Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season is upon us.
The new campaign will kick off Thursday night when the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans. This season-opening showdown will be followed by a 13-game slate Sunday and a “Monday Night Football” doubleheader. And with the return of football, of course, marks the return of weekly wagering.
As you map out your plan for the board, considering betting on these three underdogs in Week 1, two of which will have the benefit of home-field advantage.
(Odds based on consensus data.)
Green Bay Packers (+2.5) at Minnesota Vikings
The NFC North is shaping up to be pretty wide open this season, and both the Packers and Vikings will be looking to make a statement Sunday when the division rivals meet at U.S. Bank Stadium. This matchup is poised to be somewhat of a slugfest as it features two of the better defensive units in the NFL.
While Aaron Rodgers’ collection of pass-catchers is nothing to write home about, Kirk Cousins’ supporting cast, at least on paper, isn’t a whole lot better. The Vikings quarterback also no longer has the Stefon Diggs portion of an elite wide receiver tandem with Adam Thielen.
In a contest that might not require a bevy of points to win, we’re going with Rodgers to outduel Cousins in Minnesota. It’s also worth noting the Packers haven’t lost a regular-season opener since 2014, and a motivated Rodgers should be able to continue this trend Sunday.
Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons (+1.5)
To put it simply, the Falcons are a different team at home. Matt Ryan and Co. seem to routinely be at their best at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and that’s where they’ll be Sunday when they host Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks.
This one has a chance to be a shootout. The Seahawks provided Wilson with a few new weapons over the offseason, while the Falcons’ already loaded offense grew stronger via the addition of Todd Gurley. Seattle’s secondary is no joke, but it still will be hard-pressed to keep the likes of Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and newcomer Hayden Hurst quiet.
The Falcons’ 2019 season was awfully disappointing, so we expect Dan Quinn’s bunch to have a chip on their shoulder in Week 1 as they look to build a bounce-back campaign.
Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos (+2.5)
The Broncos probably aren’t going to win the AFC West this season, but look out for Denver as a legitimate contender for a Wild Card spot. Drew Lock impressed as a rookie in 2019, and his arsenal received some nice additions in the offseason in the form of rookie WR Jerry Jeudy and veteran back Melvin Gordon.
Although Ryan Tannehill’s 2019 run was undoubtedly impressive, he hasn’t been consistent enough over the course of his career to inspire complete optimism. Tennessee now has a target on its back following its march to the AFC Championship Game last season, and Denver is a tough place to play for visitors, even without fans in the stands.
With a few points to work with, we can see the Broncos edging out the Titans in a close one.
Thumbnail photo via Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports Images
