NFL Week 1 Odds: 3 Underdogs Guaranteed to Shock the World

Week One always presents the biggest challenge for handicappers. They have to base the spread upon last season and the offseason to speculate who the best teams in the league are. There are no trends, no basis for comparison and no streaks to evaluate.

That means you've got a chance to really take advantage of unknowing handicappers. Here are three underdogs that are going to shock the world in Week One.

Dallas Cowboys (+4)

The Cowboys had a disappointing season last year, to say the least. After giving Wade Phillips the boot, the Cowboys saw a complete culture change when Jason Garrett took the helm. The Jets are obviously a huge hurdle for the Cowboys, but with Tony Romo being reinserted into the lineup and the expensive dead weight no longer holding down Dallas, the Cowboys are able to move forward with a fresh season.

That all starts Week One against the Jets. They've got to go into the Meadowlands and while it's hard to say the Cowboys are going to win outright, any spread over a field goal is grossly underestimating the firepower the Cowboys have.

Oakland Raiders (+3)

Vegas didn't do its research. Darren McFadden is going to trash the Broncos just like he did in both games last year. Three touchdowns and 284 yards ring a bell, Denver? The Broncos have a pass-happy offense that can befuddle some teams, but Stanford Routt and Michael Huff will be able to hold their own even though Nnamdi Asomugha has left the building.

The Raiders are going to win this one outright, as the Broncos' porous run defense stands absolutely no chance of stopping the Raiders on the ground. There is no way the Broncos can keep the Raiders' run game in check and the Broncos aren't going to be able to take advantage of the Raiders' less than stellar front seven.

Minnesota Vikings (+9)

We all know how well the San Diego Chargers usually kick off the season, right? Sure, Phillip Rivers is awesome and the Chargers had an elite defense last year. Even so, they lost Ron Rivera last year and their defense is doomed to decline. That's not good news when Adrian Peterson comes into town. The Vikings don't have to win this one to cover by a long shot. All they have to do is keep it within reach.

The addition of Donovan McNabb should help keep the Vikings competitive while Christian Ponder learns on the sidelines. This team is a shadow of the team it was in 2009, but they are grossly underrated. The Chargers are being favored like they won the Super Bowl, when in actuality they were sitting at home come playoff time.