NFL preseason Week 1 best bets
After ripping off an 11-2 record in our NFL preseason bets in 2019, we're already off to a 1-0 start this year after a low-scoring Hall of Fame Game. Using the tips from our preseason betting guide, here are my favorite plays in the first full week of exhibition football:
Saints @ Ravens (-2.5, 36)
Aug. 14, 7 p.m. ET
Given these two coaches' track records in the preseason, it's almost a miracle that the Ravens aren't priced as bigger favorites here. Baltimore has won 17 consecutive preseason games under John Harbaugh, who has been a vocal proponent of valuing wins in the preseason. Compare that to Sean Payton, whose Saints have gone 7-13 in the last five preseasons.
New Orleans' biggest advantage is a spirited competition between Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill, who are both expected to take snaps in Saturday's contest. Still, a quarter's worth of two subpar starters isn't enough to fade the unstoppable force of the "preseason Ravens."
Pick: Ravens -2.5
Bengals @ Buccaneers (-6, 34)
Aug. 14, 7:30 p.m.
The Buccaneers giving a touchdown would seem reasonable if these two played in the regular season. In the preseason, it's jarring. Consider the reasons: Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians has been clear about his starters playing at least a drive or two, while the Bengals will rest Joe Burrow and Joe Mixon as they recover from 2020 injuries.
That could mean some compelling value on the Buccaneers' first-quarter or first-half betting lines, if your book offers it. If not, it's hard to justify this big of a spread this early in the preseason in any matchup. So take the points on the Bengals, who are full of talented youngsters likely to see an extended run in this one.
Pick: Bengals +6
Seahawks @ Raiders (-2.5, 37.5)
Aug. 14, 9 p.m.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is one of the NFL's best preseason coaches, but it's hard to go against the Raiders in this one. Jon Gruden is a must-bet in this spot, boasting a career 10-0 record in the first week of the preseason with a combined 6-2 record in exhibition games since returning to the Raiders.
Another X-factor is backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, who has opined for a starting role this offseason and could surely use a strong preseason performance to boost his stock around the league. He's questionable to play Saturday, though Las Vegas is deep enough at receiver and along the front seven defensively to justify this price even if Mariota sits.
Pick: Raiders -2.5
C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.