NFL 2017: Best picks against the spread, Week 1

NFL Week 1 is upon us, and that means its time to place your bets! This may be the hardest week of the season to find a winner, so we found you four. Your best picks against the spread.

We have reached another year of NFL football. NFL Week 1 games begin Thursday with New England‘s match against the Kansas City Chiefs. College football managed to put together a wild and wacky first week of games. Let’s see if the professionals can match that enthusiasm.

As with last year, we will each pick two games against the spread each week of the season. If memory serves, Dan came out victorious last year by a not so insignificant margin. Todd hopes to catch his record this year. Onto the NFL Week 1 picks!

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate NFL Week 1 in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

2017 Record ATS

Dan’s record ATS: 0-0
Todd’s record ATS: 0-0

Todd Salem’s NFL Week 1 Picks

New York Jets +9.5 at Buffalo Bills

The New York Jets stink. They are probably the worst team in the league. They are probably tanking, purposely trying to lose games this year, at least from a management perspective. That final point is key. The players who will be taking the field are not out to lose or embarrass themselves.

The more important factor in this contest is that the Buffalo Bills may have the same plan for 2017. A preseason trade seemed to set the team back in favor of draft capital for 2018. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor is getting over a concussion and is not at 100 percent for this game to boot. The Bills should not be giving nine and a half points in any game. They destroyed an interesting offense this offseason and are playing for a future likely without Taylor at QB.

Washington Redskins +1.5 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Until we see how the NFC East is going to shake out, I don’t trust any team on the road within the division. Any of the four teams could conceivably win the division title in my mind. They each have impressive strengths and potentially glaring weaknesses. This should be another interesting year with this foursome.

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What that means is that an unbalanced NFL Week 1 line which has the home Redskins getting points is the side to back. This line is four points off. I have no idea why people think Philadelphia is clearly better than Washington.

Dan Salem’s NFL Week 1 Picks

Oakland Raiders +2.5 at Tennessee Titans

I’m on the Titans bandwagon this season, but did everyone forget how great the Raiders were last year before Derek Carr got injured? Oakland is easily the better team, by all estimations, yet they are getting points. Believe your eyes and don’t get caught up in the preseason hype surrounding Tennessee.

While its true that West Coast teams generally fare poorly when traveling East, this is week one of the NFL season. There is no point in which these teams will be better prepared or more well rested. Take the points on the road and ride the Raiders to victory. I’m shocked they are getting points. Snatch them up.

Pittsburgh Steelers -8.5 at Cleveland Browns

I’m not sure if Cleveland is the worst team in the NFL once again, or the third worst team behind any of New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. Regardless, they are not in the same league as Pittsburgh. I don’t care that its a home game for the Browns. This is a division game in NFL week 1. The Steelers have all of the fire power on offense and easily win by 10 points.

Next: NFL 2017: Predicting each team's Win-Loss record

Feel free to question Pittsburgh’s defense, or believe in the Browns’ offense if you will. I’d rather win some money. Give up the 8.5 points, because the Steelers are winning by double digits. There are few sure things in the first week of the NFL season, but the outcome of this game feels like one of them.

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