As the 2024 NFL season approaches, the anticipation is building after an action-packed offseason. Training camps have been filled with intriguing developments, and the preseason is now in full swing following a comprehensive round of games last week.
In the upcoming final preseason matchups, all 32 teams will hit the field again. They are all aiming to fine-tune their game plans and assess the potential of their younger talent. With Week 3 of the preseason starting on Thursday and extending through the weekend, let’s dive into the NFL Vegas odds, along with top NFL Vegas Picks and best bets for this week’s action.
Below are the Under/Over odds from three of the best Vegas NFL Football betting sites.
Both teams are likely to adopt a cautious approach in this matchup, focusing on refining their strategies ahead of the regular season. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye made a strong impression for the Patriots last week against the Eagles, orchestrating his first NFL touchdown drive. While his performance excited Patriots fans, head coach Jerod Mayo has confirmed that Maye will see limited action in the preseason finale. He’s likely to play just a few series. The challenge for New England arises once Maye steps off the field. The offense tends to stall under the direction of Jacoby Brissett or Bailey Zappe. This is reflected in the low-scoring nature of the Patriots’ preseason games so far. Their games have had totals of 20 and 27 points respectively. A similar outcome is expected in this matchup.
As for the Washington Commanders, it’s unlikely that they’ll give rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels significant playing time on Sunday, especially given his promising performances earlier in the preseason. If this holds true, it’s hard to envision Washington generating much offense with Jeff Driskel or Trace McSorley taking most of the snaps. With that in mind, targeting the under 34.0 points seems like a solid bet for this game.
The Cincinnati Bengals have had a tough preseason, managing to score only 17 points across their games. They enter Thursday night’s Week 3 matchup as significant underdogs against the Indianapolis Colts. Despite being considered one of the top five teams in the NFL according to the latest Super Bowl odds, it wouldn’t be surprising if head coach Zac Taylor, who holds a 3-11 straight-up record in preseason games, opts to give his backups more playing time in this final preseason contest.
The Colts have gone 1-1 against the spread so far this preseason. Under head coach Shane Steichen, they hold a 3-2 record both straight up and against the spread in preseason play. On the other hand, the Bengals have struggled in the preseason under head coach Zac Taylor. Their record is just 3-11. Cincinnati has scored only 17 points in total this preseason, with their games combining for totals of 31 and 30 points. Additionally, the UNDER has prevailed in 26 of the first 33 preseason games in 2024.
If you’ve been keeping up with the Vikings’ training camp, you’re aware that the last couple of weeks have been challenging for Minnesota. The team has been hit hard by injuries, losing several key players on both offense and defense. Most notably, rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy is out for the season due to a torn meniscus. It’s a significant blow to a roster that had strong potential to compete in the NFC North this year. Given that this is their final preseason game before Week 1, the Vikings are likely to prioritize resting most of their starters. They don’t want further injuries. This strategy suggests we’ll see a lot of Jaren Hall and Matt Corral at quarterback, which could support a bet on the under.
As for the Eagles, they haven’t been known for strong preseason performances in recent years, but they’ve gone 2-0 in this month’s preseason games. Interestingly, both of those games ended with the total points falling below the closing line, with scores of 27 and 29 points, respectively. Given that 34 points is a crucial number for totals, and considering that both teams are expected to take a cautious approach in this exhibition game, we could see a run-heavy, low-scoring matchup. This scenario makes the under a promising bet for this final preseason contest.
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