Two Big Blue bets worth making now
The NFL schedules have been released for the 2022 season. That’s the good news. The bad news is we have to wait another four months for the games to actually be played.
But thanks to oddsmakers, we don’t have to wait that long to bet on some of the matchups. Sportsbooks have already released odds for Week 1 and most of the big games throughout the year.
Here are 10 of the most intriguing games of the NFL season, along with opening lines and early thoughts.
Bills at Rams (-1), Sept. 8: The NFL season will kick off with the defending Super Bowl Champion Rams hosting this year’s favorites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. The Bills have the shortest odds to win the Super Bowl at +650, while the Rams come in at 11/1. Many believe this will be the final game of the season too. Expect a lot of fireworks.
Giants at Titans (-6.5), Sept. 11: Some people (me) believe new coach Brian Daboll’s Giants will be vastly improved this season. Some people (me) believe the Titans are primed to take a step back in the AFC. Some people (me) already bet the Giants +6.5 in Week 1. The Giants are also live on the +230 moneyline to pull the outright upset.
Buccaneers (-2.5) at Cowboys, Sept. 11: These two teams kicked off the season last year and racked up 60 points in Tampa Bay’s two-point win. The Buccaneers are the second favorites to win the Super Bowl at +750. How important is Tom Brady? After he originally announced his retirement, Tampa Bay was around 50/1 to win the Super Bowl. Expect another shootout between Brady and Dak Prescott.
Broncos (-3.5) at Seahawks, Sept 12: The finale for Week 1 is Russell Wilson returning to Seattle to face the new-look Seahawks. Oddsmakers aren’t expecting much from the Wilson-less Seahawks in 2022. Seattle’s win total is set at 5.5 and its Super Bowl odds are 100/1. The Broncos -3.5 will be a popular play in Week 1. It makes sense. The Seahawks may end up being the worst team in the NFC. Sorry, Falcons fans.
Bengals (-5) at Jets, Sept. 19: The last time these two teams met, a young quarterback threw for 405 yards and led his team to a 34-31 win. That quarterback was the Jets’ Mike White. Joe Burrow and the Bengals went on to play in the Super Bowl but their Week 8 loss to the Jets was one of the biggest upsets of the 2021 season. If the muchimproved Jets upset the Bengals again, it could set the stage for an unexpected playoff run.
Chiefs at Buccaneers (-2.5), Oct. 2: A rematch of Super Bowl LV is set for early October: Brady versus Patrick Mahomes. Two teams with question marks on defense. Let’s put it this way: Sportsbooks will be rooting for the Under. Bills (-1.5) at Chiefs, Oct. 16: The last time these two teams were on the field together, they produced one of the all-time classics with Kansas City winning 42-36 in overtime after an insane final few minutes of regulation. The Bills and their fans have lived with that bad taste in their mouths ever since. This should be another wild one. Giants at Cowboys (-7), Nov. 24: The Thanksgiving Day slate isn’t the best we’ve ever seen, but the Giants versus the Cowboys is a sneaky good game. If I’m correct and the Giants will be a contender in the NFC East, it’s doubtful this line will be -7 six months from now. The Giants plus the points is one I’d jump on early. Raiders at Rams (-4), Dec. 4: The Raiders are a sexy Super Bowl pick at 40/1 after signing Davante Adams. If Derek Carr is in the MVP race this late in the season, a strong game against the Rams on national TV could put him over the top. Broncos at Rams (-3), Dec. 25: We have no idea how these teams will look on Christmas Day, but this is a good one on paper. Matthew Stafford came to the Rams and won the franchise a Super Bowl. Can Russell Wilson do the same for the Broncos? Denver is sitting at 16/1 to win it all if you believe in Denver.