HOW TO WATCH THE FINAL WEEK OF THE NFL PRESEASON
With the 2021 NFL regular season (finally) set to begin on Thursday, September 9 in prime time, the last weekend of August will be your last chance to get a look at your favorite team (and all the others) before the games and stats really start to count.. Though the outcome of these games are generally inconsequential, they are significant for plenty of other reasons. These games can often give viewers insight into which players are leading candidates for starting jobs, which players may have fallen out of favor with the organization and which injured players could be returning to action in time for the season to begin. Even if the action doesn’t necessarily give you all of that information, the broadcasters will be discussing roster intrigue throughout the game and every nugget of information helps you bet smarter.
Savvy bettors will pay close attention to these games, knowing that those aforementioned player personnel decisions can have a huge effect on teams’ outlooks in the first game and throughout the season. It is also a chance to see new players on new teams and get a sense of how they are fitting into their new system.
Not every preseason game will be televised, but many key matchups are. There are seven games over three days on the NFL Network over the weekend, and on Sunday there will be two games on two national networks as well.
| TIME (ET) | NETWORK | |
| FRIDAY AUGUST 27 | ||
| MINNESOTA at KANSAS CITY | 8 p.m. | NFL NETWORK |
| SATURDAY AUGUST 28 | ||
| GREEN BAY at BUFFALO | 1 p.m. | NFL NETWORK |
| CHICAGO at TENNESSEE | 7 p.m. | NFL NETWORK |
| SUNDAY AUGUST 29 | ||
| JACKSONVILLE AT DALLAS | 1 p.m. | NFL NETWORK |
| MIAMI at CINCINNATI | 4 p.m. | CBS |
| LAS VEGAS at SAN FRANCISCO | 4 p.m. | NFL NETWORK |
| NEW ENGLAND at N.Y. GIANTS | 6 p.m. | NFL NETWORK |
| CLEVELAND at ATLANTA | 8 p.m. | NBC |
WAYS TO BET
Gone are the days of only betting on the over/under or against the betting line. In 2021 there will be a myriad of new, fun and exciting ways to bet on NFL regular season games. “Prop” bets similar to those usually only made during the Super Bowl, are now available in over 40 states where DraftKings is operating. DK Sportsbook has also created many new fantasy statistic-based games like “Best Ball”, “Snake” and “Snake Showdown” – all of which bring new, fun and innovative ways to win big. (Pro tip: betting relatively modest amounts during preseason games is a great way to try and figure out new betting games and understand them better without too much risk – then you can bet smarter once the real season begins). Every betting house has their own unique set of games and odds, so have a look around to see which ones suit your fancy and match your budget. If you find one or two you enjoy, then once the regular season starts you can take all the insider knowledge you’ve gained from watching preseason games and put it to work. Just remember to always play within your limits!
