Football is back – NFL preseason football that is. That happens this Thursday, when the Chicago Bears and the Baltimore Ravens lock horns in Canton, Ohio for the annual Hall of Fame Game. The Bears will come into the next season with plenty of new faces, including a new head coach in Matt Nagy. The Ravens, on the other hand, have some fresh additions, too. For both teams, this game on Thursday is a chance for them to further iron out their chemistry.
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Betting Preview for the NFL Preseason Hall of Fame Game Between the Chicago Bears vs Baltimore Ravens on August 2, 2018
Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton Ohio.
When: Thursday, August 2, 2018, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Chicago Bears (+2) vs Baltimore Ravens (-2); total: 36.5 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: NBC
Betting on the Chicago Bears (+2)
The Bears have plenty of work to do this offseason. In 2017, they were among the worst on offense with only 16.5 points scored per game. With new head coach Matt Nagy, who used to be the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator before getting hired by Chicago. Nagy will have at his disposal quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who will enter his second year in the league. That said, Nagy might use backups Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray as the team’s quarterbacks against the Ravens. Thursday’s game could also be a showcase for linebacker Roquan Smith, the Bears’ first-round pick in this year’s draft. Another Chicago rookie in center/guard James Daniels could also be let loose on the field in the preseason match with Baltimore, as the Bears continue to work on improvements on their offensive line that allowed 39 sacks a season ago.
Betting on the Baltimore Ravens (-2)
Joe Flacco remains as Baltimore’s starting quarterback, but he should be looking more often on his rearview mirror these days, as rookie Lamar Jackson seems to making great strides this offseason. Jackson was drafted 32nd overall in this year’s draft, giving Baltimore a certified dual-threat signal-caller. Jackson still needs to learn a lot, so consider preseason games like this Thursday’s showdown with Chicago as part of his ongoing education in the pros. Meanwhile, another former Heisman Trophy winner in Robert Griffin III is excited to show he still has got it to be able to perform as a decent quarterback in the NFL, and there’s a possibility that he could get some reps against the Bears. Baltimore has a number of new faces on their receiving corps in the likes of Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead, though, they probably will be showing off their stuff in some other preseason game beside the one on Thursday.
Writer’s Prediction
Baltimore wins, 31-24.
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