NFL Predictions Week 1: Picks and Odds Advice for Opening Schedule

At long last, Week 1 of the NFL regular season has arrived. 

And while the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos kicked things off in style on Thursday night, that was merely an appetizer in advance of a jam-packed 13-game slate on Sunday that will lead into a pair of Monday Night Football showdowns.

But before things officially get underway, it’s time to make some last-minute picks and take a look at this week’s lines.

In addition to the Week 1 overview, we’ll examine a few games that present intriguing opportunities based on current spreads. 

Week 1 Picks and Odds

Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans aren’t exactly betting darlings.

Case in point: The Titans are 0-4-1 against the spread over their last five games and 3-22 straight up over their last 25 games, per OddsShark’s Stephen Campbell. 

Those numbers should serve as deterrents when it comes to evaluating the Titans’ Week 1 clash, but the Minnesota Vikings are entering Sunday’s meeting with questions aplenty at quarterback after Teddy Bridgewater suffered a season-ending knee injury. 

With Shaun Hill under center, the Vikings offense won’t be at its most potent, which means it will be up to running back Adrian Peterson and the team’s offensive line to shoulder the load.

“Given the circumstances, we know the pressure comes down on the line,” left guard Alex Boone said, per the Star Tribune’s Mark Craig. “So we have to kick [Tennessee’s] butt in the run game and let Adrian do his thing.”

That means the Vikings could be in for a grind-it-out affair with the Titans—who can realistically be considered the team with the more electric offense thanks to quarterback Marcus Mariota, running backs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, tight end Delanie Walker and receivers like Tajae Sharpe and Rishard Matthews. 

In what figures to be one of the lowest scoring games of the weekend, the Titans …

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