The offseason task of building a complete, sensical NFL schedule for 32 teams is a math marvel my brain can’t comprehend.
Deciding which teams play where, against whom—and when!—is best left to the most elite, organized logistics minds in the world.
Then again … some inevitable Week 1 matchups also just … make sense.
Week 1 Must-See Rivals
Among the borderline-required Opening Week showdowns (including Thursday’s Ravens vs. Chiefs and Monday’s Jets vs. 49ers), we should spotlight the Seattle Seahawks vs. Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos.
If you watched the 2023 Washington Huskies, you know Nix from UW’s two dramatic wins over the Oregon Ducks by six combined points.
No—there’s no meaningful tie between the Seahawks and Nix. At least, there’s no surface-level link beyond him facing cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett at Auburn practices.
That lack of a link, however, won’t cancel the energy emanating from a familiar foe showing up out of the gate—and on a team with a quarterback history tied to the Seahawks, no less.
*Hit the Oregon Sports News comments to share your Bo Nix predictions. Also, give us your Week 1 Seahawks vs. Broncos spread, moneyline, or over/under picks before Sunday’s kickoff.
Week 1 Preview
Denver Broncos (0-0) vs. Seattle Seahawks (0-0)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 8
Kickoff Time: 1:05 PT
Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA.
Full Odds (Draft Kings)
Moneyline: Seattle -250 | Broncos +205
Spread: Seattle -6 | Broncos +6
Over/Under Total: 41.5
Seattle Seahawks vs. Bo Nix
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold recently chronicled the Broncos’ nearly decade-long downfall. It’s a detailed debriefing of how Peyton Manning’s Super Bowl 50 win trickled into the current Nix era. And it pieces together years of context leading to Denver’s opening at No. 28 in 2024 Power Rankings—not to mention a six-point underdog status vs. Seattle (the third-least-favorable spread from Week 1 games).
Against Denver, the Seahawks will do everything they can to rush the backfield and rattle the young(ish) quarterback.
Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald brings a blitz-heavy approach to Seattle from Baltimore, and I don’t expect him to get shy against a starting QB with zero regular-season games under his belt.
Bonus Bo Nix Prop Bets
If you’re a bettor and a college football fan, you might be excited about your first chance to (legally) bet on Bo Nix.
Here are a few of Bo’s Week 1 prop bets I’m eyeing.
Passing Yards, O/U
202.5 (-115)
I’m taking the under.
That’s not because I think Nix will play poorly. Not at all.
Sean Payton and his scheme look ideal for Nix. The system should immediately play to the 24-year-old’s strengths while reminding both Oregon and Washington fans of what they saw in 2023. But that system will also allow Nix to be conservative. And barring a late two-minute drill, Nix won’t be in a position where Denver needs (or wants) him to be a hero.
Alternative Odds: 185+ (-245)
If you choose to slide the odds, move them in your favor instead of up to, say, 225-plus yards (+165). You don’t need to push this higher than 202.5 yards in Nix’s first real pro game, especially at Mile High altitude.
Rushing Yards O/U: 18.5 (-115)
Nix was probably described as a sneaky-good athlete both early in his college career and during NFL scouting. But there’s no secret at this point his vision and ability to create; it’s just a matter of how it all translates.
In Week 1, Seattle will pressure Nix. The Seahawks will test both his athleticism and his reaction timing.
I suspect, for at least a few plays throughout the game, he’ll take advantage.
This is one of the X-factors entering this contest.
Alternative Odds: 25+ (+155)
The Seahawks are kings of stopping the run, but if you choose to push one of Nix’s props to the riskier side, I like 25+ yards on the ground. To be clear, this comes more from Nix’s unpredictability and less from any Seattle vulnerabilities. I wouldn’t put significant money on this … but Nix might confuse Seattle just enough for a few good sprints downfield.
Anytime TD Scorer: +450
I find this interesting because +450 is what Geno Smith is also coming in at for the Seahawks. (This bet only applies to rushing touchdowns.)
I’ll be straight with you—this is not one I’m putting my money down on. I like Nix’s unpredictability, and I think it will play in his favor at points throughout this game. But at only +450, asking him to cross the endzone with the ball in his grasp feels like a long shot.
If we were at, say, +750, you might have me. But even a slight upgrade to +500 wouldn’t do it. Not for Game 1 of the Nix-periment* (patent pending*).
Final Prediction
Bo Nix is Denver’s first rookie named a team captain since Hall of Fame running back Flooy Little way back in 1967. There’s a lot of hope that he can finally help Denver usher in a new era—but that may get off to a slow start against the Seahawks.
Expect this game to feel like a bit of a slog at times—but one that’s always in Seattle’s control.
I’m taking Seattle, and I’m taking the points by the final whistle.
Moneyline: Seahawks -250
Spread: Seahawks -6
Over/Under Total: UNDER 41.5
