The final Thursday of the 2026 NFL preseason brings four games with very different quarterback plans and betting profiles. Pittsburgh visits Buffalo, New England travels to Cleveland, San Francisco faces Las Vegas, and the Rams meet the Chargers at SoFi Stadium. The NFL Week 3 schedule confirms all four matchups for August 27.
Thursday’s card should be treated as an information market rather than a normal team-rating exercise. Starter usage, backup quarterback quality, roster cuts, and late-game depth can matter more than regular-season projections. To exchange playing time news and discuss line movements with the community, visit our sports betting forum.
Thursday Preseason Schedule
| Matchup | Time (ET) | Venue | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers at Bills | 7:00 PM | Highmark Stadium | NFL Network |
| Patriots at Browns | 8:00 PM | Huntington Bank Field | Prime Video |
| 49ers at Raiders | 8:00 PM | Allegiant Stadium | Local TV / NFL+ |
| Rams at Chargers | 10:00 PM | SoFi Stadium | NFL Network |
Buffalo enters 2-0, New England is 1-0-1, San Francisco and Las Vegas are both 1-1, the Rams are 2-0, and the Chargers sit 1-1.
Steelers vs Bills Pick
Pittsburgh’s young quarterbacks looked sharp in the opener, then struggled badly in a 17-0 loss to the Jets. Will Howard completed 10 of 15 passes for 74 yards with two interceptions, and Drew Allar went 11 of 23 for 110 yards.
Buffalo has received steadier backup play from Kyle Allen and Shane Buechele, who split the second preseason game by halves. Head coach Joe Brady discussed possible starter usage Tuesday, including Josh Allen’s status, leaving Buffalo with more flexibility entering the finale.
Best Bet: Buffalo Bills -3 (-111)
Patriots vs Browns Pick
New England has protected Drake Maye and most top players through two preseason games, using joint practices for heavy work instead. Mike Vrabel said the roster lacks great depth and wants his best players healthy for September, so any starter appearance Thursday could be brief.
Cleveland is 0-2, and Todd Monken has already named Deshaun Watson the regular-season starter. The Browns still have a deep quarterback evaluation behind him, creating incentive to give reserve passers meaningful snaps.
New England’s defense and cleaner preseason results make the short spread playable.
Best Bet: New England Patriots -2.5 (-110)
49ers vs Raiders Pick
San Francisco enters after a 41-17 win over the Chargers. Brock Purdy handled one series, Mac Jones took the rest of the first half, and the reserve offense kept scoring after both starters exited.
Las Vegas has strong quarterback depth of its own. Kirk Cousins remains listed first, Fernando Mendoza second, and Aidan O’Connell third. Mendoza has continued receiving meaningful work as the Raiders evaluate their long-term quarterback picture.
Getting more than a field goal with San Francisco is the better price after its reserve units produced 41 points last week.
Best Bet: San Francisco 49ers +3.5 (-115)
Rams vs Chargers Pick
The Chargers plan to start Justin Herbert, with Jim Harbaugh previously saying the first unit would receive two series against the Rams. Herbert played only three snaps against San Francisco, so Los Angeles wants a cleaner final tune-up. The Chargers preseason plan outlines that workload.
The Rams are 2-0 and will give rookie Ty Simpson another extended look. Sean McVay confirmed Simpson will play, with Stetson Bennett’s role still undecided.
Herbert’s brief appearance may create an early Chargers edge, yet 3.5 points is valuable once reserve quarterbacks control most of the game.
Best Bet: Los Angeles Rams +3.5 (-108)
Thursday Odds Board
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +3 (-109) | +130 | Over 35.5 (-104) |
| Buffalo Bills | -3 (-111) | -150 | Under 35.5 (-116) |
| New England Patriots | -2.5 (-110) | -140 | Over 34.5 (-115) |
| Cleveland Browns | +2.5 (-110) | +120 | Under 34.5 (-105) |
| San Francisco 49ers | +3.5 (-115) | +145 | Over 37.5 (-110) |
| Las Vegas Raiders | -3.5 (-105) | -165 | Under 37.5 (-110) |
| Los Angeles Rams | +3.5 (-108) | +161 | Over 38 (-110) |
| Los Angeles Chargers | -3.5 (-112) | -185 | Under 38 (-110) |
Late line movement deserves attention Thursday afternoon. Be sure to shop around for the best betting lines, as Buffalo could climb above a field goal if Josh Allen is confirmed, which would reduce the value of the favorite. The Rams become less attractive if Herbert’s workload grows beyond two series. San Francisco remains playable at +3.5, but dropping to +3 would remove a push outcome in preseason game.
The strongest positions are Buffalo -3 and San Francisco +3.5. Buffalo owns the cleaner backup quarterback setup, and San Francisco receives useful points after showing superior reserve production last week. New England -2.5 carries more uncertainty tied to starter usage. Rams +3.5 offers value once Herbert’s short appearance ends.
Official Picks: Bills -3, Patriots -2.5, 49ers +3.5, Rams +3.5
