Greetings from Fabulous Las Vegas, currently teeming with NFL bettors ready to fire on Week 1.
VSiN.com senior editor Zach Cohen previews tonight’s Cowboys-Eagles opener (8:20 ET, Amazon) with the defending Super Bowl champions at -8 or -8.5.
Although there has been a lot of preseason focus on the Cowboys — now minus Micah Parsons — Zach has reasons for thinking the Eagles may not be in championship form:
There’s a pretty decent chance the Eagles don’t bring playoff-level offensive precision in Week 1. Philadelphia was a little banged up during the preseason, so the first team didn’t get as many reps in as you’d think. The Eagles also lost offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who is now the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Philadelphia did promote from within, rolling with passing game coordinator and associate head coach Kevin Patullo. That should mean that things won’t be tinkered with too much. But this is Patullo’s first time calling plays, and doing so against an experienced coordinator like Matt Eberflus could be a challenge.
Zach has a prop bet and a side he likes.
In case you were wondering, the defending Super Bowl champion is 10-2 SU and 6-5-1 ATS in the season opener over the past 12 seasons.
Dave Tuley has his Week 1 Takes, including one on the Eagles if you are considering a teaser wager.
Josh Appelbaum’s TNF Sharp Report will be posted later this morning.
>Cowboys-Eagles Betting Splits.
FYI: Steve Makinen has updated his Betting Splits Systems for the NFL and dropped his Analytics Report with system matches for this week.
Gill Alexander’s Week 1 Beating The Book megapod is out with regulars Will Hill and Todd Wishnev along with pro bettor Steve Fezzik. >Listen now.
For VSiN Pro subscribers, the NFL picks page is here and we have a special page with NFL futures here.
We’ll be posting everything we do on Week 1 on this page.
Pro tip: Peruse our NFL page for all the stories we’ve posted since May.
Weekend planner
This schedule helped me remember everything that’s happening this weekend. I hope it helps you:
Today
>Make time to enter EdgeBoost Average Joe Contest and, if you are in Nevada, one of the Circa football contests. (Pro Tip II: 126 ways to win the Million; 1 way to lose in Survivor.)
Friday
>Average Joe Contest lines are frozen 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.
>Selections from 25 contestants in Circa Friday Football Invitational will be announced by Matt Youmans from 4-7 p.m. PT. The picks will be posted on VSiN.com and VSiN Pro subscribers will get an email with all the picks from me shortly after the show is over.
Saturday
>The VSiN College Football Tailgate Show, with Tim Murray, starts an hour earlier this season, at 6 a.m. PT.
>The deadline for picks for the Average Joe Contest is 7 a.m. PT and the selections will be released shortly afterward on VSiN.com.
>The deadline for entering the three Circa contests is 2 p.m. PT and the picks must be in by 4 p.m. PT.
>Circa’s Derek Stevens and Jeff Benson will announce the consensus picks for the Million, Survivor and Grandissimo on The Football Contest Show from 6-7 p.m. PT with Matt Brown and Mike Somich.
Sunday
>Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard kick off our live programming at 6 a.m. PT with the VSiN Pro Football Tailgate Show, followed by Countdown to Kickoff with Jonathan Von Tobel at 9 a.m. PT.
Need a proxy for the Las Vegas football contests? Winners Circle Proxy is the official proxy for VSiN.
CFB Week 2 Analytics Report
Steve Makinen collates all of his betting systems and power ratings to come up with Week 2 games that qualify for a play.
Everything we do on Week 2 will be posted here.
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 Sabalenka-Pegula and Alcarez-Djokovic matches.
Horse Racing: “Mr. Ed” Sehon and 1/ST Bet’s Jeremy Plonk offer their plays for the Kentucky Downs menu today. 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. ICYMI: First Strike is back! Dave Ross and Rob Moreno reintroduce VSiN’s UFC betting podcast by going over their handicapping methods. >>Listen now.
