2023 NFL Schedule Released: Three Big Week 1 Point Spreads Are Up
It’s Christmas in May for NFL fans after the league released its 2023-2024 schedule on Thursday.
First off, the season opener is a bit surprising. As expected, the reigning Super Bowl-champion Chiefs will host the annual Thursday night opener that will be kicking off from Kansas City at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sept. 7. But their opponent?
Maybe the Eagles, maybe the Bengals, maybe the Bills.
Nope.
It’s the upstart Detroit Lions.
That’s right. The Lions narrowly missed the playoffs last season (winning eight of their last 10 games) and it’s a sign that the league expects big things from them this year. So do I.
It should be an entertaining game after all the pregame festivities at Arrowhead Stadium.
Fun night ahead.
Then, on “Monday Night Football” four days later, Aaron Rodgers will make his New York Jets debut at home against division rival Buffalo.
The ratings for that game will be huge.
The most-watched “Monday Night Football” telecast in ESPN history was the now infamous Cincinnati Bengals-Buffalo Bills battle, which was postponed in the first quarter after Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field. That game drew 23.8 million viewers.
Hamlin is likely to see some playing time as he’s been cleared to play football again.
And if you don’t think the NFL will play up that angle as well as Rodgers’ Big Apple debut, then you don’t know ballyhoo.
It’s going to break that ‘MNF’ record and I’ll keep you posted if/when there are odds on that.
For now, let’s look at the three big games on the Week 1 schedule and the early lines on every game.
The odds I’m using are from FanDuel Sportsbook, one of our favorite sites, along with many other great gambling companies in the U.S., including BetMGM and more.
Detroit Lions (+6.5) at Kansas City Chiefs
(Over/Under: 53.5)
Philadelphia Eagles (-3.5) at New England Patriots
(Over/Under: 46.5)
Buffalo Bills (-1.5) at New York Jets
(Over/Under: 47.5)
Of these games, I love the Bills by at least a field goal or more. Probably more like 7-10 points.
Plenty can happen between now (May 11) and September 11 (which will mark the 22nd anniversary of 9/11 and bring even more emotion to the ‘MNF’game) but I think that’s a safe bet to make right now.
Tomorrow we’ll look at the rest of the NFL Week 1 spreads and also every team’s strength of schedules.
