The NFL preseason kicks off Thursday, July 31st with the Hall of Fame Game between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers in Canton, Ohio. SBR's Gary Pearson breaks down the quarterback room for each team and offers his Hall of Fame Game prediction:
Lions -1.5 (+100 FanDuel)
"There are a few considerations to take into account for Thursday's ceremonial contest.
First, the Lions have been acting like their team name early in training camp, with multiple scraps breaking out. I don't see that as a negative, though, as excessive competitiveness - even at this embryonic stage - is a hallmark of Dan Campbell-led teams.
There's also the narrative of the Lions entering the game under new coaching regimes on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. John Morton takes the helm as the offensive coordinator, while Kelvin Sheppard leads the defense.
Morton served as the senior offensive assistant in 2022 under Campbell, and Sheppard has been learning under Aaron Glenn's tutorship as linebackers coach for the last four seasons. I don't foresee any debilitating growing pains for either side in their first kick of the can.
Which quarterback room looks better at training camp?
Taylor Heinicke has the inside track to be named the Chargers' backup quarterback again this season unless, of course, he's dealt. With the veteran being such a known commodity, I expect Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei to get the bulk of the reps.
Both struggled in June's minicamp with poor decision-making and a disproportionate number of interceptions. Even with Lance showing signs of improvement in the last week, I'm more partial to the Lions' quarterback room.
Kyle Allen and Hendon Hooker, who have performed steadily and consistently at the Lions' camp, should see most of the reps, which is why I'm backing the Lions to win and cover the 1.5-point spread."
Hall of Fame Game odds:
How are you betting the opening game of the year? Post your picks and predictions below.
Lions -1.5 (+100 FanDuel)
"There are a few considerations to take into account for Thursday's ceremonial contest.
First, the Lions have been acting like their team name early in training camp, with multiple scraps breaking out. I don't see that as a negative, though, as excessive competitiveness - even at this embryonic stage - is a hallmark of Dan Campbell-led teams.
There's also the narrative of the Lions entering the game under new coaching regimes on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. John Morton takes the helm as the offensive coordinator, while Kelvin Sheppard leads the defense.
Morton served as the senior offensive assistant in 2022 under Campbell, and Sheppard has been learning under Aaron Glenn's tutorship as linebackers coach for the last four seasons. I don't foresee any debilitating growing pains for either side in their first kick of the can.
Which quarterback room looks better at training camp?
Taylor Heinicke has the inside track to be named the Chargers' backup quarterback again this season unless, of course, he's dealt. With the veteran being such a known commodity, I expect Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei to get the bulk of the reps.
Both struggled in June's minicamp with poor decision-making and a disproportionate number of interceptions. Even with Lance showing signs of improvement in the last week, I'm more partial to the Lions' quarterback room.
Kyle Allen and Hendon Hooker, who have performed steadily and consistently at the Lions' camp, should see most of the reps, which is why I'm backing the Lions to win and cover the 1.5-point spread."
Hall of Fame Game odds:
How are you betting the opening game of the year? Post your picks and predictions below.