NFL Week 1 Action Continues Sunday With Full Slate of Games

Posted on: September 9, 2022, 11:34h. 

Last updated on: September 12, 2022, 01:20h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

The LA Rams and Buffalo Bills got the new NFL season started, and it’s now time for other teams to carry the ball. Sunday’s Week 1 lineup includes plenty of great action. But two games stand out.

Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Dallas Cowboys last season. The two meet again this Sunday, with the Bucs looking for another win. (Image: Getty Images)

There will be 14 games this Sunday and one on Monday, giving football fans plenty of excuses to pick a spot on the couch and get comfortable. The sportsbooks are busy preparing the lines, hoping to build on the momentum the Rams-Bills game generated.

This Sunday, among all of the choices, there will be a couple of rivalries playing out. The Dallas Cowboys will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in hope of doing something they’ve never done before. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears face the San Francisco 49ers, looking to prove the books wrong.

Brady Bests the Boys

The 2022 season begins for the Bucs and Cowboys in a duel that will be the highlight of the week. The Buccaneers, at +700 to win the Super Bowl on DraftKings, finished 12-5 in the 2021 season. The Cowboys went 11-6.

Led by Tom Brady, the Buccaneers look to continue their control of the Cowboys, a team that failed its fans again after being left out of the playoffs last season. Head coach Mike McCarthy’s team is out for revenge.

Still, some are doubting the Cowboys this season as they don’t have any star receivers after the departure of Amari Cooper. Both teams met last season, and the win went in favor of the Bucs with a score of 31-29.

There’s something else to consider, too. The Cowboys have never beaten Brady since he arrived in the NFL. They have beaten the Bucs, though, and lead the series between the two, 15-5.

The Cowboys went 2-1 in the preseason while the Bucs lost all three of their games. Brady will have to get his head back in the game if he wants to keep his trend going. Tampa is finding support from the sportsbooks, going into the game as favorites of -140 at DraftKings and -145 at Caesars. They both give the game 52 on the over/under.

The Cowboys have a chance to win, though, as Brady and the Bucs are dealing with several unknowns that will come into play.

Niners Head to Chicago

The Niners will travel to Soldier Field to meet the Bears in an early game on Sunday. The Niners are starting a new era with Trey Lance as the starting quarterback and Jimmy Garoppolo riding the bench.

The 49ers selected Lance in the 2021 draft as the third pick. Last season, he played six games, starting in two. He threw for 603 yards and five touchdowns, but has had difficulty finding his rhythm in the new season.

The Bears have a new head coach this year, with Matt Eberflus taking over for Matt Nagy. Last year, Chicago didn’t make the playoffs, part of the reason Nagy is no longer with the team.

The Bears are looking to return to the postseason this year. That seems difficult, however, with DraftKings putting them almost at the bottom of the list to win the Super Bowl.

The 49ers have consistently made it to the postseason and have come close to the Super Bowl. However, their last championship was all the way back in 1994. DraftKings is giving them a little nudge this year, with +1600 odds (seventh place) of going all the way.

Both teams met last year, and the win went to the Niners by a score of 33-22. San Francisco leads the long-running series against Chicago 35-32-1.

The odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the Niners winning. The books are giving them around -295 to the Bears’ +250. Despite the Bears going undefeated in the preseason, they face a difficult challenge. Taking the over on the 40 over/under line is definitely worthwhile.