Carolina and Arizona are playing Thursday because Panthers and Cardinals greats, Panthers LB Luke Kuechly and Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald, are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026, along with Drew Brees, Roger Craig and Adam Vinatieri.As per Hall of Fame Game tradition, neither team will play its starters Thursday.There is a sharp way to handicap the NFL preseason.
Between listening to coachspeak during training camp and getting a clue about the depth chart and player rotations, then doing a deep dive into the positional competitions.CARDINALS OPEN TRAINING CAMP WEDNESDAY AS ARGUABLY NFL'S MOST DEPRESSING TEAMThe Hall of Fame Game will kick off the 2026 NFL season at 8 p.m.Aug.
6 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival.(USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)However, I’m celebrating the return of football the best way I know how and just straight up gambling here.
Albeit I’ll show my math, so to speak, on how I landed on my bet.With that in mind, here’s my look for the Panthers-Cardinals Hall of Fame Game Thursday.The three things I look for when betting the NFL preseason include coaching continuity, roster depth, and quarterback experience, and Carolina has an edge in two of those departments.There will be a learning curve for Arizona under rookie head coach Mike LaFleur.
Whereas this is Panthers head coach Canales’ third season on the job, and he’s had the same offensive and defensive coordinators for the first two seasons.PANTHERS DEFENSE TAKES MAJOR HIT AS STAR PASS RUSHER SUFFERS MAJOR INJURY ON FIRST DAY OF CAMP: REPORTSObviously, both teams will be playing guys who may or may not make the regular-season roster.But the Panthers who were on the team last year will have an edge Thursday because they won't have to learn a new system.Arizona Cardinals QB Carson Beck throws a pass during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
(USA TODAY Network via Reuter...