Two veteran quarterback look to get their new teams in the win column when the Atlanta Falcons host the Pittsburgh Steelers during the Week 1 NFL schedule. Coaching and quarterback issues doomed the Falcons to a 7-10 record, but there is hope that Kirk Cousins can connect with Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts to make the team explosive. The Steelers had their own quarterback woes last season, but head coach Mike Tomlin is hoping they can turn their season around with Russell Wilson under center. Cousins and the Falcons are 3-point favorites in the latest NFL odds, but Wilson leads the regular season head-to-head matchup, 4-2. Which NFL spreads should you target? Before you make any Week 1 NFL picks or NFL parlays, be sure to see what SportsLine senior analyst Larry Hartstein has to say.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed working for Pro Football Focus. He tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Hartstein’s weekly Vegas contest selections form the basis of his NFL best bets column, which is 79-48-2 (62.2%, +25.95 units) since its inception in 2022. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
For Week 1, Hartstein has locked in three confident best bets. If you successfully parlay his picks, you’re looking at a payout of almost 6-1. You can only see Hartstein’s Week 1 NFL picks at SportsLine.
Top Week 1 NFL picks
We can tell you Hartstein loves the Browns (-2.5) to cover against the Cowboys. Dallas struggled last season against top-10 defensive fronts last season, coming up short against the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers. The Browns’ defense was especially good against the pass, allowing just 164.7 average yards in the air and registering the second-most interceptions (18). That makes things even tougher for the Cowboys, which leaned heavily on Dak Prescott and the receiving corps last year.
“Cleveland led the NFL in total defense and lowest completion percentage allowed last year, and should be even better in the second year under aggressive coordinator Jim Schwartz,” Hartstein told SportsLine. See which other NFL parlay picks to make here.
How to make Week 1 NFL parlays
Hartstein also jumped on two other NFL matchups, including backing one team who he says is “poised for greatness.” You can only see Hartstein’s Week 1 NFL best bets and parlay at SportsLine.
What are Hartstein’s top Week 1 NFL picks, and which other NFL matchups should you target for a strong 6-1 payout? Visit SportsLine now to see the Week 1 NFL best bets from the Vegas expert who is up 25.95 units on ATS picks since 2022, and find out.
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Author: CBS Sports Staff
September 1, 2024 | 11:20 am
