Preseason Week 3 best bets: Expect few points in Rodgers' Jets debut
NFL players and bettors alike need the preseason to get back into rhythm. There's just one weekend left of fatuous football before the real thing starts.
Whether you're watching in preparation for the Sept. 7 opening night kickoff or have preseason fatigue by now, we've got you covered.
Here's the schedule for the final weekend of preseason football and our best bets.
| Day (time) | Game (spread) | O/U |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday (7:30) | Steelers @ Falcons (+4.5) | 38.5 |
| Thursday (8) | Colts @ Eagles (+4.5) | 38.5 |
| Friday (8) | Lions @ Panthers (-4.5) | 36.5 |
| Friday (8:15) | Patriots @ Titans (+2.5) | 38.5 |
| Friday (10) | Chargers @ 49ers (-7.5) | 37.5 |
| Saturday (1) | Cardinals @ Vikings (-1.5) | 36.5 |
| Saturday (1) | Seahawks @ Packers (-3) | 39.5 |
| Saturday (1) | Browns @ Chiefs (+3.5) | 41.5 |
| Saturday (1) | Bills @ Bears (-1.5) | 38.5 |
| Saturday (6) | Jets @ Giants (+6) | 38.5 |
| Saturday (6:05) | Bengals @ Commanders (-4.5) | 36.5 |
| Saturday (7) | Ravens @ Bucs (-1.5) | 36.5 |
| Saturday (7) | Dolphins @ Jaguars (-7) | 40.5 |
| Saturday (8) | Raiders @ Cowboys(+4.5) | 38.5 |
| Saturday (9) | Rams @ Broncos (-6) | 36.5 |
| Sunday(8) | Texans @ Saints (-3.5) | 37.5 |
Odds via theScore Bet
Chargers @ 49ers (-7.5), O/U 37.5The 49ers have the deepest quarterback room in the NFL, which is essential for the preseason. Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold, and Trey Lance all possess starting-caliber traits. While San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan gave Purdy the nod to start this season, all three will see plenty of action Friday night.
Shanahan said he plans to play his starters. It's not clear for how long, but even if it's just for a few drives, it's a huge advantage to have the most complete roster in football on the field together.
When Purdy sits, Darnold and Lance will play the rest of the game. San Francisco named Darnold as Purdy's backup, making Lance the third-string quarterback.
Darnold has completed 16 of 22 passes for 193 yards this preseason, while Lance is 22-for-33 for 285 yards.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has never played in a preseason game, and he's not about to start this week. The Chargers don't prioritize the preseason the same way San Francisco does.
Shanahan acknowledges the importance of preseason for players to get ready mentally and physically. Laying 7.5 points in a preseason game might be hard to fathom. It's the largest spread of the weekend, but expect the 49ers to pour it on the Chargers at home.
Pick: 49ers -7.5
Jets @ Giants +6, O/U 38.5Aaron Rodgers' Jets debut is coming. Rodgers seldom played in preseason games with the Packers, so the announcement of his involvement came as a shock.
Granted, the four-time MVP will likely only play one or two drives, but suffering Jets fans across the New York area will be locked in for his debut in white and green.
When Rodgers goes out, it's fair to assume Zach Wilson will take the reins. Wilson's shown improvement in a solid preseason. He's completed 26 of 38 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown. However, the Jets' offense - mostly backups - has looked stale at times throughout the exhibition games.
This total is awfully high. The Jets haven't eclipsed 38.5 total points in any of their three preseason games.
The Giants' games have featured more points, but they only surpassed 38.5 total in one of their two games, a 21-19 win over the Panthers last week.
That was quarterback Daniel Jones' lone appearance in a preseason game this season, where he looked sharp completing 8 of 9 passes.
Jones certainly doesn't need any more preseason reps. It'd be surprising if he, or the rest of the starters, played at all against the Jets.
Pick: Under 38.5
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter @soshtry for more betting coverage.
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