After what feels like a blink of an eye and two decades all jumbled up into one, the NFL is finally back. In just a couple of days, the 2026 regular season will kick off in Seattle, where we'll see a rematch of Super Bowl LX between the Patriots and Seahawks. From there, we're off to the races and heading down to Australia for an early international matchup as the 49ers and Rams will kick off from Melbourne Cricket Ground.
It'll be all gas, no brakes, until we get to Los Angeles for Super Bowl LXI. As we shake off the rust and prepare to wager on the opening slate of the NFL season, let's remember that this is one of the trickiest times to bet on the league calendar. Let's take a quick look back at the start of the 2025 season, where Week 1 offers a clear-cut example of its obscurity.
Last year, the Raiders went into Foxborough and defeated the Patriots, 20-13, in the season opener. After that, New England went on to win the AFC and reach the Super Bowl, while Las Vegas earned the No. 1 overall pick following a league-worst 3-14 record. With that in mind, it's important to have your head on a swivel in Week 1 because some funky results are bound to occur.
Below, we'll take an early look at the Week 1 odds, highlighting the spread, total, and moneyline as we gear up for the new season. All lines via DraftKings; all games on Sunday unless noted) The defending champion Seahawks come into Week 1 after not only hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, but also covering a league-best 75% of their games in 2025 (including playoffs). However, they are a bit of a different club than the one that found itself in the winner's circle a year ago, most notably losing offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III.
They were also 6-4 ATS (60%) at Lumen Field last year. As for New England, they were quite stellar against the spread as well, notching a 13-7-1 ATS record over the course of the regular season and playoffs. That included a 7-2 ATS road record.
This offseason, they added the likes of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs on offense. One X-factor for this game that could certainly swing these odds is the status of All-Pro corner Christian Gonzalez, who is in the midst of a contract dispute with the team, raising questions about his availability for the opener.
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