NFL 2023 Week 1 Early Spread & O/U Odds, Predictions & Picks

We may be in the thick of the NBA and NHL playoffs, and the MLB season is less than two months old. But it’s never too early to think about Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season, especially if the NFL is your favorite thing to watch or bet on.

The schedule for the upcoming season was recently released, and there are some mouthwatering matchups to look forward to in the opening week of the regular season.

Let’s take a look at the complete Week 1 schedule and then dive into the matchups that carry the most intrigue.

NFL 2023 Week 1 Schedule

Thursday, September 7

Detroit Lions vs Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 pm ET, NBC

Sunday, September 10

Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 pm ET, FOX

Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns, 1:00 pm ET, CBS

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 pm ET, FOX

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 pm ET, CBS

Tennessee Titans vs New Orleans Saints, 1:00 pm ET, CBS

San Francisco 49ers vs Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 pm ET, FOX

Arizona Cardinals vs Washington Commanders, 1:00 pm ET, FOX

Houston Texans vs Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 pm ET, CBS

Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears, 4:25 pm ET, FOX

Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos, 4:25 pm ET, CBS

Philadelphia Eagles vs New England Patriots, 4:25 pm ET, CBS

Miami Dolphins vs Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 pm ET, CBS

Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 pm ET, FOX

Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants, 8:20 pm ET, NBC

Monday, September 11

Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets, 8:15 pm ET, ESPN

With the start of the season still a few months away and training camp and preseason to come, some of these matchups could take on a different look by the time Week 1 actually rolls around.

For now though, here are the four most notable games on the schedule.

Top NFL 2023 Week 1 Games

Detroit Lions vs Kansas City Chiefs

Lions vs Chiefs NFL Week 1 Odds

• Spread: Detroit Lions +6.5 (-105), Kansas City Chiefs -6.5 (-115)
• Over/Under: Over 53.5 (-110), Under 53.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Detroit Lions +240, Kansas City Chiefs -295

After coming close to making the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2016, early NFL futures expect the Lions to break their postseason drought this season.

An opener on the road against the reigning Super Bowl champions will be a great litmus test for just how good Detroit can be in 2023, but a loss shouldn’t be analyzed too deeply given the opposition.

On that note, I don’t see anything other than a Chiefs win. In Patrick Mahomes’ tenure as starting QB, Kansas City is a perfect 5-0 in Week 1.

In those five openers, there have been 66, 66, 54, 62, and 65 points scored. I will be expecting more of the same in this matchup.

Lions vs Chiefs Week 1 Prediction: Chiefs to win and cover

Lions vs Chiefs Week 1 Picks: Chiefs -6.5 & Lions/Chiefs over 53.5

Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns

Bengals vs Browns NFL Week 1 Odds

• Spread: Cincinnati Bengals -2.5 (-110), Cleveland Browns +2.5 (-110)
• Over/Under: Over 47.5 (-110), Under 47.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Cincinnati Bengals -130, Cleveland Browns +110

After following an AFC title with a return trip to the AFC Championship Game, the Bengals are expected to again contend for the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.

So are the Browns, who will be in their first full year with Deshaun Watson.

The Bengals have not won at Cleveland since 2017, and in last season’s trip there, they fell 32-13 in Week 8, when Jacoby Brissett was still starting at QB for the Browns.

The Bengals have lost all three of their road openers with Joe Burrow, and though they are going to be one of the best teams in the NFL and a potential championship team yet again when all is said and done, I think that run will continue this season.

Bengals vs Browns Week 1 Prediction: Browns to cover and win

Bengals vs Browns Week 1 Picks: Browns +2.5 & Bengals/Browns over 47

Miami Dolphins vs Los Angeles Chargers

Dolphins vs Chargers NFL Week 1 Odds

• Spread: Miami Dolphins +2.5 (-110), Los Angeles Chargers -2.5 (-110)
• Over/Under: Over 49 (-110), Under 49 (-110)
• Moneyline: Miami Dolphins +108, Los Angeles Chargers -126

The Chiefs, Bills, and Bengals are expected to be the three best teams in the AFC, with the Jets, now armed with Aaron Rodgers, and Ravens, with Lamar Jackson locked down for the present and future, the two teams behind them according to NFL futures.

In the group of teams with the potential to squeeze into that top group are the Dolphins and Chargers, as well as the Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Both the Chargers and Dolphins have high ceilings, but there are questions for both to answer.

Will Brandon Staley’s decision-making help or hurt the Chargers this year, and can they get over the hump after being one of the league’s biggest disappointments last season? Will Tua Tagovailoa’s health be a factor for the Dolphins?

This is a matchup that we could easily see in the playoffs if things pan out like they could. But in the Week 1 matchup, I’m looking for the Chargers to take care of business at home. They have won each of their last three season openers, while the jury is still very much out for me on how well the Dolphins can hang on the road against the better teams on their schedule.

Dolphins vs Chargers Week 1 Prediction: Chargers to win and cover

Dolphins vs Chargers Week 1 Picks: Chargers -2.5 & Dolphins/Chargers over 49

Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants

Cowboys vs Giants NFL Week 1 Odds

• Spread: Dallas Cowboys -3 (-105), New York Giants +3 (-115)
• Over/Under: Over 46.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Dallas Cowboys -144, New York Giants +124

Is this a make-or-break season for Dak Prescott? The rumblings about his future in Dallas will only get louder if he fails to hit the ground running against the Giants.

The bad news here is that the Cowboys are just 2-5 in Week 1 during his tenure. The good news is that both of the wins have come against the Giants, and Prescott has been stellar against the NFC East in his career. That includes four straight road wins over the Giants since a 10-7 loss at MetLife Stadium in his rookie season.

Cowboys vs Giants Week 1 Prediction: Cowboys to win and cover

Cowboys vs Giants Week 1 Picks: Cowboys -3 & Cowboys/Giants under 46.5

Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

Bills vs Jets NFL Week 1 Odds

• Spread: Buffalo Bills -2 (-110), New York Jets +2 (-110)
• Over/Under: Over 47 (-110), Under 47 (-110)
• Moneyline: Buffalo Bills +130, New York Jets +110

After starting 7-4 and being in the playoff hunt for much of the season with Joe Flacco, Zach Wilson, and Mike White at QB, how good can the Jets be now that they have Aaron Rodgers?

We’ll find out pretty quickly, as the Jets open the season by hosting the Bills and then visit the Cowboys in Week 2.

Rodgers’ final season in Green Bay included 12 interceptions, the second-highest total of his career, and managing only 6.8 yards per attempt, which was the second-lowest total of his career.

The Packers had their personnel issues (partly due to how much they invested in Rodgers), but it might be unwise to expect too much from the Jets out of the gate, especially with how badly Rodgers fared in his last couple of season openers with Green Bay.

Bills vs Jets Week 1 Prediction: Bills to win and cover

Bills vs Jets Week 1 Picks: Bills -2 & Bills/Jets under 47

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