The NFL 2020 edition was one for the ages. Amidst all the COVID restrictions, a lack of training camp, and pre-season, Tom “GOAT” Brady switched sides and went on one of the greatest NFL Playoff runs to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy at Tampa. The Buccaneers have the whole squad returning this year and will be eyeing to retain the trophy and become the first team to do so since the Brady-led New England Patriots won back to back in 2004-2005.
NFL Hall of Fame Game
The new 3-game pre-season format kicks off this year with the annual Hall of Fame Game wherein the Pittsburgh Steelers take on Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, August 5th. The game will kick off at 8:00 PM ET from Canton, OH, and you can watch it live on Fox Network. Some bookies have also opened betting markets for the game, with Bet365 even offering -110 for a -1.0 Spread on the Steelers.
NFL Pre-Season Week 1
Week 1 of the NFL 2021 pre-season kicks off with a doubleheader on Thursday, August 12th at 7:30 as the Philadelphia Eagles host the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots host the Washington Football team. NFL Network will broadcast eight Week 1 matchups starting with the Washington vs. NE Patriots game. The following are the other seven matches broadcasted via NFL Network:
- Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions - 7 PM ET, August 13th
- Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals - 10 PM ET, August 13th
- Miami Dolphins vs. Chicago Bears - 1 PM ET, August 14th
- Denver Broncos vs. Minnesota Vikings - 4 PM ET, August 14th
- Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars - 7 PM ET, August 14th
- Los Angeles Chargers vs. Los Angeles Rams - 10 PM ET, August 14th
- Carolina Panthers vs. Indianapolis Colts - 1 PM ET, August 15th
However, despite not being broadcast, there are a few other headline clashes in Week 1 like the Ravens vs. Saints, NY Jets vs. NY Giants, 49ers vs. Chiefs, and Bucs vs. Bengals.
If you are betting on NFL pre-season, then you can cash in on any of the 16 games with some bookies even offering live streaming. Additionally, Coaches tend to tinker with their lineups and systems in the pre-season, and hence, high-scoring games are an excellent bet. Pre-season games are an excellent opportunity to punt on high odds markets, especially in live betting.