Tag: NFL Week 1

NFL chief medical officer optimistic Texans-Chiefs kicks off 2020 season

The NFL’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, believes the season kicks off on time, beginning with the Houston Texans at the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs appear to be on track to commence the 101st NFL season on Sept. 10 at Arrowhead Stadium.

According to Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, via an interview with NBC Sports’ Peter King, the league doesn’t anticipate having their regular season delayed to the the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I remain very optimistic that we will play the season as scheduled,” Sills said. “None of us has a crystal ball. Three months is a long time.”

Sills also went on in his interview with King to note that the league is still hammering out its testing, which Sills referred to as a “surveillance program.” COVID-19 testing is an issue the league and the NFL Players Association is working through.

One of the biggest parts of the new normal in the NFL will be “infection control officers,” which are typically the head athletic trainers.

“We feel the Infection Control Officer is going to play an important role,” said Sills. But he wanted to be clear about this: “Everyone’s going to be responsible for a team’s environment. Everybody’s got to be conscious about wearing masks and hand-washing and social-distancing away from the facility. Everyone has a role to play. Everyone shares the risk. Testing, cleaning, separation in physical distancing — it’s not a one-person job.”

By September, there will be copious example of mass gatherings and live events that should help the NFL get a better feel for where the world is at with COVID-19. The NBA is set to return on July 31 with a 22-team format in Orlando, Fla. If that sport is able to finish its altered regular season without sustaining any infections, then it should provide more optimism that the rest of the sports world can finish its business in 2020 and provide a safe framework for the future.

Texans-Chiefs kicks off in 100 days to start 2020 NFL season

The Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs face off for an AFC divisional playoffs rematch in the first game of the 2020 NFL season.

In 100 days, the NFL returns with a rematch of the 2019 AFC divisional playoffs as the Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans.

Houston returns to the scene of the crime where they blew a 24-0 lead over the Chiefs only to find themselves on the wrong end of a 51-31 blowout. The dramatic loss led coach Bill O’Brien and his staff to look at the roster and determined that “layers” of productive players would help the team get out of mid-January.

Week 1 will be the first substantive look at Deshaun Watson and his new receiving corps. With DeAndre Hopkins now with the Arizona Cardinals, Watson will have a variety of receivers to choose from in Brandin Cooks, Will Fuller, Kenny Stills, and Randall Cobb. Stills was able to get behind Kansas City’s secondary for a big touchdown in the playoff game. Can the rest of the receiving corps similarly threaten the Chiefs’ defense?

New running back David Johnson will also be behind Watson to carry a few times as Lamar Miller and Carlos Hyde’s successor. Johnson is also known for his pass-catching skill set, which should add to the potency of the offense.

Second-year offensive coordinator Tim Kelly will also become the first person other than O’Brien to call plays since offensive coordinator George Godsey in 2016. Godsey was on the New England Patriots staff with O’Brien in 2011; they were from the same coaching tree but equals. Kelly has been an O’Brien disciple since 2012 at Penn State. Will Kelly continue O’Brien’s stale play-calling or bring a different feel to the game?

Anthony Weaver will also make his debut as defensive coordinator. It will be the first time since 2017 that someone other than Romeo Crennel will call the defensive plays. It worked out well for that year’s defensive coordinator, Mike Vrabel, as he parlayed the experience into a coaching gig with the Tennessee Titans the following year.

It is all 100 days away.

The Chiefs game in Week 1 is the toughest game on the Texans’ 2020 schedule

The Houston Texans versus the Kansas City Chiefs is the toughest game on the 2020 schedule according to the Touchdown Wire.

Bad news: the Houston Texans get the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2020 season.

Good news: This may be the toughest game on their entire schedule.

According to Mark Schofield of the Touchdown Wire, who compiled the toughest game for all 32 teams, made the case that the Texans returning to Arrowhead Stadium may be the most challenging game on their 16-game slate.

Having the honor of paying on the opening night of the NFL season is usually a tremendous opportunity. Unless you are the visiting team. If you are making the road trip to kick off a new season, it usually means your opponent is going to be raising a banner in front of a celebrating, raucous crowd.

That is exactly what the Houston Texans face in Week 1, when they help usher in a new season by facing the Kansas City Chiefs on the opening night of the new year. Arrowhead Stadium will be rocking as they honor Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the 2019-2020 Super Bowl Champions. You can expect to see many reminders of the lead the Texans blew in the Divisional Round a season ago on the video boards in the pregame ceremony as well. In all, a tough way to start the season.

The game will also be a great opportunity for the Texans to remind the Chiefs of the 31-24 win in Week 6. That Oct. 13, 2019, encounter featured the Texans rallying from a fourth quarter deficit amid key injuries to their secondary, including starting cornerbacks Jonathan Joseph and Bradley Roby, along with stellar rookie right tackle Tytus Howard leaving the game on a cart. 2019’s two-game series between Houston and Kansas City ended ignominiously with the Texans blowing a 24-0 advantage to end up losing 51-31, but it isn’t like the Chiefs just had their way for both games.

If the Chiefs game is the hardest game Houston faces all year, 2020 should be a cruise into the playoffs.

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Justin Reid is fired up for Texans-Chiefs in Week 1

Houston Texans safety Justin Reid can’t wait for the rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season.

Justin Reid is waiting all year for Thursday night.

That is Sept. 10, and that is when the 101st season of the NFL kicks off with the Super Bowl LIV champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the AFC South champion Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium.

Houston and Kansas City had exciting battles at Arrowhead twice in the 2019 campaign. In Week 6, the Texans executed a fourth quarter comeback and beat the Chiefs 31-24. In the divisional playoffs, the Chiefs rallied from a 24-0 deficit and embarrassed the Texans 51-31.

Reid indicated in tweets Sunday night that his wearing a shoulder brace in Week 6 and the divisional playoffs compromised his ability to challenge jump balls.

“Yeah we gone see what happens just throwing the ball up when I have my shoulder brace off this year,” Reid quote-tweeted of a video from the NFL’s official Twitter account hyping Texans-Chiefs in Week 1.

Reid followed up with another tweet.

Reid wrote: “Just to clear up any confusion… HELL YEA I’m mad about this play and HELL YEA I’m mad about the playoffs! We are all pissed about it. I haven’t stopped being upset since January & this exactly how I’m supposed to feel. I refuse to let it go. I’m taking it with me all 2020.”

If Reid is a representative sample of the Texans’ defense, then the Chiefs may not have as easy of a time picking apart Houston in the rematch.

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NFL Week 1 Bets: 4 best moneyline bets to make

Looking at the early betting lines for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season and higlighting four moneyline bets to make.

We take a look at four NFL Week 1 moneyline bets you can make at BetMGM following the release of the 2020 NFL schedule. Get an early edge on the betting odds and lines before rosters begin to finalize.

Also see – Week 1 NFL betting lines up at BetMGM: Chiefs, 49ers among biggest favorites

Las Vegas Raiders (-106) over Carolina Panthers (Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. ET)

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Sunday, May 10 at 8 a.m. ET.

One of the strangest lines for Week 1 has the Panthers (-115) favored over the Raiders (-106). While the Raiders were just a 7-9 team in 2019, continuity is going to prove pivotal early in the 2020 season with abbreviated offseason programs around the league. Las Vegas added a ton of talent over the offseason, including wide receivers Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards in the 2020 NFL Draft.

With the Panthers not only bringing in a new coaching staff, but also a new quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater with essentially a whole new defense, don’t be surprised if the Panthers get off to a rough start. Their secondary is also one of the worst units in the league and look for Raiders head coach Jon Gruden and QB Derek Carr to take advantage of the young group. I like the RAIDERS (-106) to win in Carolina.

Place your Week 1 NFL bets at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!

Los Angeles Rams (+120) over Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, Sept. 13 at 8:20 p.m. ET)

The Rams will open the season in their new stadium as they play host to the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Despite the home advantage, the Rams are underdogs in this matchup. LA finished the 2019 season slow, but they are still one of the most talented offenses in the NFL and have arguably the best player in the league in DT Aaron Donald on defense.

With Dallas having a new head coach (Mike McCarthy) for the first time since 2010, the Cowboys will need some time to adjust. For that reason, they may look a little sloppy on both sides of the ball until they learn their new schemes. Take the RAMS (+120) and the value here in Week 1.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Rams to beat the Cowboys outright will return a profit of $12.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-176) over New York Giants (Monday, Sept. 14 at 7:15 p.m. ET)

The Steelers will play on the road in Week 1 for the sixth straight year, but they will open with a fairly easy opponent as they will face the Giants (+145). New York has a new coaching staff with Joe Judge, so don’t be surprised if it takes them a while to get up to speed.

Pittsburgh is bringing back nearly its entire starting lineup, including QB Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers also have one of the best defenses in the NFL, as they created a league-high 38 turnovers in 2019. They return 10 of 11 starters and should start the season off strong. This should be a fairly easy win for Pittsburgh in New Jersey.

Denver Broncos (-154) over Tennessee Titans (Monday, Sept. 14 at 10:10 p.m. ET)

The Broncos will play the second Monday Night Football game to open the season as they host the Titans (+130). If you know anything about the Broncos early in the season, they are nearly impossible to beat at home. Since the merger, they are 51-9-2 at home during the first two weeks of the season. Teams just aren’t conditioned enough to play in the thin atmosphere of Denver in September.

While the Titans were able to make it to the AFC Championship in 2019, expect them to start the season 0-1.

Want action on the Week 1 NFL betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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NFL Week 1 Bets: 5 best ATS bets to make

Analyzing the early sports betting odds and lines for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season, picking the 5 best bets against the spread.

With the recent release of the 2020 NFL schedule, BetMGM posted lines for Week 1. Here are five of the best bets – vs. the spread – to make for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Sunday, May 10 at 1:50 a.m. ET.

Best bet 1: Miami Dolphins (+6.5) at New England Patriots

Sunday, Sept. 13 (1 p.m. ET)

The Dolphins went out in the offseason and spent a bunch of money in free agency and also added talent in the draft. They still have a productive veteran starting quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick, while the Pats have lost many key players; most importantly, QB Tom Brady. The Dolphins aren’t as bad as they were a year ago and the Pats are not going to be as good.

Best bet 2: Arizona Cardinals (+8.5) at San Francisco 49ers

Sunday, Sept. 13 (4:25 p.m. ET)

The 49ers lost a key offensive weapon in WR Emmanuel Sanders and traded away DL DeForest Buckner. Even in their 13-3 season a year ago, they failed to cover the spread in both games vs. the Cardinals. Arizona added WR DeAndre Hopkins and upgraded its 31st-ranked defense from 2019.

Place your Week 1 NFL bets at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!

Best bet 3: New Orleans Saints (-4.5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sunday, Sept. 13 (4:25 p.m. ET)

The Bucs might have Brady at QB, but with a shortened offseason and a new offense that traditionally takes a few games for quarterbacks to adjust to, expect New Orleans to come out on fire. The Saints added another big weapon in the passing game in WR Sanders, while they still have QB Drew Brees, RB Alvin Kamara and WR Michael Thomas.

Best bet 4: Tennessee Titans (+2.5) at Denver Broncos

Monday, Sept. 14 (10:10 p.m. ET)

The Broncos added young receivers in the draft but the Titans were one of the hottest teams in the NFL after Ryan Tannehill took over at quarterback. Tannehill returns as does RB Derrick Henry. Tennessee will beat Denver, especially with Drew Lock at QB for the Broncos.

Best bet 5: Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5) at New York Giants

Monday, Sept. 14 (7:15 p.m. ET)

The Steelers get QB Ben Roethlisberger back. The Giants still have questions around their defense. New York QB Daniel Jones has more protection, but the lack of an offseason with a new head coach will show in Week 1.

Want action on NFL futures betting? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Way too early Week 1 Houston-Kansas City odds: Texans are 10-point underdogs to Chiefs

The Houston Texans are 10-point underdogs to the Kansas City Chiefs according to the latest spread from BetMGM.

The NFL schedule released on May 7, which gave odds-makers a chance to set early lines for Week 1 of the 2020 season.

The Houston Texans take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Game 1 of 2020 on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

How do odds-makers see the game, even though NFL team facilities are still off limits, even though there is no foreseeable plan for offseason workouts, even though there’s so much uncertainty in the world and both on and off the field in the NFL?

According to BetMGM, the Super Bowl LIV-winning Chiefs are favored by 10.0 over the Texans, winners of the AFC South for the past two seasons.

Even if the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t affecting the NFL, the fact is the Chiefs are a tough draw at home. Although they went 5-3 in the regular season, Kansas City overcame a 24-point deficit at home against the Texans in the divisional and a 10-point deficit at Arrowhead against the Titans in the AFC Championship Game. In other words, especially at home, the Chiefs are never out of it, and they ended up beating Houston 51-31 and Tennessee 35-24.

Another element is that there is a certain ambiguity surrounding the Texans’ offense. Did they really upgrade at running back with David Johnson over Carlos Hyde? Who is quarterback Deshaun Watson going to throw to now that receiver DeAndre Hopkins is in Arizona? Can Will Fuller, Randall Cobb, Brandin Cooks, and Kenny Stills be reliable enough threats for Watson, and can they stay on the field? Is offensive coordinator Tim Kelly really going to call the plays, or continue the stale feel as play-caller that coach Bill O’Brien has had since 2017?

The point spread is the highest of Week 1 so far. The only other games that come close are Arizona-San Francisco and Cleveland-Baltimore, where the home teams are favored by 8.5 points each.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

NFL Week 1 Bets: 4 best total bets to make

Looking at the early betting lines for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season and pick four total bets to make.

The 2020 NFL schedule is out, laying out all 16 games for each of the 32 teams. The Week 1 slate is filled with intriguing matchups, ones that also offer some promising wagers on the Over/Under. Here are four of the best total bets to make for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season.

Also see – Week 1 NFL betting lines up at BetMGM: Chiefs, 49ers among biggest favorites

Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams: O/U 50.5

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, May 8 at 5 p.m. ET.

Cowboys-Rams is one of the best games of the opening weekend, pitting two of the best offenses against each other in primetime on Sunday night. It’s also the first regular-season game ever at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, so anticipation will be even higher for this matchup.

At least one of these teams has scored 30 or more points in their last eight meetings, so offense is almost never hard to come by. Add in the fact the Rams will be trotting out a new defense under first-year coordinator Brandon Staley, and the fact Dallas’ secondary could start two rookies, and this has the makings of a shootout.

Take the OVER 50.5 (-110) in this game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints: O/U 49.5

The Saints and Bucs played in Week 1 two years ago and lit up the scoreboard, scoring 88 total points. That probably won’t happen again, but never doubt the abilities of QBs Tom Brady and Drew Brees – especially in a dome.

The Over is a perfect 3-0 in the Saints’ last three Week 1 game, and New Orleans has scored the second-most points in season openers in that span. This should be a high-scoring affair between two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks and two offensive-minded coaches.

Bet the OVER 49.5 (-110) and expect to see a lot of points on the board.

Place your Week 1 NFL bets at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs: O/U 55.5

The highest point total of Week 1 belongs to the Texans and Chiefs at 55.5, which shouldn’t be a surprise. The Chiefs can easily put up 35 points on a Houston defense not exactly flush with talent, and QB Deshaun Watson can score in a hurry for the Texans.

It’s a lot of points to cover, but the Chiefs have scored more Week 1 points than any team in the NFL since 2017 and the Over is 3-0 in such games. Houston is 10th on that list.

Bet the OVER 55.5 (-110).

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions: O/U 44.5

It’s not yet clear who will be the Bears’ starting quarterback, but neither Mitchell Trubisky nor Nick Foles is a great option. Either way, their offense shouldn’t be all that explosive. Detroit still has QB Matthew Stafford and WR Kenny Golladay, but the Bears defense is fearsome.

I’m taking the UNDER 44.5 (-110), even with a lower point projection. There’s just too much uncertainty with the Bears on offense and Detroit’s offense could have some trouble against Khalil Mack and Co.

Want action on the Week 1 NFL betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Steelers open as 2.5-point road favorites over New York Giants

The Steelers are favorites on the road in Week One.

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The ink is barely dry on the 2020 NFL schedule and the smart folks at Bet MGM already have betting lines for Week One out. The Pittsburgh Steelers open the season on the road against the New York Giants. But despite this, Bet MGM still has the Steelers as 2.5-point favorites.

The Steelers and Giants last squared off back in 2016. The game was in Pittsburgh and the Steelers came out on top 24-14. This season the Steelers hope Ben Roethlisberger is all the way back from his elbow injury and can outlast Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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