NFL Betting Info Week 1

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Preview: Cincinnati at N.Y. Jets

When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 11, 2016
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey



A pair of playoff contenders who have had several months to stew over their gut-wrenching season finales will square off on Sunday when the New York Jets host the Cincinnati Bengals. The Jets look to rebound from a disappointing loss to Buffalo that cost them a playoff berth while the Bengals are still scratching their heads and wondering how they let their wild-card game slip away with 14 seconds to play against division rival Pittsburgh.




Contract holdout Ryan Fitzpatrick will guide a New York offense with top targets Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker alongside. New York welcomes all-purpose threat Matt Forte to its backfield and once again appears to have one of the league's best defensive units, paced by All-Pro lineman Muhammad Wilkerson and defensive back Darrelle Revis. The Bengals open the season a bit shorthanded without tight end Tyler Eifert and star linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who will miss the first three games for repeated violations of player safety rules, including a vicious hit of Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown in the playoff loss. While the Jets are in a postseason drought, coach Marvin Lewis has led Cincinnati to the playoffs for five straight seasons but the Bengals didn't advance in any of them.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Bengals -2.5. O/U: 41.5.

ABOUT THE BENGALS (2015: 12-4, first place in AFC North): Cincinnati returns its one-two punch of Giovanni Bernard and Jeremy Hill (11 rushing TDs in 2015) in the backfield, but it could have problems trying to crack the Jets' staunch run defense, which ranked second in the league last season. The Bengals, who tied the franchise record with 12 wins last season, also have questions at wide receiver with no clear alternative to Pro Bowler A.J. Green (NFL record-tying five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in his first five years) after Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones left via free agency in the offseason. Andy Dalton, however, is back after missing the climax of the campaign after breaking his thumb while making a tackle late in game No. 13.
ABOUT THE JETS (2015: 10-6, second place in AFC East): Marshall (1,502 receiving yards) had a renaissance last season and combined with Decker to score 26 touchdowns and become one of the league's elite receiving duos. Forte, who has the most yards from scrimmage in the league (12,718) since 2008, looks to replace Chris Ivory, who moved on to Jacksonville after rushing for a 1,020 yards Fitzpatrick posted career highs in passing yards (3,905) and TDs (31), but pitched a dud in the season finale against the Bills. He signed a one-year deal with the club well after the preseason began and was a big reason why the Jets, who have not reached the playoffs since 2010, rallied from a 5-5 season last year to win five straight games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The teams haven't met since 2013 when the Bengals rolled 49-9.
2. Brandon LaFell, who caught 37 passes with the Patriots last season, is listed as the Bengals' No. 2 receiver
3. Marshall and Decker both had receiving touchdowns in the same game nine times in 2015, the most ever by teammates in a season.

PREDICTION: Jets 27, Bengals 17

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Re: NFL Betting Info Week 1

Trends - Cincinnati at N.Y. Jets
ATS Trends

Cincinnati

Bengals are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 road games. Bengals are 12-3-2 ATS in their last 17 games overall. Bengals are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 1. Bengals are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 vs. AFC. Bengals are 25-9-2 ATS in their last 36 games in September. Bengals are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf.

N.Y. Jets

Jets are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf. Jets are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. Jets are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 home games. Jets are 2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 games in September.

OU Trends

Cincinnati

Under is 4-0 in Bengals last 4 games overall. Under is 7-1 in Bengals last 8 vs. AFC. Under is 5-1 in Bengals last 6 games on fieldturf. Over is 5-1 in Bengals last 6 games in Week 1. Under is 4-1 in Bengals last 5 road games. Under is 5-2 in Bengals last 7 games in September.

N.Y. Jets

Under is 4-1 in Jets last 5 games overall.

Head to Head

Favorite is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings. Home team is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings. Over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings. Bengals are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 meetings. Bengals are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 meetings in New York.

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Preview: Cleveland at Philadelphia

When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 11, 2016
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


Rookie Carson Wentz will begin his NFL career in earnest on Sunday as the second overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft leads the Philadelphia Eagles against the visiting Cleveland Browns. Wentz was expected to be eased into action before the Eagles traded incumbent starter Sam Bradford to Minnesota for a 2017 first-round pick and 2018 fourth-round selection in the wake of Teddy Bridgewater's season-ending knee injury.

"Things changed around here pretty quickly. I think there were a lot of people that were surprised, but now, it is just move forward. Move forward, on to the next," said Wentz, who is facing the team that traded the second overall pick to the Eagles and had its chief strategy officer (Paul DePodesta) declare that the North Dakota State star wouldn't be a top-20 quarterback in the league. The 23-year-old Wentz won't be the lone high-profile second overall pick of a draft in this contest. Fellow quarterback Robert Griffin III makes his debut after signing a two-year deal with the Browns following his release from Washington in March. The debuts won't just be limited to the men behind center as Eagles coach Doug Pederson and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will join Browns coach Hue Jackson in their respective new roles on the sideline.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Eagles -3.5. O/U: 41

ABOUT THE BROWNS (2015: 3-13, fourth in AFC Central): With Josh Gordon serving the first of a four-game suspension, Gary Barnidge likely will be Griffin's most-trusted target after reeling in a career-high 79 passes for 1,043 yards and franchise high-tying nine touchdowns by a tight end. First-round rookie Corey Coleman won the 2015 Biletnikoff Award as the NCAA's best receiver but endured quite the struggle getting acclimated during the preseason. "You know, it's not about being a first-round pick. I put a lot of pressure on myself because I want to be great," the 22-year-old Coleman told ESPN. "I put a lot pressure on myself, the way I critique myself. You know, it can bury you on some people, sometimes."

ABOUT THE EAGLES (2015: 7-9, second in NFC East): Jordan Matthews (team-leading 85 receptions, 997 yards) headlines a young receiving corps that also added Dorian Green-Beckham, a former second-round pick of Tennessee who led rookies with 17.2 yards per catch during his rookie season (2015). Ryan Mathews assumes the unquestioned starter's role for the departed DeMarco Murray (Titans) and could take the pressure off Wentz should he repeat last season's 5.1-yard rushing average, which was fourth-best among league running backs. On the other side of the ball, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (team-leading 9 1/2 sacks and club high-tying three forced fumbles) leads an aggressive unit that yielded an NFL third-worst 401.6 yards per game overall and league-worst 134.6 on the ground.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cleveland's Duke Johnson Jr. registered 61 receptions last season, fourth-most among league running backs.

2. Philadelphia TE Zach Ertz recorded career highs of catches (75), targets (112) and yards (853) last season, although his touchdown total (two) decreased for the third straight year.

3. Browns OT Joe Thomas is the only offensive lineman in NFL history to be selected to Pro Bowl in each of his first nine seasons.

PREDICTION: Eagles 27, Browns 13

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Re: NFL Betting Info Week 1

Trends - Cleveland at Philadelphia
ATS Trends

Cleveland

Browns are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games in September. Browns are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games on grass. Browns are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games. Browns are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Browns are 3-13-2 ATS in their last 18 games in Week 1.

Philadelphia

Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games. Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in September. Eagles are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games on grass.

OU Trends

Cleveland

Over is 6-0 in Browns last 6 games in September. Under is 5-0 in Browns last 5 games overall. Under is 4-0 in Browns last 4 games on grass. Under is 5-0 in Browns last 5 road games.

Philadelphia

Under is 4-0 in Eagles last 4 games in September. Over is 6-1 in Eagles last 7 games overall.

Head to Head

Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.

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Preview: Minnesota at Tennessee

When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 11, 2016
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee


Question marks are swirling around the Minnesota Vikings in regard to their quarterback situation for Sunday's season opener against the host Tennessee Titans. With Teddy Bridgewater out for the season with a torn ACL, the Vikings have yet to announce whether veteran Shaun Hill or the recently acquired Sam Bradford will be under center at the start of their first game.

The 36-year-old Hill is likely to get the nod as Bradford only was obtained from Philadelphia on Sept. 3, but offensive coordinator Norv Turner feels the newcomer is getting up to speed quickly. "(He's) learning the parts of the system he needs to know to be able to function," Turner told reporters on Thursday. "I think the verbiage part of it - because he's an experienced veteran - and learning the system and learning the plays is the easier part than getting in sync with the guys on the field on a play-to-play basis." There are no questions regarding Tennessee's quarterback as Marcus Mariota aims to improve upon a solid first season in which he became the only rookie in NFL history to record two games with four touchdown passes and no interceptions. Mariota has some new weapons at his disposal as the Titans added former NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray and wide receiver Andre Johnson to help the second-year signal-caller, as well as new coach Mike Mularkey.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Vikings -2.5. O/U: 41

ABOUT THE VIKINGS (2015: 11-5, first place in NFC North): Adrian Peterson is showing no signs of slowing down as the former MVP led the league in rushing yards (1,485) and touchdowns (11) last season. The 31-year-old joined Marion Motley and Curtis Martin as the only players in history to lead the NFL in rushing at the age of 30 or older. Minnesota's return game figures to be a strong point as Cordarrelle Patterson topped the league in 2015 with a 31.8-yard average and two touchdowns on kick returns.

ABOUT THE TITANS (2015: 3-13, fourth place in AFC South): Tennessee hopes its running game is one with which to reckon with the additions of Murray and 2016 second-round pick Derrick Henry, who captured the Heisman Trophy last year after rushing for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns - both SEC records - in his junior season at Alabama. Murray leads all active players with 28 rushing TDs since 2013 and ranks second with 3,668 yards in that span. Johnson, meanwhile, is the NFL's active leader in receptions (1,053) and yards (14,100).

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Vikings have won five of the last six meetings, including a 30-7 triumph at home on Oct. 7, 2012.

2. Tennessee claimed OL Josh Kline off waivers from New England and waived CB Cody Riggs.

3. Minnesota announced no additional structural damage was found during Bridgewater's successful knee surgery on Thursday.

PREDICTION: Vikings 24, Titans 17

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Re: NFL Betting Info Week 1

Trends - Minnesota at Tennessee
ATS Trends

Minnesota

Vikings are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 road games. Vikings are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games on grass. Vikings are 37-17 ATS in their last 54 games overall.

Tennessee

Titans are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games in Week 1. Titans are 16-33-3 ATS in their last 52 home games. Titans are 15-34-5 ATS in their last 54 games on grass. Titans are 15-35-4 ATS in their last 54 games overall.

OU Trends

Minnesota

Under is 5-0-1 in Vikings last 6 games on grass. Under is 6-1 in Vikings last 7 games in September. Under is 12-3-1 in Vikings last 16 road games. Under is 13-4-1 in Vikings last 18 games overall.

Tennessee

Over is 4-0 in Titans last 4 games in September. Over is 4-1-1 in Titans last 6 games overall. Under is 4-1 in Titans last 5 games in Week 1.

Head to Head

Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings. Vikings are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings. Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

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Preview: Miami at Seattle

When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, September 11, 2016
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington


Ryan Tannehill is hoping that first-year coach Adam Gase's influence will provide just the jolt he needs to rebound after a disappointing season in 2015. The duo hopes its new-look offense makes the cross-country flight to the Pacific Northwest as the Miami Dolphins attempt to win their fourth straight season opener on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

"Coach is constantly pushing me and trying to push my buttons a little bit. He's an expert in pushing guys to reach their potential," the 28-year-old Tannehill said, referring to Gase's work with Jay Cutler, Peyton Manning and even Tim Tebow. Wideout Jarvis Landry had a franchise-record 110 receptions last season while former Houston Pro Bowler Arian Foster has worked his way back from an Achilles injury in 2015 and signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in the summer. Foster could be in for a long day against Seattle, which boasted the league's second-best defense last season and No. 1 against the run. Russell Wilson, who led the NFL with a 110.1 passer rating in 2015, became the first quarterback in league history with at least 4,000 passing yards (4,024), 30 touchdowns (34) and 500-plus rushing yards (553) in 2015.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Seahawks -10.5. O/U: 44

ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (2015: 6-10, fourth in AFC East): Mario Williams is looking forward to pinning his ears back and rushing the quarterback, as the mammoth defensive end had 38 sacks in his first three seasons with Buffalo before a regime and scheme change limited him to just five in 2015. The former top overall pick joins Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake (team-leading seven sacks) on a Miami defense that yielded 376.2 total yards per game (eighth-worst in NFL) and 126.2 on the ground, fifth-worst in the NFL. On the other side of the ball, first-round rookie offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil has impressed at both left tackle and left guard during the preseason.

ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (2015: 10-6, second in NFC West): Thomas Rawls (team-leading 830 rushing yards) and Christine Michael are expected to take over the ground attack in the wake of Marshawn Lynch's retirement, however they may find the going tough behind a makeshift offensive line. Right tackle Garry Gilliam is the lone returnee from the 2015 squad and the news got worse on Thursday as rookie guard Germain Ifedi, a first-round pick, was announced to miss at least three weeks after sustaining a high-ankle sprain in practice. Rawls' snaps could be limited as he works his way back from a season-ending ankle injury while former second-round pick Michael earned rave reviews in preseason.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Seattle WR Doug Baldwin had an NFL high-tying 14 receiving touchdowns last season and a career-high 78 catches and 1,069 yards.

2. Miami WR DeVante Parker (hamstring) and C Mike Pouncey (hip) are in jeopardy of sitting out the season opener.

3. Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham has been a full participant in practice as he works his way back from a ruptured patellar tendon.

PREDICTION: Seahawks 24, Dolphins 9

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Re: NFL Betting Info Week 1

Trends - Miami at Seattle
ATS Trends

Miami

Dolphins are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games overall. Dolphins are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games. Dolphins are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf.

Seattle

Seahawks are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games in September. Seahawks are 39-19-2 ATS in their last 60 games on fieldturf.

OU Trends

Miami

Over is 8-2 in Dolphins last 10 games in September. Under is 4-1 in Dolphins last 5 games overall. Under is 7-2 in Dolphins last 9 games in Week 1. Under is 22-7 in Dolphins last 29 games on fieldturf.

Seattle

Under is 4-0 in Seahawks last 4 games on fieldturf. Under is 5-1 in Seahawks last 6 games overall. Under is 11-5 in Seahawks last 16 games in September.

Head to Head

Dolphins are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings. Underdog is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings. Road team is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings

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Preview: N.Y. Giants at Dallas

When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, September 11, 2016
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas


Injuries decimated the Dallas Cowboys' season in 2015 and already have reared their ugly head this year, as veteran quarterback Tony Romo is expected to be sidelined six-to-10 weeks with a compression fracture in his back. The doom and gloom was replaced by the tempered optimism following a strong preseason by rookie Dak Prescott (39-of-50, seven total touchdowns), who takes the reins on Sunday as the host Cowboys open their season against the NFC East-rival New York Giants.

Electric wideout Dez Bryant returns after being plagued by a foot injury for much of 2015 while fourth overall pick Ezekiel Elliott already is making claims of breaking Eric Dickerson's long-standing NFL rookie rushing record (1,808 in 1983) as he runs behind Dallas' vaunted offensive line. "Eighteen hundred yards. We joke about it all the time. I told him I'm going to get it," the 21-year-old Elliott said, via ESPN. Ben McAdoo will be charged with keeping Elliott and the Cowboys in check as the former offensive coordinator makes his debut as New York's coach, replacing the dismissed Tom Coughlin. Veteran quarterback Eli Manning looks to improve upon a 35-touchdown performance in 2015 while trusted wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. reeled in 96 receptions last year - the second-most in a season in franchise history.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Cowboys -1. O/U: 46

ABOUT THE GIANTS (2015: 6-10, third in NFC East): Rashad Jennings rode a running-back-by-committee approach to a career-high 1,159 yards from scrimmage last season. The 31-year-old, who broke away from the pack and averaged 19.8 carries over the final three weeks, is expected to be the primary rusher at the goal line in 2016. On the defensive side of the ball, safety Landon Collins recorded a team-best 112 tackles during his rookie season in 2015 - including 13 in two games versus the Cowboys.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (2015: 4-12, fourth in NFC East): While the lights shine bright on Dallas' potential on offense, the defense has a secondary that did not record a single interception last season and will face Beckham, a returning Victor Cruz (patellar tendon) and rookie Sterling Shepard. The Cowboys are banking on health being the key as Orlando Scandrick returns after working his way back from a torn ACL and MCL while fellow cornerback Morris Claiborne completed his first career training camp and preseason without issue. Linebacker Sean Lee led the club with 128 tackles last season, but defensive pressure up front could be an issue all season for Dallas.

EXTRA POINTS

1. New York finished plus-7 in turnover differential last season while Dallas was an NFL-worst minus-22 with a league-low 11 takeaways.

2. Cowboys veteran TE Jason Witten, who restructured his contract to create cap space on Thursday, made a team-leading 77 catches in 2015 - including a TD reception with seven seconds left in a 27-26 season-opening win over the Giants.

3. New York's Randy Bullock will get the nod on Sunday as fellow K Josh Brown serves a one-game suspension stemming from a domestic violence arrest last year.

PREDICTION: Giants 26, Cowboys 21

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Re: NFL Betting Info Week 1

Trends - N.Y. Giants at Dallas
ATS Trends

N.Y. Giants

Giants are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September. Giants are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 1.

Dallas

Cowboys are 10-25-1 ATS in their last 36 home games. Cowboys are 7-19-1 ATS in their last 27 games on fieldturf. Cowboys are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. NFC. Cowboys are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall.

OU Trends

N.Y. Giants

Over is 4-0 in Giants last 4 games overall. Over is 8-1 in Giants last 9 games on fieldturf. Over is 6-1 in Giants last 7 vs. NFC. Over is 6-1 in Giants last 7 games in Week 1. Over is 4-1 in Giants last 5 games in September. Over is 4-1 in Giants last 5 road games. Over is 5-2 in Giants last 7 vs. NFC East.

Dallas

Over is 4-1 in Cowboys last 5 games in September. Under is 4-1 in Cowboys last 5 games overall. Over is 6-2 in Cowboys last 8 vs. NFC East. Over is 9-4 in Cowboys last 13 games in Week 1.

Head to Head

Over is 7-0 in the last 7 meetings in Dallas. Over is 20-8-1 in the last 29 meetings. Giants are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Dallas.

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Re: NFL Betting Info Week 1

Preview: Detroit at Indianapolis

When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, September 11, 2016
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana


The Indianapolis Colts took a step back in 2015 as quarterback Andrew Luck battled some inconsistency before ending his season with a serious injury, yet they were still in the race for a playoff spot down the stretch. Luck and the Colts will try to kick off the 2016 campaign on a high note when they host the Detroit Lions in the season opener on Sunday.

After Luck missed a total of nine games last season due to a shoulder injury and a lacerated kidney, Indianapolis made upgrading the offensive line to protect the quarterback a priority in the offseason, including drafting center Ryan Kelly in the first round. “I think the center/quarterback relationship is so special,” Kelly told the team's website, “and it kind of drives an offense. Those guys do really work hand-in-hand, every single day, to get the offense on the same page and be successful." The Lions had their own issues on offense last season while finishing last in the NFL in rushing average (83.4 yards), and no longer have wide receiver Calvin Johnson around to spread out the defense. The star receiver decided to retire in the offseason rather than put his body through the strain of another campaign.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Colts -3.5. O/U: 51.5

ABOUT THE LIONS (2015: 7-9): Detroit will expand running back Ameer Abdullah's role in an effort to boost the rushing attack but don't expect to move too far away from the passing game. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has thrown for over 4,000 yards in each of the last five seasons and posted the best completion percentage of his career (67.2) in 2015. "We have weapons,” Detroit coach Jim Caldwell told reporters. “We’ve got guys we can throw the ball to. We’ve got a quarterback that’s been around and played. There are a lot of things that I like about our entire team."

ABOUT THE COLTS (2015: 8-8): While Luck is healthy and ready to lead the offense, the Indianapolis defense is coming into the season at less than 100 percent. The Colts secondary could be without a few starters on Sunday but defensive end Kendall Langford, who missed most of camp after undergoing knee surgery, is expected to play. "We’ll ease him back in," Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano told reporters of Langford. "He’s an iron man. He’s a tough, tough guy. If I were betting on anybody, I’d bet on him."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Colts DL Arthur Jones will serve the first of his four-game suspension for violating the league's PED policy.

2. Detroit WR Golden Tate (ankle) was limited in practice.

3. Indianapolis DT Henry Anderson (knee) and CB Vontae Davis (ankle) are not expected to play while CB Darius Butler and S Clayton Geathers are questionable.

PREDICTION: Colts 28, Lions 24

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Re: NFL Betting Info Week 1

Trends - Detroit at Indianapolis
ATS Trends

Detroit

Lions are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf. Lions are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games overall. Lions are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games in Week 1.

Indianapolis

Colts are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf. Colts are 25-10-1 ATS in their last 36 home games. Colts are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games in Week 1.

OU Trends

Detroit

Over is 4-0 in Lions last 4 games on fieldturf. Over is 5-0 in Lions last 5 games in Week 1. Under is 5-1 in Lions last 6 games in September. Under is 14-4 in Lions last 18 road games.

Indianapolis

Under is 8-3 in Colts last 11 games in Week 1. Over is 5-2 in Colts last 7 games in September. Under is 7-3 in Colts last 10 home games. Under is 9-4 in Colts last 13 games on fieldturf.

Head to Head

No trends available.

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Preview: New England at Arizona

When: 8:30 PM ET, Sunday, September 11, 2016
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona


Tom Brady will not be under center in a season opener for the first time since 2001 when the New England Patriots pay a visit to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday night. Brady will be serving the first of a four-game suspension for his involvement in the "Deflategate" scandal, putting third-year quarterback Jimmy Garappolo in the spotlight for his first career start.

To underscore the act that Garappolo is trying to follow, albeit for four games, is the fact that New England is the only team in league history to win division titles in 12 of the past 13 seasons with Brady at the helm. "He has done a lot of little things to help me, whether it be on the field or off the field," Garappolo said of Brady. "You spend so much time with the guy that you pick up little things that he does that you find helpful and you put it towards your own game." While the Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship Game last season, Arizona finished 13-3 and also came up one win short of the Super Bowl after losing to Carolina in the NFC title game. Quarterback Carson Palmer and all the key players on offense return on a team that led the NFL with 408.3 yards per game and bolstered its pass rush by acquiring Pro Bowl defensive end Chandler Jones from New England in the offseason.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Cardinals -6. O/U: 47.5

ABOUT THE PATRIOTS (2015: 12-4, first in AFC East): Garappolo has the league's biggest matchup nightmare at his disposal in the person of Rob Gronkowski, who had 72 catches for 1,176 yards and 11 touchdowns last season to become the only tight end in league history to post double-digit TDs five teams. Julian Edelman had 61 receptions and seven TDs through nine games before suffering a broken foot last season and will be another safety valve for Garappolo, who may use sledgehammer running back LeGarrette Blount in an attempt to keep Arizona's offense off the field. New England lost its best all-around defensive player last week when pass-rushing end Rob Ninkovich was suspended four games after testing positive for a banned substance.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (2015: 13-3, first in NFC West): Palmer established franchise records for touchdowns (35), yards (4,671) and completion percentage (104.6) before unraveling in the conference championship game with six turnovers. His receiving corps of Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and speedster John Brown return while second-year running back David Johnson opens the season as the starter after scoring 13 touchdowns as a rookie and playing superbly down the stretch when Chris Johnson suffered a broken leg. Playmaking safely Tyrann Mathieu is back after tearing an ACL in his knee late last season and Jones is expected to rectify the biggest weakness on defense after notching a career-high 12.5 sacks last season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arizona (30.6 points per game) and New England (29.1) ranked second and third, respectively, in scoring last season.

2. Fitzgerald has 109 catches for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

3. The Patriots acquired CB Eric Rowe from Philadelphia on Tuesday for a conditional draft pick.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 26, Patriots 20

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Re: NFL Betting Info Week 1

Trends - New England at Arizona
ATS Trends

New England

Patriots are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 games on grass. Patriots are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games.

Arizona

Cardinals are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games in September. Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in Week 1. Cardinals are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games on grass. Cardinals are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games.

OU Trends

New England

Under is 5-2 in Patriots last 7 games on grass. Over is 13-6 in Patriots last 19 games in Week 1.

Arizona

Under is 4-0 in Cardinals last 4 home games. Under is 6-2 in Cardinals last 8 games overall. Under is 5-2 in Cardinals last 7 games on grass. Under is 11-5 in Cardinals last 16 games in September.

Head to Head

Patriots are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings. Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.

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Re: NFL Betting Info Week 1

Preview: Pittsburgh at Washington

When: 7:10 PM ET, Monday, September 12, 2016
Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland


Following their surprise run to the NFC East title in 2015, expectations are heightened for the Washington Redskins as they prepare to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night in the season opener for both teams. Washington is looking to build upon its closing run a year ago, when it finished the regular season with four consecutive victories.

"We have a great opportunity to go be effective and play well and that's exciting and something for our fans to be excited about," Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins said. "But, we've got to go out and prove it." Washington made a bold move to bolster its defense by signing Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman, setting up a marquee matchup with Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. Pittsburgh will be without a pair of key weapons as running back Le'Veon Bell is serving a three-game suspension and wide receiver Martavis Bryant is out for the year for violations of the league's substance abuse policy. The offense should still be potent behind the leadership of two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but there are concerns over a defense that ranked 30th against the pass last season.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Steelers -3. O/U: 50

ABOUT THE STEELERS (2015: 10-6, second in the AFC North): Once renowned for its Steel Curtain defense, Pittsburgh has evolved into an offensive juggernaut, with Roethlisberger leading the league with an average of 328.2 yards per game last season and Brown hauling in a mind-boggling 375 receptions and 31 touchdown catches in the past three years. "It starts and it ends with him," Norman said of Brown. "That's going to be a tall task to take on." DeAngelo Williams was more than a capable replacement last season while subbing for a suspended and injured Bell, rushing for 11 TDs and 907 yards. Defensive ends Stephon Tuitt and Cam Heyward and linebacker Ryan Shazier are top talents but the secondary remains suspect after yielding an average of 271.9 yards in 2015.

ABOUT THE REDSKINS (2015: 9-7, first in the NFC East): One knock against Washington last season, aside from being the only team to finish above .500 in its division, was not beating one opponent with a winning record. Nonetheless, Cousins thrived in his first full season as the starter, becoming the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for at least 4,000 yards (4,166) and 25 touchdowns (29), and has one of the league's top tight ends in Jordan Reed, who enjoyed a breakout season with 87 receptions and 11 scores. There are questions about a ground game headed by Matt Jones, who returned to practice Wednesday after missing much of the preseason with a shoulder injury, and a defense that ranked 28th last year despite 9.5 sacks from linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Pittsburgh's 41 wins on Kickoff Weekend are the most by any AFC team.

2. Redskins WR DeSean Jackson averages 17.7 yards per catch in his career, the most in the league since 2008.

3. Brown tied for the NFL lead with 136 receptions in 2015 and his 265 catches in the past two seasons are the most in any two-year span.

PREDICTION: Steelers 27, Redskins 23