2015 NFL Picks Against the Spread (ATS) - Week 1

Since we began, all of our handicappers have made exactly three picks each week. No more, no less. By limiting our picks to three per week, the goal was to narrow down our picks to only those we thought were quality plays.

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Starting in 2014, we have switched to a new format allowing each handicapper to make between two to five picks versus the spread each week. In addition, we will use units to better designate each handicapper's confidence in their picks ranging from one to five units.

For tracking purposes, we have tracked (and will track) both wins/losses and units (+/-) against the spread throughout the season.

Cumulative results from previous four seasons:

NFL Week: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17

Week 1 lines from Sportsbook.com are in the table below:

DateFavoriteSpreadUnderdogO/U
Thu., Sept. 10 at 8:30 PMPATRIOTS7Steelers52.5
Sun., Sept. 13 at 1:00 PMPackers7BEARS49
Sun., Sept. 13 at 1:00 PMTEXANS0Chiefs40.5
Sun., Sept. 13 at 1:00 PMJETS3.5Browns39
Sun., Sept. 13 at 1:00 PMColts3BILLS45
Sun., Sept. 13 at 1:00 PMDolphins3.5REDSKINS43.5
Sun., Sept. 13 at 1:00 PMPanthers3.5JAGUARS40
Sun., Sept. 13 at 1:00 PMSeahawks4RAMS40.5
Sun., Sept. 13 at 4:05 PMCARDINALS2.5Saints49
Sun., Sept. 13 at 4:05 PMCHARGERS3Lions46
Sun., Sept. 13 at 4:25 PMBUCCANEERS3Titans40.5
Sun., Sept. 13 at 4:25 PMBengals3RAIDERS43
Sun., Sept. 13 at 4:25 PMBRONCOS5Ravens48
Sun., Sept. 13 at 8:30 PMCOWBOYS6.5Giants52.5
Mon., Sept. 14 at 7:10 PMEagles3FALCONS56.5
Mon., Sept. 14 at 10:20 PMVikings2.549ERS41.5
Odds as of Sunday, September 13th at 5:27 AM ET.

Our Week 1 NFL Picks Against the Spread

All of our Week 1 NFL picks against the spread will be centralized in the table below:

ContributorPicks
Sean Beazley
2015:
2014: 36-26-3 (58.1%), +32 units
2013: 23-26-2 (46.9%)
2012: 31-20-0 (60.8%)
2011: 27-21-3 (56.3%)

Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons: Over 56.5 (5 units)

This game will be the highest scoring game of the week, and if you do not have a piece of this one in the DFS world, you will probably lose. Sam Bradford is my cash game QB this week and I expect him to have a monster game on Monday night. The Eagles offense has been clicking on all cylinders and I expect them to put up 40-plus points in this contest. ...

[Continue reading Sean's Week 1 ATS picks here.]
Kevin Hanson
2015:
2014: 32-23-0 (58.2%), +22 units
2013: 25-24-2 (51.0%)
2012: 22-28-1 (44.0%)
2011: 33-14-4 (70.2%)

Arizona Cardinals -3 over New Orleans Saints (5 units)

Has there been a better head coach than Bruce Arians over the past three years? While it took longer than it should have for him to get his opportunity, Arians has won the AP NFL Coach of the Year Award in two of the past three seasons. ...

[Continue reading Kevin's Week 1 ATS picks here.]
John Trifone
2015:
2014: 31-34-3 (47.7%), +3 units
2013: 26-22-3 (54.2%)
2012: 20-28-3 (41.7%)
2011: N/A

New York Jets -3 over Cleveland Browns (3 units)

The first week of the season is always tough to pick. The preseason can only tell us so much, so there's a lot of speculation about how teams' new additions will mesh together. The Browns added journeyman quarterback Josh McCown, who has won the starting job. They have also added rookie running back Duke Johnson to pair with Isaiah Crowell out of the backfield. ...

[Continue reading John's Week 1 ATS picks here.]
Dan Yanotchko
2015:
2014: 25-28-0 (47.2%), -9 units
2013: 15-34-2 (30.6%)
2012: 28-23 (54.9%)
2011: 24-21-6 (53.3%)

Green Bay Packers -7 over Chicago Bears (4 units)

Week 1 is here, and the most exciting thing about this game is that the commissioner Roger Goodell will be in the building. In all seriousness, the Packers have dominated the Bears on the scoreboard recently, as they have posted totals of 33, 38 and 55 points in their last three games. And Aaron Rodgers threw 10 touchdowns and no interceptions in his two games against the Bears last season. ...

[Continue reading Dan's Week 1 ATS picks here.]
Note: All lines used will be as of the time picks are made.

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