NFL betting tips: Bills to cook Ravens and Chiefs to school Chargers in Brazil as 49ers edge Seahawks
The NFL is back this weekend, and we’re jumping straight in with betting tips and predictions from the Sports News Blitz crew.
CeeDee Lamb’s buttery fingers costing the Cowboys a handful of chances to humble the champs in their own backyard on Thursday night was moreover a handy reminder that Week 1 is always a weird one.
Rosters are fresh, hopes are sky-high, and every fanbase thinks this is finally their year. The market usually buys that hype, which makes this the perfect time to remember one thing: bookmakers can be beaten.
Thursday’s fumbles were another sign that defence tends to settle quicker than offence, and plenty of Dallas’ points came after Jalen Carter got himself tossed like a moron.
So, we’re backing a few teams who might make life tougher this weekend, and the spreads look just short enough to take advantage.
Read on for Sports News Blitz writer George Dempsey’s picks ahead of the action.
Buffalo Bills +1 vs Baltimore Ravens (-115)
Buffalo and Baltimore run it back after last year’s play-off classic, and the market is once again selling the Bills short.
They’re getting a small cushion at home, which feels generous for a team fresh off an MVP-calibre season from Josh Allen.
He still has the biggest arm in the league and, occasionally, the decision-making of a drunk uncle on Thanksgiving, but this roster is loaded and ready to go again.
The Bills are deeper at receiver, nastier in the trenches, and have momentum from five straight AFC East crowns.
Baltimore still looks terrifying with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in the same backfield, but Buffalo’s revamped front can actually keep Lamar boxed in.
If they do that, Allen just needs to fire up gunslinger mode and let his playmakers cook.
But the real bet here is on Buffalo’s ability to shake off January’s heartbreak and set the tone early – a fast start at home flips the crowd into play-off mode, and that’s when Allen becomes unplayable.
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Kansas City Chiefs -3 vs Los Angeles Chargers (-110)
The NFL’s Brazil showcase should be a fireworks display, and Patrick Mahomes doesn’t usually disappoint.
Kansas City is giving just a field goal against a team they’ve beaten six straight times. They should make it seven, so fans in São Paulo are getting the full authentic NFL experience.
Mahomes has diced this Chargers secondary for years, and Travis Kelce is still the guy who moves the chains. Rashee Rice is ready to pop, and Andy Reid had all offseason to draw up something devious for Week 1.
Justin Herbert can hang points, but he’s been winless in this match-up recently and is usually covering for a defence that springs leaks. In Brazil or at Arrowhead, this has been one-way traffic.
Kansas City usually open the season like they’re running a clinic, and this is a perfect stage for them to remind everyone who owns the AFC West.
Mahomes gets his statement win, and the Chargers get another lesson in heartbreak.
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San Francisco 49ers -1.5 vs Seattle Seahawks (-110)
Seattle’s a brutal place to start a season, unless you’re the 49ers. They’ve taken the last three at Lumen Field, and the line says this one should be close.
San Francisco just has too much talent across the board. Brock Purdy doesn’t need to be a hero when Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk are making life miserable for corners.
The real edge, though, is that ferocious front. Nick Bosa and friends have harassed Geno Smith before, and when he’s under fire, mistakes usually follow.
Laying less than a field goal with a team this loaded and this confident in the rivalry feels like one of the sharper plays on the Week 1 slate.
And this isn’t just about Xs and Os, because the Niners have bullied Seattle so badly lately that it feels psychological now.
If they get on top early, expect another game where the Seahawks are chasing shadows.
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