The reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles hit the field for the first time this season when they host the Cincinnati Bengals in each teams’ preseason opener on Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles are coming off a season in which they earned the second Super Bowl title in franchise history, beating the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs to lift the Lombardi Trophy. In the offseason, the coaching staff underwent significant changes on the offensive side. That most significant was the promotion of Kevin Patullo from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator to replace Kellen Moore, who left Philadelphia to become the head coach of the Saints.
Meanwhile, the Bengals have gone 9-8 and missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Al Golden, who spent the last three years as the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, has taken over as defensive coordinator at Cincinnati, one season after the Bengals ranked 25th in the league in both scoring defense (25.5 points per game) and total defense (348.3 yards per game).
Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor told reporters Tuesday that select starters, including quarterback Joe Burrow, will play “several series” on Thursday against the Eagles. Burrow led the NFL last season in both passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43) and directed the league’s No. 1 passing offense (272.9 yards per game).
Meanwhile, Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni said Tuesday that he had not yet made a decision on whether his projected starters will play against Cincinnati.
After opening as 1.5-point underdogs, the Bengals are 6.5-point favorites on Thursday, according to the latest NFL odds. While the Eagles-Bengals game is the marquee attraction on the sporting landscape on Thursday, there are other options on a three-game NFL slate, a four-game MLB schedule and a three-game WNBA card.
Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Thursday, Aug. 7. All times Eastern
NFL best bets, where to watch
Colts at Ravens
Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Baltimore | TV: NFL Network | Stream: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — Expert: Ravens +6 (-110, R.J. White)
The NFL preseason cranks up on Thursday when the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens battle in the first of three preseason games on the night. The Ravens have won back-to-back AFC North titles but are just 4-7 in their last 11 playoff games. Meanwhile, the Colts are coming off an 8-9 season and have failed to reach the postseason each of the last four years. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh is a master in the preseason; his teams are 45-16 straight-up and 38-22-1 against-the-spread since he became coach in 2008. White also notes that the Ravens have lost only one preseason game by more than six points since 2016.
Raiders at Seahawks
Time: 10 p.m. | Location: Seattle | TV: NFL Network | Stream: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — Expert: Raiders -3.5 first half (-122, R.J. White)
Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith return to Pacific Northwest to face their former team when the Raiders and Seattle Seahawks square off at Lumen Field. The 73-year-old Carroll spent 14 seasons (2010-23) as head coach in Seattle, leading the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl title in the 2013 season. Meanwhile, Smith spent the last six years in Seattle, going 28-24 as the starter and earning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2022. White notes that the Seahawks aren’t planning to play any starters tonight, but he expects Smith to play and have success against his former team, which is why he’s taking Vegas to cover the first half spread. “I do think the Seahawks quarterbacks can have success against the back end of the Raiders roster, so I’d only be looking to lay the points with a first half number while potentially backing the Seahawks on a second half play,” White told SportsLine.
MLB best bets, where to watch
Reds at Pirates
Time: 6:40 p.m. | Location: Pittsburgh | TV: MLBN | Stream: Fubo (start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — Model: Reds +1.5 -157 | Expert: Pirates -1 (-125, Matt Severance)
The Cincinnati Reds will look to continue their playoff push when they face Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. The Reds (60-55) are just three games behind the Mets for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League. Thursday’s pitching matchup features Skenes against Brady Singer (9-8, 4.36 ERA). The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every MLB game 10,000 times, says Cincinnati has a 70.0% chance to cover on the run line and gives an ‘A’ grade to Reds +1.5 (-157). However, Severance likes Pittsburgh on the run line, noting that Skenes is 3-0 with a 0.53 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP and 25 strikeouts in 17 innings against Cincinnati. “He has utterly dominated the Reds in his brief career,” Severance told SportsLine.
Marlins at Braves
Time: 7:15 p.m. | Location: Atlanta | Watch: MLBN | Stream: Fubo (start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — Model: Braves +1.5 -162
Two NL East rivals square off when the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves begin a five-game series at Truist Park. The Marlins (56-57) have been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the past two months, going 31-16 over their last 47 games. They trail the Mets by six games for the third and final Wild Card spot in the NL. Meanwhile, the Braves (47-66) have struggled all season; only the Nationals and Rockies own worse records in the NL. On Thursday, Miami’s Eury Pérez (4-3, 2.70) will go against Atlanta’s Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 5.68). The SportsLine Projection Model says the Braves have a 71.0% chance to cover on the run line and gives an ‘A’ grade to Atlanta +1.5 (-162).
More MLB best bets
WNBA best bets, where to watch
Dream at Sky
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Chicago | TV: Prime Video | Stream: Fubo (start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — | Expert: Sky +10.5 -105 (Max Meyer)
The Atlanta Dream will look to maintain their momentum when they take on the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. The Dream (18-11) have won three in a row and five of their last six to move into a tie for third place in the WNBA standings. Meanwhile, the Sky (8-21) have the third-worst record in the league, ahead of only the Wings and Sun. However Chicago is coming off a 78-64 victory against the Mystics in which Ariel Atkins returned from injury to score 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. While the Sky have received a boost from Atkins’ return, Atlanta will have to play another game without Rhyne Howard (knee), who has not played since July 11, which is part of the reason why Meyer is taking Chicago to cover. “I just can’t get to this high of a line with a healthy Atkins back in the fold,” Meyer says.
Fever at Mercury
Time: 10 p.m. | Location: Phoenix | Watch: Prime Video | Stream: Fubo (start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — Model: Fever +5.5 -110 (Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai)
Two teams in the thick of the playoff race will square off when the Phoenix Mercury host the Indiana Fever at PHX Arena. The Mercury (18-11) enter Thursday tied for third place in the WNBA, 1.5 games ahead of the fifth-place Fever (17-13). Indiana is coming off a 100-91 loss at the Sparks, which ended the team’s five-game winning streak. The Fever are 5-3 over their last eight games with Caitlin Clark unavailable because of injury. Wetzel and Barzilai note that Indiana’s net rating on the season is 2.5 points per 100 possessions better than the Phoenix’s. “This is still a Fever team that isn’t getting enough respect without Caitlin Clark,” they say.
Looking ahead: Blue Jays at Dodgers
Time: Friday, 10:10 p.m. | Location: Los Angeles
In what may end up being a preview of the World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers collide on Friday in the first game of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. The Blue Jays (68-48) own the best record in the American League and are coming off a three-game sweep at Colorado in which they outscored the Rockies 45-6. Meanwhile, the reigning World Series champion Dodgers (66-49) lead the NL West by two games over the rival Padres. Friday’s pitching matchup features two future Hall of Famers: Los Angeles’ Clayton Kershaw (5-2, 3.29) against Toronto’s Max Scherzer (2-1, 4.39), who were teammates on the Dodgers in the 2021 season.
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