Week 1 NFL Picks: Vegas Odds, Prop Bets and Predictions for Opening Schedule

The Pittsburgh Steelers have to be feeling good about themselves as they get ready open their season on the road against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Head coach Mike Tomlin knows that his players have a significant talent edge on the Browns, and that's something the Steelers should be able to say most weeks. With Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, it's hard to find teams that have it better than Pittsburgh.

Their opponents are trying to dig themselves out a deep hole, and the talent level is improving in Cleveland. However, the Browns are going with a raw rookie quarterback in DeShone Kizer, and he's going to find it difficult to acclimate to professional football.

The Browns also added a pair of key defensive rookies in the draft in defensive end Myles Garrett and safety Jabrill Peppers, and both could be difference-makers. However, the hard-luck Browns endured a crucial blow when Garrett suffered a high-ankle sprain that is likely to keep him out for several weeks, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Steelers should also have a good feeling because the New England Patriots lost their opener Thursday night after raising their latest Super Bowl banner. While the Pats are not dead and it is just one loss, Pittsburgh is largely considered New England's top competition in the AFC, and Tomlin's team gets to take a first step toward home-field advantage in this game.

The Steelers are 8.5-point favorites in this game, according to OddsShark. It's usually difficult to lay more than a touchdown on the road, but the Steelers should have the personnel and motivational edges here.

Look for the Steelers to win and get the cover.

Matchup, Point Spread, Over/Under, Prediction

Atlanta at Chicago: Atl. -6, 48, Atlanta/Under

Jacksonville at Houston: Hou. -5, 39.5, Houston/Under

Oakland at Tennessee: Tenn. -3, 50.5, Oakland/Over

New York Jets at Buffalo: Buff. -8, 40, NYJ*/Under

Baltimore at Cincinnati: Cin. -3, 41, Baltimore/Over

Pittsburgh at Cleveland: Pitt. -8.5, 47, Cleveland*/Under

Arizona at Detroit: Ariz. -2.5, 47.5, Detroit/Over

Philadelphia at Washington: Phil -1, 48, Philadelphia/Over

Indianapolis at Los Angeles Rams: LAR -4.5, 41.5, Los Angeles/Under

Carolina at San Francisco: Car. -5.5, 47.5, San Francisco*/Under

Seattle at Green Bay: GB -3, 52, Green Bay/Over

New York Giants at Dallas: Dall. -4, 47.5, NYG/Over

New Orleans at Minnesota: Minn. -3.5, 48, New Orleans/Under

Los Angeles Chargers at Denver: Den. -3.5, 42.5, Los Angeles/Over

*Will cover the spread but fail to win.

All information according to OddsShark.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers

This game could easily turn out to be the most competitive encounter of Week 1. The Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers are perennial NFC powers, and it would not be shocking if these two teams met in the playoffs and perhaps the NFC Championship Game.

While the Packers will be at home, the Seahawks have one of the most aggressive defensive teams in the league. Head coach Pete Carroll has hard-hitting players like Earl Thomas, Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, and they should be up to the challenge of facing the explosive Green Bay offense.

Seattle will attack the Green Bay defense with quarterback Russell Wilson, running backs Thomas Rawls and ex-Packer Eddie Lacy, wideout Doug Baldwin and tight end Jimmy Graham. The Seahawks' multidimensional attack will be challenging for the Packers to defend against.

The Packers have the edge on offense with Aaron Rodgers and explosive wideout Jordy Nelson, along with secondary receivers Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. Green Bay should be a threat to make big plays any time the team has the ball.

No defense presents the kind of physical and psychological challenge like Seattle's. This is a hard-hitting and punishing crew, and opposing offenses know the pain is coming sooner or later.

The Packers are three-point favorites playing at Lambeau Field. This game will be a knock-down, drag-out fight, and the belief here is Green Bay will do just enough to get the win and the cover.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

The New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys twice last year, including the season opener at AT&T Stadium.

The Cowboys will desperately want to show their NFC East rival they are the better team, and after getting the news that top running back Ezekiel Elliott will be able to play this game—and perhaps the entire season, per Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times—they should be at their best against the Giants.

However, New York is not going to roll over at the sight of Dallas, and quarterback Eli Manning may have the best set of weapons at his disposal he has ever had.

Odell Beckham (ankle, questionable, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo) is one of the most acrobatic and spectacular receivers in the league when healthy, and Brandon Marshall can be impossible to cover when motivated. Sterling Shepard could be a No. 1 receivers on some teams, and he will be the No. 3 receiver for the Giants.

Both offenses will move the ball and score with quite a bit of regularity. The total in this game is 47.5 points, and we see this game going past that in the fourth quarter. 

Take the over.

Prop Bet

While not as prevalent early in the season as they will be later in the year, football handicappers can find prop bets that get their attention.

Betting on the first player to score in a game is offered by Oddschecker, and we are taking a look at that wager in the Seattle-Green Bay game.

Since there are a number of popular options on both teams, there is no clear-cut favorite to score the opening touchdown. Nelson and running back Ty Montgomery are both 10-1 for the Packers, while Adams is 12-1. Baldwin is 10-1 for the Seahawks, while Graham is 12-1.

The Seahawks will do everything they can do stop Nelson. While they may not be successful overall, they will be early in the game.

As a result, we like Baldwin to score the opening touchdown in the game. He has become one of the most dangerous receivers in the game, and he is also one of the toughest. A 10-1 return is quite satisfactory on this proposition.