Game: Houston Texans @ New England Patriots
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Odds: Texans -3.5, Patriots +3.5
Total: 37
The Houston Texans and New England Patriots play each other at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, tonight in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. C.J. Stroud, the quarterback for the Houston Texans, will be the center of attention as the team looks to him to save their faltering franchise. Houston selected Stroud with the second overall pick in this year’s draft.
Stroud was anticipated to become the Texans franchise quarterback after dominating at Ohio State. Despite competing with Davis Mills for the starting quarterback job, he has gotten the majority of the first-team reps in camp. Head coach DeMeco Ryans did officially name Stroud the starter tonight. If he performs well during the preseason, Stroud will likely start in Week 1.
Stroud demonstrated his ability to win by finishing his college career with a 21-4 record. In the first round of this year’s draft, the Texans also selected edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. out of Alabama. The Texans traded up to No. 3 to draft Anderson right after picking Stroud. Although not as much as the Texans’ rookie quarterback, Anderson will still have an impact.
For Mac Jones, the quarterback for New England, this is a make-or-break year. The Patriots were rumored to be holding a quarterback competition. However, it appears pretty certain that Jones will start the season. In light of Bailey Zappe’s inconsistent leadership during training camp, it seems likely that Jones will start the first game of the regular season unless Zappe really impresses during the preseason. Jones is unlikely to play tonight.
During training camp, the New England offensive line’s performance has been a problem. With Trace McSorley and Malik Cunningham also on the Patriots roster, you can bet that head coach Bill Belichick will decide who the team’s third quarterback will be during the preseason.
The 2022 preseason saw the Patriots have a losing preseason for the first time since 2017 when they went 1-2. Belichick values success highly and places an emphasis on winning even though it’s just the preseason. The Texans’ preseason records were 3-0 in 2018 and 2-1 in 2021. However, Houston had a 3-13-1 record last season and a 4-13 record in 2021, so that doesn’t mean much. Ryans, the NFL’s newest head coach, and his team have their work cut out for them. In the NFL, it typically takes new head coaches a few games to settle in.
Ryans will also have to battle this. In the preseason, the Patriots are 21-9 ATS in their last 30 games as an underdog. Remember, Belichick places an emphasis on winning in the preseason. In 23 preseasons as a head coach, Belichick and the Patriots are 15-8 in Week 1.
What’s interesting is the Texans ATS record against New England. In the last six meetings between the two teams (in the regular season), Houston is 5-1 ATS against the Patriots.
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