Unless you are willing to take a chance on a spring football league, this is the worst time of the year for people looking to learn how to bet on football. The NFL draft is now in the rear-view mirror. Anyone looking for NFL betting tips will have to wait until the Hall of Fame game kicks off the preseason Aug. 4 to wager on the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders.
The regular season won’t kick off until the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams host the Buffalo Bills Sept. 8 in Los Angeles. However, with the NFL being released last week, there is something or everyone to look forward to.
How the NFL Calendar affects the NFL Odds
NFL betting odds are heavily influenced by where the games are played. The point spread is usually swung, in part, by which team is playing at home. Usually, teams have points move in their favor when they are playing at home.
Preparing Betting Strategy based on the Schedule Release
- Look for soft spots in each team’s schedule. Every team will have a few weeks where they play weaker teams, try to find these and exploit them.
- Make sure you check the prime-time games. Playing on a short week can be difficult for teams, especially if they are entering a game with a rival or divisional foe.
- Find spots where young quarterbacks are opening the season. Playing first games in a hostile environment can be tough.
- Check the suspension list, particularly this year with Cleveland quarterback DeShaun Watson, and injury report to see if any players are going to miss the start of the season.
- Discover stretches where teams play several in a row at home or on the road.
Best Schedules
New York Giants Schedule
New York Giants coach Brian Daboll will get a chance to settle into his new role with a strength of schedule ranked 29th-toughest in the league. The Giants will open the season on the road against Tennessee but then won’t have to play another true road game until Week 7. During that stretch between Week 1 and 7, New York will have three games at home and a trip to London to play the Green Bay Packers, which will be a test for sure.
The Giants will also have winnable home games against Houston and Detroit in the back half of their schedule. New York is hoping to finish over .500 for the first time since 2016. If the Giants can get quarterback Daniel Jones back on track, they may make a solid case for a turnaround season.
Washington Commanders Schedule
The Washington Commanders will have an excellent chance to enter the NFC East race early. Washington will open the season against Jacksonville and Detroit, both of which missed the playoffs last season. That will be good for the Commanders as they look to break in Carson Wentz at quarterback.
Washington will play on Thursday at Chicago in Week 6, which will allow the Commanders an opportunity to have more than a week to prepare for the Packers. Washington will also close the season with three of its final four games at home. Having the opportunity to play New York and Dallas at home will help set up the Commanders for a strong run down the stretch.
Toughest Schedules
New York Jets Schedule
The New York Jets would be in a much better position if they had an established quarterback under center. With Zach Wilson entering his second year, the former BYU standout wasn’t done any favors by the schedule. The Jets will open the season with nine straight teams expected to compete for playoff spots this season.
What will make things especially tough for New York is the Jets’ first four games will be a run through all four teams in the AFC North. Every team in that division is expected to continue. With this in mind, there will be a lot of good opportunities to bet against the Jets. If Wilson can’ show the form that made him a first-round pick, it could be a long season in East Rutherford.
Los Angeles Rams Schedule
With how the NFL formats the schedule, the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams won’t get a break. Based on last season’s results, Los Angeles has the toughest strength of schedule of any team. The Rams’ division had three playoff teams — including the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals — who will hope to contend again this year.
Los Angeles will host Tampa Bay — which looks stronger with Tom Brady’s return — and also have a trip to Kansas City. Three of the Rams’ final four games will be on the road.
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