Bears vs. Texans NFL Hall of Fame Game Best Full Bets & Props

Football is finally back and with it comes yet another opportunity for the sports betting public. In a showdown that’s not likely to see any starters, the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans will do us the honor of leading the charge towards September by kicking off in Canton, Ohio this evening.

Considering Matt Eberflus’ recent announcement declaring that Chicago would not be playing any of their starters in tonight’s contest, everyone should be well aware of what type of game this is. Traditionally an unexciting and low scoring affair, the Hall of Fame Game has “Bettors beware” written all over it.

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Moneyline and Spread Prediction

Expect a slow pace as Chicago grinds its way to a win

Sportsbooks are not expecting anything extraordinary from either team in this game. Everything from the Over/Under to the player props are low. With that being said, however, someone still has to win this contest and that is likely to be Chicago.

With some key trends playing in their favor, the Bears at plus money appears to be the best value bet on the board.

Eberflus has guided the Bears to a 4-2 record in the preseason since his tenure, posting a 4-1-1 ATS record to go along with it. Additionally, the underdog has won the Hall of Fame Game outright for the last three straight years.

Transversely, DeMeco Ryans has managed a 2-1 preseason record with the Texans, with his most recent result being a 28-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Eberflus’ announcement may have caused a flip in the odds, with the Bears having originally been listed as a -1.5 favorites, but it’s not as if the Texans will be taking things seriously either.

Both QBs for tonight’s game have passing yard prop numbers of less than 100, and the point total is set at 32.5.

In a game of low numbers, back the Bears to dominate the clock by keeping the ball on the ground while their defense stifles Davis Mills and co.

Over-Under Prediction For Tonight’s Game

Expect a lackluster QB to duel to result in a low scoring affair.

With a historically low point total of 31.5, this year’s Hall of Fame Game presents an incredibly tricky challenge to bettors. It’s one of the lowest numbers that the public has been given in a long time and that is for good reason as well.

Neither Tyson Bagent nor the aforementioned Mills possess enough talent or weaponry to inspire confidence in their offense heading into this game, as the sports books are expecting the RBs to be the stars of the show.

Despite the 8pm start time, it’s set to be a hot one in Canton with a temperature of 84 degrees and 60% humidity at kickoff. Rain isn’t expected to begin until later in the night at 11pm, but there is a small chance of precipitation that could lead to an early shower in the later parts of the contest.

Expect to see a few players breathing a bit more heavily than usual tonight, and possibly a hamstring injury. Take the under.

Team and Player Prop Predictions

Take the RBs to lead the way for Chicago

The best plays for tonight’s game will be centered around the ones that will actually be seeing enough opportunities to hit their totals, specifically the RBs.

Rather than trying to guess who could be the featured back of the game for Chicago, covering your bases by taking the teams’ rushing yards total could prove to be a much more effective strategy. Demetric Felton is likely to contribute a decent amount towards covering this number on his own, and the game script for Chicago plays into this prop very well.

Speaking of RBs, the Texans’ Dameon Pierce averaged 22.5 rushing yards in each of his two regular season games in 2023. Despite landing Joe Mixon in free agency, Houston would do well to keep Pierce healthy. As a result, I wouldn’t expect him to see a lot of contact tonight.

Lastly, there is a bit of a flyer pick based around the old habits of the Texans’ QB.

Some of the best moments of Mills’ NFL career have come from throws to the TE, such as his 28-yard game-winning TD pass to Jordan Akins in 2022. Going up against a stingy yet undisciplined Chicago defense, you could see Mills opt to dump it off to his TE throughout the contest as he tries to avoid getting hit.

All odds provided by Draft Kings, please bet responsibly.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.

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