Panthers vs. Cardinals Preseason Point Spread: NFL Hall of Fame Game Odds, Prediction
The NFL is back with the annual Hall of Fame Game from Canton, Ohio on Thursday, with this year’s action featuring the Arizona Cardinals taking on the Carolina Panthers. The game will air at 8 p.m. ET on TSN in Canada.
The Panthers are slim 1-point favourites to win on the NFL odds, with the total pegged at 35.0.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The focus for most fans on Thursday will be on the five former players in the 2026 Hall of Fame class. Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald is the lone receiver in this year’s class, while Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly will also be inducted. The rest of the class includes quarterback Drew Brees, running back Roger Craig and kicker Adam Vinatieri.
While this game is close to a pick’em, it’s not surprising to see Carolina get a slight edge from oddsmakers. The Panthers are coming off a division title and their first playoff appearance in eight years, while Arizona had just three wins last year.
However, things get a little dicey when you look at each head coach’s respective pre-season records. Mike LaFleur obviously doesn’t have any pre-season history in his first year as a head coach. Meanwhile, Carolina’s Dave Canales is just 1-5 straight up and 0-6 against the spread in his pre-season career.
When it comes to the total, 35 may seem small, but teams just don’t put up points in the Hall of Fame Game. The Under has hit in 12 of the last 16 Hall of Fame Games and it’s important to remember, 35 is actually on the higher end historically in this game. It’s boring to bet the Under for a casual fan, but it’s the play in this spot.
Carolina Panthers
We don’t know the full list of who will play in this game, but we do know quarterback Bryce Young won’t suit up. Instead, former Steelers first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett will start and you can also expect to see rookie Hayes King get some snaps later in the game.
With King expected to play most of the second half, I like the Over on his rushing totals. King had 36 rushing TDs in his career at Georgia Tech and I’m expecting to see him scramble a bit in his first NFL action.
Arizona Cardinals
Like Carolina, the Cardinals won’t put their QB1 at risk this early in the pre-season, so Jacoby Brissett will not take the field. Rookie Carson Beck, drafted in the third round out of the University of Miami, should get a long look in the pre-season. Beck is pegged to be the No. 3 guy behind Brissett and Gardner Minshew, so Arizona won’t be afraid to play him. The Cards will give Beck a lot of snaps which makes the Over attractive on his passing totals.
This game sets up well for the Cardinals. Arizona is expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season, but those are the teams that always dominate the pre-season. Beck should cook in the air and he’ll be up against a Panthers squad that is already dealing with training camp injuries.
CAR
ARI