2023 NFL chances: Trust the Seahawks, other finest preseason Week 1 bets

It’s still summer-shorts season, however my preferred time of year is here — football season!

The NFL exhibit season opened last week with the yearly Hall of Fame Game, however the whole league will play this week.

RELATED: Best, worst coaches’ preseason records versus the spreadout

I’ve made selects for 3 videogames that I like, beginning with a Thursday night contest.

Let’s dive into my wagers for Week 1 of this NFL preseason.

THURSDAY

Vikings at Seahawks (10 p.m. ET, NFL Network)

In the preseason, we wager on coaches and plans. Seattle’s Pete Carroll is one of my favorites to wager on this time of the year. Carroll is 61% versus the spreadout (ATS) in the preseason. 

He’s a protective coach who’s extremely competitive, and every single preseason play is an chance for his group to punch somebody in the mouth. 

Carroll will tend to play his beginners for a bit as well. The Vikings went 0-3 versus the spreadout in Kevin O’Connell’s initially preseason in Minnesota. No surprise. He’s an offensive coach and doesn’t play numerous beginners in the preseason. So provide me the Seahawks here.

PICK: Seahawks (-3.5) to win by more than 3.5 points

SATURDAY

Colts at Bills (1 p.m. ET, TV TBD)

Once onceagain, I’m simply betting on a coach in this area. The Bills’ Sean McDermott is 12-6 versus the spreadout in that area, and he’s dealingwith a Colts group with a newbie head coach in Shane Steichen.

I’d thinkof the Colts function Anthony Richardson in this videogame, which is why the Bills are getting 5.5 points. But it’s Richardson’s initially action in the NFL, and I’m betting on an irregular efficiency.

PICK: Bills (+5.5 at time of select) to lose by less than 5.5 points (or win straight-out)

Eagles at Ravens (7 p.m. ET, NFL Network)

With John Harbaugh’s unique groups background, the Ravens are more ready to win those stages of the videogame in preseason videogames. Lastly, Harbaugh’s aggressive nature on 4th down has the Ravens constantly with the gas pedal down in preseason videogames.

All of this sounds like the Ravens are a wise wager when onceagain this preseason, however I would offer a word of care. That offense that defenses didn’t have time to prepare for? Well, it’s gone. The Ravens have a brand-new offending planner (Todd Monken) who is altering the offense to function more pro-style principles, which oughtto be mucheasier for defenses to play in the preseason with little videogame preparation. 

As with a brand-new offense, the preseason can be extremely unequal, and even more so when the backups are playing. I’d hate to be the one not betting on the Ravens when they’ve been printing cash for years now throughout the preseason, however I would care versus a big wager on them this week. Maybe a little spray for old times’ sake, however I’d stay away from the Ravens versus the Eagles.

PICK: Ravens moneyline (-250, bet $10 to win $14 overall)

Geoff Schwartz played 8 seasons in the NFL for 5 various groups. He began at right dealwith for the University of Oregon for 3 seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 choice his senior year. He is an NFL expert for FOX Sports. Follow him on Twitter @GeoffSchwartz.