Week 1 NFL Odds and Best Bets: Picks for Perfect 10 Contest
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There are a lot of ways to have fun during the NFL season—watch from home, from the stadium, play fantasy football and, of course, win money with your bets.
Now, thanks to SI Sportsbook, there’s a way to:
1. Win money ($10,000)
2. Have fun
3. Do it for FREE
The Perfect 10 game at SI Sportsbook is a weekly contest where anyone can play for free and win up to $10,000.
It’s simple. Pick ten games and if they all win, you win up to $10,000. You aren’t competing against anyone. The more games you predict correctly, the more money you win in free bets and if you go 10-for-10, you win $10k.
So, which games should you pick?
The betting and NFL analysts at Sports Illustrated are all here to help. Below you’ll find our team’s best bets for the SI Sportsbook Perfect 10 contest.
But, first, here are the ten games and spread for Week 1’s Perfect 10 contest.
Now, let’s get to our best bets and picks for the Perfect 10
The No-Brainer Pick: Ravens -1.5
The real spread has the Ravens favored by 6.5 points at the Jets but since the game was launched before the news of Joe Flacco starting in place of Zach Wilson, all players are getting a “gimme.” So, chalk this one up as a freebie.
Michael Fabiano: 49ers -9.5
I'm a big fan of Trey Lance and think the 49ers will win the NFC West, so I’m going to take them -9.5 over the Bears. It’s the biggest spread on the SI Sportsbook Perfect 10 slate, but I’l lay the points with confidence. San Francisco is a perfect 4-0 against the spread (ATS) in its last four road games, and the Bears are just 1-5 ATS in their last six games at Soldier Field.
Jen Piacenti: Eagles -3.5
I like Hard Knocks as much as the next guy (or girl), but I just can’t see Dan Campbell’s team biting enough kneecaps to keep up with an Eagles team that added A.J. Brown to their offense and James Bradberry to their defense opposite Darius Slay. Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift will have an uphill battle versus a team that won seven of its last ten in 2021 while leading the league in rushing yards and allowing the ninth-fewest rushing yards to opposing teams. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles should win by more than a field goal.
Frank Taddeo: Colts -5.5
The Colts now have Matt Ryan under center leading an offense featuring Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman, while possessing a defense that added Stephon Gilmore and Yannick Ngakoue. The Colts are 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 meetings at Houston and 15-5-2 ATS in the last 22 meetings against their AFC South rival.
Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports
Craig Ellenport: Saints -5.5
In the 2021 regular-season finale, the Saints beat the Falcons by 10 – and that was with Trevor Siemian at quarterback. Jameis Winston isn’t Tom Brady, but he was playing well before he got hurt last year. Winston, Alvin Kamara and an improved receiving corps will score more than enough to easily cover against a Falcons squad that will not win many games this season.
Connor Lamb: Bears +9.5
Justin Fields will look to replicate one of his best overall rookie performances last year when he rushed for 103 yards and a fourth quarter, game-tying touchdown against the Niners. Surely, Fields hasn’t forgotten that San Francisco passed on him for Trey Lance with the third pick in the 2021 draft and will keep the game close enough with his legs to cover the near double-digit spread at home. The lowest point total of any Week 1 matchup (40.5) points to a home underdog Bears cover as they look to exploit Kyle Shanahan’s Week 1 0-4-1 ATS record as a head coach.
Kyle Wood: Eagles -3.5
It's no secret I'm high on the Birds, who are my pick to come out of the NFC, so I’m all over them on the road against a team they whooped 44-6 last season in Detroit. The Eagles only got better this offseason on both sides of the ball and a summer of Lions hype could quickly be dampened by a dominant Philadelphia win.
Matt Ehalt: Saints -5.5
The Saints and that stout defense can handle a Falcons team that could be among the league’s worst. The Falcons should win this game by at least a touchdown. The Saints are an NFC sleeper, while the Falcons have their eyes set on drafting a quarterback with the first or second pick in next year’s draft.
Matt DeLima: Bears +9.5
I’ll take the points on the Bears. At +9.5, the books would have you believe all the hype surrounding Trey Lance is spot-on. The truth is that we still don’t know what to expect from him, so I’ll take the big home ‘dog.
Shawn Childs: Lions +3.5
The Lions look poised to be a much better team in 2022. They have three excellent pass-catching options, while adding a couple of intriguing defensive players via the draft. This game should be high scoring, with Detroit delivering a home win.
Doug Vazquez: Raiders +3.5
I am very bullish on the Raiders this year. Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler leaving New England to take over the football operation in Las Vegas is a fresh start after the Jon Gruden debacle and other off field happenings surrounding the team. With quite a few offensive weapons still in place, they added the best receiver in the game in Davante Adams this offseason. They will be looking to make a statement in their first game together as a squad and this team could make a run in this very tough division and I already have a longshot ticket on Derek Carr for MVP at +3500 odds. They have a 4-2 record both ATS and straight-up against the Chargers in their last six matchups. The Chargers are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven games as favorite. I’ll take the 3.5 points here in a division matchup in a Game of the Week contender.
Bill Enright: Colts -5.5
Indianapolis has seven wins against their AFC South rivals in the last eight matchups and had an impressive 10-7 ATS record in 2021. Now, they get an upgrade at quarterback with Matt Ryan, while the Texans are still trotting out ::checks notes:: yep, Davis Mills. Colts will help you cash!
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