Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season is wrapped up and with Week 2 just a day away, it’s time to take a look at some of the best spreads you can place your money on this weekend in terms of which teams will cover and which ones will beat it.
The tough part about betting so early on in the season is it’s still not clear which teams are legitimately good and which ones simply benefitted from a slow start or easy matchup. However, there are still some certain spreads that are clearly the best places to place your money and others that while it may seem enticing, will probably be best to stay away from.
As evidenced by Week 2 having the largest spread in seven years, this season is already shaping up to be an interesting one when it comes to betting but Sports Al Dente is here to make sure you land on your feet with the best spreads. The best spreads can only come from the best betting website and that is MyBookie.ag so be sure to check out their website for convenient online gambling both in and out of sports!
Buffalo Bills (-1.5) @ New York Giants
Call: Bills Cover
This is without a doubt the most baffling spread to me of the entire week. I get it that the home team is naturally going to have a bit of an edge when it comes to the spread and the Bills are coming off a 16-point comeback against the Jets but even with those doubts still hanging over Buffalo and Josh Allen, this is absolutely ridiculous. The New York Jets, at least while Sam Darnold is playing, are no longer a doormat team for their opponents to steamroll like they have been the past few years. If anything, the fact that the Bills were able to pull off such a comeback proves they are a team that is not to be taken lightly by any NFL team outside of the upper tier.
The Giants, on the other hand, seemed to have just confirmed the expectations of many fans in Week 1. New York would’ve lost 35-10 against the Dallas Cowboys had it not been for a garbage-time touchdown which made it a slightly more respectable 35-17 final score. Sure, Eli Manning didn’t look bad and Saquon Barkley clearly is set to have a great follow-up to his phenomenal rookie year but everything around them is nowhere close enough to compete. Not to mention Sterling Shepard has been ruled out, further limiting an already suspect offense. Expect the Bills to win this game and most certainly by more than two points.
Los Angeles Chargers (-2) @ Detroit Lions
Call: Chargers Cover
I have to admit, it’s actually refreshing to see this isn’t one of those all-too-common instances of a home team getting a ridiculous spread in their favor (see the above game for example). The Lions not only blew a huge lead against the Arizona Cardinals but, of course, it ended in a tie which may be the most Lions thing to happen since going 0-16. Which is exactly why the Chargers are rightfully the favorites in this matchup but not nearly big enough favorites.
It’s understandable that their let down opener against the Colts proved they aren’t perfect, but they still won the game even without Melvin Gordon. Not to mention the Colts are vastly more talented than the Lions. If this game were at home, the Chargers would easily be favored by at least a touchdown, even with Hunter Henry out. It’s not fun betting on the favored team but with an opportunity this good, it’s best not to pass on it.
New England Patriots (-19.5) @ Miami Dolphins
Call: Miami Beats The Spread
After Week 1, it is beyond fair to say this is the best team in the NFL going up against the absolute worst. So of course, the Patriots would be massive favorites after blowing out the still talented Steelers and the Dolphins seeing one of the worst home losses in franchise history to open their season. It may seem asinine to pick the Dolphins having any sort of victory over the Patriots this weekend but with a spread this big, this is exactly where they can help bettors.
This is the biggest spread in favor of a road team since 2012 when it was, brace yourself for a shocker, the Patriots against the Ravens. No road team has EVER won and covered as favorites of more than 16 points on the road. So can this Patriots team make history? Absolutely. Will they attempt to do so in only Week 2? Doubt it. One of the more mind-blowing stats about this matchup is the Patriots are 1-5 in their last six trips to Miami. Include this with the possibilities of injury, garbage time touchdowns, and the high probability that if the game gets out of hand Tom Brady gets benched, it’s hard to see the Patriots covering such a large spread.
Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) @ Atlanta Falcons
Call: Falcons Beat The Spread
This may seem like a dumb pick after both teams’ performances in Week 1. On the surface, the Eagles had a good 32-27 win over the Redskins while the Falcons were manhandled by the Vikings in a 28-12 loss. So why in my right mind would I pick the Falcons to beat this spread? There are two reasons.
The first one is while the Eagles looked impressive, especially considering the second-half comeback against Washington, it is the fact that a comeback was necessary at all which is cause for concern. At halftime, the Redskins jumped out to a 20-7 lead and just couldn’t quite hold on. I think this speaks more to the fact of the Redskins’ lack of talent rather than the Eagles’ roster capable of bouncing back. Meanwhile, Matt Ryan has a 57-29 record at home and is 3-1 against the spread as an underdog at home against the spread in primetime games. This is without a doubt the riskiest play but it is well worth the risk given the spread.
Honorable Mentions: San Francisco 49ers beat the spread (+2) vs. Bengals, Chicago Bears cover (-2.5) vs. Broncos, Indianapolis Colts beat the spread (+3) @ Titans
