In this column, we rundown some of the best matchups slated for week 1 of the NFL preseason and serve up free NFL picks.
Saturday, August 14, 2021 – 1:00 PM ET at Soldier Field, Chicago
The Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears kick off a jampacked Saturday of NFL betting at Soldier Field in Chicago. By all accounts, this could be THE game to spot in the first week of the preseason, assuming both sides trot out their young quarterbacks for a scintillating Tua Tagovailoa vs. Justin Fields matchup. Heck, if these two quarterbacks haven’t garnered enough hype, a showdown – however brief – is sure to tip fans over the edge.
The Dolphins are clear about their starting quarterback though, so whether Tagovailoa sees any snaps in this game is up in the air. Having said that it wouldn’t hurt his case if he did see some action considering the way his 2020 campaign ended, in an excruciating loss to the Bills that crushed Miami’s playoff hopes. In lieu of Tagovailoa, Flores has Jacoby Brissett to turn to in this game and as far as backups go, Brissett is a solid option.
The Bears quarterback situation is another matter entirely with many speculating about rookie Justin Fields’ chances of stealing the starting job from Andy Dalton. As such, Fields is expected to get a few reps in this game, if only to give Chicago’s coaching staff some food for thought. There’s also Nick Foles to consider here and he may well get a good chunk of the snaps as the current third-string quarterback. Foles will be keen to make his case either to stay on the team or to be traded.
All told, as with all preseason games, it’s impossible to tell exactly where the advantage is because the playing time of every player and position is uncertain. However, given that this game is in Chicago and that Fields could get significant playing time, the balance for NFL picks tips ever so slightly in their favor.
NFL Picks: Bears -3.5 (-110) with Intertops (visit our Intertops Review)
Saturday, August 14, 2021, 7:00 PM ET at M&T Bank Stadium
John Harbaugh has a winning preseason record that dates back to his first year with the Baltimore Ravens and he leads the Ravens into week 1 of the NFL preseason riding a 17-game winning streak that includes a 15-1-1 ATS mark. It’s safe to say that Harbaugh is one of the league’s head coaches that approaches preseason as an opportunity to instil a winning mentality before the season gets underway.
Harbaugh has some key decisions to make this offseason, particularly where the No.2 quarterback position is concerned now that RGIII is gone. The candidates are Trace McSorely and Tyler Huntley, along with Kenji Bahar. It’s likely each quarterback will see some action in this game to give Harbaugh an idea of which is the best pick for the No.2 position to back up Lamar Jackson.
In the meanwhile, Sean Payton’s preseason record leaves much to be desired with a 7-14-0 SU mark. Then again, up until the start of this season’s training camp, Payton had the future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees in his fold – an elite signal caller that provided certain assurance for the Saints ahead of a given season. That’s not the case following Brees’ retirement in the offseason.
As things currently stand, Payton is facing a key quarterback decision between Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston. Whether he’ll risk either signal caller in this game is debatable. The danger of sustaining an injury is something Payton may choose to be mindful of over decisions regarding the starting job, which he could make solely on practice sessions instead. Payton is more likely to give fourth-round draft pick Ian Book turns in this game, along with Trevor Siemian.
All things being considered, the Ravens are the choice bet here as the home faves according to top-rated sportsbooks. Harbaugh generally takes these games more seriously and the Ravens overall are the better team on paper. The Saints have too many question marks going into this season which make them feel like an experiment that could go either way.
NFL Picks: Ravens -2.5 (-110) with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
August 14, 2021, 7:30 PM ET at MetLife Stadium
City rivals and joint residents of MetLife Stadium the New York Jets and New York Giants collide in week 1 of the preseason, with both teams looking to make key strides in 2021. The Jets are debuting first-time head coach Robert Salah and rookie quarterback Zach Wilson while the Giants are entering their second season under head coach Joe Judge and third year with Daniel Jones. There’s a lot of pressure and expectation on both outfits, coming from one of the league’s most critical media markets and toughest fan base to win over.
How much the Jets and Giants are going to risk in the preseason though remains to be seen. With all the changes in the Jets camp and equally the pressure facing the Giants now that the Daniel Jones honeymoon is well and truly over, both sides might choose to keep their cards close to their chests in this preseason game. This makes for a tricky game to bet in the win column or against the spread. As things currently stand, the Jets are tipped at the slight disadvantage on the NFL odds board. Across the board, the Jets are catching 2 points. Perhaps, the best bet here is to look at the totals market and take the UNDER.
NFL Picks: Under 35 (-110) with Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.