With the first week of NFL Preseason action and the opening games of the Week 2 schedule in the books, we’re looking ahead to a loaded Saturday slate. As most of the league’s teams take the field this weekend, the Houston Texans host the Carolina Panthers in an exhibition down south.
Here’s a prediction and pick for this Texans vs. Panthers matinee.
Texans vs. Panthers prediction, preview
Houston Texans
The Texans lost their first NFL Preseason game to the Minnesota Vikings with a 20-10 final score, but there was one major positive to glean from the performance. The team got its first live action under offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who brings something of a L.A. Rams-like system to Houston after working under Sean McVay. The goal in these exhibition games is to get comfortable of course, and every single down counts when integrating a new scheme.
Houston’s starters didn’t see much, if any, action last week. That may change on Saturday, so how C.J. Stroud looks in the system after a down year in 2024 will be something to watch for over his limited time on the field. The offensive line will get valuable reps as the Texans revamp that unit which performed very poorly last year, so their snaps will prove valuable. While wideout John Metchie showed out last week with five receptions, rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel didn’t do much with just two receptions each for eight and 16 yards, so they hopefully see the field more on Saturday to make an early impact. While Davis Mills seems like a lock for the backup quarterback spot, Kedon Slovis completed 11 of 15 passes for 71 yards in his appearance and has the chance to show more of his potential here.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers also lost their first NFL Preseason contest which came at the hands of the Cleveland Browns. The 30-10 final score hurt, but Carolina must feel great about how the starting offense looked for the series they played. Bryce Young went 4-for-6 with 58 yards and a touchdown, completing two of those to rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan for 43 yards. One of those other completions went to Jalen Coker for a score, so the third-year quarterback is already showing glimpses of chemistry with a couple of his top targets.
The offense looked quite solid while the starters were around, and they should get a little bit more run this time around to continue developing those connections. However, the defense certainly needs some work. The unit was carved up and put on a platter by Shedeur Sanders in the opener and showed a propensity to give up the big play. They’ll need to tighten things up in this contest — that goes for not just the starters, but the depth players fighting for roster spots as well.
Texans vs. Panthers pick, best bet
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Texans as 1.5-point favorites on Saturday with -135 odds on the Moneyline. The Panthers are listed at +114 with a game total of 39.5 points.
Preseason games are tricky to bet on since proven stars don’t tend to see the field much, if at all. Instead, these exhibitions serve as an opportunity for young talent to see valuable reps against live competition as fringe players compete for roster spots on the final 53-man depth chart.
Still, the Texans are absolutely positioned to cover in this game. While they’ll be without Joe Mixon (foot) regardless, the starters have the upper hand over the Panthers’ starters by a decent margin. The Houston defense not only boasts more talent, but they’re more well-coached and they may far better this week than last time out since they’ve gotten their feet under them. Anything can happen of course, but the talent levels just aren’t the same in this game.
