NFL Spreads Week 1: Home Teams That Will Easily Cover on Kickoff Sunday

NFL season-opening spreads are always tricky. After all, no one knows exactly what to expect from each team as Kickoff Sunday signals the start of a fresh year.

Still, there are some Week 1 matchups that are just too predictable. In the case of this weekend, there are some so predictable that they make the spread look foolish.

Let's take a look at some home teams who will have no problem covering the spread on NFL opening weekend.

*Week 1 spread info according to Covers.com.

Chicago Bears (-9.5)

The Chicago Bears have Super Bowl aspirations this fall, and why not? They've loaded up on offense by adding Brandon Marshall and Michael Bush, and their defense is as guaranteed as death and taxes.

On Sunday, Jay Cutler and company will host the Indianapolis Colts at Soldier Field. Chicago is favored by 9.5 points over Indy, and I believe they will cover with ease. Remember, these aren't the Peyton Manning era Colts anymore. 

Instead, rookie signal-caller Andrew Luck will have to single-handedly revive the Colts franchise in 2012, with very little talent around him. Unfortunately for Luck and Indy, football is a team sport, and the Bears have the much superior team in Week 1. 

Houston Texans (-12.5)

After watching five episodes of HBO's Hard Knocks this summer I'm absolutely convinced that the Miami Dolphins will win no more than four games in 2012. They looked awful throughout the preseason, losing all four games mostly in blowout fashion.

That brings us to the Houston Texans, who made it to the AFC Divisional Playoffs last season before falling at Baltimore. I expect a blowout win for the fast-improving Texans, who are favored by 12.5 points at home on Sunday against the Dolphins. 

This is a matchup of two teams headed in two completely different directions. The Dolphins are starting a rookie quarterback in Ryan Tannehill, and doing so under a first-year head coach in Joe Philbin. I don't like Miami's chances of scoring more than 10 points in Houston this weekend.

Detroit Lions (-9)

No NFC team was worse than the St. Louis Rams in 2011. They went 2-14 and were oddly enough outscored by exactly 214 points over the course of 16 games.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions return the explosive QB-WR duo of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson to Ford Field in Week 1, looking to pick up right where they left off last season. Detroit scored 474 points during the regular season last fall, and went 5-3 at home.

After earning a much-needed playoff berth last season, the Lions are ready to take the next step up to Super Bowl contenders. In order to do that they must annihilate bad teams like the Rams at home. If you ask me, I say they will cover the 9-point spread with ease

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