NFL Preseason Week 1 Predictions, Odds & Picks — Thursday (8/8)

Thursday’s NFL preseason prediction, odds, and picks are brought to you by BetOnline. BetOnline is a market leader in sports betting, offering various options from Panthers vs. Patriots to Lions vs. Giants and everything in between.

After the 2024 NFL preseason opened with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game last week, the action finally resumes on Thursday with two matchups. The Carolina Panthers will take on the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium while the Detroit Lions and New York Giants will battle at MetLife Stadium.

Both of tonight’s exhibition contests begin at 7 p.m. ET.

Even though it’s “only” the preseason, there are some betting opportunities worth exploring on Thursday. With that being said, here are the latest NFL preseason odds — as well as my predictions and picks — for tonight’s Panthers vs. Patriots and Lions vs. Giants showdowns.

NFL Preseason Game Record: 1-0

NFL Preseason Best Bet Record: 1-0

NFL Preseason Week 1 Betting

All NFL preseason odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of Thursday, Aug. 8 at 11:23 a.m. ET. Odds from other sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Panthers vs Patriots Predictions, Odds & Picks

• Matchup: Carolina Panthers (0-0) vs. New England Patriots (0-0)
• Venue & Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
• Date: Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024
• Game Time: 7 p.m. ET
• How to Watch Panthers vs. Patriots: NFL Network

Panthers vs Patriots Spread

• Carolina Panthers +6 (-105)
• New England Patriots -6 (-115)

Patriots vs Panthers Over/Under

• Over 35 Points (-110)
• Under 35 Points (-110)

Panthers vs Patriots Moneyline

• Carolina Panthers (+240)
• New England Patriots (-285)

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The first preseason matchup of the night features two teams with a lot to prove following the 2023 NFL season. The Patriots went 4-13 on the year, leading to the dismissal of long-time head coach Bill Belichick. Meanwhile, the Panthers were the league’s worst team with a 2-15 record, which was only made worse by the fact that the Chicago Bears owned their first-round draft pick.

Nevertheless, the Patriots are the 6-point favorites tonight in HC Jerod Mayo’s debut with -285 odds on the moneyline — an implied win probability of 74.0%. It’s not hard to see why that is, though. The Patriots roster is much better than it was last year, especially with the arrival of rookies Drake Maye, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker. The Panthers have some decent young players who’ll try to make a name for themselves, too, but it’s also difficult to trust a team that finished with 13 more losses than wins.

It doesn’t help that the Panthers will be at a disadvantage with starting QB Bryce Young sitting out of this game.

Still, I’m not sure if the Patriots can cover tonight. As bad as the Panthers are, this is Week 1 of the NFL preseason we’re talking about. Results can be unpredictable, especially as coaches continue to figure out which lineups work best.

With that in mind, let’s take the Panthers to cover the spread in what could be a messy game.

Panthers vs. Patriots NFL Preseason Prediction: NE wins

Best Panthers vs. Patriots Bet: CAR +6 (-105)

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Lions vs Giants Predictions, Odds & Picks

• Matchup: Detroit Lions (0-0) vs. New York Giants (0-0)
• Venue & Location: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
• Date: Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024
• Game Time: 7 p.m. ET
• How to Watch Lions vs. Giants: FOX5 NY, NFL+

Lions vs Giants Spread

• Detroit Lions +3.5 (-110)
• New York Giants -3.5 (-110)

Giants vs Lions Over/Under

• Over 34.5 Points (-105)
• Under 34.5 Points (-115)

Lions vs Giants Moneyline

• Detroit Lions (+170)
• New York Giants (-195)

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The second NFL preseason game of the night features two teams that experienced opposite 2024 campaigns. While the Giants missed the playoffs for the 10th time in 12 seasons, the Lions made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in nearly 25 years.

Neither team’s starting quarterback will play tonight, meaning we’re in for a battle between the backups. The Giants might have the edge in this regard with Drew Locke and Tommy DeVito looking more promising than the Lions’ tandem of Nate Sudfeld and Hendon Hooker. At least Locke and DeVito look to be capable of being NFL backups, whereas Sudfeld has a 77.3 passer rating in six relief appearances since 2017 while Hooker has still yet to play meaningful football at the professional level.

It’s also worth mentioning that Detroit only owns a 21.1% win percentage in its last 19 preseason games, whereas New York at least boasts a 33.3% success rate in its last nine. Not the most impressive stat, but it does show that the home team might have a small edge in the preseason.

With that being said, the superior QB room should give the Giants enough of an edge to cover the spread.

Lions vs. Giants NFL Preseason Prediction: NYG wins

Best Lions vs. Giants Bet: NYG -3.5 (-110)