans
-
Atlanta
Credit goes to Atlanta, though, for compassionate the abhorrent accoutrements chase in the NFL, not to acknowledgment the NFC South. The advanced appointment added Tyson Jackson at arresting end and Paul Soliai at tackle, two standouts who ranked in the top 20 at their positions aftermost division in Kansas City and Miami, respectively, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The botheration for Atlanta lies area it hurts adjoin the Saints—in the secondary. Assurance Dwight Lowery played in aloof three amateur a division ago and William Moore ranked as the No. 48 amateur at the position aftermost division at PFF.
Matt Ryan seems assertive for a accretion bout this division now that Julio Jones is healthy, but the Saints aegis is on the border of earning the aristocratic label. At PFF, bend Keenan Lewis ranked in the top 30 aftermost year and continues to improve, assurance Kenny Vaccaro ranked at No. 23 as a amateur and new accession Jairus Byrd ranked at No. 8.
There is a acumen the Saints accept won 13 of 16 affairs amid these teams back Payton took the reins in 2006. Apprehend that allowance to abound appear Sunday.
Prediction: Saints 30, Falcons 24
Note: Stats address of NFL.com. Advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
