The 2010-11 NFL season is kicking off on Sunday — kind of.
As part of this weekend's Hall of Fame induction festivities, the annual Hall of Fame game, this year between the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals, will take place.
The Bengals (-145) are currently listed as the favorite, perhaps because the game is taking in their home state of Ohio at Fawcett Stadium in Canton. Dallas has never won the event in three chances.
Cincinnati, of course, will feature new bosom buddies Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, a.k.a. Shrek and Donkey or Batman and Robin, for the first time as T.O. faces one of his former teams.
As usual, starters are not expected to have much of a role in the game, but Ochocinco and Owens will likely make themselves very available for interviews.
The preseason will again feature four games per team, though the notion of two exhibition games and 18 regular season games is being discussed for 2011. While fans, particularly season ticket holders who are forced to buy exhibition tickets, generally favor the change, players are skittish about the increased physical wear and tear.
The Tennessee Titans defeated the Buffalo Bills 21-18 in last year's game.
The real NFL season begins Thursday, Sept. 9 with the Minnesota Vikings looking for NFC championship game revenge against the Saints in the Superdome.
