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