Chargers vs. Lions: Hall of Fame Game Odds & Preview

The arrival of the annual Hall of Fame game marks the start of a new NFL season. And the 2025 campaign opens with a matchup between Super Bowl hopefuls when the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions duel at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Thursday, July 31. The Lions enter the season with a chip on their shoulder after an early playoff exit last season. They had the best record in the NFC and tied with Kansas City for the top mark in the league. They were upset by Washington in the Divisional Round. The game is typically a snoozefest with expanded rosters and teams working as far down the depth chart as they can and most are decided by future practice squad players making a play in the fourth quarter.

Chargers vs. Lions Hall of Fame Game Preview

While the exhibition season is a chance for coaches to get a look at depth players and to work on position battles, it’s also a time for coaches to get acclimated to their surroundings. With their success the past few seasons the Lions paid a steep price with both coordinators leaving for head coaching gigs during the offseason. Boasting the highest scoring offense in the NFL last season under OC Ben Johnson, the Lions will have to adjust to John Morton as their new coordinator. The good news for Detroit is that most of their key players on offense return, but how many of them will we see on Thursday? The Lions also hired Kacy Rodgers as their new defensive coordinator replacing Aaron Glenn.

It would be entertaining to see the high-powered Lions offense against the stingy Chargers defense, but starters and regulars are unlikely to play. Under John Harbaugh last season LA committed to playing defense and running the football, staples of Harbaugh-coached teams. They had the best scoring defense in the NFL and rushed the ball well until J.K. Dobbins was injured. You can expect the Bolts to run the football quite a bit with several backs looking to make an impression with Najee Harris sidelined. Omarion Hampton steps into the slot abandoned by Harris, for the time being, so expect Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal to bet the reps.

Chargers vs. Lions Hall of Fame Game Predictions

With so many unknowns betting NFL exhibition games is a crapshoot. There are a few things to keep in mind, though, one being how motivated coaches are to win. Winning exhibition games doesn’t always translate to regular season success, but for teams that are expected to compete for a playoff berth and even a Super Bowl title, instilling that feeling early is a big deal. Dan Campbell and the Lions are 4-2 SU and ATS the last two preseasons. With little practice time and the Lions breaking in new coordinators, along with LA’s run-heavy, defense approach, points are likely to be sparse giving value to the UNDER on the total of 33.

Chargers vs. Lions Hall of Fame Game Betting Tips

The average number of points scored in the Hall of Fame Game over the last 10 contests is just under 32. There are reasons for that with the biggest being the lack of star power on the field. Historically, starters play little if at all in this game and offenses struggle. Void of any special teams or defensive scores there’s a better than good chance teams play below the total. Due to their higher ceiling the Lions opened as a 1.5-point favorite with the total at 33.

Chargers vs. Lions Hall of Fame Game Key Stats

Both Campbell and Harbaugh have a history of success during the exhibition season and they like winning. With key divisional games against Green Bay and Chicago to start the regular season we probably won’t see anything too exotic from the Lions. Breaking in two new coordinators also leads me to believe they’ll be more attentive to the coaching schemes. The Bolts have their top coaches in place and we could get a look at Trey Lance, the former third overall pick who is looking to find a home in the NFL. Lance’s ability to run the football could be problematic for a defense with new faces and a new coordinator.