Fans who have been chomping at the bit to bet on the NFL get their chance on Thursday at the Hall of Fame Game, the preseason opener and official kickoff to the 2018 NFL season.
This year Chicago and Baltimore will be playing at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, and the line has seen some movement since it opened.
The Ravens started as a 1.5-point favorite, but have moved to 2.5 at most Las Vegas sportsbooks. The moneyline has mostly stayed the same. Baltimore is -120 and even for the Bears. Internet sportsbooks such as Paddy Power and Betfair are offering better moneyline odds on the Bears. They have Chicago at 6/5.
The over/under opened at 34 or 33.5 and has seen a slight increase of a half-point depending on the sportsbook. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook now has it at 34, up from 33.5, while MGM facilities have the best under number at 33.
Starters Mostly Spectators
As usual in games before the regular season, especially the first ones, most starting players will see limited action, and rookies will get most of the playing time. Chicago running back Jordan Howard told NFL Network he won’t be suiting up for the game, and hinted that quarterback Mitchell Trubisky might be joining him in street clothes on the sideline.
That means Bears fans can expect to see lots of Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray behind center. The reserve running back corps of Tarik Cohen, Benny Cunningham, Taquan Mizzell and Ryan Nall will all see considerable playing time.
This should give the Bears a chance to remain healthy. They have had minimal injuries during training camp thus far. Linebacker Danny Trevathan is the only starter on the injury list. He is dealing with a hamstring strain.
Bears first-year coach Matt Nagy likes an up tempo offense with plenty of scoring, and will be looking to see who of his skill position players can handle his offensive concepts.
Lamar Jackson Debut
While results in preseason games are mostly meaningless, don’t tell that to Baltimore Coach John Harbaugh. The team has gone 4-0 in its last two years in the preseason.
With that mindset starting quarterback Joe Flacco might play the opening series and then get the rest of the night off. Same for other starters.
The game also will be the debut of the Ravens first-round pick, quarterback Lamar Jackson. He was one of five quarterbacks taken in the first round of the draft, and how he performs will be of interest to Harbaugh. He has been rumored to be competing for the starting job, but even if he’s not the opening day signal caller, he could be put in should Flacco struggle. It is Flacco’s tenth season, and the team has not made the playoffs the last three years.
Harbaugh told reporters after practice that he knows his rookies will be excited, but cautioned them to remember what is important.
“They’re excited to go play, but just remember that it’s a football game,” Harbaugh said. “Keep it simple. Pay attention to what’s important. Knowing your assignment and playing hard and if you’re on defense, run to the football. If you’re on offense, make the catch. Keep it simple and play football.”
