Surprises in NFL's Week 1 Affect Lines in Week 2

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Most weeks of the NFL season bring a surprise or two, but opening week always brings more than most. Seeing teams in action can challenge expectations, and that can have an effect on betting lines even in ways fans might not expect, according to TheLines, which tracks odds in U.S. regulated sports betting markets.

For instance, after the Green Bay Packers' lopsided loss to the New Orleans Saints fans may be writing off Aaron Rodgers and Co., but oddsmakers see things differently. A consensus of the nation's largest legal online sportsbooks — including BetAmerica, BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, SugarHouse, and Unibet — place the Packers as 10.5-point favorites in their Week 2 game against the Detroit Lions. In fact, the point spread widened from the look-ahead line offered before Week 1, which had Green Bay as 10-point favorites over the Lions.

Other Week 2 lines moved, too. After edging Dallas in Week 1, the Tampa Buccaneers have moved from a lookahead 8-point favorite over the Atlanta Falcons to a 12.5-point favorite after the Falcons' hapless performance against the Philadelphia Eagles. And after the Titans struggled to slow the Arizona Cardinals, the over in their game this week with the Seattle Seahawks moved from 49.5 to 52.5.

"The first week always brings surprises, but it's easy for NFL fans to overreact to what they've seen," said Brett Collson, lead analyst for TheLines.com. "Oddsmakers tend not to overemphasize small sample size results. So, while teams might struggle in Week 1, and others post eye-opening performances, oddsmakers must weigh the results of the first week with what they knew about each team before the season. For this, Week 2 can present interesting and often tempting lines."

The consensus point spreads for Week 2 games, as of Monday, Sept. 13:

• New York Giants at Washington Football Team (-4.5); over/under 42.5
• Cincinnati Bengals at Chicago Bears (-3.5); over/under 45.5
• Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns (-11.5); over/under 48
• Los Angeles Rams (-4) at Indianapolis Colts; over/under 47.5
• Buffalo Bills (-3.5) at Miami Dolphins; over/under 48
• New England Patriots (-4.5) at New York Jets; over/under 43
• San Francisco 49ers (-3.5) at Philadelphia Eagles; over/under 48.5
• Las Vegas Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5); over/under 48.5
• New Orleans Saints (-3) at Carolina Panthers; over/under 46
• Denver Broncos (-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars; over/under 44
• Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals (-4.5); over/under 50.5
• Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-12.5); over/under 52.5
• Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers (-2.5); over/under 52.5
• Tennessee Titans at Seattle Seahawks (-5.5); over/under 52.5
• Kansas City Chiefs (-2.5) at Baltimore Ravens; over/under 55.5
• Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers (-10.5); over/under 49.5

To access the updated futures lines for every NFL team, and for more analysis, visit TheLines.com/odds/super-bowl. To access Week 2 odds, visit www.thelines.com/nfl-week-2-lines-2021.

About TheLines.com:
TheLines.com is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated sports betting in the United States. Affiliated with the PlayUSA.com Network, TheLines.com provides original daily reporting and offers player advocacy tools related to the advancement of safe, licensed, and legal online sports betting. Based in Las Vegas, the PlayUSA Network is independently owned and operated, with no affiliations to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.

Contact:
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SOURCE TheLines.com