Texans vs. Bears Prediction & Odds: NFL Preseason Hall of Fame Game Betting Preview
At long last, the NFL is back ... sort of.
Don't expect to see many starters on the field when the Houston Texans face the Chicago Bears in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET as the official start of the NFL preseason.
The Texans are favored by 1.5 points across our best sports betting sites, which also have Houston among the favorites by the latest Super Bowl odds. Our Texans vs. Bears prediction is focused on the betting total in a game that will ultimately be decided by backups.
Texans vs. Bears odds
See our full NFL odds here.
Scoring in short supply for Texans, Bears
Texans vs. Bears odds via our best NFL betting sites; NFL picks confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.
Prediction: Under 31.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
When it comes to betting on NFL preseason games, two things matter above all else: who's under center and who's standing on the sidelines.
We won't see the debut of Bears rookie Caleb Williams, whose first preseason action will have to wait until next week. We also likely won't see star passer C.J. Stroud, a fast riser by the NFL MVP odds after a sensational rookie campaign for the Texans.
Instead, backups Tyson Bagent and Davis Mills will likely lead the way in Canton, Ohio, with third- and fourth-stringers rotating in. I personally have a little more confidence in Bagent, but neither will have a very inspiring supporting cast around them.
Don't expect shootout in Canton
We don't have a ton of preseason data for head coaches Matt Eberflus (Bears) or DeMeco Ryans (Texans), who have a combined three seasons of experience. Yet all three of the Texans' preseason games last year fell below this total of 31.5, which fits the overall trend of exhibition football skewing toward defense and the run game.
The Bears have enjoyed higher-scoring affairs under Eberflus, but the coach has already said he'll be resting the entire starting unit to provide an opportunity for "role players ... and fringe roster players." That doesn't exactly sound like a group that will be firing on all cylinders.
The Hall of Fame Game has averaged a combined 30.2 points over the last five such contests, so this total is right in line with recent precedent. Given the talent that we expect to be under center on Thursday, the Under is the obvious choice to me.
Best odds: -105 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 51.22%
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Players to watch
| Career stats | Tyson Bagent | Davis Mills |
|---|---|---|
| Regular season | 859 yards, 3 TD, 6 INT | 5,955 yards, 35 TD, 25 INT |
| Preseason | 20-for-29, 156 yards, INT | 75-for-140, 747 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT |
Texans vs. Bears game info
- When: Thursday, Aug. 1
- Kick off: 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton, Ohio)
- How to watch: ABC/ESPN
- Favorite: Texans -1.5 (-110 via BetMGM)
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