Hall of Fame Game Raiders vs. Jaguars Betting Odds, Preview & Picks

As is tradition, one of the staples of the NFL’s Hall of Fame weekend in Canton is the Hall of Fame Game. This year, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders will kick off the preseason at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Despite the matchup being an exhibition, there are a number of reasons to get excited about the 2022 Hall of Fame Game. For one, both the Jaguars and Raiders are led by exciting quarterbacks in Trevor Lawrence and Derek Carr. Not only that, but both teams have brand new head coaches after a controversy-filled 2021 campaign.

Here’s a closer look at Thursday’s game, including betting odds and final picks.

Hall of Fame Game Betting Odds

Betting on a preseason game is usually a toss-up. Many teams won’t play their starters for more than a drive or two, leaving the final outcome up to players who won’t even make the final roster.

Heading into Thursday, both the Jaguars and Raiders are -110 on the moneyline, making the matchup a true pick ‘em. The only other Week 1 preseason game with even odds for both teams is Saturday’s contest between the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The point total, to no surprise, is much lower than what we’d typically see on an NFL Sunday. The over/under is just 30.5, with the over favored at -112 compared to the under at -109.

Finally, we get to the point spread. The teams are deadlocked on the moneyline, but Jacksonville is the favorite by -1.5. That said, the Jags are +102 to cover, while Vegas is -122 at +1.5.

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Hall of Fame Game Preview

The 23,000 fans in Canton and the millions watching the game at home will be in for a treat this Thursday. That’s because the game will be dominated by old faces and new faces.

After parting with Urban Meyer less than one year into his first season on the sidelines, the Jaguars are now led by Doug Pederson. The former Philadelphia Eagles head coach and Super Bowl champion will attempt to revive a long-suffering Jacksonville franchise that has had a single playoff appearance since 2008.

Meanwhile, the Raiders are trying to move on after dealing with Jon Gruden’s mid-season resignation. Now, Las Vegas will be in the hands of Josh McDaniels, the longtime New England Patriots assistant, as the franchise goes for its first back-to-back playoff stretch since the turn of the 21st century.

Seeing how Pederson and McDaniels coach in their debuts will be fascinating in itself, but don’t forget about the players. Beyond watching Lawrence and Carr for a series or two, Davante Adams is also set to make his Raiders debut. The former Green Bay Packers star was acquired by Vegas this offseason and signed to a hefty extension.

Jacksonville also had a transformative offseason, signing free agents like wide receiver Christian Kirk and offensive guard Brandon Scherff. But Thursday could also mark the debut of Travon Walker, the edge rusher who went first overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Hall of Fame Game Betting Picks

Before making any picks for the Hall of Fame Game, it’s important to see who’s starting and who’s sitting. For instance, Pederson announced that Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne will sit for the contest, leaving Jake Luton as Jacksonville’s starting signal-caller. While nothing is official for Vegas yet, McDaniels could very well bench Carr for the preseason opener.

Right now, the Raiders look like the better play regardless of if Carr starts or not. One thing many fans overlook during preseason games is the chemistry, or lack thereof, between players. Jacksonville has many new players on both sides of the ball, while Las Vegas returns much of last year’s Wild Card team.

Taking the Raiders either -110 on the moneyline or -122 ATS each makes sense. Additionally, four of the last six HOF Games are combined for 30 points or less, making the U30.5 at -109 a reasonable play as well.