My first bet: The lines we love immediately after the NFL schedule release

The days following the 2024 NFL schedule release present a big betting opportunity, as team win totals and futures are now updated. So which NFL bets stand out?

We asked our team for the first bet they are making for the new season. Here’s what caught their eye.

Odds current as of publication time, courtesy of ESPN BET.

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New York Jets OVER 9.5 wins (-125)

Mike Clay: The Jets quietly have arguably the league’s best roster on paper. They return eight of their nine top snap-getters from an elite 2023 defense, and the offense will be much better with an overhauled line, as well as improved skill position players and the return of Aaron Rodgers. Even if Rodgers is average at this point in his career, the Jets have a good enough roster to win 10 games (they won seven with the league’s worst offense last season). It also helps that, after finishing third in the AFC East, the Jets have the easiest projected schedule in the division.

Tennessee Titans OVER 6.5 wins (+115):

Liz Loza: Titans brass fully committed to a rebrand after finishing last in the AFC South with a 6-11 record in 2023. Intent on unlocking Will Levis‘ big-armed potential under the tutelage of newly installed head coach Brian Callahan, Tennessee added Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd and Tony Pollard during free agency. The team also addressed the other side of the ball, using five of seven draft picks on defense while additionally acquiring standout CB L’Jarius Sneed. Levis’ maturation is key, but he has been given all of the tools necessary for the Titans to at the very least flirt with the .500 mark.

Detroit Lions UNDER 10.5 wins (-115):

Tyler Fulghum: The Lions were everyone’s darling in 2023, and deservedly so. Now comes the hard part: sustaining success. The NFC North is going to be very competitive, and Detroit’s first-place schedule makes it hard to find 11 wins unless everything goes perfectly.

Green Bay Packers to win the NFC (+900):

Matt Bowen: The Packers have the profile of a championship-level team. Quarterback Jordan Love is an emerging star in the league, and Green Bay features a young core of dynamic receivers on the perimeter. The addition of Josh Jacobs is a boost to the run game, plus look for the Packers’ defense, under new coordinator Jeff Hafley, to be much more aggressive with its coverage and pressure tendencies. Green Bay will have to work through a tough regular-season slate, but at these current odds, I’ll bet on Matt LaFleur’s club winning the NFC title game — at Lambeau Field.

Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) vs. Green Bay Packers (in Sao Paolo, Brazil):

Joe Fortenbaugh: This is the ultimate buy-low spot on Philadelphia, which closed out its 2023 campaign in embarrassing fashion. Conversely, this is a terrific sell-high spot on Green Bay, which the entire world will be picking to make a deep playoff run after witnessing last year’s sooner-than-expected pop. Look for Philly’s upgrade at both offensive and defensive coordinator to be the difference here.

Atlanta Falcons OVER 9.5 wins (-140)

Eric Moody: The Falcons threw us all for a loop with their pick of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the NFL draft. Come 2024, however, Kirk Cousins is set to take the reins as the Falcons’ starting quarterback, offering a major upgrade for an Atlanta squad hungry for a reliable passer to maximize the talents of Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Cousins has averaged a solid 270.7 passing yards per game during his past three seasons with the Vikings, and with new head coach Raheem Morris beefing up the defense during the draft, things are looking up. Factor in one of the league’s easiest schedules, and it’s clear the Falcons are poised to surpass expectations in 2024.