Like to latch onto big favorites when you do your NFL betting early in the season? Well, this weekend the biggest point spread is attached to the defending Super Bowl champs.
The Giants began their championship defense last Thursday by knocking off the Redskins at home by a score of 16-7. New York went up 10-0 in the first quarter of that contest on an Eli Manning one-yard rush and a John Carney field goal, and from there they held the Redskins to a single Jason Campbell TD strike to start the season at 1-0.
But New York’s success in that game isn’t the only reason they’re 8.5-point road favorites in Week 2 – it’s also partly due to their opposition. The Rams were awful in Week 1, as their offense could muster only a fourth-quarter field goal in a 38-3 road loss to the Eagles. Marc Bulger threw for just 158 yards, and Steven Jackson rushed for 40.
The Giants are also at -480 on the moneyline for that game, with the total at 41.5 points.
The second-biggest line on the board right now has Tampa Bay as 7.5-point home favorites against the Falcons. However, the Bucs did fall to the Saints in Week 1, while Atlanta started their campaign with a victory. Of course, that win was against the Lions.
Seattle, who was pounded by Buffalo in Week 1, is nonetheless a 7-point home favorite against the Niners this weekend. San Francisco lost their first game 23-13 at home versus the Cardinals. Those Cards are home favorites again this weekend, with a line of -6.5 against the Dolphins. The Bills are 5.5-point road underdogs against the Jaguars.
Other lines of more than a field goal this weekend include Oakland at Kansas City (-3.5), Baltimore at Houston (-4.5), and Pittsburgh (-6) at Cleveland. As well, it’s Philadelphia at Dallas (-7) on Monday night. The Panthers are favored by 3 points at home against the Bears, and the Packers are 3-point road favorites against the Lions.
Three of the best teams of recent seasons all have small lines this weekend; the Chargers are 1.5-point road favorites against the Broncos, the Colts are 2-point road favorites against the Vikings, and the Patriots are actually 1.5-point road underdogs against the Jets. Brett Favre got the job done in his New York debut last weekend, completing 15-of-22 pass attempts for 194 yards and two TDs in a victory over Miami.
Finally, it’s Tennessee at Cincinnati (-1), and New Orleans at Washington (pick’em). Check the BetUS NFL odds section for all of the latest lines and total for this weekend.