Houston Texans (3-13-1 last season) vs New England Patriots (8-9 last year)
Houston Texans vs New England Patriots 8/10/2023 – Last season, Houston went 3-13-1 and struggled in every area of the game. Due to their two victories in the final three weeks of the regular season, the Texans missed out on the top overall selection in the draft, but they nevertheless selected Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. The second overall choice went to the Texans then moved to number three in the draft to select edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. from Alabama. With the signing of two cornerstone players, one on either side of the ball, Houston should become more competitive in 2023, especially in the weak AFC South. For expert insights, consider checking out NFL picks today.
New England has struggled since Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay, finishing 25-25 over the previous three years, with just one postseason appearance, which ended in a blowout defeat to Buffalo in the wild-card round in 2021. The Patriots ended 8-9 last year, but they lost their way late and failed to qualify for the postseason. After placing only 17th in scoring offense (21.4 ppg) last season, Bill O’Brien returned to New England as the offensive coordinator. The organization is hopeful he can turn things around on that side of the ball. Despite ranking in the middle of the pack in terms of points scored, the Patriots were only 24th in running offense (106.6 ypg) and 26th in overall offense (314.6 ypg) in 2022.
Texans vs. Patriots Game Info
| When: | Thursday, August 10, 2023 7:00 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Where: | FGillette Stadium, MA |
| TV: | NFL NET |
| Stream: | MLB.TV |
QB CJ Stroud vs QB Mac Jones
The Texans signed a number of new players throughout the offseason, and the team announced on Monday that Stroud will start at quarterback for this contest. According to coach DeMeco Ryans, the starters are not planning to play for more than a couple of series. Stroud will also be a quarterback option, and Davis Mills and Case Keenum will likely come after. Mills completed 292 of 479 passes for 3,118 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions in the previous season.
Despite his regression in year two, Mac Jones is still the Patriots’ top quarterback on the depth chart (288 of 442, 2997 yards, 14 TDs, 11 INTs). He’ll presumably wear a cap or visor while watching from the sidelines for most of the preseason. Bailey Zappe will get a lot of action on the first-team offense throughout the preseason (65 of 92, 781 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions). He’ll likely fight with Trace McSorley (45 of 83, 412 yards, five interceptions) for the #2 slot on the depth chart, but keep a watch on newcomer Malik Cunningham, a dual threat at Louisville.
NFL Odds/Point Spread: Houston Texans -1.5, Total Odds: 38.5
In their previous seven games against the New England Patriots on the road, the Houston Texans are 0-7 SU. The total was under in five of Houston’s previous seven games against opponents from the American Football Conference. The total was under in six of Houston’s previous seven games against opponents from the American Football Conference East. The Houston Texans are 5-1 ATS in their previous six August games. In their previous 5 games against opponents from the American Football Conference, the New England Patriots are 0-5 ATS. In their previous 5 games against opponents from the American Football Conference South, the New England Patriots are 4-1 SU. The total was under in nine of New England’s last 12 games played in August. The Pats are 12-4 against the spread in their last 16 outings on a Thursday.
Houston Texans Betting Trends
In their previous 5 games, the Houston Texans are 4-1 ATS.
In 6 of Houston’s past 9 games, the total was UNDER.
Houston’s previous 12 games have gone 2-10 SU.
In their previous 6 games versus New England, the Houston Texans have a 5-1 ATS record.
In their previous 12 games versus New England, the Houston Texans have a 3-9 SU record.
In their previous 18 games on the road, the Houston Texans have a 6-12 SU record.
New England Patriots Betting Trends
The New England Patriots have a 1-6 ATS record in their previous seven games.
The New England Patriots have a 2-5 SU record in their previous seven contests.
The total was exceeded in 11 of New England’s last 15 games versus Houston.
The total was under in four of New England’s past five home games.
When facing Houston at home, the New England Patriots are 7-0 SU in their previous seven games.
Houston Texans vs New England Patriots 8/10/2023 Betting Picks
Last year, both teams had issues, and there is still work to be done for them to improve in 2023. Thanks to the arrival of individuals that the management thinks will act as franchise foundations, Houston is relatively young on both sides of the ball. New England does gain from the expertise of having Belichick as their head coach, but they must find ways to bolster their offense. Although the Patriots have talented players at the skill positions, it is still unknown how well that side of the ball will perform given that O’Brien will once again be in control of play-calling. You must now provide this to the team that has some prior experience and a proven track record. Select the Patriots to win over the Texans with sports premium picks.
Free Pick and Prediction: New England Patriots will win 20-17.