Friday, August 15, 2025 brings a rare combo for bettors: a pair of NFL preseason matchups and a short-track showdown in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Preseason football is all about snap counts and depth charts, not brand names, and Richmond Raceway is a track where pit strategy can flip the leaderboard in a heartbeat.
NFL Preseason — What Matters Tonight
Titans at Falcons (7:00 pm ET)
Atlanta will be without Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins again, which means Easton Stick is in line for heavy work. Last week, Stick went 15 of 18 for 149 yards and a touchdown, carving up Tampa Bay’s backups in a quick-passing script. Expect more of the same indoors at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where weather is a non-factor.
Tennessee’s rookie quarterback Cam Ward was efficient in limited snaps last week (5 of 8, 67 yards) but the Titans’ offense is still largely a question mark, finishing bottom-five in scoring last season. Their protection broke down last week with three interceptions against the Bucs, which could give Atlanta short fields again.
Edge: Falcons’ passing depth with Stick should control tempo and time of possession.
Best Bet: Easton Stick Over 12.5 completions — his accuracy plus expected volume make this a high-percentage play.
Chiefs at Seahawks (10:00 pm ET)
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are likely in street clothes tonight, with Gardner Minshew expected to start for Kansas City. Seattle, on the other hand, is planning to give starters a brief run, including QB Sam Darnold.
Lumen Field will be damp with light rain, which could push Seattle toward a balanced attack and short passes while the starters are on the field. The market opened Seahawks around -3, and the edge is in the first half before both teams clear the benches.
Edge: Seattle’s starters versus Kansas City’s backups in early action.
Best Bet: Seahawks First Half -1.5 — preseason is about exploiting mismatches in snap counts, and this is one of the clearest of the week.
Value Parlay: Falcons Moneyline + Seahawks Moneyline. Both teams have quarterback rotation advantages tonight, and in preseason, that’s more important than last year’s standings.
NASCAR Trucks — Richmond Raceway (eero 250)
Richmond’s 0.75-mile D-shaped oval is notorious for chewing up tires. Fall-off is severe, and races are often decided on pit road. Four-tire stops and clean execution are non-negotiable for a shot at the win.
Ty Majeski checks all the boxes here. He won at Richmond last year and has a crew that consistently delivers fast stops. Grant Enfinger is another name to circle — he was strong at Richmond in 2024 and thrives on short-flat tracks where patience and tire management pay off.
Weather is warm and partly cloudy tonight, which means the track should rubber in nicely, favoring teams that can maintain long-run pace. Expect green-flag stretches to magnify pit cycles.
Best Bet #1: Ty Majeski Top-3 finish — proven Richmond winner with elite pit crew support.
Best Bet #2: Grant Enfinger to win head-to-head versus any mid-tier opponent — his Richmond record gives him an edge in matchups.
Value Parlay: Majeski Top-5 in Trucks + Toyota as Top Manufacturer in Sunday’s Cup race. Toyota has dominated here recently, and Majeski’s style fits this track perfectly.
Final Word
NFL preseason betting isn’t about predicting which “team” is better — it’s about who’s on the field and for how long. Tonight, that means riding Easton Stick’s passing volume indoors in Atlanta and trusting Seattle’s starters to handle Kansas City’s backups early.
On the NASCAR side, Richmond is a chess match on asphalt. Majeski and Enfinger have shown they can play that game better than most, and with clean pit work, both should be in the mix when it counts.
