Pre-Season NFL Odds & Lines: Top Betting Games in Week 1

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While there is one NFL preseason game in the books at the Hall of Fame Game, Week 1 is officially on tap starting Thursday night with two games. Here’s a breakdown of each matchup and a pick against the NFL spread.

Thursday Winners: Top Games to Bet in Pre-Season Week 1 | NFL Lines by MyBookie

NFL Preseason: August 2, 2023 – August 27, 2023

Houston vs New England

NFL Odds: Houston at New England (+1)
When: Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 7 PM ET
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
TV / Streaming: Local/NFLN

NFL Network has this game. Bit of an ironic return to the NFL for new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. In October 2020, the Texans fired O’Brien, who was the team’s head coach and general manager, after more than six seasons with the organization and four AFC South division titles. O’Brien finished with a career regular-season record of 52-48 and just one losing season (2017) in his tenure.

He would land on his feet to eventually become the new offensive coordinator at Alabama but returned to the NFL in January as New England’s new OC and quarterbacks coach. O’Brien spent five seasons with the Patriots, from 2007 through the 2011 season, and contributed to five winning seasons, four AFC East Division titles and two AFC Conference titles during his time with New England. The Patriots finished in the top 10 in offense every year during O’Brien’s time with the Patriots.

The hope is that O’Brien can get the best out of third-year QB Mac Jones, who had some overlap with O’Brien at Alabama. Jones really took a step back in year 2. It hasn’t been announced yet whether Jones will start this game. If he does, he will not play very long. Ditto other starters. Bailey Zappe technically is competing against Jones for the No. 1 job. Jones is getting most of the reps with the starters and Zappe with the backups.

“It’s really about consistent, daily performance,” O’Brien said. “Who is performing at a high level on a consistent basis every day? These guys are working hard to do that.”

It will be the head coaching debut of Houston’s DeMeco Ryans, a former star Texans linebacker. He spent the past six seasons with the 49ers and previous two as the team’s defensive coordinator. Ryans was named the 2022 Pro Football Writers of America Assistant Coach of the Year.

This should be the NFL debut of Texans rookie QB CJ Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft and expected Week 1 regular-season starter. All signs have been positive about Stroud, who has been getting the ball out of his hands and making quicker decisions, which impressed offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

“Having answers and preparation is a big part of just being able to handle the environment, and then on top of that, being able to continue to trust his feet, go through his progressions, which he’s done a really good job of as we get through camp,” Slowik said about his QB. Pick: Pats

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Minnesota vs Seattle

NFL Odds: Minnesota at Seattle (-2)
When: Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 10 PM ET
Where: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
TV / Streaming: Local/NFLN

These were both playoff teams in the NFC last year with Minnesota winning the North but losing in the wild card round at home to the New York Giants, and Seattle getting the conference’s final wild card spot and then losing in San Francisco. The Vikings and Seahawks didn’t meet last year.

If we see either starting QB, Seattle’s Geno Smith and Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins, it won’t be for long. Smith was the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. The 32-year-old had a breakout season that saw him earn his first Pro Bowl selection. Along with completing a league-best 69.8 percent of his throws, Smith threw for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns. Seattle signed Smith to a long-term deal this offseason. The Seahawks had a scrimmage over the weekend and Smith finished 10 for 15 for 171 yards, and one of those incompletions hit off the hands of DK Metcalf, though Metcalf redeemed himself with a long third-down reception on the very next play to extend the opening drive that ended with a TD.

It might be Cousins’ final year with the Vikings for contract reasons. Cousins first signed with the Vikings in 2018, agreeing to a first-of-its-kind contract that was a three-year, $84 million deal fully guaranteed. He agreed to a two-year, $66 million extension in 2020 and then a one-year, $35 million fully guaranteed extension last offseason that is set to expire after the 2023 campaign. While Minnesota did draft BYU quarterback Jaren Hall in the fifth round of the draft this offseason, there is no clear successor to Cousins already on the roster.

Minnesota waived four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook this offseason, making Alexander Mattison the new top guy, although he has been battling a minor injury in camp and isn’t likely to play here. To add some depth, the Vikes recently signed Abram Smith. signed with the Saints after going undrafted out of Baylor last year and then moved on to the XFL’s D.C. Defenders this year. He was named to the All-XFL team after rushing for 788 yards and seven touchdowns.

Top Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson has not been practicing of late. There have been rumors of a potential “hold in” for Hockenson, who is set to play under the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in 2023 and become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Pick: Seahawks

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