NFL Betting: An Early Look At Week 1 Games, 2023 NFL Schedule

Aaron Rodgers Makes His New York Jets Debut on Monday Night Football

It is hardly surprising that the reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs will play in the first regular-season game on the 2023 NFL schedule. However, seeing a Detroit Lions team that has missed the playoffs for six seasons in a row is an interesting choice of opponents for the NFL Week 1 Thursday night affair.

The NFL released the dates for the 2023 season and there will be some intriguing matchups during the opening week of the 2023 NFL schedule. Nine of the games feature point spreads of three points or less with the totals ranging from 39.5 for the Arizona-Washington game to 54 for the Kansas City-Detroit matchup.

Kansas City (+650) has the best odds to win the Super Bowl as the Chiefs try to become the first team to win back-to-back NFL championships since the New England Patriots accomplished the feat following the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Buffalo and defending NFC champion Philadelphia are next at +800 followed by the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals at +900.

Champs Welcome Lions to Town

Kansas City welcomes the Detroit Lions to Arrowhead Stadium for the first time since 2015. The Chiefs have a 6-1 home record in the series. However, very few players on both sides have had huge roles in previous matchups.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 319 yards and run for 54 more in that 2019 meeting as Kansas City won 34-30 on a Darrel Williams TD run with 20 seconds left to play the last time the teams met in 2019.

The Chiefs, coming off a 14-3 regular-season record, are favored by seven points. Detroit’s lone road win in the series was a 7-6 victory in 1988. With a total of 54, it is highly unlikely to see that kind of score on Sept. 7.

Ravens Expected to Roll

When looking at the eight early games on Sept. 10, there are four divisional matchups while the home team is favored in six of those games in Week 1 of the NFL schedule.

Houston Texans vs Baltimore Ravens

Line: Baltimore -10

Total: 45

Former NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson will be the quarterback for the Ravens. Will No. 2 overall draft pick C.J. Stroud be the one on the field for the Texans?

The Texans had two of the top three picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and former Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson looks to take down Jackson in his NFL debut.

Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns

Line: Cincinnati -2.5

Total: 47.5

One of the two early games with the road team being favored as the division rivals meet for the 100th time.

It might be a surprise to some to see that Cleveland had won eight of the last nine matchups before the Bengals won 23-10 at home in the most recent meeting.

Just one of the previous four matchups have been decided by single digits.

Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons

Line: Atlanta -3

Total: 43

There will come a time when it will be Bryce Young at quarterback for Carolina and Desmond Ridder running the offense for the Falcons. Will that be the case in this game?

This will be a chance for two of the top candidates for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year with Young and Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson being counted on for big things.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts

Line: Jacksonville -3.5

Total: 43

There was a time when it would be unthinkable for Jacksonville to be favored on the road against the Colts.

Trevor Lawrence’s presence at QB for Jacksonville has something to do with that while the Colts hope that drafting Anthony Richardson will end the quarterback carousel in Indianapolis.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings

Line: Minnesota -6.5

Total: 45

The interesting two-year run of Tom Brady as Tampa Bay’s quarterback has ended. Now it will be either Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask at QB. Minnesota appears ready to move on from running back Dalvin Cook sooner rather than later after already making little effort to retain veteran receiver Adam Thielen.

Tampa Bay and Minnesota both won division titles. Looking at the 2022 NFL standings, Minnesota was 13-4 and won the NFC North by four games while the Buccaneers won the dreadful NFC South with an 8-9 mark.

Tennessee Titans vs New Orleans Saints

Line: New Orleans -3.5

Total: 42

An AFC-NFC matchup of franchises who have seen better days. Tennessee added a quarterback on the second day of the NFL Draft for the second season in a row, but it still should be Ryan Tannehill’s show to run. New Orleans doesn’t know if running back Alvin Kamara will be suspended or if receiver Michael Thomas might actually be healthy one of these years.

San Francisco 49ers vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Line: San Francisco -3

Total: 41.5

Will this be a matchup of second-year quarterbacks? There are reports that the 49ers‘ Brock Purdy could be ready for the start of training camp after there was speculation that he could miss significant time.

Kenny Pickett was the lone quarterback to go in the first round in the 2022 NFL Draft and now this is a chance for him to take the next step against one of the Super Bowl favorites.

Arizona Cardinals vs Washington Commanders

Line: Washington -6.5

Total: 39.5

One of these teams has to win, right?

The Cardinals were thought to be a Super Bowl contender at this point last year. Now …

Washington is ready to move forward from the nightmarish Daniel Snyder era and it will be quarterback Sam Howell expected to be the starter against Arizona’s dynamic Kyler Murray. When looking at potential NFL scores, this is the only one of the Week 1 matchups with a total under 40.

Rivalries Renewed

Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos

Line: Broncos -3

Total: 44.5

There are plenty of questions about running back Josh Jacobs (contract) and Javonte Williams (injury) as these division rivals get together.

Will new coach Sean Payton be as successful with Russell Wilson at QB as he was with Drew Brees when he coached the New Orleans Saints?

Miami Dolphins vs Los Angeles Chargers

Line: Chargers -3

Total: 50.5

These times will always be linked by the 2020 NFL Draft when the Dolphins took quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth pick and the Chargers scooped up Justin Herbert with the next selection. Will either of them be able to take their teams to the promised land?

Philadelphia Eagles vs New England Patriots

Line: Philadelphia -4.5

Total: 46

The Eagles are coming off a run to the Super Bowl and might be a more talented team in 2023 with the addition of defensive tackle Jalen Carter and running back D’Andre Swift.

The Patriots are hoping Bill O’Brien will be able to get more out of quarterback Mac Jones than what the former Alabama star showed in 2022.

Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears

Line: Chicago -3

Total: 45

This is the first time the Bears are favored against the Packers since 2019. When is the last time that Chicago enters a season with a more stable quarterback situation than Green Bay?

Justin Fields has a better supporting cast than he did a season ago and that could help with his passing numbers for the Bears. Jordan Love is now QB1 in Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers playing for the Jets.

Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks

Line: Seattle -4.5

Total: 47

The Rams’ main goal should be staying healthy after quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp and defensive tackle Aaron Donald all missed multiple games.

Seattle was a surprise playoff team in 2022 and now will look for an encore.

Will the 122nd Time Be the Charm?

Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants

Line: Dallas -2.5

Total: 47

The Giants were a great story in 2022 with first-year coach Brian Daboll leading they to the playoffs. However, the Giants are home underdogs with Micah Parson, Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys coming to town as the teams meet for the 122nd time.

Dallas has won four in a row and 11 of the last 12 against the Giants. However, four of the last six matchups have been decided by eight points or less.

Tough Opening Act For Rodgers

Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

Line: Buffalo -1

Total: 47.5

A Monday Night affair against a Buffalo team that allowed the second-fewest points in the NFL a season ago will be the scenario as former MVP Aaron Rodgers debuts with the New York Jets.

The Bills are slight favorites on the road as this is a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

Could the NFL Schedule makers be saving the best for last in Week 1?

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