The wait is nearly over for NFL fans, as the 2024 season begins on Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans.
The NFL Hall of Game Game acts as the official curtain raiser to the new preseason, with the Canton showpiece opening the new campaign every year since 1962.
This year, the reigning AFC South champion Houston Texans will compete against the Chicago Bears, who have a point to prove after finishing bottom of the NFC North last season.
The Texans strengthened their squad by signing Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs in free agency, while they also tied Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz to new contracts.
Chicago also made a splash in the backfield as they signed D'Andre Swift to a three-year deal, while they added wide receiver Keenan Allen and tight end Gerald Everett to their receiver corps.
The Bears' biggest headlines were made by their first-round draft picks: Quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze.
The Chicago Bears were busy in this year's NFL Draft as they made two picks in the top ten to try and transform their offense.
Quarterback Caleb Williams was selected first overall, while wide receiver Rome Odunze was picked with the ninth pick.
Both players have shown flashes that they could transform the Bears offense, but the downside ahead of this game is nobody knows if they will play.
Regular starters are often benched for this preseason battle, even though Williams has declared his desire to play from the start.
Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, looks well-equipped to be successful from the outset in the NFL, but he is likely to play one series in this preseason game at most.
That means quarterback depth is vital, and the Texans dominate this area. Last year, Texans star C.J. Stroud took the NFL by storm as he led Houston to the playoffs.
Like Williams, he is likely to watch from the sidelines and soak up the atmosphere on Thursday, but Texans coach DeMeco Ryans has some solid backup options.
Behind Stroud is David Mills, who has 26 career starts to his name. Third-choice Case Keenum has 79 touchdowns to his name as an NFL quarterback, and he is likely to play the majority of Thursday's match.
Even fourth-choice Tim Boyle has some starting experience, and that should be the difference this week, with the Texans set to be comfortable with the ball in hand.
While Williams may play one series, the Bears rotation options do not make for pretty reading, hence Chicago's need for a new starting quarterback.
Tyson Bagent and Brett Rypien have very little experience, while fourth-choice Austin Reed is a rookie who may find the occasion a little overpowering.
Both Ryans and Bears coach Matt Eberflus will want to keep their cards close to their chests as they look to keep some of their ideas up their sleeve.
The duo are also known as defensive-minded head coaches, so playing the unders looks the smart play ahead of the preseason opener.
For Ryans and Eberflus, the main focus will be on trying to establish the line of scrimmage, and when you throw in the QB uncertainty, the under certainly catches the eye in a game where players are just desperate to avoid injury.
Chicago Bears | -125 ML |
Houston Texans | +105 ML |
Spread | CHI Bears (-110) |
Total Points | O/U 32.0 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.