Broncos open as 3-point favorites over Panthers as NFL Week 1 lines posted
It’s a safe bet Cam Newton will be on the field when the Carolina Panthers open the NFL regular season. The opposing starting quarterback remains a mystery.
The league released its 17-week schedule Thursday night. Within an hour, with kickoff 147 days away, oddsmakers at the Westgate posted opening lines for Week 1.
“It gets a lot more discussion than action at this time of year. No one is in a hurry to bet these games,” Westgate sports book director Jay Kornegay said. “But people can never get enough football.”
With the NFL Draft scheduled for April 28 to 30, the Los Angeles Rams made a blockbuster deal with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday to get the No. 1 pick. The Rams are expected to take a quarterback, and, obviously, that’s the most significant position in relation to the betting lines.
In the Sept. 8 opener, Newton and the Panthers are 3-point road underdogs against the Denver Broncos and … Mark Sanchez? The rematch of Super Bowl 50, which the Broncos won 24-10, will have a dramatically different feel.
The Broncos are favorites despite losing their top two quarterbacks. Peyton Manning retired in early March, and Brock Osweiler agreed to a free-agent deal with Houston a couple of days later. That triggered Denver to acquire Sanchez from Philadelphia for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2017.
It might be August before the Broncos name a starter, and their trade talks with San Francisco involving Colin Kaepernick could continue into the summer.
“It probably can’t be any worse than their QB play in the Super Bowl,” Kornegay said. “We’re thinking Kaepernick has a good shot of being there.”
The 49ers, featuring new coach Chip Kelly, host the Rams in the second half of a Monday, Sept. 12 doubleheader. San Francisco is a 2½-point underdog.
Washington hosts Pittsburgh in the first Monday night game. The Redskins, who have established Kirk Cousins as their top quarterback, are 2½-point underdogs.
On the season’s first Sunday, Tom Brady leads New England on the road against Arizona for the prime-time game. The Patriots are posted as 6-1 Super Bowl favorites at the Westgate, but their clash with the Cardinals opened as a pick’em.
In what might as well be an annual tradition, Dallas opens against the New York Giants, who are 0-5 in their past five Week 1 games. The Cowboys, who beat the Giants 27-26 in Week 1 last season but finished 4-12, are 5½-point favorites.
Green Bay is one of four road favorites. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are laying 3½ points at Jacksonville.
The Chargers, still based in San Diego to some surprise, open as 7½-point road ’dogs against Kansas City.
The Raiders are 1½-point underdogs at New Orleans. By September, the Raiders might be ready to announce a move from Oakland to Las Vegas, but no odds are posted on that yet.
NFL WEEK 1 OPENERS
| Favorite | Line | Total | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Sept. 8 | |||
| DENVER | 3 | 43.5 | Carolina |
| Sunday, Sept. 11 | |||
| ATLANTA | 3.5 | 48 | Tampa Bay |
| Minnesota | 3 | 42.5 | TENNESSEE |
| PHILADELPHIA | 7.5 | 46 | Cleveland |
| N.Y. JETS | Pick | 43.5 | Cincinnati |
| NEW ORLEANS | 1.5 | 51 | Oakland |
| KANSAS CITY | 7.5 | 43.5 | San Diego |
| BALTIMORE | 3 | 43.5 | Buffalo |
| HOUSTON | 4.5 | 45.5 | Chicago |
| Green Bay | 3.5 | 48 | JACKSONVILLE |
| SEATTLE | 7.5 | 45.5 | Miami |
| DALLAS | 5.5 | 49.5 | N.Y. Giants |
| INDIANAPOLIS | 5.5 | 49.5 | Detroit |
| ARIZONA | Pick | 51 | New England |
| Monday, Sept. 12 | |||
| Pittsburgh | 2.5 | 51 | WASHINGTON |
| Los Angeles | 2.5 | 47 | SAN FRANCISCO |
SOURCE: Westgate Sports Book
Contact sports betting reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow on Twitter: @mattyoumans247
