The pageantry of the NFL Hall of Fame game takes place on August 8, 2010 this year and pits the Dallas Cowboys against the Cincinnati Bengals. While the sports betting on the Hall of Fame game is low key, the implications of the game on NFL betting lines during the regular season could be significant. The Hall of Fame game is when veteran quarterbacks try out their new receivers for the first time, and coaches get to see which players have the best shot at playing on the final 53-man roster.The college football betting implications for these rookie players are over, and now they are looking to impact the pro game. The biggest spotlight for this Hall of Fame game will be on the Dallas Cowboys’ rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant. The only problem is that Bryant may not have a contract in place in time to play this game.
The Bengals will have their newest wide receiver acquisition, Antonio Bryant, under contract and ready to play. While the anticipation around the Bengals’ Bryant will not match that of the Cowboys’ Bryant, the veteran Bengals wide receiver could have a significant impact on the team’s season.
The Bengals have been looking for a complimentary wide receiver for Chad Ochocinco, and while there is a nice selection of rookies and second year players to choose from, the number two receiver position is Bryant’s to lose. If Bryant can perform well, then quarterback Carson Palmer may be able to look forward to a productive season.
NFL preseason betting usually comes down to depth. The team with the deepest bench is the one that normally wins the preseason games, because starters only play a series or two. In this year’s Hall of Fame game you will see the starting offenses and defenses for probably a series, and then the depth will kick in.
When the starters match up, it will be shown that the Cowboys defense is just too much for the Bengals offense. To be fair, the Bengals will not be running any complicated offensive schemes because it is preseason. But the simple Cowboys defensive schemes will effectively shut down the Bengals simple offensive schemes and probably leave a push there. The Cowboys offense will not fare much better against a much-improved Bengals defense.
The Cowboys have spent a lot of time and money creating one of the deepest rosters in all of football. Jerry Jones understands that when a starter goes down, you need an adequate replacement or else the season could hang in the balance. Many of the Cowboys’ second, and even third, stringers could be starters on other teams. In the end, the Cowboys bench will be too much for the Bengals bench.
The key things to watch in this game are the running game of the Cowboys, the passing between Romo and Bryant and the passing between Palmer and Ochocinco. You will get a pretty good indication of how those aspects of the game will fare in the regular season by the start they get in the Hall of Fame game.
NFL Betting Pick: Dallas Cowboys 27-7
