| Sports betting, particularly football | | | | eight straight pointspread wins against them |
| betting, has become more and more | | | | in New York. New England also is 16-8 ATS |
| sophisticated over the past decade with | | | | versus the division the past four years. |
| players researching reams of statistical data | | | | |
| in an effort to gain an edge with both Las | | | | Carolina at St. Louis: The Panthers have |
| Vegas and online sportsbooks. These so-called | | | | covered the spread four games in a row |
| technical handicappers use trends, or prior | | | | against the Rams. Since 1980, St. Louis is |
| team tendencies, to try to predict future | | | | 7-13-1 ATS as an opening game favorite. |
| results: | | | | |
| | | | Miami at Washington: The Redskins have |
| THURSDAY, SEPT. 6 New Orleans at | | | | covered four of their last five meetings with |
| Indianapolis: The Saints have covered four of | | | | the Dolphins but Miami also is 7-1 ATS on the |
| their last five meetings with the Colts but | | | | road versus non-conference foes. |
| Indianapolis has been strong out of the gate, | | | | |
| notching a 6-1-1 mark against the spread | | | | Detroit at Oakland: The Raiders have covered |
| (ATS) in its last eight season openers. | | | | four of their last five meetings with the |
| | | | Lions. Since 1980, Oakland is 7-2 ATS in home |
| SUNDAY, SEPT. 9 Denver at Buffalo: The | | | | openers. |
| Broncos have been a solid road favorite over | | | | |
| the past four seasons, notching an 11-7-1 | | | | Chicago at San Diego: The Bears have covered |
| mark ATS. Buffalo is 7-1 ATS at home | | | | four straight games versus the Chargers and |
| preceding back-to-back road games. The Bills | | | | own the AFC West with a remarkable 17-2-1 |
| head to Pittsburgh and New England after | | | | record ATS the last 20 meetings. Chicago is |
| hosting Denver. | | | | 7-3 ATS as an underdog in season openers the |
| | | | last 27 years. |
| Pittsburgh at Cleveland: The Steelers have | | | | |
| covered seven straight games against the | | | | Tampa Bay at Seattle: The Buccaneers are 1-7 |
| Browns, including four in a row in Cleveland. | | | | ATS versus non-conference opponents their |
| The Browns are 2-9 as division underdogs of | | | | last eight and are 1-3 ATS versus the |
| seven points or less. The line opened with | | | | Seahawks their last four meetings. Seattle is |
| Pittsburgh favored by a field goal. | | | | 17-3 ATS in September versus less than .500 |
| | | | SU competition. |
| Philadelphia at Green Bay: The Eagles have | | | | |
| covered seven of their last eight meetings | | | | New York Giants at Dallas: The Giants are |
| with the Packers, including three straight in | | | | undefeated (5-0-1 ATS) in their last six |
| Green Bay. The Packers are 1-7 as a home | | | | games against the Cowboys and are 3-1-1 ATS |
| underdog the last four years, including 0-5 | | | | versus them in Dallas. The Cowboys are 6-7 |
| last season, and are 1-7 ATS their last eight | | | | ATS as a favorite on opening day. |
| home games against non-conference foes. | | | | |
| | | | MONDAY, SEPT. 10 Baltimore at Cincinnati: |
| Kansas City at Houston: Houston is 1-5 ATS at | | | | The Bengals have covered four of their last |
| home against a non-division opponent in | | | | five against the Ravens. The favorite in the |
| September but Kansas City is a pathetic 1-10 | | | | Ravens-Bengals series (Cincinnati opened -3) |
| ATS as a non-conference road favorite. The | | | | is 6-1 the last seven games. Baltimore is |
| Chiefs opened as a 1-point underdog but the | | | | 13-11 ATS on Monday Night Football, including |
| line could switch so watch this one closely. | | | | 2-4 as a road underdog. Cincy is 5-10 ATS on |
| | | | MNF, including 1-1 as a home favorite. |
| Tennessee at Jacksonville: Jacksonville has | | | | |
| covered eight consecutive openers. Forget | | | | Arizona at San Francisco: The Cardinals have |
| about the money line; the straight up (SU) | | | | covered three of their last four meetings |
| winner also is 22-2 ATS in the | | | | with the Niners. Since 1980, Arizona is 2-6 |
| Tennessee-Jacksonville series. | | | | ATS on Monday Night Football, but has never |
| | | | been a road underdog. With an ATS record of |
| Atlanta at Minnesota: The Falcons are 4-1 ATS | | | | 33-13-1, San Francisco is the champion of |
| their last five games versus the Vikings, | | | | MNF. The Niners are a superb 16-5-1 in the |
| including 3-1 their last four trips to | | | | role of home favorite. |
| Minnesota. Atlanta is 16-10-1 ATS in season | | | | |
| openers since 1980. | | | | Are the above Sportsbook busters guaranteed? |
| | | | Of course not. But historians point out that |
| New England at New York Jets: The Patriots | | | | by studying the past we're better equipped to |
| have covered five of their last six | | | | predict the future. That may be true for |
| encounters with the Jets and have a streak of | | | | sports betting, too. |