Football fans all over the world are celebrating as there will be an NFL game this week. The 2019 Hall of Fame Game is scheduled for Thursday, August 1 and marks the official start of the NFL preseason slate. Each NFL team will have a four game preseason schedule, but the two teams participating in this game will get an extra game. The Denver Broncos will face the Atlanta Falcons in the 2019 version of this game that will be played in Canton, Ohio.
Both the Broncos and Falcons are looking for a bounce back season in 2019 after struggling in 2018. Denver and Atlanta each missed the playoffs a season ago, but each team should be much improved this season. This is the fourth appearance in the Hall of Fame Game for each team, and both the Broncos and Falcons are 1-2 in this game. The Denver Broncos are -2.5 point favorites over the Atlanta Falcons in this game. The over/under for total points scored is set at 34.0 with the payout being -110 for each bet.
Broncos Hoping Flacco is Upgrade at QB
Peyton Manning led the Broncos to a Super Bowl championship in 2016, but Denver has been looking for a starting quarterback ever since. The Broncos have had no luck drafting a quarterback, and the free agent market hasn’t worked out either. Denver brought in veteran Joe Flacco in the offseason, and the former Super Bowl winner will take over the Broncos offense. The Broncos were 24th in the league in scoring a season ago, and their passing attack was a big reason why. Flacco is near the end of his career, but he should provide a huge boost to the offense.
The Broncos hired Vic Fangio as their head coach for 2019, and he has been one of the best defensive coaches in the game. Fangio should turn a solid defense into a great one this season, and the Broncos will put a ton of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb combined for 26.5 sacks a season ago, and should both be great again. The linebacking core of the Broncos might be the best in the league, and they should only get better under Fangio.
Falcons Must Find Some Defense
Speaking of defense, the Atlanta Falcons didn’t play much of it a season ago. The Falcons gave up 26.4 points per game a season ago, and that put too much pressure on their offense to bail them out. Atlanta record just 37 sacks as a team in 2018, and that has to be a point of focus for the team this season. Takarist McKinley had a team high 7.0 sacks last season, and has a chance to become a dominant force on that side of the ball. Atlanta plays in a division full of great offenses, and figuring out their defense is priority number 1 in the preseason.
Atlanta does have an explosive offense, but they have some players who are nearing the end of their career. Wide receiver Julio Jones has reported to camp even though he is seeking a new long-term deal and remains the top target for QB Matt Ryan. The Falcons will likely give most of their offensive starters this night off, but it will be a chance for some youngsters to make a good first impression.
Expect High-Scoring Broncos Victory
It’s always hard to predict how a preseason game will go, especially one so early in the season. There usually isn’t a ton of defense played early in the preseason, and so that should lead to a high-scoring game. Denver has a new coach this season, and their roster will be looking to impress Fangio and get in the lineup. Bet the OVER 34.0 points and take the Denver Broncos -2.5 over the Atlanta Falcons. When you are betting these – follow the tips of RealBookies.com
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