2012 NFL Week 1 Point Spreads

Although the first day of the 2012 NFL season is still a ways away, it’s never too early to begin looking at all the great matchups happening in Week 1, as well as their point spreads. Without further ado, let’s jump right into it, beginning with the season opener on Wednesday night, September 5^th.

The very first game of the season will consist of an NFC North battle, as the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants welcome the Dallas Cowboys to MetLife Stadium. The season opener is scheduled to kickoff at 8:35 PM ET on NBC Sports. According to 2012 NFL Week 1 point spreads specialists, New York is listed as a –3½ betting favorite over Dallas [+3½].

Last year, the Giants captured their second division title in three years on the final day of the regular season. On the losing end of that game was Tony Romo and the underachieving ‘Boys. Dallas suffered yet another disappointing late season collapse, as they weren’t able to capitalize on a huge opportunity to take the East.

“It’s extremely painful and it’s a damn shame,” said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones following a 14-31 loss to Eli Manning and the Giants in early January. “We have a good team and I thought we would be going to the playoffs, but that didn’t happen.”

But the Giants vs Cowboys season opener is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to must see week 1 matchups. Of course, the team that everyone will be keeping close tabs on is no other than Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos. With Tim Tebow replaced by No.18, fans at the Mile High can resume talking about Super Bowls without sounding delirious.

Manning will be making his Broncos debut against the best defense in the NFL in terms of overall, as well as passing yards. In other words, Manning will take on the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers defense in his first game in over a year. The last time we saw Manning was during the Colts loss to the NY Jets in the AFC Wild Card round of the 2010 playoffs.

A number of surgeries later, a new city, huge contract and lofty expectations, “Mastermind” Manning returns to the big stage. League schedule-makers didn’t care to give the Hall of Famer a warm-up game, so to speak, throwing him immediately into the lions to rest his surgically repaired neck.

You know for a fact that the Steel Curtain will be trying to put him on his back and welcome him back to the league. Having that said, NFL oddsmakers still list the Broncos as a slight, -1½-point favorites over Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers defense.

“The opening game in Denver obviously will be an interesting way to start the season,” said Steelers President Art Rooney. “There will be a lot of attention paid to Peyton Manning’s first game with the Denver Broncos, so it’ll be exciting to start out that way.”

Check out a complete list of 2012 NFL Week 1 Point Spreads:

Wednesday, September 5, 2012 (8:30 PM ET):

• Cowboys [+3½] vs Giants [-3½]

Sunday, September 9^th 2012 (1 PM ET):

• Colts [+9] vs Bears [-9]
• Eagles [-6] vs Browns [+6]
• Bills [+5] vs Jets [-5]
• Redskins [+9] vs Saints [-9]
• Patriots [-6] vs Titans [+6]
• Jaguars [+3½] vs Vikings [-3½]
• Dolphins [+6] vs Texans [-6]
• Rams [+8½] vs Lions [-8½]
• Falcons [PK] vs Chiefs [PK]

Sunday, September 9^th 2012 (4 PM ET):

• 49ers [+5½] vs Packers [-5½]
• Panthers [-2] vs Buccaneers [+2]
• Seahawks [+2] vs Cardinals [-2]

Sunday, September 9^th 2012 (8:20 PM ET)

• Steelers [+1½] vs Broncos [-1½]

Monday Night Football (7 PM ET):

• Bengals [+6½] vs Ravens [-6½]

MNF (10:15 PM ET):

• Chargers [-1½] vs Raiders [+1½]