12 Jun 2019
The NFL season gets underway this weekend and there are several fascinating divisional match-ups and fierce rivalries to look forward to. We offer some quick hits and top trends as we scout all of the Sunday games.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Minnesota has a new QB in ex-Washington passer Kirk Cousins, and San Francisco believe they have found their franchise passer in Jimmy Garoppolo.
The 49ers have lost their last five trips to Minnesota and are 3-10 there in the last 13 visits, but are 5-0 with Garoppolo in the regular season.
The Vikings are stacked across the board and are 5.5-point Genting Casino favourites – many will feel the home side’s attack will do just enough to keep their noses in front.
BUFFALO BILLS @ BALTIMORE RAVENS
The last time Nathan Peterman took the field as a starter, he threw five interceptions and almost cost the Bills their playoff place.
The Ravens shut out the Bengals in their opener last season, forcing Andy Dalton to commit five turnovers and the defense is invariably at its best early on.
The Ravens are 8-2 in home openers under Jim Harbaugh and went 5-0 in preseason. Look for a heavy dose of running back Alex Collins, who will likely get 20+ carries.
The Ravens are 7.5-point favourites with Genting Casino and some will take them to cover the spread as they look for a fifth consecutive home win over the Bills.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS @ NEW YORK GIANTS
The Jags are many people’s idea of the AFC representative for the Super Bowl, because of their defense, but it has been inconsistent from year to year. The downside is they have a QB named Blake Bortles, who is on the road as a favourite.
The Giants have Saquon Barkley at running back and the rookie will soon be a star in the league. They also boast a QB with something to prove in Eli Manning.
Throw in the return of top receiver Odell Beckham Jnr, who is ready to put on a show after recovering from an injury, and some might think the Giants are the value pick getting a 3.5-point start on the Genting Casino handicap.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS @ CLEVELAND BROWNS
Pittsburgh has won 10 of the last 11 meetings and the Browns have lost 18 of their last 19 openers since 1999, and have won just one game in two seasons.
The Browns have had a complete overhaul, and while Tyrod Taylor is not the second coming of Bernie Kosar, he is competent and does not throw bunches of interceptions.
CVleveland lost six games by a touchdown or less last season, so given even an average QB, and two decent receivers in Josh Gordon and Jarvis Landry, six wins should be achievable this season.
The Steelers may be in a little disarray without star running back Le’Veon Bell, and may not have the talent they used to on defense, but the Steelers are still the Steelers. The Browns are still the Browns, who may be the trendy pick to cover the 3.5-point handicap, but the Genting Casino odds suggest they are rightly underdogs.
HOUSTON TEXANS @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Super Bowl favourites New England have not convinced anyone in preseason and they started the season slowly last year, too.
They have still made the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons. They only had one game where they failed to score at least 20 points last season.
New England may not have a receiver you can name, but three different Patriots scored at least five rushing touchdowns last season.
The key question may be whether they can protect QB Tom Brady with left-tackle Nate Solder bolting to New York.
Houston are bringing back two Pro Bowlers from injury and whether J.J. Watt can still play at an above-average level will be crucial to their defense.
The Genting Casino handicap line has the Patriots as 7.5-point favourites and that is a tough one for bettors to fathom.
TENNESSEE TITANS @ MIAMI DOLPHINS
The Dolphins hope that QB Ryan Tannehill, who returns after a second major knee operation, will provide them with the offensive output that has been sadly lacking over the past year or two.
The Titans fluffed their lines in the past two seasons with the AFC South there for the taking, but will fancy their chances in South Florida, where they have won on two of their last three visits.
The Dolphins are home underdogs, but not by much, and until this offense gels and they can find a way of stopping the run, some will feel the Titans are worthy of backing outright at 17/20 with Genting Casino.
CINCINNATI BENGALS @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Andrew Luck makes his return at QB for the Colts after two years off and Marvin Lewis is still the head coach of the Bengals.
If history is a barometer, the Bengals will struggle to buck the trend of three wins in the last 12 attempts – and they have lost their last eight in Indianapolis.
The Bengals are 2.5-point underdogs and are 23/20 on the moneyline with Genting Casino.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The biggest handicap of the week sees the Saints as 10.5-point favourites with Genting Casino and while it is never easy giving up such a number in Week 1, many will feel Drew Brees and company will be able to cover it.
They have won six of the last seven at home against the Bucs, whose record of four wins from their last 14 games in September, and three wins from their last 14 Week 1 games, may not improve.
The Saints are 13-3 in their last 18 versus the NFC South and they may well hit the ground running.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS @ LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Many bettors may worry about the Chiefs’ defense. Yet young QB Patrick Mahomes is surrounded by talent in his first year as a starter and they will no doubt have plenty of shoot-outs along the way.
The Chargers are a fad pick to go all the way, but they have lost four of their last five season openers and they have no homefield advantage at their temporary soccer stadium.
Kansas City is a 2.5-point Genting Casino underdog but there are various handicap lines to choose from.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS @ DENVER BRONCOS
It did not look as though Seattle upgraded a wafer-thin offensive line and as a result, QB Russell Wilson will again be running for his life against Von Miller, Bradley Chubb and Shane Ray.
The Seahawks rarely do well in the high altitude of Colorado and they have won just two of the last nine at Mile High.
Whether the Broncos can cover the 4.5-point Genting Casino handicap is open to question, but new man Case Keenum will be keen to make people quickly forget about last season’s Denver quarterback carousel.
DALLAS COWBOYS @ CAROLINA PANTHERS
The Cowboys have the potential to see things fall apart this season. A winless preseason and a receiving corps that scares no-one, has not been upgraded. It was ranked 26th last season and that was with Jason Whitten and Dez Bryant (both since departed).
Carolina could be in the mix for the NFC Championship and Cam Newton is going to be in the running for the MPV title.
The Panthers have revamped their offensive line and Norv Turner is getting the best out of them so far and they have one of the most dynamic receiving corps in the league. The Cowboys’ secondary is their weakest asset.
You can understand why many are interested in taking the Panthers on the Genting Casino money line at 4/6 and to cover the 2.5-point handicap at 4/5.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS @ ARIZONA CARDINALS
Both have sparkly new quarterbacks in Alex Smith (Washington) and Sam Bradford (Arizona), and both have new running backs. Yet one wonders how much Washington’s Adrian Peterson has left in the tank and also whether David Johnson can return to the form he showed before a catastrophic injury last year.
The Cardinals’ defense has the potential to be a top five unit, so many will think that taking the home team on the Genting Casino moneyline at 4/5 makes sense. This could be a coin-flip game, though.
CHICAGO BEARS @ GREEN BAY PACKERS
The Sunday night game sees the return of Aaron Rodgers, who faces a Bears team that has spent big, taking advantage of a quarterback on a cheap contract and signing a large amount of talent.
The key battle is the Packers’ protection against a Bears defense that now has a monster named Khalil Mack. It could be a long day for Bryan Baluga and David Bakhtari, although it will be interesting to see Mack’s conditioning after his trade from the Raiders.
Rodgers missed the last nine games last year as the Packers beat just two teams with a winning record. He has thrown for more touchdowns and yardage against the Bears than any other team he has faced, and the Genting Casino handicap has the Packers as 6.5-point favourites.
Until we know exactly what the new-look Bears can offer, sometimes it is best not to over-think things.
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