Cardinals vs Panthers Picks & Prediction for Hall of Fame Game

• The Panthers are 1.5-point favorites over the Cardinals in the NFL’s Hall of Fame Game tonight
• Rookie QB Carson Beck will start for Arizona, while former first round pick Kenny Pickett starts for Carolina
• Check out the Cardinals vs Panthers picks and prediction for the Hall of Fame Game, below

The NFL returns to our lives tonight, as the Cardinals and Panthers meet in the Hall of Fame Game. This matchup won’t feature many household Sunday names, but it still provides an opportunity to sweat live NFL action for the first time in six months.

Prediction markets have pegged Carolina as a small favorite, in a game that projects to be a rock fight. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 pm ET on NBC, with streaming coverage also available on Peacock on NFL+.

Below, I’ll breakdown my favorite Cardinals vs Panthers picks and prediction for the Hall of Fame Game, and the reasoning behind each selection.

Cardinals vs Panthers Odds

Prediction Markets

HOF Game Prices

Learn more about Prediction Markets

Kalshi

Carolina Moneyline

53%

ARI +1.5

52%

Under 34.5 Points

51%

CAR -1.5

50%

Over 34.5 Points

50%

Arizona Moneyline

47%

Predict

As of Thursday morning, Carolina is trading at 50-cents to cover 1.5 points at Kalshi, which is the equivalent of +100 odds in traditional sportsbook terms. Arizona comes back trading at 53-cents (-113 odds) to cover the spread, with both of those prices beating the lines at traditional sportsbooks. Don’t forget to claim the Kalshi referral code to score a bonus to bet on NFL preseason.

Total-wise, over 34.5 points is trading at 50-cents (+100), while the under priced at 51-cents (-104), That line is down a point from when opening odds were released, with bettors expecting a run-heavy, vanilla scheme from both offenses, that drains the clock and keeps scoring at a minimum.

Cardinals vs Panthers Picks and Prediction

• Cardinals +1.5 (53¢ at Kalshi)
• Under 34.5 (51¢ at Kalshi)

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The most challenging aspect of betting preseason football is the lack of roster clarity. Tonight we have a very good idea of who will and won’t be playing on the Panthers side, but the Cardinals, who boast one of the lowest NFL win totals, are playing their cards a little closer to the vest.

Here’s what we know so far. Third Round pick Carson Beck is slated to start under center for Arizona. Beck is fresh off leading the University of Miami to the National Championship Game, and spent 6 seasons in college. He’ll be far more prepared for the spotlight than most rookies in his situation, and should be able to keep the Cardinals on schedule. Unfortunately for him, he won’t have any of the team’s most explosive offensive weapons to lean on.

Third overall pick and NFL OROY odds candidate Jeremiyah Love will sit, as will star pass catchers Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. Fortunately for Beck, Carolina’s top defenders including Jaycee Horn and Derrick Brown will also be watching from the sidelines. Once Beck is out of the game, Arizona will turn the reigns over to Kedon Slovis. The former USC, BYU and PITT QB has just two career NFL passes on his resume, but did see plenty of playing time during the 2024 preseason with Indianapolis.

On the Panthers side, former first round pick Kenny Pickett will get the start. Pickett was 14-10 in two years starting for the Steelers, and has bounced around the league ever since. None of his primary skilled position players will be available tonight, and neither will the Panthers 2026 first round tackle Monroe Freeling. Once he exits, former Georgia Tech QB Haynes King will take over. King was dynamite with his legs in college, but ranked fourth lowest out of 105 FBS QB’s in average depth of target.

With a lack of star power on both sides, it makes sense to lean into trends and past performances. Carolina Head Coach Dave Canales, who was in the NFL Coach of the Year Odds conversation last season, is 0-6 ATS over the past two campaigns. Canales is known as a gifted offensive mind, but he’s shown no signs of that in exhibition games, as evident by the under hitting in four of those contests.

Canales likely to be even more cautious tonight for two reasons. One, this is an extra preseason game, and will be treated more like a joint scrimmage than a regular season tilt. Two, the Panthers have been crushed by injuries already this summer, losing multiple projected starters for the season. They cannot afford any more setbacks if they want to keep their Odds to Make the NFL Playoffs alive.

Hall of Fame Game Trends Since 2013

Zooming out, underdogs have historically dominated the Hall of Fame Game. ‘Dogs are 8-2-1 in this contest since 2013 and 7-4 straight up. I’m expecting Arizona to cover in a low-scoring game, a fact that is amplified by the kicking situation of both teams.

The Cardinals and Panthers each boast a below average field goal kicker, while Arizona’s punter Blake Gilliken led the NFL in yards per punt last season. He should be able to pin Carolina deep, making it far more difficult for the Panthers to put together scoring drives.