The NFL offseason is over. Football returns on Thursday night—preseason football, to be specific—with the annual NFL Hall of Fame Game, between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers, in Canton, Ohio. You can bet the game at DraftKings and get $150 in bonus bets instantly:
The Lions are coming off the best regular season in franchise history. They went 15-2, won the NFC North for the second straight year and earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. However, they crashed out in the Divisional Round of the postseason with a 45-31 loss to the Commanders.
In the offseason, Detroit had to replace both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who left the team to become the head coaches of the Bears and Jets, respectively. John Morton, who spent the past two seasons as the passing game coordinator with the Broncos, takes over for Johnson. Kelvin Sheppard, who was the Lions’ linebackers coach for the past three seasons, has been elevated to replace Glenn.
Meanwhile, the Chargers are in their second season under coach Jim Harbaugh. Last season, they went 11-6 and earned a wild card berth but, like Detroit, were knocked out of the playoffs without winning a game, losing to the Texans.
Los Angeles led the league last season in scoring defense (17.7 points per game) and spent much of the offseason upgrading an offense that ranked 20th in yards per game (324.2).
Detroit is a slight 2.5-point favorite for Thursday night according to the latest NFL odds. The total is 33.5.
While the NFL Hall of Fame game is the marquee attraction on the sporting landscape on Thursday, other options include a three-game MLB slate and Valkyries vs. Mystics on the WNBA card. You can bet WNBA at FanDuel and get $150 in bonus bets with a winning $5 wager:
Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Thursday, July 31. All times Eastern
NFL best bets, where to watch
Chargers vs. Lions
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Canton, Ohio | TV: NBC/Peacock | Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — Expert: Chargers +2.5 -110 (R.J. White) | Under 33.5 -110 (Roberts)
As is usually the case with the Hall of Fame Game, the No. 1 quarterback for both teams—Justin Herbert for the Chargers and Jared Goff for the Lions—will not play. Backup quarterbacks Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen are expected to get the bulk of the snaps for Detroit while Trey Lance will start for Los Angeles. Allen has started 19 games in his NFL career while Lance, who signed with the Chargers in the offseason after spending last season with the Cowboys, has started just five. However, that doesn’t faze White from taking Los Angeles. “While I understand the Lions being favored as they likely have the better talent at quarterback in this game, I think the Chargers’ coaching gives them a big edge in this environment, with Jim Harbaugh 10-6 ATS in the preseason and Dan Campbell, who is breaking in a pair of new coordinators, 3-6-1,” White said.
MLB best bets, where to watch
Braves at Reds
Time: 7:10 p.m. | Location: Cincinnati | TV: MLBN | Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — Model: Under 9 total runs -101 | Expert: Cincinnati -1.5 +130 (Bruce Marshall)
On a day that will be better known for its trade deadline deals, the Braves and Reds will square off at Great American Ball Park. Cincinnati (57-52) is just three games behind the Padres for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League. Meanwhile, Atlanta (45-62) has the third-worst record in the NL. Thursday’s pitching matchup features the Braves’ Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 5.91 ERA), who will be making his first start for Atlanta since being acquired via trade from the Yankees, taking on the Reds’ Andrew Abbott (8-1, 2.09). Marshall notes that Abbott has been much better at home this season, with a 1.93 ERA in 10 starts. Click here to bet the game at Fanatics.
Rangers at Mariners
Time: 9:40 p.m. | Location: Seattle | Watch: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — Model: Mariners -174 | Expert: Mariners -154 (Matt Severance)
Two teams trying to catch the Astros in the American League West collide when the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers open a key four-game series in Seattle. Both the Mariners and Rangers enter the day 57-52 and five games behind Houston in the division. On Thursday Seattle’s George Kirby (5-5, 4.50 ERA) will take the mound against Texas’ Kumar Rocker (4-4, 5.73). Severance notes that Kirby, who hasn’t faced the Rangers this season, dominated Texas last year, going 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA. Meanwhile Rocker is 1-4 with a 9.91 ERA on the road. Severance also likes the Mariners’ additions of Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez and Caleb Ferguson at the trade deadline. “Seattle looks dangerous all of a sudden behind a stellar rotation,” he says.
More MLB best bets
WNBA best bets, where to watch
Valkyries at Mystics
Time: 7:30 p.m. | Location: Washington D.C. | TV: Prime Video | Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine expert pick: Brittney Sykes 10+ points + Brittney Sykes Under 1.5 made 3-pointers -101 (Max Meyer)
Two teams fighting for a spot in the WNBA playoffs face off when the Washington Mystics host the Golden State Valkyries at CareFirst Arena. The Mystics (13-13) sit in eighth place in the WNBA standings, a half game ahead of the Valkyries (12-13). The top eight teams in the standings regardless of conference affiliation qualify for the postseason. Sykes leads Washington in points (16.1), assists (4.5) and steals (1.2) per game, and Meyer likes a same-game parlay on Thursday. He notes that Sykes has made multiple 3-pointers in just three of 23 games this season but has scored at least 10 points in 10 of her last 17 games.
Looking ahead: Astros at Red Sox
Time: Friday, 7:10 p.m. | Location: Boston | TV: Apple TV+ | Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
The AL West-leading Houston Astros embark on a nine-game road trip when they open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Astros (62-47), who have battled injuries over the last month and are just 7-12 over their last 19 games, are set to visit the Marlins and Yankees after the series in Boston. Meanwhile, the Red Sox (59-51) sit in third place in the AL East, five games behind the Blue Jays and one game behind the Yankees.
