NFL Week 1 opening lines: Early thoughts on all 16 games

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The NFL schedules were released on Thursday night, and it didn't take long for sportsbooks to hang early numbers for Week 1.

These lines were made under the assumption games will be played without fans in attendance. Here's an initial breakdown of all the Week 1 matchups.

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (-10.5, 56)

The defending Super Bowl champions open up on Thursday night at home versus the Texans. This is a rematch of last year's AFC divisional-round playoff game when Kansas City fell behind 24-0 before storming back to win 51-31.

Oddsmakers don't like Houston's chances of getting revenge, installing the Chiefs as hefty 10.5-point favorites. The public loves Patrick Mahomes, but pro bettors will likely take the points.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints (-4.5, 49.5)

The Saints (+900) and Buccaneers (+1000) are two of the favorites to win the Super Bowl, so expect this to be the most heavily bet game of Week 1. We know the public will be on Tom Brady. Brady will be an underdog in Week 1 of the season for the first time since 2003.

Brady and Co. are overvalued heading into the season, but they likely won't need to deal with the usually deafening Superdome crowd. Even without the noise, there's an early lean toward the Saints laying 4.5 at home.

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (-9.5, 49)

The Browns should improve in 2020, but the NFL didn't do them any Week 1 favors. Cleveland must travel to face a loaded Ravens squad that oddsmakers put behind only the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.

The Browns defeated the Ravens in Baltimore last year 40-25. It's difficult laying 9.5 points so early in the year. This line should move toward Cleveland as we get closer to kickoff.

Philadelphia Eagles (-6, 45.5) at Washington Redskins

This is the third time over the last four years the Eagles and Redskins will square off in Week 1. A Redskins team that should be more competitive under Ron Rivera offers some early-season value, so expect sharps to side with the home dog.

Just like last year's opener, this one is shaping up to be a Pros vs. Joes battle, with the public backing the road favorite.

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (-5.5, 40.5)

The Bills are a popular preseason pick to make a Super Bowl run, but this Week 1 line looks high. These teams opened up against each other last campaign too, with Buffalo earning a 17-16 win after the Jets blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead.

Expect another low-scoring slugfest featuring two of the NFL's top defenses this time around. Take the points.

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-6.5, 44)

The revamped Dolphins hope to start 2020 where they left off last season with an upset win in New England. Will it be Ryan Fitzpatrick or rookie Tua Tagovailoa quarterbacking Miami? And will Jarrett Stidham replace Brady?

It'll be interesting to see how the public bets the Pats in 2020 after hammering them for over a decade. Given the uncertainty at quarterback for the Patriots, Miami plus the points looks like the play.

Seattle Seahawks (-1.5, 49) at Atlanta Falcons

The Seahawks went 7-1 straight up on the road last year, while Atlanta finished a disappointing 3-5 at home. These teams could hold an edge if training camps are shortened, with veteran coaches and quarterbacks in place on both sides.

The public will be all over the Seahawks here, but don't be surprised if pro bettors pound Atlanta in Week 1. The Falcons are 11-1 against the spread in their last 12 home openers.

Los Angeles Chargers (-4, 46) at Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals should be much-improved this season with rookie sensation Joe Burrow under center, leading to value on the betting market. This contest could present a matchup between rookie quarterbacks if Justin Herbert wins the job in L.A. The more likely scenario is Tyrod Taylor beginning the season as the Chargers' starting quarterback. If that's the case, lean toward the road favorite here.

Las Vegas Raiders at Carolina Panthers (-1, 46.5)

There's a new head coach (Matt Rhule), offensive coordinator (Joe Brady), and quarterback (Teddy Bridgewater) leading the Panthers. All that turnover is a negative early in the year, especially if training camps are pushed back.

The Raiders' strong rushing attack should be too much for a rebuilding Panthers defense that allowed 29.4 points per game in 2019. Expect a high-scoring affair.

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (-3.5, 47)

The Packers and Vikings are co-favorites to win the NFC North, so this is a big early-season showdown. Expect some regression from a Green Bay team that finished 13-3 last year, but won half its games by eight points or less while allowing 4.7 yards per carry. We should see split betting action ahead of an even game on paper.

Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions (-1, 44.5)

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford missed the last half of 2019, but Detroit was still surprisingly competitive, losing five of its final eight games by eight points or less. This is a big season for both Lions head coach Matt Patricia and Bears sideline boss Matt Nagy. Chicago will be a popular road underdog, but the early lean is toward the Lions.

Indianapolis Colts (-8, 47.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Colts' roster is talented, and now with Philip Rivers under center, many like Indy to make a playoff run in 2020. The Jaguars' roster isn't nearly as skilled, and consequently, Jacksonville has received the lowest projected win total (five).

The total of 47.5 here is interesting, as these teams look to be fielding run-first offenses that want to slow the pace. This game will be another public vs. sharps sparring match with pro bettors taking the eight points at home.

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers (-8, 45)

This is one of the most intriguing Week 1 matchups. The Cardinals think they're ready to leap up in the NFC West, and they could make an immediate statement against the defending NFC champion 49ers. The line feels high, and it should go down with early money backing the Cardinals.

Dallas Cowboys (-3, 50) at Los Angeles Rams

The Cowboys are +1500 to win the Super Bowl, and they're one of the NFL's most heavily bet teams. So it's not surprising to see Dallas open as a short road favorite. However, if the game is played without fans, the Rams get an advantage. The enormous Cowboys fan base would make a clash in L.A. sound like a Dallas home game. It's a tough game to call early.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5, 48) at New York Giants

The Steelers could hold a huge edge in this matchup depending on when the preseason starts. Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger have been together since 2007, while the Giants' Joe Judge has never coached at any level, and New York quarterback Daniel Jones enters his second season with a fresh offensive coordinator. There's a big early lean toward the more experienced Steelers on Monday Night Football.

Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos (-3, 42)

Last year, Tennessee opened as a five-point road underdog against the much-hyped Browns, and the Titans rolled to a 43-13 win. This feels eerily familiar, with the Broncos a trendy 2020 sleeper pick after rebuilding their offense around second-year quarterback Drew Lock. Tennessee looks like a live dog in Week 1 for the second straight year.

Thomas Casale is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. He's been following the sports betting industry for almost 30 years. A devoted fan of the wishbone offense, Thomas bets on all sports but specializes in college football, NFL, and college basketball. Find him on Twitter @TheTomCasale.

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