Redskins at Giants NFL Betting Odds

The defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants open their 2008 NFL week 1 game at home as they host their division rival, the Washington Redskins on Thursday, September 4th on NBC. Last season the Giants finished the regular season with a 10-6 record both straight up and against the NFL betting number while qualifying for the playoffs as a Wild Card. They won four straight road games to become the Super Bowl Champs, defying oddsmakers who had them as underdogs in NFL odds for every game during the playoffs.

In the Super Bowl it was Eli Manning leading the way on offense while the defensive line dominated Tom Brady and the New England offense. New York has not started well in recent seasons in NFL betting for week 1 games. Last year they lost their first two games but recovered. This season they can’t afford to stumble early since four of their first six games are at home. It is especially critical for the Giants to start well since they play four of their last six games of the season on the road. The Giants really did everything right in the playoffs because their regular season numbers were not that good. They ranked 16th overall in offensive yards and 8th overall in total yards allowed on defense during the regular season.

Washington finished last season at 9-7 straight up and 7-7-2 against the spread and made the playoffs as a Wild Card entrant but were routed by Seattle. The made some major changes in the off-season as Joe Gibbs retired as head coach and was replaced by Jim Zorn for week 1 betting action. Bodog sportsbook has the Redskins 18/1 in NFL odds to win the NFC Championship and the Giants 7/1. The Redskins are 13/2 to win the NFC East division while the Giants are 3/1. The Redskins made a big off-season move trading for All-Pro defensive end Jason Taylor from Miami. The Redskins ranked 15th in the NFL in total yards last season while their defense ranked 7th overall in total yards allowed.

The Redskins were 4-3-1 against the NFL betting odds on the road last season and 4-4 in terms of over/unders. The Giants were 4-4 at home versus the NFL betting odds last season and 6-2 in terms of overs at home last season. Last season each team won on the road in this series. The Redskins won 22-10 at New York while the Giants won 24-17 at Washington. The previous season New York swept both games against Washington. Three of the last four games between the two teams have gone under versus the NFL odds.

Redskins at Giants Week 1 Betting Prediction

This is a tricky game on the week 1 NFL schedule in terms of betting so be careful. Although they are the Super Bowl champs, the New York Giants will be the team with something to prove in NFL betting. The Giants are at home for week 1 but sportsbooks only have New York as a 3.5 point favorite, that has got to tell you something. Any reigning Super Bowl champion playing a NFL Week 1 game at home should have a wider NFL betting margin then just a field goal but the Giants simply have not played well in the beginning of the season. I expect the public to jump all over the New York "Football" Giants at home playing the Washington Redskins but if the betting line moves up to Redskins +5 or more, put a few units on the Redskins and watch history repeat itself.