NFL Preseason: Trio of Exciting Games Kicks off on Thursday (Aug 7)

• The first full week of NFL Preseason games kick off on Thursday
• Three intriguing matchups take place to start out Preseason Week 1.
• The Chargers defeated the Lions, 34-7, in the very first Preseason game.

The first full week of the NFL Preseason kicks off on Thursday with a trio of great games. We’ll break down the matchups and provide a prediction for Colts vs Ravens, Bengals vs Eagles, and Raiders vs Seahawks.

Indianapolis Colts vs Baltimore Ravens

A heated QB battle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones has been the hottest news coming out of the Colts’ camp. The former 4th-overall selection has struggled to develop as Indianapolis hoped, being limited by injuries throughout his young career. Meanwhile, Jones offers a higher floor, but a much lower ceiling. They should both get reps in this game as the competition to be the starter continues to heat up.

The Ravens came up short of the Super Bowl in the postseason once again, but took major steps forward on offense. With Lamar Jackson thriving with weapons like Zay Flowers and Derrick Henry now aiding him, Baltimore is hoping their defense can return to form and set them apart from other competition in the AFC. They’ll put the depth of their talent to the test in this matchup, which they should have the edge in.

Cincinnati Bengals vs Philadelphia Eagles

The Bengals are hoping to get back on track this season after another let down last year. They have the pieces to make a postseason run, but have struggled to put it all together. Rebuilding the defense was Cincinnati’s main focus in the draft and free agency, hoping that they’ll enter this season in a better spot than last. That hope will immediately be put to the test in a preseason bout with the defending champions.

Speaking of the defending champs, the Eagles retained much of the talent that made their Super Bowl victory possible last season. They enter this year expected to compete for a title once again, but will face increased opposition as other teams make changes to counter them. Philadelphia is unlikely to utilize much of their starting talent in this game, but I still expect their depth to come away with the win at home.

Las Vegas Raiders vs Seattle Seahawks

The Raiders are one of the most exciting teams to watch in the preseason, with rookie RB Ashton Jeanty set to get his first real reps as a pro. It’ll still be some time before we see Jeanty and Bowers together in regular season play, but Jeanty is certain to make some noise with any preseason reps he gets. A lot will fall on the shoulders of new QB Geno Smith, who will be aiming to provide consistency to the position for LV.

Seattle boasts a pretty strong home-field advantage, but I wouldn’t expect the crowd to be overwhelming in the preseason. Without that, they’ll be looking for their rebuilt defense to make a statement against former QB Geno Smith. The Seahawks themselves still have some questions at the QB position, with Sam Darnold and Jalen Milroe both providing pros and cons. They’ll likely try to work out the kinks in this game.