Week 1 of the 2023 NFL Preseason kicks off with a matchup between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on Thursday from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, and the game will air on the NFL Network.
New Texans head coach Demeco Ryans shared with NFL Network on Monday that the No. 2 overall pick CJ Stroud would be getting the starting nod for Thursday’s preseason matchup, offering fans their first glimpse of Houston’s potential franchise quarterback. Veteran and current backup quarterback Davis Mills is expected to get plenty of reps as well.
Meanwhile, the Patriots have not announced a starting signal-caller for Thursday, though the expectation is that those duties will be reserved for backup Bailey Zappe, with third-string quarterback Trace McSorley getting the rest of the snaps under center. It would be a surprise to see starters, such as the likes of newly added JuJu Smith-Schuster, suiting up on Thursday night.
Here, we’ll take a look at our picks for the best bets for Texans vs. Patriots in Week 1 of the NFL preseason.
All odds come courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Texans vs. Patriots odds
Spread: Texans -3.5 (-110)
Point total: 36.5
Moneyline: Texans -170, Patriots +142
Our picks, best bets
Pick against the spread: Texans -3.5
The expectation is that Mac Jones, along with a handful of Patriots starters, will not suit up for Thursday night’s action, as Jones did not play in the preseason opener last year either. That means the Texans, with Stroud taking the field for at least a few series, should make easy work and find the end zone against what will likely be a vanilla Patriots defense. Mills is no spring chicken either, and he should be able to move the ball well, setting up Houston to cover.
Over/under: Over 36.5
Last week’s Hall of Fame game ended with a combined 37-point total, and these two rosters have more talented backups on the field, especially Houston. Stroud and Mills give the Texans the quarterback advantage and should be able to find the endzone more than a couple of times. As long as New England can answer back on a drive or two, the chances of the point total hitting over are high.