We’ve made it to the opening night of the 2024 NFL season, but more importantly, it’s the first Thursday before football kicks off in both leagues. That means it’s time for our first “Best Bets Thursday” of the year.

As he will each Thursday for the next 20-plus weeks, Jim Derry welcomes in Uncle Big Nick (back for his fourth season), as well as Bet.NOLA.com’s Tom Casale and Gabe Henderson on the Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 274) presented by Evangeline Securities.

Should we look at favorites like Joe Burrow and the Bengals over the Patriots? What about the big one on Sunday night with Rams-Lions? One of our experts likes a side in the Alabama-South Florida game, and another is talking Oregon-Boise State.