NFL Preseason Week 1: Odds & Betting Preview
After months of hibernating and surviving with no football, things get amped up with the arrival of the NFL preseason. Fans got a taste of professional football last week with the Hall of Fame Game, but every team in the league is set to show off new players, new coaches and a new playbook in Week 1 of the NFL preseason with the first games of the betting week starting on Thursday, August 7. The play of the Detroit Lions in the HOF game is what some might expect during the exhibition slate. With a lineup consisting of mostly players further down the depth chart, Detroit committed five turnovers and was throttled by the Chargers, 34-7. Of course all games won’t be that bad, but expect a lot of players that are unlikely to make an opening day roster to take plenty of snaps.
NFL Preseason Week 1 Preview
Most fans likely don’t care that future practice squad players will see plenty of action in Week 1 preseason games. That could be a benefit to bettors, who are always looking to gain an advantage over oddsmakers and sportsbooks. There is no standard manual on how to play during the preseason and with so many unknowns getting an edge is critical. The typical NFL betting odds point spread for a preseason game is around 3-points and that’s noticeable. An unconventional line hit the board for Sunday’s matchup between Denver and San Francisco. The 49ers have dealt with a plethora of minor ailments in training camp and oddsmakers noticed setting them as a 6-point home underdog. Another interesting line has the Ravens as an early 4.5-point home dog in Thursday’s matchup with Indianapolis. John Harbaugh is a legend in the preseason winning nearly 74 percent of the time. Since the start of the 2016 season Baltimore has lost just four exhibition games. That’s something to consider when betting NFL preseason games.
NFL Preseason Week 1 Schedule and Odds
Thursday, August 7
Indianapolis Colts (-4.5, 35.5) at Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals (-3.5, 36.5) at Philadelphia Eagles
Las Vegas Raiders (-3.5, 36.5) at Seattle Seahawks
Friday, August 8
Cleveland Browns at Carolina Panthers (-4, 35.5)
Detroit Lions (-4, 32.5) at Atlanta Falcons
Washington Commanders at New England Patriots (-2.5, 34.5)
Saturday, August 9
New York Giants at Buffalo Bills (PK, 36.5)
Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings (-3, 38.5)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars (-1, 35.5)
Dallas Cowboys (-2.5, 33.5) at Los Angeles Rams
Tennessee Titans (-2.5, 35) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New York Jets at Green Bay Packers (-2, 35.5)
Kansas City Chiefs (-2, 36) at Arizona Cardinals
Denver Broncos (-6, 34.5) at San Francisco 49ers
Sunday, August 10
Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears (-2.5, 35)
New Orleans Saints (-4, 36) at Los Angeles Chargers
NFL Preseason Week 1 Preview
Seven coaches debut with their new teams in Week 1 with five of them wearing the big headset for the first time. The two veterans will get their initial games out of the way early with Pete Carroll leading the Raiders against his former team Seattle on Thursday. Carroll led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title and orchestrated the best run of football in the Pacific Northwest during his 14 years. Carroll is tasked with turning around a Raiders outfit that has just two playoff appearances since the 2002 season and won only four games a season ago. There are plenty of reasons for Carroll to want to succeed and his Raiders are laying 3.5-points on the early line.
The Patriots reunited with former player and Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel looking to turn the once dominant NFL team around. The Pats host Washington on Friday as a 2.5-point home favorite. Can Liam Coen get former No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence on track? We won’t find out on Saturday when the Jaguars host Pittsburgh, but Coen brings a strong resume as an offensive mind to the table.
The most anticipated first-year coach is Ben Johnson with the Bears. The former OC built a juggernaut in Detroit leading the NFL in scoring a season ago. The Lions also ranked among the top 5 in scoring the previous two campaigns and were among the top 5 in total offense the last three years. You can expect the Bears to open up the playbook under Johnson regardless of who is at quarterback.
NFL Preseason Week 1 Prime Free Picks
The Cowboys gambled hiring Brian Schottenheimer, but it’s not as bad a move as a lot of pundits are making it. He spent the last two seasons as the team’s OC and is familiar with and has the respect of his players. The Boys opened as a 2.5-point road favorite in Saturday’s matchup with the Rams and I have no issues backing the Boys. With Schottenheimer laying a foundation after a disastrous 2024 and the Rams playing third and fourth stringers, this one’s ripe for the picking. Also, backing the Bears and the OVER in their game with Miami on Sunday is a favorable pick. For more NFL betting tips check out his handy sports betting guide.
