NFL Week 1 Betting Recap
(The Spread) – Week 1 of the 2011 NFL season is officially in the books. Who covered on Sunday and who blew it for bettors?
The action kicked off last Thursday with a barnburner in Green Bay as the Packers edged the Saints, 42-34. The host Pack managed to cover the 4.5-point spread, while the 76 combined points easily sailed over the 47.5-point total as Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers combined to throw for over 700 yards of passing.
There was plenty of surprises on Sunday, including the Bengals’ 27-17 win over the Browns as a 6.5-point road underdog. The Lions also upset the Buccaneers 27-20 as a 1-point road dog, while the Redskins bet the Giants 28-14 as a home underdog.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day came in Kansas City where the Bills crushed the Chiefs 41-7 as a 3.5-point underdog. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 208 yards while Fred Jackson rushed for 112 yards and Steve Johnson chipped in 66 yards receiving. The Chiefs also lost safety Eric Berry for the season, which added insult to injury.
It was hardly surprising that a team that went to the NFC Championship Game a year ago covered the spread, but the manner that the Bears did it was. Chicago harassed quarterback Matt Ryan all day and wound up knocking off the Falcons 30-12 as a 1-point home dog. The Ravens also produced a surprisingly easy victory, cruising to a 35-7 home win against the Steelers as a 1-point favorite.
Depending on what book you used, the Cardinals 28-21 victory was either a 0.5-point cover or a push. The story in this one was rookie Cam Newton, who threw for 422 yards in a record-setting effort for a quarterback in his debut. The No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft was absolutely sensational.
In the Sunday night game, the Jets scored 17 points in the fourth quarter in a come-from-behind victory against the Cowboys, who covered the spread as a 6.5-point underdog. The combined score pushed the total over.
On Monday night, Tom Brady put on a show in Miami by throwing for over 500 yards and four touchdowns as the Patriots beat the Dolphins 38-24. The Dolphins had a chance to cover the 7-point spread at the end of the game but stalled out inside New England territory.
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