Houston Texans vs Chicago Bears Picks, Predictions & Odds (NFL Hall of Fame Game)

• The Bears and Texans kick off the 2024 preseason in the Hall of Game 

• Caleb Williams has expressed a desire to play on Thursday

• We should see limited veterans for each team 

The NFL preseason officially begins Thursday night when the Houston Texans battle the Chicago Bears in the Hall of Fame Game. The Hall of Fame Game corresponds with enshrinement weekend, which will occur on Saturday. Here, we will break down the betting odds and give our best bets for the matchup. 

Texans vs Bears Odds 

Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook.

Texans vs Bears: My Pick

The under is the most viable betting pick for the Hall of Fame Game.

While the over has hit in the past two seasons, there was a nine-year stretch where the underwent 7-2. Depth is always a concern in the Hall of Fame Game, making offense challenging in the second half. 

My Pick: Under 31.5 (-105) at FanDuel Sportsbook 

Bet on the Under at FanDuel

Texans vs Bears Predictions 

Starters will rarely play in the Hall of Fame Game. This is an extra contest for each team. Thirty NFL teams only play three preseason games, but the Texans and Bears will each receive four this season. 

The biggest question heading into this game is whether Caleb Williams will start. The Bears haven’t indicated whether Williams will play. His time doesn’t change our opinion of the under of 31.5. 

If Williams plays, I doubt the Bears will let him sit in the pocket. He also shouldn’t be on the field for more than a series. Chicago’s future revolves around Williams, and he still has three preseason games to learn. 

Chicago Bears

The Bears have some experience in their quarterback room who should receive action. I expect Tyson Bagent to start for Chicago, and he made a lot of noise last season for the franchise. 

Bagent started four games for the Bears and went 2-2. However, interceptions are a concern, as he threw three touchdowns with six interceptions in five games. Bagent should succeed in this game, but he is the backup for Williams, so his time will also be limited. 

Brett Rypien and Austin Reed will receive most of the Hall of Fame Game reps. Rypien has started four games in four NFL seasons, while Reed is an explosive rookie who has produced a lot at Western Kentucky. 

Houston Texans

Houston has the deeper of the two quarterback rooms. CJ Stroud will definitely not play in this game, but the backup options have a lot of starting experience for the Texans. 

Davis Mills is the listed backup and has made 26 career starts. Case Keenum and Tim Boyle follow on the depth chart, and they have made 66 and 20 starts, respectively. 

I expect Boyle to receive most of the time in the Hall of Fame Game. Based on the depth chart, he will be the first quarterback cut or traded during training camp. While he has a lot of experience in the NFL, he has struggled. 

Boyle has thrown just four touchdowns to 12 interceptions in his career. He had a 1:4 TD to INT ratio in three starts last season. The Jets faced a ton of adversity last season, but even Boyle was benched after a few starts. 

The quarterbacks are too inconsistent for us to back the over in this game. Points should be limited as offenses begin to find their stride. Defenses have shined in this game historically, which should be the case on Thursday.

Texans vs Bears How to Watch

• When: Thursday, August 1

• Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, OH

• Where to Watch: ESPN/ABC/ESPN+

Texans vs Bears Injuries

Bears

• Bears OG Nate Davis - Questionable

• Bears OT Braxton Jones - Questionable 

• Bears LB T.J. Edwards - Questionable 

• Bears OT Kiran Amegadje - Out

Texans

• Texans RB Joe Mixon - Questionable 

• Texans RB Came Akers - Questionable

Texans vs Bears Best Promos and Sportsbooks

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