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The NFL announces the complete schedule on Thursday, May 11, but a day ahead they began announcing some notable matchups. The league announced the five International Series games and also dropped the Bengals-Chiefs game date.
The arrival of game dates and times means we are getting the first odds of the year from DraftKings Sportsbook. The book posted the following point spreads and moneyline odds for the first six games announced for the season. The first three games are in London, the next two are in Frankfurt, and the last one is in Kansas City.
Falcons vs. Jaguars, Week 4
Point spread: Jaguars -4
Moneyline: Jaguars -180, Falcons +155
Early pick: The addition of Bijan Robinson is interesting for Atlanta, but the quarterback situation remains a mess. The Jaguars are a team on the rise, but can they get over the hump this season? They win this one, but this has letdown potential, so look for it to be a close one with the Falcons covering.
Jaguars vs. Bills, Week 5
Point spread: Bills -3.5
Moneyline: Bills -170, Jaguars +145
Early pick: This is a fascinating one. It’s a chance for Jacksonville to make a statement, but more importantly, it marks their second straight week in London. Do they benefit by being more on London time with a week of practice under their belt, or does it hurt them playing two straight weeks in London? I’m going to lean the former and they pull out an outright upset that doesn’t fully answer questions, but gives them a boost.
Ravens vs. Titans, Week 6
Point spread: Ravens -5.5
Moneyline: Ravens -215, Titans +185
Early pick: Lamar Jackson has his big contract extension and I think we see a man on a mission this season. I think we see Baltimore steamroll Tennessee and cover with relative ease.
Dolphins vs. Chiefs, Week 9
Point spread: Chiefs -5.5
Moneyline: Chiefs -215, Dolphins +185
Early pick: The Tyreek Hill revenge game should be something to behold. Miami and Kansas City could be playing in January for a chance at the Super Bowl and this game could very well decide home-field advantage for a playoff matchup. I’d take Kansas City come playoff time, but I’ll take the points with Miami in this one.
Colts vs. Patriots, Week 10
Point spread: Patriots -5
Moneyline: Patriots -195, Colts +165
Early pick: The Colts are longshots to do much of anything this season, and it starts because of their quarterback position. Gardner Minshew is the starter, but rookie Anthony Richardson could push him early. Richardson is a big X-factor, but this is a team missing a lot of talent and is in a rebuilding process. Mac Jones has some questions, but the Patriots have added some solid talent this year and should win this one by at least a touchdown.
Bengals vs. Chiefs, Week 17
Point spread: Chiefs -3.5
Moneyline: Chiefs -165, Bengals +140
Early pick: This game is in Week 17, which means some teams will be playing for more than others. What makes this interesting is the head-to-head matchup could decide who hosts who in the playoffs. If you like Cincinnati in any way in this game and are willing to roll the dice on player health by Week 17, grab the line while you still have the hook. Plenty will change, but barring big injury issues, I see this line ending up at or near a field goal.