NFL betting tips: Travis Kelce to strike first for Chiefs, 49ers will win big

The NFL is back - and Sports News Blitz will be following the race to Super Bowl LIX closely, providing betting tips for the televised Sky Sports games along the way.

There will be more hits than a Taylor Swift playlist as the action returns on Thursday night, when Lamar Jackson takes his Baltimore Ravens to tackle Super Bowl kings Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

Swift’s love story with Chiefs star Travis Kelce drew millions of new fans to the NFL last season, but we’ve loved American Football for decades, so will be doing a weekly betting preview.

Andy Reid’s reigning champions and the unstoppable Patrick Maholmes will be chasing a third successive Super Bowl win after seeing off the San Francisco 49ers last February.

And we start our betting tips with the Chiefs’ opening game, with Sports News Blitz’s Sam Condy scouring the betting markets to pull out some tasty odds to back (sensibly, of course).

Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs

The NFL kicks off on Thursday as the Chiefs will look to get one over the top-seeded Ravens.

The Chiefs are coming off the back of last season's Super Bowl win, edging out the San Francisco 49ers in overtime.

It no doubt will be a tough match-up for Kansas City, despite being strong favourites.

The Ravens are widely regarded as one of the top defensive sides in the league, last season becoming the first team to record the fewest points allowed (16.5), most sacks (60) and most takeaways (31) in a single season.

However, the Ravens have lost linebackers Patrick Queen and Jadeveon Clowney and could be leaky defensively as a result.

The Chiefs will likely look to take advantage and play aggressively for an early lead over a damaged defensive side.

Suggested Bet: Travis Kelce 1st Touchdown Scorer at 8/1 (SkyBet)

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Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles

The NFL is set for its Brazilian debut, with the Eagles and the Packers going head-to-head in Sao Paulo on Saturday morning.

While the Eagles look to be the favourites heading into their opening game, the Packers had a better offensive performance last season.

The Eagles have also notably picked up defensive coordinator Vic Fangio – a coach known for needing some break in time due to his demanding style.

The Packers will likely look to take advantage of a defensive line still getting to grips with their new tactics.

With neither side known for their defensive dominance, a high-scoring game looks to be on the cards in Brazil.

Suggested Bet: Over Points (48.5) at 6/5 (Sky Bet)

Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons

In what will likely be one of the lowest-scoring affairs in the opening week, the Steelers take to the stage against the slight favourites from Atlanta on Sunday evening.

The two sides will heavily rely on their defensive lineups on Sunday, while questions hang over the offence of both sides.

Atlanta has a revamped offensive line which could prove to be the turning point for a side that has gone 7-10 for three consecutive seasons.

Will Kirk Cousins at quarterback provide the boost Atlanta so desperately needs?

Suggested Bet: Atlanta Falcons Under 15.5 Points at 7/2

Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns

This match-up has been touted as a defensive showcase - but with the Cowboys possessing one of the largest aerial threats in the NFL, alongside the return of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, Dallas could be hoping to score big.

The Browns should not be slept on offensively either. While perhaps not as flamboyant as their opponents, Cleveland has an abundance of talent in their offensive lineup.

Despite two sides with exemplary defences, touchdowns could well rain down on Sunday, leading to a high-scoring contest.

Suggested Bet: Over Points (44.5) at 5/4

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Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions

The Rams will be looking for revenge following their heartbreaking defeat to the Lions in the closing match of their 2023 season.

All eyes will be on Los Angeles’ defensive output this season.

Having lost both linebacker Ernest Jones and defensive lineman Aaron Donald, they could be slightly shaky when on the back foot.

Fortunately for the Rams, an offensive lineup filled with playmakers could prove just enough to carry the defence to a victory at the weekend.

On the flip side, the Detroit Lions find themselves in a similar predicament, a stellar offence while defensively there is plenty of room for improvement.

We will likely be in for a high-scoring contest, with the final result too close to call.

Suggested Bet: First Half Over Points (31.5) at 11/4

New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers

Last season's Super Bowl runner-up is back in action on Tuesday as the 49ers take on the Jets in California on Tuesday.

The last time the two faced off was back in 2020, with the Niners bulldozing to a 31-13 road win.

Having played each other a total of 14 times, the Jets have found success on just three occasions.

It looks likely to be much the same on Tuesday.

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has returned from injury, though it may take him some time to find his legs after a torn Achilles saw him miss almost all of the 2023 season.

The Niners look likely to win by a large margin despite a recent swing in the odds towards the Jets.

Therefore it could prove to be the perfect time to hedge your bets on a one-sided performance in the midweek match-up.

Suggested Bet: San Francisco 49ers -8 at 7/4