NFL Week 1 Biggest Upsets: Eight Underdog Wins On Sunday

• The Pittsburgh Steelers closed at (+210) on the moneyline against the Buffalo Bills.
• The New Orleans Saints had (+145) odds against the Green Bay Packers.
• The Miami Dolphins had a (+140) betting line against the New England Patriots.
• The Houston Texans were (+140) underdogs to the favored Jacksonville Jaguars.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Eight underdogs won their games straight up on Sunday but only one of the games closed with odds longer than (+150). However, there was still a lot of money to be made by betting on the underdogs in Week 1 of the NFL season.

Pittsburgh Steelers Vs. Buffalo Bills (23-16)

The Pittsburgh Steelers closed as 6.5-point underdogs, were held scoreless at halftime, and were still able to finish the day with a win. Regulated sports betting sites labeled the Buffalo Bills as sizable favorites at home but were clearly wrong in the end.

The Bills outgained the Steelers by 119 yards, ran 24 more offensive plays, had more first downs, more yards per play, and had more time of possession. Furthermore, QB Ben Roethlisberger had just a 28.6 QBR. But it’s been seen time and time again in the NFL that the team that plays better doesn’t always win.

New Orleans Saints Vs. Green Bay Packers (38-3)

Jameis Winston made his New Orleans Saints debut with five touchdowns and no interceptions on 14-for-20 passing. NFL betting sites had the Green Bay Packers as 3.5-point favorites, but saw the team come out flat.

QB Aaron Rodgers played like a man who didn’t want to be there and when Rodgers isn’t playing well, the team doesn’t play well. Yet the final score was more surprising than the actual upset in this one.

Miami Dolphins Vs. New England Patriots (17-16)

Bill Belichick and Brian Flores took part in a duel on Sunday as it essentially was a game of both teams trying to be the last one to make a mistake. The playcalling was conservative on both sides and the New England Patriots probably played the better game but lost the turnover battle and therefore, the game.

With about four minutes left in the match, the Patriots were at the opposing 10-yard-line and were in prime position to take the lead. However, RB Damien Harris fumbled and subsequently ended the game. Sports betting sites may have accurately handicapped this game but saw an incorrect result as the clock ran out.

Houston Texans Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (37-21)

The Jacksonville Jaguars were favored on the road with a rookie quarterback and first-time NFL head coach both making their professional debuts. In hindsight, it seems easy to see the Houston Texans taking this game but even the sportsbooks were wrong in this spot.

QB Trevor Lawrence threw three interceptions before getting some time stats to make it look a little more respectable. Who would’ve guessed the Texans would have the sole lead of the AFC South at any point this season?

What Would A Parlay Have Paid?

Different sites offer different payouts for parlays, however, a parlay with the aforementioned four teams on the moneyline would’ve paid out around $4275 on a $100 bet. A parlay of all the underdogs that won in Week 1 (Steelers, Bengals, Eagles, Dolphins, Texans, Saints, Cardinals, Chargers) would’ve seen a huge payout.

That eight-team parlay would’ve paid around $111,375 on a $100 bet.

The lesson learned in Week 1 of NFL play? Never underestimate an underdog.

News tags: Buffalo Bills | Green Bay Packers | Houston Texans | Jacksonville Jaguars | Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New Orleans Saints | NFL | Pittsburgh Steelers