How to Bet Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season: Is Ravens vs. Bills a coin-flip?
The NFL always kicks off the first week of the season with some bangers and this year is no different. The prime-time games in Week 1 feature a couple of NFC divisional battles and a potential AFC Championship preview.
Let’s dive in.
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Thursday Night Football: Cowboys at Eagles
The 2025 NFL season kicks off with a bang between longtime NFC East rivals Philadelphia and Dallas.
The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles outscored the Cowboys 75-13 in two meetings last season and the outlook doesn’t look better in 2025. Dallas is definitely a weaker team than they were last year without Micah Parsons and Philly is running it back with the same core of Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown.
The Cowboys run defence killed them all last season and nothing has been improved in that department, so look for Barkley to shred this Dallas D. Let’s also not forget, the Eagles are 5-1 against the spread in their last six head-to-heads against the ‘Boys.
Pick: Eagles -6.5
Sunday Night Football: Ravens at Bills
It’s an absolute juggernaut battle for Sunday Night Football as Baltimore and Buffalo are tied with Philadelphia as the Super Bowl favourites at +700. The last two NFL MVPs will be on showcase in this one, with Josh Allen leading the Bills and Lamar Jackson in charge of the Ravens.
With these two elite offences, I’m looking at the defence to make my pick. Buffalo allowed nearly 40 more rushing yards per game than Baltimore last season and that’s troublesome with Jackson and Derrick Henry to contend with this week.
Remember, Henry unloaded on the Bills for 199 yards on 24 carries last year and he’s averaging 5.2 yards per carry against Buffalo for his career. In a coin-flip game, Henry will be the difference.
Pick: Ravens -1
Monday Night Football: Vikings at Bears
The NFC North finishes off Week 1, but it’s a matchup of two teams that could be headed in either direction. How will J.J. McCarthy look in his first season in Minnesota and how does Caleb Williams progress for the Bears in Year 2?
After sitting out all of last year due to injury, I really don’t know what to expect from McCarthy. And while the Vikings have the deeper roster, I like Williams for a strong sophomore campaign with the likes of DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and D’Andre Swift to utilize.
I really hate the spread for this game, so I’m going to parlay an alternate line with the Over on Williams’ passing TDs.
Pick: Alternate line Bears +7.5 & Caleb Williams Over 1.5 passing TDs SGP (+150)