We are still a few weeks away from the official start of the 2017 NFL Week 1, but with training camps on the brink of opening their doors, it’s time to seriously start looking at where our football betting money is going to be headed this season.
Given what has happened in the past, we can almost guarantee that we are going to see a couple of major injuries in training camp and preseason football, and that makes handicapping the early games a little tough. We are going to assume that every team is going to come out of the preseason totally unscathed, and we are going to take a look at some of the games in Week 1 that should well be considered a must NFL betting pick.
Must Bet Games and Expert Picks for the 2017 NFL Week 1
Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots
The opening game of the 2017 NFL Week 1 promises to be a great one, as we have the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots welcoming in the Kansas City Chiefs to Foxboro. There has already been a lot of talk that the Patriots look set to defend their title in a big way, but this is going to be a solid test for them in Week 1. The Chiefs are very good defensively, and are perhaps one of the few teams in the league with the ability to hold Tom Brady to less than lethal. If the Patriots come out and win this one in a big way, it could send a message to the rest of the league.Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots Head to Head Summary
|
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS |
vs | NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS |
|
3-7 |
Record | 7-3 |
|
4-6 |
ATS | 6-4 |
|
5-5 |
O/U | 5-5 |
| 20.70 | Average Points Score | 26.00 |
| 118.80 | Rush Yards | 103.80 |
| 4.13 | Yards Per Rush | 3.89 |
| 33.80 | Pass Attempts | 37.00 |
| 62.43 | Completion Percentage | 63.51 |
| 231.80 | Passing Yards | 270.30 |
| 350.60 | Total Yards | 374.10 |
| 1.70 | Turnovers | 1.80 |
Oakland Raiders at Texas Titans
The Raiders had a great season last year with a disappointing ending, and while they look to have a group of players set to challenge this season, there are still some questions that need to be answered. How are they going to handle a season in transition from Oakland to LA, and perhaps more importantly, how quickly is QB Derek Carr going to recover from his broken leg. They will get a tough test in NFL Week 1 versus a Tennessee Titans team that showed some real signs of improvement last year. This is by no means a slam dunk for the Raiders.LA Raiders at Texas Titans Head to Head Summary
| OAKLAND RAIDERS | vs | TENNESSEE TITANS |
| 6-4 | Record | 4-6 |
| 7-3 | ATS | 3-7 |
| 5-3-2 | O/U | 5-3-2 |
| 26.90 | Average Points Score | 23.90 |
| 89.00 | Rush Yards | 119.40 |
| 3.97 | Yards Per Rush | 4.44 |
| 35.90 | Pass Attempts | 36.40 |
| 61.56 | Completion Percentage | 62.36 |
| 261.70 | Passing Yards | 236.60 |
| 350.70 | Total Yards | 356.00 |
| 1.40 | Turnovers | 1.80 |
Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears
On paper, this would appear to be a very comfortable game for the Atlanta Falcons, but the season after losing a Super Bowl can often prove to be a tough one. Just ask last season’s Carolina Panthers how that went after losing the SB to the Denver Broncos. Can the Atlanta Falcons get over, not just the loss to the Patriots, but the soul crushing manner in which that loss was delivered? Can Matt Ryan have a repeat of his MVP season last year? Week 1 may not hold all the answers for the Falcons, but it is going to be interesting to see how they bounce back.Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears Head to Head Summary
| ATLANTA FALCONS | vs | CHICAGO BEARS |
| 3-5 | Record | 5-3 |
| 2-6 | ATS | 6-2 |
| 1-7 | O/U | 1-7 |
| 13.38 | Average Points Score | 20.63 |
| 91.75 | Rush Yards | 97.38 |
| 3.80 | Yards Per Rush | 3.62 |
| 33.38 | Pass Attempts | 31.50 |
| 59.93 | Completion Percentage | 59.13 |
| 218.63 | Passing Yards | 223.50 |
| 310.38 | Total Yards | 320.88 |
| 2.50 | Turnovers | 1.63 |
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers
Two of the best teams in the NFC will be going head to head in Week 1, with the Seattle Seahawks starting their season on the road at Lambeau Field versus the Green Packers. Seattle had a bit of an up and down season last year, while the Packers proved to be unbeatable in the second half of the regular season before being blown out of the water by the Falcons in the playoffs. Both of these teams can be considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders, and that is what makes this game a must bet.Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers Head to Head Summary
| SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | vs | GREEN BAY PACKERS |
| 4-6 | Record | 6-4 |
| 2-6-2 | ATS | 6-2-2 |
| 6-4 | O/U | 6-4 |
| 20.30 | Average Points Score | 27.90 |
| 137.20 | Rush Yards | 113.90 |
| 4.57 | Yards Per Rush | 3.93 |
| 30.20 | Pass Attempts | 31.90 |
| 55.3 | Completion Percentage | 65.52 |
| 163.40 | Passing Yards | 214.90 |
| 300.60 | Total Yards | 328.80 |
| 2.70 | Turnovers | 1.40 |
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys
The NFC East is always a major battle, and while the Cowboys won it going away last season, they may be a little concerned about potential sophomore slumps from either Dak Prescott or Ezekiel Elliott. It may even be that Elliott is not available for this game, as a troubled offseason has drawn the ire of the league, and may result in a suspension being handed down in the near future. You would expect the Cowboys to win at home, but the pressure of such high expectations may be something that Eli Manning and the Giants can take advantage of in NFL Week 1.New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys Head to Head Summary
| NEW YORK GIANTS | vs | DALLAS COWBOYS |
| 4-6 | Record | 6-4 |
| 5-4-1 | ATS | 4-5-1 |
| 7-3 | O/U | 7-3 |
| 23.00 | Average Points Score | 24.30 |
| 106.70 | Rush Yards | 115.30 |
| 4.18 | Yards Per Rush | 4.35 |
| 32.20 | Pass Attempts | 38.10 |
| 61.49 | Completion Percentage | 64.83 |
| 225.20 | Passing Yards | 264.80 |
| 331.90 | Total Yards | 380.10 |
| 1.70 | Turnovers | 2.10 |
