Hall of Fame Game Odds: Jets vs. Browns Lines and Picks for Aug. 3

NFL game action returns on August 3 when the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns face off at the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

The Jets made one of the biggest blockbuster moves of the offseason with the trade for Aaron Rodgers, but the star quarterback won’t be on the field for this preseason opener.

Both teams will sit some key players and the result doesn’t count in the standings, so a game like this can be hard to handicap. But it is the first NFL game that can be wagered on this year so it’s sure to garner some action.

The Jets are listed as 1.5-point favorites in the matchup. They have -125 moneyline odds compared to +105 for the Browns. The scoring total is listed at 33.5 points, as this game devolves to a bunch of backups quickly, and points tend to be at a premium.

STARTERS EXPECTED TO SIT

Rodgers won’t make his Jets debut in this game, while star cornerback Sauce Gardner and star wide receiver Garrett Wilson are also expected to sit for the Jets. In fact, Jets coach Robert Saleh does not plan to use any of his penciled-in starters in the Hall of Fame Game.

The Cleveland Browns are expected to follow suit. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is not going to play in the Hall of Fame Game even though he performed poorly following last year’s suspension, while star edge rusher Myles Garrett will likely watch the action from the sideline as well.

Coaches have changed their tune in recent years, preferring to sit their best players more and more in the preseason, and that is particularly the case in the Hall of Fame Game.

THE QUARTERBACKS

The Jets plan to start former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson at quarterback. While he has physical tools, Wilson has never put it all together and is now behind Rodgers in the pecking order in New York. 

The Browns are going to counter with third-string quarterback Kellen Mond in the first half, while rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will play after intermission.

HALL OF FAME GAME PREDICTION

You got a blindfold and a dart board? Go ahead and chuck that dart, because it’s impossible to use a true betting strategy for the Hall of Fame Game. My advice is to take the Browns on the moneyline because it is plus money and this matchup is a virtual crapshoot.

And while the total points may seem low, it won’t be when a punt-a-thon breaks out as the backup quarterbacks fail to get any rhythm going.

If you’re going to watch bad football, may as well root for ugliness and take the under. 

Pick: Browns 17, Jets 14

HOW TO WATCH

The Hall of Fame will be held on Thursday, August 3rd at 8 p.m. ET in Canton, Ohio. The preseason opener between the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets will be televised on NBC and can also be streamed on Peacock.