Football is finally back! Fine, football is kind of sort of back. The Hall Of Fame Game is this week so that means we get to watch the first contest of the preseason. We’ll try to give you as much information as possible, below.
When is the actual game?
It’s on Thursday. The first Thursday night game of the year — kind of, sort of, but not really. Make sure you’re near the television at 8:00 p.m. ET because that’s when the game starts.
And what channel, sir?
That channel would be NBC. We get some early season Al and Cris in our lives.
And what teams/who exactly is playing?
Shouldn’t that be the first question? The game is between the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Falcons. The who is playing is a bit more difficult to answer. We know that Kevin Hogan is apparently starting for the Broncos. That means no Joe Flacco. That’s fine. There’s no Matt Ryan, either. Actually, I wouldn’t expect many big-name or important players to suit up. These are all guesses, but it’s doubtful we see Julio Jones or Von Miller or anyone nursing an injury.
So, the game will be bad?
Yes. Yes, it will be very bad. It’s super early in the preseason and the gameplay will be dominated by end of the roster players.
So should I watch?
This is football we are talking about. We haven’t had football since February — fine, we had the AAF and CFL, but this is the NFL — and that means we should all watch. Football is like pizza. Even when it’s bad, it is still pretty good.
What can I do to make it fun?
Is this a trick question?
Fine, can I gamble on it?
I am glad you asked. You sure can — assuming you live in a state where sports gambling is legal. Here are some lines according to FanDuel.
Moneyline: DEN: (-124) | ATL: (+108)
Spread: DEN: -2.5 (-110) | ATL: +2.5 (-110)
Total: 34 – Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)
Any picks?
Maybe I’ll do a Wednesday night, Thursday morning picks column, but it’s not smart to bet on the Hall of Fame Game. In fact, it feels like some people just do it to say they did it.
Anything else?
Honestly, the best part of the Hall of Fame Game is the interviews with some of the inductees — if they are willing to talk on camera. The game is kind of a sideshow.
Let’s just hope the Hall of Fame uses the correct paint.
