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Hank checks in on the opening lines and early action for a quartet of contests.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-3)

Two teams that combined for just 23 total points in Week 1 get together in the Sunday night game, both trying to avoid an 0-2 start.

Dallas was the more impotent offense, held scoreless through 3½ quarters before an Ezekiel Elliott 4-yard TD run and subsequent Dak Prescott 2-point conversion run. But that was it for the Cowboys, who lost to Carolina 16-8 as a 3-point road underdog.

New York debuted running back Saquon Barkley, the second overall pick in the NFL Draft, and he delivered a 68-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run. But the Giants were otherwise inept, losing to Jacksonville 20-15 as a 3-point home pup.

Despite Dallas’ flagging start, early bettors at the Superbook seem to like the Cowboys.

“We moved to -3.5 quickly on this game,” Murray said. “These teams look pretty even to me. Big game for the Cowboys. They need that one at home.”

Later Sunday night, the Superbook went back to the opener of 3.

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-2.5)

Green Bay took a collective gulp after Aaron Rodgers was carted off with a knee injury in the first half of the Week 1 Sunday nighter against Chicago. However, with the Packers down 20-0 at home, Rodgers came back in the second half and led a huge rally as Green Bay won 24-23 victory giving 7 points.

Rodgers missed a big chunk of last season with a shoulder injury, and the Pack missed the playoffs. This time, it appears he might be OK.

After reaching last year’s NFC Championship Game, Minnesota featured a new quarterback this season in Kirk Cousins and started with similar results. Cousins had two TD passes and no interceptions as the Vikings beat San Francisco 26-14 laying 6 points at home.

“The Vikings looked good today,” Murray said. “That line could move, depending on how the Packers look (Sunday night).”

Murray and his Superbook crew were almost prophetic with their weekly ritual on Sunday night games.

“We take them off the board when that prime-time game kicks off, as a pre-emptive move in case something like this happens,” he said of the Rodgers injury.

The line was still at 2.5 when the Superbook took the game down.

New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars (Pick)

Defending AFC champion New England opened the 2018-19 campaign with a rather run-of-the-mill win and cover. The Patriots got out to a 21-6 halftime lead against Houston, then held on with relative ease for a 27-20 victory as a 6.5-point home chalk.

Jacksonville, which had New England on its heels in that AFC Championship Game, got the new season off to a good start. The Jaguars’ defense gave up one big Saquon Barkley TD run, but otherwise kept the New York Giants in check in a 20-15 victory laying 3 points on the road.

“Both teams had solid games today,” Murray said Sunday night. “I expect to need Jacksonville pretty big on Sunday.”

Indeed, after opening this game a pick ‘em, the Patriots moved to -1.5 in short order at the Superbook.

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans (no line)

Tennessee also got bit by the quarterback injury bug in Week 1, but in this case, Marcus Mariota left late in the third quarter and did not return after hurting his right elbow. The Titans were largely ineffective to that point, trailing 10-3 at Miami, then put up 17 fourth-quarter points before ultimately losing 27-20 in a pick ‘em game. There were two weather delays totaling nearly four hours.

Blaine Gabbert finished for Mariota, whose status is uncertain.

Houston welcomed the return of Deshaun Watson at quarterback, after he missed half of last season with a knee injury. But the Texans never really threatened New England, losing 27-20 as a 6.5-point road ‘dog.

“This game is off the board due to the Titans’ injuries,” Murray said, noting that left tackle Taylor Lewan suffered a concussion and wideout Delanie Walker dislocated an ankle, likely ending his season. “With a quarterback injury, it’s just too hard to say where we’ll open this line.”

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