- What: NFL Hall of Fame Preseason Game
- When: Thursday, August 1
- Who: Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton, OH)
Tonight, the 2024 NFL Preseason kicks off with the NFL Hall of Fame Game as the Texans take on the Bears in Canton, Ohio.
Houston Texans
Houston has the deeper quarterback lineup of the two teams. Although CJ Stroud is not expected to play in this game, the Texans have several backup options with significant starting experience.
Listed backup Davis Mills has made 26 career starts, while Case Keenum and Tim Boyle follow on the depth chart with 66 and 20 starts, respectively.
AJ8️⃣0️⃣ weekend ???? pic.twitter.com/xZAT7XLqRv
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) August 1, 2024
I anticipate Tim Boyle to get the majority of playing time in the Hall of Fame Game. Despite his experience, he is projected to be the first quarterback cut or traded during training camp due to his struggles in the NFL.
Boyle’s career record is just 4 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and a 1:4 TD to INT ratio in three starts last season. Given the quarterbacks’ inconsistency, it’s difficult to support the over in this game.
Historically, points tend to be limited as offenses find their rhythm, and defenses take center stage, which should be the case on Thursday.
Chicago Bears
The Bears have some experienced quarterbacks who are expected to see action. Tyson Bagent will start for Chicago, and he made quite an impact on the team last season.
Bagent started four games for the Bears and achieved a 2-2 record. However, there are concerns about his interceptions, as he threw three touchdowns with six interceptions in five games.
Football is BACK ‼️
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 1, 2024
Bagent is expected to perform well in this game, but his playing time will be limited as Williams’ backup.
Brett Rypien and Austin Reed will get the majority of reps in the Hall of Fame Game. Rypien has started four games in four NFL seasons, while Reed is a dynamic rookie who had a strong showing at Western Kentucky.
Texans-Bears Best Bet
Recently, scoring in the NFL has decreased, particularly during the preseason.
As teams view these games more as an opportunity for evaluation rather than a way to build momentum for the regular season, we’ve observed strategies that result in lower-scoring games.
I would bet Under 31.5 points at -110 odds wherever you can. I’d also bet on the Bears to pull this upset.
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