By Ryan Bologna
The college and NFL seasons are in full swing, and we have some interesting matchups this weekend. As usual, week one of the NFL season brought some crazy upsets. It’s important to not get swayed too much by what took place. As we all know, in the 2020 season the Jaguars started 1-0 and ended up with the first overall pick. Here are some of the games you should consider betting on and one you should stay away from.
Season Record: 2-3-1
BYU @ Oregon (-3.5)
Pick: Oregon -3.5
BYU is coming off a big win against Baylor a week ago, but this doesn’t seem like a great spot for the Cougars. This should be a low-scoring matchup, as Oregon only mustered three points against Georgia in its season opener. BYU isn’t on Georgia’s level, but it is still a talented defensive unit. BYU receivers Puka Nacua and Gunner Romney are both questionable for the matchup. Expect Oregon to cover in a low-scoring affair.
Jets @ Browns (-6.5)
Pick: Browns -6.5
The Jets are sticking with Joe Flacco at quarterback this week, and until that changes it just doesn’t seem wise to bet on New York to keep any game within one score. The Browns are starting Jacoby Brissett, but the strong Cleveland run game should show up again in this matchup. The Jets’ offensive line did not look good in week one as well, and it won’t get any easier facing Myles Garrett. Cleveland should win this one comfortably.
Falcons @ Rams (-10)
Pick: Rams -10
The Falcons collapsing is a familiar sight, and it happened again in week one. Atlanta put up a better effort than most expected, but the roster just isn’t that good. The Rams will be looking to bounce back in a big way after getting blown out by Buffalo in their home opener. There are concerns with Matthew Stafford’s elbow and Cam Akers’ performance, but remember the context. The Bills might be the best team in the league. You shouldn’t believe the Rams are dramatically worse than you thought they were before the season started. Expect the Rams to cover at home against an inferior team.
Gas Station Sushi (Stay Away)
Patriots (-2) @ Steelers
It was an easy choice for our Gas Station Sushi game this week. The offenses for both of these teams looked terrible in week one. It looks like Mac Jones will play after X-rays for his back came back negative, but the execution just wasn’t there on that side of the ball. The Steelers came away with a great win against Cincinnati, but only scored 13 points in regulation on offense despite the Bengals turning it over five times. This just seems like a game that is tight the whole way and whoever makes the biggest mistake will lose. With Jones not being 100% and Trubisky on the other side, the blunder could come from either side. Stay away from betting on this game.
Photo Credit: Joshua Rainey Photography
