Pats Pulpit Picks: What are the best bets and picks for the Week 1 Sunday games?

The first NFL Sunday with a full slate of games is upon us which means there is plenty of games to make picks and bet on. The slate consists of nine contests at 1 p.m. ET, four that will start between 4 and 4:25 p.m. ET, and one game at 8:20 p.m. ET.

Out of the nine early games three really jump off the page from a betting standpoint. For starters the New England Patriots (+3.5) will take on the Miami Dolphins (-3.5) as a field goal road underdog, per DraftKings Sportsbook. This game is appealing because it feels like the spread should be closer. Miami has a brand-new rookie head coach who may make a coaching mistake as he lines up on the other side of Bill Belichick. This will likely be a low-scoring game, but the Patriots have good value here in a game that projects to be close. The under 46.5 also looks good as the Patriots usually start slow in Week 1.

The Washington Commanders (-3) play host to the Jacksonville Jaguars (+3) in this time slot as well. The Commanders enter this year with Carsen Wentz as their starting quarterback. His season ended on a sour note last year as these same Jaguars upset his Indianapolis Colts and eliminated them from playoff contention. Will Wentz come out and get his revenge or does Jacksonville have his number?

The next appealing game at this time slot is the Carolina Panthers (+1) hosting the Cleveland Browns (-1). Baker Mayfield will be playing his former team on opening day and definitely wants to be at his best. The Browns also will be starting Jacoby Brissett as starter Deshaun Watson — Mayfield’s replacement — is suspended. This is a good spot for both teams, but the Panthers should have the edge at home in week one.

The afternoon slate features some teams that figure to be offensive powerhouses this season. A game that jumps out is the Las Vegas Raiders (+3.5) at the Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5). This looks like a potential shootout that will see two great offenses go at it. The Chargers will be without cornerback J.C. Jackson which means Davante Adams may be loose for the Silver and Black. This game could go either way but the over 52.5 should be attainable.

The night game features the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5) traveling to Texas to play the Dallas Cowboys (+2.5). Tom Brady may be back for Tampa Bay, but his offensive line is very much not. The retirement of Ali Marpet and an injury suffered by Ryan Jensen will cause major problems for the Buccaneers offense. Dallas should be fired up at home and has a great shot to win this game.

Who will win and what are Sunday’s best bets? Here are our staff's picks for the day:

Player Prop of the Day

Davante Adams over 79.5 receiving yards (-115): Adams will be making his debut for the Raiders, and quarterback Derek Carr will be looking his way a lot. This game will be a high-scoring affair and Vegas will need to throw the ball to the All Pro receiver to win this game. Adams will have a major mismatch as the Chargers, as noted above, are without their CB1, J.C. Jackson. This means Asante Samuel Jr. will likely have the task of covering one of the best receivers in the league. The second-year corner just does not have the experience to shut him down and 80 receiving yards is easily attainable.

Patriots Best Bet

Damien Harris Anytime Touchdown Scorer (+125): Harris will pick back up right where he left off last season and find the end zone in Week 1. Anything inside the 5-yard line should be a carry for the running back. He found the endzone 15 times last season and will be heavily featured in week one. Harris will have the opportunities so him scoring a touchdown is definitely in the cards.