As the calendar turns to August, we start to check off important dates on our way to the official return of football. And while we’ve still got 35 more days until the Baltimore Ravens take on the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to open the season, the NFL preseason kicks off on Thursday night with the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. This year's installment pits the Houston Texans against the Chicago Bears. E ven though the pregame focus will be on the enshrinement of Devin Hester, Andre Johnson and Julius Peppers, we should still be in for a fun contest once the action gets underway on the field. As the countdown to the start of the NFL regular season rolls on, here are the betting lines, odds and my best bet for the Hall of Fame Game.'
2024 NFL Hall of Fame Game betting lines and odds
Point Spread:'Texans -1.5, Bears +1.5
Total Points Over/Under: 31.5 points
Money Line Odds: Texans -130, Bears +105
Houston Texans -1.5 over Chicago Bears (-110)
Preseason football is typically a tough thing to predict since it is pretty much meaningless aside from players on the fringes of the roster fighting for spots on the team. At the end of the day, everyone is hoping to stay healthy and brush off the rust from a long offseason. Despite the relative difficulty in handicapping that this presents, I think Houston holds a clear edge on offense in this spot.'