Top NFL Picks and Predictions Today (Eagles Will Start Off Hot vs. Patriots)
The wait is finally over! The first NFL Sunday of the season is finally here!
There's something special about NFL Sunday mornings. We grab a coffee, set our fantasy lineups, and lock in our bets before making a nice groove in our couch with our butts for the next 7-plus hours.
With so many games scheduled for today and there being an almost unlimited different bets you could place, it's tough to decide which wagers to settle on. That's where we come in.
The BetSided team has thrown together our very best bets for today's action, all in one place.
But before we dive into that, let me tell you about this offer from FanDuel Sportsbook, because not only do you need to lock in some bets, but if you're like me, you also have to sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket. If you do, click the link below and FanDuel will not only give you $200 in bonus bets when you place your first $5 wager, but they'll also give you $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket! It's the perfect promotion for the first NFL Sunday of the year.
Now, let's dive into our best bets for today's action.
NFL Best Bets for Today
- Peter Dewey: Jaguars -5 vs. Colts
- Reed Wallach: Joe Burrow UNDER 260.5 passing yards
- Joe Summers: Titans +152 vs. Saints
- Josh Yourish: Steelers +120 vs. 49ers
- Iain MacMIllan: Eagles -4 vs. Patriots
Peter Dewey: Jaguars -5 vs. Colts
You can read Peter's full breakdown of his pick in his Jaguars vs. Colts betting preview here, but here is a snipped of why he likes the Jags to win and cover:
"It may feel like this is a lot of points for the Jags to cover in this game, but I’m not going to shy away.
"Jacksonville’s offense was much better than Indianapolis’ in the 2022 season, and now it adds a true WR1 to the mix with Ridley.
"The Colts really missed Taylor in the time he missed last season (he appeared in just 11 games due to injuries), and I can’t see Richardson single-handedly turning around the fortunes of this offense.
"As good as Richardson is at creating off-script, he completed just 44.8% of his passes and averaged 5.0 yards per attempt with no touchdowns and one interception in the preseason. That’s not going to get it done against this Jags team." - Peter Dewey
Reed Wallach: Joe Burrow UNDER 260.5 passing yards
Reed broke down his favorite prop bets for today's Bengals vs. Browns game. You can read about the others here.
"Burrow missed all of the preseason with a strained calf, and while he is cleared to play for the opener, I'm not so sure he's going to get off to a strong start against a stout Cleveland defense that has one of the most feared pass rushes in football.
"The Browns bolster a 4-1 record when Burrow starts against them. While Burrow averages 295 passing yards per game in those five, I still am a bit skeptical that he is fully healthy and will be able to shake off the rust of missing the entire preseason so fast.
"Given that Denzel Ward is on track to play after being on the injury report, I believe we see a slow start form the Cincinnati offense, keeping Burrow under the total." - Reed Wallach
Joe Summers: Titans +152 vs. Saints
Joe Summers is taking the Titans as his upset pick of the week. Here is why:
"This is a huge coaching mismatch, as Mike Vrabel is 20-19 outright in his career as an underdog while Dennis Allen is 15-38 against the spread overall. The Tennessee Titans always surprise people and I expect the team to get back to its grinding identity this season.
"Ryan Tannehill has a true No. 1 receiver again, Derrick Henry is still a monster and Chigoziem Okonkwo is a rising star at tight end. The defense should be stout and I still have questions about the New Orleans Saints' roster construction despite adding Derek Carr.
"With enough time to prepare, I trust Vrabel over Allen. I'd make this game closer to a pick-'em, so I'll back Tennessee at +152 to open the season with a win." – Joe Summers
Josh Yourish: Steelers +120 vs. 49ers
Is Josh making a biased pick in this game as a Steelers fan? Maybe, but maybe not. You can ready is full breakdown for the pick in his betting preview here.
"There’s a trend that’s been developing for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They win games they’re not supposed to, especially early in the season. Well, in Week 1 to be specific.
"In 2021, the Steelers went into Buffalo and beat Josh Allen’s Bills, then last season they beat Joe Burrow’s Bengals in Cincinnati. They start the season at home this year, but are underdogs to Brock Purdy’s 49ers.
"Mike Tomlin recently said that you can’t box without sparing and the Steelers did some really good sparing in the preseason. Pittsburgh went 3-0 this preseason and Kenny Pickett and the offense looked great. That unit was the missing piece last year and they’ll be firing on all cylinders in Week 1." - Josh Yourish
Iain MacMIllan: Eagles -4 vs. Patriots
I do something stupid every single year where I bet on all 272 NFL regular season games. Yes, I do like the Eagles today, but I also have a bet for every single other game this week. You can find the rest of them here.
"One of the things I'm looking forward to the most this season is the complete and total implosion of the New England Patriots. That process is going to start with a hell of a tough Week 1 matchup against the defending NFC champions.
"Jalen Hurts is my best bet to win NFL MVP and the Philadelphia defense is once again going to be one of the most dominant units in the league. Do you really trust Mac Jones and the Patriots complete lack of offensive weapons against this juggernaut of a football team? I certainly don't.
"A 3.5-point spread is a gift from Gamblor the Gambling God." - Iain MacMillan
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.