2014 NFL Lines – Week 1

After the shambolic efforts of Cliff Bingham over the past two seasons, we’re reshuffling the decks here. Cliff and Nick Tedeschi will continue to both provide weekly tips. However, how you should interpret each set of recommendations will differ significantly. Nick’s tips will be based on legitimate analytical rigour and can be used as a helpful punting guide by you, the valued reader. Cliff’s tips will be based on hearsay, personal prejudices, potential for comedy/ chaos and as the season wears on, an increasing volume of fantasy football vendettas. This isn’t even science versus art; science versus pot luck would be a more apt description. And on that note… are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?!?!?!

Recommended Bets
NT
Still to come. Cliff got sick of waiting for him to submit his bets this week. Can you fire your own editor-in-chief from a volunteer blogging job? Probably not. Moving on…

CB

(Tips for novelty value only – if you bet on these and lose, you get what you deserve. PS Check @cliffbingham on Twitter if you want verification that I tipped Seattle at the minus on Thursday night whilst waiting for Nick’s notes to arrive)

GREEN BAY @ SEATTLE: 1 UNIT ON SEATTLE -5.5 AT $1.91 (CENTREBET)
Normally home field advantage is worth three points. At Seattle, which is THE LOUDEST VENUE IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, three points may turn into five or six. When you throw in the inevitable sonic boom-like response to “Ladies and Gentleman, your WORLD CHAMPION SEATTLE SEAHAWKS!!!!”, the score may well be 14-0 to the ‘Hawks before Aaron Rodgers has confirmed with State Farm Insurance that they will honour his discount double check (I don’t know what that is, but the TV ads are tremendous). Defending champs to roll at home.

TENNESSEE @ KANSAS CITY: 1 UNIT ON KANSAS CITY -3.5 AT $1.91 (CENTREBET)
The Titans went 7-9 last year and face an 11-5 team who put a huge space on Indy in the wild card playoff before Andrew Luck and the Colts ran him down, at a venue (Arrowhead Stadium) where once again, home field advantage is likely to be worth more than three points. I’ll take Andy Reid, Alex Smith and Jamaal Charles at home against Jake Locker on the road. Thanks anyway.

OAKLAND @ NY JETS: 1 UNIT ON NY JETS -5.5 AT $1.91 (CENTREBET)
The Raiders travel cross-country to play a game at 1pm ET, or effectively 10am in Oakland – that’s bad. Matt Schaub apparently won’t start for them in week 1 – given his disintegration last year in Houston, that’s good. The guy behind Schaub on the QB depth chart will be playing instead – that’s bad. The Jets will be built up if they win by 20+ points here, only to provide the inevitable sucker punch to the collective gut of their fans in subsequent weeks – that’s too delightful a scenario not to cheer on. J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!