NFL Pre-Season Power Rankings and Week 1 Game Predictions

I haven't posted in a while due to starting a new job, which takes me away from home during the week. Unfortunately I do not yet earn enough from sports betting to give up my permanent job...yet.

With the NFL season starting this weekend, it is time to ramp up my coverage and posts.

I realise I have already missed the first game but I had the Eagles winning, honest. I was actually very, very close to betting on the Eagles. It was a marginal call and the line was moving in my favour so I held off, hoping for better odds. But the line moved the wrong way at the last minute to take the bet outside my threshold so I did not place it.

I have not done any 'power rankings' so far but thought I would get into it. For thos not in the know, this is just a list of the teams in a league, ordered from best to worst. The list below shows the equivalent power rnaking from my model as we enter the 2018 NFL season, prior to the Atlanta Falcons vs Philadelphia Eagles game.

NFL Power Rankings

1. NEP
2. PHI
3. MIN
4. PIT
5. ATL
6. NO
7. CAR
8. DAL
9. KC
10. LAR
11. SEA
12. DET
13. LAC
14. JAC
15. TEN
16. BUF
17. ARI
18. BAL
19. GB
20. CIN
21. OAK
22. MIA
23. SF
24. WAS
25. TB
26. DEN
27. NYJ
28. NYG
29. CHI
30. IND
31. HOU
32. CLE

Below is my list of game predictions for week 1, with the winner in bold. The Patriots are the biggest favourite with New Orleans, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Green Bay and Detroit also fairly sizeable favourites. Detroit and Pittsburgh might be the big anomalies here. The rest of the games are fairly close with Arizona the biggest favourite of the remaining games - we'll see how that plays out. I do have several bets on these games this weekend already with another one I might place which is borderline.

ATL at PHI
BUF at BAL
JAC at NYG
TB at NO
HOU at NEP
CIN at IND
TEN at MIA
PIT at CLE
SF at MIN
KC at LAC
DAL at CAR
SEA at DEN
CHI at GB
NYJ at DET
LAR at OAK
WAS at ARI