The NFL preseason wraps up today with just two games on the board: the Detroit Lions against the Indianapolis Colts, followed by the Chicago Bears against the Tennessee Titans.
Once those games are done, the league disappears from TV until the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks open the 2026 regular season. So if you’re hunting for a couple of preseason wagers before the real thing begins, there are a pair of angles worth circling.
The first is Detroit plus the points. The Colts are not a team I want to back when Anthony Richardson is starting at quarterback.
He was solid against the Patriots, then turned in a rough outing against the Falcons. Now he runs into a Lions defense that has been strong through the first two weeks of the preseason.
Detroit’s backups on defense have also stood out, and that matters for Kelvin Sheppard as he heads toward the regular season. With the market giving the Lions 3.5 points, that number is enough to take Detroit and trust the defense to keep this one tight.
The second play is Tennessee. I started the preseason betting the Titans to cover every game, and they’ve rewarded that approach by going 1-0-1 against the spread so far. Robert Saleh has been the best preseason spread performer among active head coaches, and that trend has only gotten stronger with his work in New York and now in Tennessee.
He’s 10-3-1 against the spread across his time as Jets head coach and his first two preseason games with the Titans, and I’m willing to ride that run one more time in the 2026 preseason finale.
In Other News...
Titans Roster Could Claim A Few More Surprising Victims Soon
The Titans first 53-man roster already carried a few surprises, and it may not be the last version fans see. Tennessee trimmed down to its opening roster with some notable decisions, including veteran guard Cordell Volson and wide receiver Bryce Oliver, but the work is far from finished as the team continues to sort through the final shape of the group.
With the Titans holding the fourth waiver priority, there is still room for more movement as other clubs make their own cuts and the market opens up. Inside that churn, a few names already look vulnerable based on performance and roster needs, including Austin Deculus, Garrett Dellinger and Jerrick Reed II, which means the next wave of decisions could reshape the depth chart again before the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Finally Addressed The Backup Tackle Problem Fans Hated
The Titans spent part of their roster shuffle giving the offensive line a different look, releasing tackle Austin Deculus and signing veteran James Hudson to the 53-man roster. It was one of several moves the team made in the same sweep, alongside additions of Owen Pappoe, Terrell Burgess, Nazir Stackhouse and Melvin Smith, with Xavier Restrepo, Erick Hallett II, Mo Diabate and Jerrick Reed II waived in corresponding moves.
Hudson gives Tennessee a more familiar option at a spot fans had been unhappy about, especially given his history with offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. The veteran has played in 60 NFL games with 19 starts, and the Titans are clearly leaning on that experience as they keep sorting out the depth behind the top tackles. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Defense-First Waiver Push Came With One Unexpected Cut
The Titans wasted little time shaping their roster after cutdown day, making a series of moves that underscored how heavily they want to lean on defense. Tennessee cut linebacker Mohamoud Diabate while claiming four players off waivers, including linebackers Owen Pappoe and Smith Jr., defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse and veteran safety Burgess, a clear sign the front office was hunting for more depth on that side of the ball.
What made the transaction list stand out was not just the volume of defensive additions, but the unexpected departure that came with it. Diabates exit opened the door for the new wave of claims, and the Titans now have a reshaped group to sort through as they continue refining the back end of the roster and trying to stockpile options before the season gets moving. [Read more 🡒]