NFL Week 1 odds have percolated for a couple of weeks. But with a few of these matchups, no percolation time was necessary.
That was certainly the case for the Thursday night regular-season opener: the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game, and it’ll be a major betting attraction.
“For the opening game of the season, the NFL does a really good job of choosing the matchup. This one will certainly be one of the top-bet games of the regular season,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said.
Feazel took a few minutes to dive into the Ravens-Chiefs clash and a few other notable games on the NFL Week 1 odds board.
Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs
In the AFC title game on Jan. 28, the Chiefs went to Baltimore as 4.5-point underdogs. Kansas City proceeded to grind out a 17-10 victory. The Chiefs went on to beat San Francisco 25-22 in overtime to win the Super Bowl.
For the Sept. 5 rematch kicking off the 2024-25 season, Kansas City is a home favorite getting some early attention.
“That’s been one of the more popular games. We opened at Chiefs -2.5, and we got a sharper bet on the Chiefs’ side. So we now sit at -3,” Feazel said. “Obviously, the Ravens want revenge from the AFC Championship Game.”
Baltimore hopes to get a boost to the run game and take pressure off quarterback Lamar Jackson with the addition of running back Derrick Henry, who signed a free-agent deal with the Ravens after eight years with Tennessee.
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The NFL didn’t wait long to schedule the first neutral-site game of the 2024 season. Green Bay and Philadelphia meet in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a rare Friday game, in primetime on Sept. 6.
The Eagles are 1.5-point favorites for the matchup at Corinthians Arena, home to Brazilian soccer team SC Corinthians. Feazel is particularly intrigued by soccer’s ties to the Packers-Eagles clash.
“The best part is that they’re playing in SC Corinthians’ soccer stadium, and [SC Corinthians’] rival is green,” Feazel said, alluding to Palmeiras. “So there’s never green in that stadium. And both the Packers and Eagles are green.”
Two seasons ago, Philadelphia took Kansas City to the end before losing the Super Bowl 38-35. Last year, the Eagles went 1-5 in their last six regular-season games and ended up with a wild card berth. Philly then lost at Tampa Bay 32-9.
Green Bay was also a wild card team last season, sneaking into the playoffs with a 9-8 record. But Jordan Love and the Packers thumped Dallas 48-32 on Super Wild Card Weekend. The Packers then nearly won at San Francisco in the divisional round, before falling 24-21.
“These are two really good teams, in playoff contention year after year,” Feazel said. “The Eagles have a new offensive coordinator (Kellen Moore), and the Packers are gonna be run-heavy with the addition of Josh Jacobs. It’s gonna be a heavily bet game. Fans love standalone games.”
Jacobs signed a free-agent deal with Green Bay, leaving the Las Vegas Raiders after five seasons.
‘The Philadelphia Eagles will run away with this division’ — Skip Bayless
Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions
The Sunday night game on the NFL Week 1 oddsboard is another playoff rematch from last season. Los Angeles and Detroit met on Super Wild Card Weekend, with the Lions squeaking out a 24-23 home victory.
Detroit went on to beat visiting Tampa 31-23 in the divisional round. Then the Lions traveled to San Francisco for the NFC Championship Game and had the 49ers on the ropes, leading 24-7 at halftime.
But Jared Goff & Co. couldn’t deal the knockout punch, as the Niners rallied for a 34-31 win.
Now, to open the 2024-25 season, Goff and the Lions are 3.5-point home favorites against Matthew Stafford and the Rams.
“There was a sharp bet on the Rams +3.5, so we moved to 3. Then sharp action on the Lions moved us back to 3.5,” Feazel said. “That’s gonna be common between now and game day: someone likes 3.5 with the ‘dog, someone else likes 3 with the favorite.”
Should the Jets be concerned about Aaron Rodgers?
New York Jets @ San Francisco 49ers
The finale on the NFL Week 1 oddsboard is plenty compelling, too. Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets travel to face the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.
Rodgers debuted for the Jets last season in the Week 1 Monday night game. He lasted all of three plays against Buffalo before suffering a torn Achilles, and he missed the rest of the season. New York ended up 7-10 and out of the playoffs.
On the flip side, the 49ers made it all the way to the Super Bowl and, as noted above, lost to Kansas City 25-22 in overtime.
“Hopefully, we don’t get any déjà vu with injuries,” Feazel said. “We opened this at 49ers -6, it got bet down to -5, and the market has since corrected to 49ers -5.5. I expect a lot of sharp action on the Jets, and I expect this line to close at -4.5.”
Feazel has high expectations for wagering on the Jets-Niners clash.
“This will be a really well-bet game,” Feazel said. “You’ve got the return of Aaron Rodgers. A lot of Jets fans are tired of big hype, then the team not delivering. They’re hopeful for Rodgers to be healthy. These are two of the most talented teams in the NFL. It’s a great way to start off the year.”
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Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas.
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