The NFL recently released its 2021 regular season schedule and top-rated online sportsbooks such as BetOnline were quick to post a complete set of betting lines for the Week 1 slate of games. This gives bettors plenty of time to place a few bets on the games.
In the past, it was common to find a posted point spread for the first round of games in the new season. This time around, BetOnline has gone one-step further with totals and money lines for all 16 games. This opens up quite a bit of opportunity to find the best value in the numbers.
Thursday’s Season Opener
Staying with tradition, the first game of the new NFL season features the reigning Super Bowl Champions playing at home on the debut of Thursday Night Football. The Dallas Cowboys will get the nod as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ opening day opponent.
Tampa Bay has been opened as a six-point home favorite for the 8:20 p.m. (ET) start on Thursday, Sept. 9. The total has been set at 51.5 points with the Buccaneers also listed as -285 favorites on the money line. The Cowboys are +240 road underdogs.
Dallas expects to have Dak Prescott back at quarterback after missing most of last season due to injury. It is also the favorite to win the NFC East this season coming off a disappointing 6-10 record in 2020.
All the pressure is on the Cowboys in this matchup given the high expectations for the upcoming season. This adds some value to Tampa Bay laying only six points as the defending champs.
Week 1 Division Showdown
Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans combined for just five total wins last season, their AFC South matchup in Week 1 should draw some extra attention from the betting public.
Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence should make his NFL debut at quarterback after becoming the first overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. This will also be Urban Myers’ NFL debut as the team’s new head coach.
The Jaguars get the early nod as 2.5-point road favorites against Houston. The total line is 45 ½ points with Jacksonville set as a -155 favorite on the money line. The betting odds for the
Texans are set at +135.
The big question in this divisional clash is Deshaun Watson’s status as Houston’s starting quarterback? Even if he does start this game, the distraction of his trade request and off-field personal issues will be a major team distraction for the Texans.
Week 1 Upset Special
The Cleveland Browns went 11-5 last season in the AFC North to earn a wild card berth in the playoffs. They will open this season on the road as six-point underdogs against the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs. The total is set at 52.5 points with +210 money line odds for Cleveland and -250 odds for the Chiefs.
Kansas City is going to once again win its fair share of games after going 14-2 in 2020. However, Cleveland could be the team to watch in the race to this season’s conference championship.
Both Baltimore and Pittsburgh might take a step backward to clear the path to the division title. Baker Mayfield appears poised to take another step forward as the Browns’ franchise quarterback and he will be surrounded by even more talent this time around.
From a motivational standpoint, this matchup leans towards Cleveland to, at the very least, keep this game closer than six points.
