The NFL season is coming up fast and we’d like to introduce you to a new column for Betfred Insights where the NFL tipsters among the team will pick every single game each week, both straight up and against the spread.
Check out our comments and picks on each game. In addition, we’ll update the weekly column with our records so you can see which tipsters are hot and which are not…
*All Prices correct as of Midday on Wednesday. Prices subject to change.
Friday – 1:20AM:
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Chiefs
- Alan: Chiefs
- Jonny: Chiefs
- Neil: Chiefs
Moneyline: Chiefs – 4/9 Lions – 9/5
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Chiefs
- Alan: Chiefs
- Jonny: Chiefs
- Neil: Chiefs
Comments: Can the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs go back-to-back and cement their legacy as one of the great sides of the modern era or will the constant drip drip drip of outgoing talent finally come home to pass. KC have lost OT Orlando Brown Jr to their AFC rivals the Bengals, LB Frank Clark to the Broncos and DT Chris Jones is holding out for a new contract extension. That said they still have the best QB in the league and a certain Travis Kelce.
The Lions have gone from the whipping boys of the league in to genuine playoff contenders in the last couple of years and won eight of their last 10 games last season. They score in buckets but their defence is still extremely fragile – something I expect Kansas City to expose here. – AR
Sunday – 18:00:
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Commanders
- Alan: Commanders
- Jonny: Commanders
- Neil: Cardinals
Moneyline: Commanders – 3/10 Cardinals – 5/2
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Commanders
- Alan: Commanders
- Jonny: Commanders
- Neil: Commanders
Comments: Some commentators have accused the Cardinals of already tanking before the season gets underway. There are rumours that injured QB Kyler Murray may be benched for the rest of the season, to avoid a potential injury guarantee clause and then released back up QB Colt McCoy last week. That means their starting QB will be either rookie Clayton Tune or veteran Joshua Dobbs. And they have let DeAndre Hopkins leave also. I predict that they will win very few games this season.
The Commanders aren’t a great deal better and are relying on Sophomore QB Sam Howell, who has played just one game for the franchise. Ex-Chief offensive co-ordinator, Eric Bienemy should provide a little more spark to their faltering offense however. Their defense should win this one on it’s own though. – AR
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Saints
- Alan: Saints
- Jonny: Saints
- Neil: Saints
Moneyline: Saints – 4/7 Titans – 7/5
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Saints
- Alan: Saints
- Jonny: Saints
- Neil: Saints
Comments: Derek Carr is the new guy under centre for the Saints, and has been hugely impressed so far by the intensity and ‘violence’ his new teammates bring to the table in training every day.
Offensively it’s the likes of Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave that gets his juices flowing, but he’s trying to keep everything nicely in check. “I’m going to try to stay as calm as I can though, so I don’t get too excited and throw it in the 10th row on the first play.”
Titans remain led offensively by ‘King’ Derrick Henry, but rookie fellow running back Tyjae Spears can help with the heavy lifting this season and carve out a lofty reputation for himself into the bargain – AF
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Ravens
- Alan: Texans
- Jonny: Texans
- Neil: Texans
Moneyline: Ravens – 1/5 Texans – 19/5
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Ravens
- Alan: Ravens
- Jonny: Ravens
- Neil: Ravens
Comments: Is Lamar Jackson going to actually be Lamar Jackson this season? It seems an awfully long time ago that he was a fantasy superstar who ran all over teams. In reality it was only 2021 but until I see it for myself, I’m going to retain some concern. CJ Stroud will get his first start at this level and his Texans team are getting 10-and-a-half points. I think the top QBs from the 2023 NFL Draft can hit the ground running, so give me Baltimore straight up but Houston to cover. – NM
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Vikings
- Alan: Vikings
- Jonny: Vikings
- Neil: Vikings
Moneyline: Vikings – 2/5 Bucs – 2/1
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Vikings
- Alan: Vikings
- Jonny: Vikings
- Neil: Vikings
Comments: The Vikings’ roster is stacked with rookies and if any gems are lurking there it could have a huge bearing on the nature of the extent of the side’s expectations.
We’ve enjoyed seeing veteran Vikings’ QB Kirk Cousins in the fascinating Netflix series ‘Quarterback’ over the summer – now he returns to the day job. Plenty of weapons of mass destruction at his disposal – Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockenson in particular.
Tampa have Baker Mayfield calling their shots now, and the aerial battle should determine the outcome. Little is expected on the deck, but if anyone can get the run going it could be crucial – AF
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Bengals
- Alan: Browns
- Jonny: Bengals
- Neil: Browns
Moneyline: Browns – 23/20 Bengals – 8/11
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Bengals
- Alan: Browns
- Jonny: Bengals
- Neil: Browns
Comments: Joe Burrow – passed for 35 TDs last term and a huge factor behind the meteoric rise of the Bengals in recent seasons. Browns take care of Joe Brrr or – it probably won’t end well. He’s been fielding Tom Brady comparisons for a while now, and Patrick Mahomes refers to him as ‘a great leader.’ No pressure then.
However – Cleveland sacked Burrow for fun (5 times) in an impressive win at the FirstEnergy last November. More of the same required for Myles Garrett and company, with defensive end Za’Darius Smith joining this potent little wrecking crew. Burrow’s prep has been interrupted by a calf strain – not ideal.
The brilliant Ja’Marr Chase is Joe’s most lethal outlet – while Browns’ cornerback and potential JB nemesis Denzel Ward has annoying injury woes.
Browns’ elite running back Nick Chubb will carry plenty of attacking threat, but the Bengals have an efficient run defense. Talk is of QB Deshaun Watson incorporating Chubb into the passing game – interesting ..
Early AFC North bragging rights up for grabs then, and as openers go this is fiendish. And then some – AF
Picks ATS:
- Adam: 49ers
- Alan: 49ers
- Jonny: 49ers
- Neil: 49ers
Moneyline: Steelers – 11/10 49ers – 10/13
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: 49ers
- Alan: 49ers
- Jonny: 49ers
- Neil: 49ers
Comments: Brock Purdy is now firmly established as QB1 in San Francisco following the trade of former first-round pick Trey Lance. We saw last year that he is more than serviceable and with the all-action running game anchored by Christian McCaffrey, I’m very much on the 49ers bandwagon this year. I’m still lukewarm (at best) on Kenny Pickett as a NFL calibre QB so give me San Fran giving 2.5. – NM
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Falcons
- Alan: Falcons
- Jonny: Falcons
- Neil: Panthers
Moneyline: Falcons – 8/15 Panthers – 6/4
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Falcons
- Alan: Falcons
- Jonny: Falcons
- Neil: Panthers
Comments: Atlanta’s last victory in Week 1 came way back in 2017, so perhaps that could play on the minds of the Falcons coming into the opening game of the season. Carolina haven’t been much better to be fair, losing three of their last four openers, so I’m anticipating a tight contest.
The Panthers have placed their faith in number one pick Bryce Young to carry their quarterback responsibilities for the foreseeable future, as they look to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Bijan Robinson is Atlanta’s first-round pick from this year’s draft, and he’s tipped for stardom so I’m expecting big things early doors from both players.
I like Atlanta’s defensive pick ups in free agency, such as Jessie Bates III, David Onyemata and Calais Campbell, and I expect that new-look defense to be the difference here. – JW
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Jaguars
- Alan: Jaguars
- Jonny: Jaguars
- Neil: Jaguars
Moneyline: Colts – 15/8 Jaguars – 4/9
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Jaguars
- Alan: Jaguars
- Jonny: Jaguars
- Neil: Jaguars
Comments: Cards on the table – main attraction here for me is another look at Trevor Lawrence, Jags’ QB and a stellar talent in the making. They’re a warm order at 8/13 to take the AFC South and that might not be the limit of their ambitions.
Indy will hope new rookie QB Anthony Richardson has a touch of Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck about him – could be a tough old season at Lucas Oil if he’s only a mere mortal.
The Colts’ pass D was very weak last term, and Lawrence will look to exploit that if things haven’t changed for the better. If the Jags’ QB is well-protected it could be a very tough afternoon/early evening UK-time for the Indy faithful – AF
Sunday – 21:25:
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Bears
- Alan: Bears
- Jonny: Bears
- Neil: Bears
Moneyline: Bears – 20/23 Packers – 20/21
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Bears
- Alan: Bears
- Jonny: Bears
- Neil: Bears
Comments: The post Aaron Rodgers era starts with a rivalry game against the Bears and are we really sure Jordan Love is the right man to keep the Pack as a top team in the NFC? I’m certainly not. If Chicago can base their offense around the running prowess of Justin Fields then they should be able to get enough done on offense to beat the debutant. – NM
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Broncos
- Alan: Raiders
- Jonny: Raiders
- Neil: Raiders
Moneyline: Broncos – 8/15 Raiders – 6/4
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Broncos
- Alan: Raiders
- Jonny: Raiders
- Neil: Raiders
Comments: The Raiders have undergone a QB change coming into the 2023 season, swapping out Derek Carr for Jimmy Garoppolo to reunite with Josh McDaniels. Will that move pay off? I suppose we’ll find out as the season unfolds. Davante Adams enjoyed a very good debut season in Raiders colours, leading the league in receiving touchdowns, and I suspect he’ll be on the end of many of Jimmy G’s throws this season.
It’s hard to imagine a team with more to prove this season than the Broncos. They’ve have undergone a change themselves, but in the head coaching department as Sean Payton comes in hoping to bring some stability to a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50.
Russell Wilson will be looking to put the 2022 season behind him, which was one of the worst of his career, and questions remain whether he’s the answer at QB for Denver but with a new offense in place, perhaps he can turn things around.
Since moving to Nevada, the Raiders are 6-0 against the Broncos, and I’m expecting that streak to continue here. – JW
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Eagles
- Alan: Eagles
- Jonny: Eagles
- Neil: Eagles
Moneyline: Patriots – 13/8 Eagles – 1/2
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Eagles
- Alan: Eagles
- Jonny: Eagles
- Neil: Eagles
Comments: The Eagles are second favourites to win Super Bowl LVIII and rightly so, with their offense causing problems for any side. QB Jalen Hurts excels in a run-pass option offense and can consider himself unfortunate to not be reigning MVP right now. Their defence is perhaps the reason he doesn’t also possess a Super Bowl ring and they have lost several starters from last year. They should have way too much for a Pats side that is struggling to protect Mac Jones and has a seriously misfiring offense. – AR
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Chargers
- Alan: Chargers
- Jonny: Chargers
- Neil: Chargers
Moneyline: Chargers – 8/13 Dolphins – 13/10
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Chargers
- Alan: Chargers
- Jonny: Chargers
- Neil: Chargers
Comments: This is a really interesting matchup as I love what Miami has on offense. The reason why I’m picking against them is I can’t get the Tua Tagovailoa concussions from last year out of my mind. The Chargers have arguably the most underrated QB in the NFL and Justin Herbert is on the cusp of being talked about as a genuine tier one player. They are only giving 2.5 at home and that feels small. – NM
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Seahawks
- Alan: Rams
- Jonny: Rams
- Neil: Seahawks
Moneyline: Seahawks – 2/5 Rams – 2/1
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Seahawks
- Alan: Rams
- Jonny: Rams
- Neil: Seahawks
Comments: The Rams are coming off a disastrous title defence that ended with the most losses for a Super Bowl champion. However, I like that they tried to make their roster younger in the offseason, but that might mean Rams fans will have to sit patient for a year or two for this Los Angeles side to flourish. Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp, however, are both very much win-now pieces in my opinion, so it’ll be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out this season.
The Seahawks shocked everybody by making the playoffs last year, but now the question remains whether Seattle can build from that success. Geno Smith was 2022 Comeback Player of the Year, but can he take another step forward? I think Stafford is an underrated quarterback, so I’m taking the Rams for this one. – JW
Monday – 01:20:
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Cowboys
- Alan: Giants
- Jonny: Cowboys
- Neil: Giants
Moneyline: Giants – 7/5 Cowboys – 4/7
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Cowboys
- Alan: Giants
- Jonny: Cowboys
- Neil: Giants
Comments: Despite another disappointing season for ‘America’s Team’, they are still one of the best defensive units in the league, led by first-team All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons – and the offense isn’t too shabby either with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Tony Pollard leading the charge.
Daniel Jones enjoyed a much-improved 2022 season for the Giants, but questions remain whether he’s the quarterback to lead New York back to the big time. The Giants were somewhat of a surprise package last season, but Dallas simply has too much talent for their NFC East rivals, for me. – JW
Tuesday – 01:15:
Picks ATS:
- Adam: Bills
- Alan: Jets
- Jonny: Bills
- Neil: Bills
Moneyline: Jets – 6/5 Bills – 7/10
Picks Straight Up:
- Adam: Bills
- Alan: Jets
- Jonny: Bills
- Neil: Bills
Comments: I know there will be plenty of hype and interest surrounding Aaron Rodgers debut in New York but his performances have been dwindling in recent years and Buffalo are just a better team. This is about as tough an ask for an opening game and Josh Allen and Co. are primed for another deep run. Don’t buy the Rodgers hype just yet and the Bills aren’t even giving a Field Goal – NM
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