The Cowboys-Eagles opener definitely got the season off to an unusual start.
The defending Super Bowl champions defeated the Cowboys 24-20, but fell short of covering the closing -8/-8.5.
Jalen Carter was thrown out for spitting on Dak Prescott before the first snap of the game. There was a one-hour delay because of lightning in Philadelphia. And the teams combined to score 41 points in the first half, but the Total went Under the closing 47.5.
The NFL runs it back again tonight with the Chiefs-Chargers game in Sao Paulo (8 ET, YouTube).
The Chargers are 3-point underdogs, so let’s call in Dave “Dog or Pass” Tuley:
Regular readers know I love fading the Chiefs because, even though they usually pull out victories, they tend to let teams stick around, and we can often cover with the dog against the spread even if they lose straight-up. I would have passed if the line stayed at the opener of Chiefs -2.5, but became playable at Chargers +3. The Chargers under Jim Harbaugh are narrowing the gap on their division rival, so this isn’t just a fade of the Chiefs.
Tyler Shoemaker makes the case for the Under (46.5).
Zach Cohen likes a prop for a player who recently got engaged.
>Chiefs-Chargers Betting Splits.
For VSiN Pro subscribers, the NFL picks page is here.
We’re posting everything we do on Week 1 on this page.
‘Friday Night Lite’
With the NFL stealing the spotlight, the Friday night college football slate doesn’t have much star power on the four-game slate.
But the books are taking bets on them, so . . .
Adam Burke has bets for your consideration on James Madison-Louisville and Northern Illinois-Maryland. And Steve Makinen also has a play on NIU-Maryland.
Everything we do on Week 2 will be posted here.
Tim Murray and Matt Youmans share their Week 2 Best Bets on the VSiN College Football Betting Podcast. >>Listen now.
Contest Corner
We won’t know until Saturday at 9 p.m. ET when the Circa Survivor and Grandissimo consensus picks are announced on The Football Contest Show, but it’s safe to assume there was more than a few nervous contestants with the Eagles’ fate in doubt until the final minutes.
Here is the count as of late Thursday: Million 5,053; Survivor 16,796; Grandissimo 58.
>The Edge Boost Average Joe Contest lines are frozen today at 10 a.m. PT and contestants can enter their picks starting at 10:15. Don’t wait until the last second to make your picks.
>The Circa Friday Football Invitational selections will be posted tonight on VSiN.com and VSiN Pro subscribers will get an email with all the picks shortly after tonight’s show is over (around 10 p.m. ET).
Need a proxy for the Las Vegas football contests? Winners Circle Proxy is the official proxy for VSiN.
Quick Hits
MLB: Greg Peterson has Best Bets for today’s MLB menu.Steve Makinen and Adam Burke will post their daily contributions later this morning.
U.S. Open: VSiN tennis analyst Zach Cohen has Best Bets for the men’s semfinals. Gill Alexander has one pick for today.
Horse Racing: Mike Somich and Aaron Halterman share their picks for a big weekend at Kentucky Downs on the VSiN At The Track podcast. Horse racing coverage is sponsored by 1/ST BET. Get your $250 sign-up bonus.
UFC: Lou Finocchiaro has his picks for Saturday’s UFC Paris card.
