NFL Preseason Best Bets for August 21: The Giants Are Cruising on Offense
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Rainman M.
- August 21, 2025
Top Sportsbooks have released their odds for the two NFL preseason games tonight.
Let’s take a look at the NFL odds and lock in on the Steelers vs. Panthers and Patriots vs. Giants!
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Carolina Panthers
Thursday, August 21, 2025 – 7:00 PM EDT at Bank of America Stadium
Motivation Edge Favors Carolina
Motivation becomes a more significant factor in preseason games because these don’t count toward the regular season standings, so they invite more complacency from players.
It will appear clear in this game that one team has the motivational edge. This team is Carolina. Pittsburgh backers cite the extent to which Carolina has struggled in this preseason, but these struggles supply the main impetus for the Panthers’ success tonight: they want to finish preseason on a strong note.
Last year, led by the same head coach, they entered the final preseason game with an 0-2 record. In those two losses, they scored a combined total of 15 points.
After those two games, they won their final preseason game while scoring 31 points. Expect a similar explosion from Carolina’s offense tonight, reflecting its focus to create momentum for the regular season that will also be aided by more effective play-calling.
Pittsburgh’s Vulnerable Pass Defense
When the Panthers exploded for 31 points in that preseason finale, they were led by quarterback Jack Plummer, who demonstrated his aptitude with 278 passing yards and two touchdowns. Plummer can reproduce this success against a vulnerable Pittsburgh preseason defense.
This vulnerability should come as no surprise to those who are familiar with the great decline that the Steelers have experienced on defense whenever T.J. Watt is absent. The Steelers suddenly become much worse without him. In preseason play, they miss him and other key players, such as Cam Heyward.
Plummer needs a big game and will be aided by the return of wide receiver Jalen Coker against a Steelers defense that, after conceding 25 points to Jacksonville in their preseason opener, allowed Connor Bazelak and new Tampa Bay signing Teddy Bridgewater to have great games.
Best Bets: Panthers +4.5 & Over 36
While I like Carolina as a home dog because of its motivational edge and its excellent promise on offense, I think the Steelers’ offense will contribute to the over.
Carolina’s pass defense was uniquely terrible last year. Jaycee Horn was a rare bright spot, but he is expected to sit out tonight’s game. So far this year, the Panthers allowed 30 points to the Browns largely due to Cleveland rookie Shedeur Sanders’ play.
The Panthers did buckle down in their second preseason game by holding Houston to 20 points, with seven of those points coming from Houston’s starting quarterback and starting wide receiver connection.
With the promising play of its quarterbacks and the success that its rush attack showed last week in defiance of preseason concerns about it, it makes sense to expect Pittsburgh to score around 17 points, which will easily send the game over the posted total.
The Picks
- Panthers +4.5 (-105)
- Over 36 (-105)
New England Patriots vs. New York Giants
Thursday, August 21, 2025 – 8:00 PM EDT at MetLife Stadium
Why the Giants’ Depth Shines in Preseason
The Giants’ offense is playing at a high level right now because it was built to succeed in preseason football.
Depth is a major factor conditioning outcomes in preseason play, where so many backups see game action. The Giants score so many points because they have great depth at the quarterback position, with all of their quarterbacks enjoying meaningful starting experience, plus the obviously talented rookie Jaxson Dart.
With these quarterbacks and their proven ability to put up big numbers, the Giants have scored 34 points against the Bills and 31 against the Jets.
It is easy to dismiss the Buffalo game because of Buffalo’s secondary, but the Jets are formidable in their secondary and pass rush. In their other preseason game, they held the Packers to ten points, but they were no match for New York’s offense.
New England’s Offensive Struggles
The Patriots’ defense has not been tested in this preseason, negating any impressiveness that one might see characterizing the low point totals that they’ve allowed thus far. So far, they’ve primarily seen these quarterbacks: Josh Johnson, Sam Hartman, and Max Brosmer.
New England has allowed close to 20 points in a game thus far, and it stands to reason that New York, with its collection of productive quarterbacks, has the firepower to exceed 20 points against them.
Conversely, New England’s preseason offense is led by Joshua Dobbs and Ben Wooldridge. It doesn’t seem likely that starter Drake Maye will see the field much after the strenuous amount of work that he was dealt in practice this week.
The Patriots thriving on offense against Washington’s defense is simply meaningless. Otherwise, they scored 20 points in Minnesota. Their quarterbacks have put together ho-hum performances, failing to display the level of productivity of their New York counterparts.
Best Bets: Giants Moneyline & Parlay Option
The Giants are strongly favored in this game. While I do think that it is likelier that the Giants cover the spread than that they don’t, 6.5 feels like a lot of points, especially for a preseason game.
Therefore, I recommend sticking the Giants’ moneyline in a parlay.
Since we are already investing in the Panthers and since many view it as a cardinal sin to wager on the same outcome twice, we can split a unit on the Panthers ATS and on the Panthers ATS & Giants moneyline parlay. Lock it in at BetOnline before kickoff and don’t miss out on the action!
The Parlay
- Panthers +4.5 (-105)
- Giants ML (-260)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
