NFL betting guide: 5 best wagers for Week 1 of the regular season

NFL betting guide: 5 best wagers for Week 1

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 29: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots looks on before the preseason game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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CINCINNATI, OHIO – AUGUST 22: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants gives instructions to his team against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

3. New York Giants +7.5 at Dallas

Dave Gettleman and his front office deserve 100% of the criticism that’s been leveled at them over the past 18 months or so. That doesn’t mean the Giants roster is bereft of talent. Despite Gettleman’s missteps, his roster still has the bones of a decent football team.

That should be enough to keep things close at Dallas in the opener. The Giants have one particular strength that will cause Jason Garrett’s team a lot of trouble. New York has the ability to pound opponents with their physical running game. The Cowboys have some question marks along their defensive front.

That means Saquon Barkley has a chance to produce big numbers on Sunday. Eli Manning isn’t going to throw the ball all over the field at this stage of his career, but he might have just enough left in his arm to keep the Cowboys’ secondary honest. Look for Pat Shurmur and his coaching staff to construct a game plan to slow this down and control the ball with their ground game.

That also means you can take the under at 45.5 to go along with your wager on the Giants to cover. Don’t expect to win a lot of money this season backing Big Blue, but there’s an opportunity to make solid money on them in Week 1.