The Texans don’t have a great quarterback situation but boast a dominant defense. After Blake Bortles struggled throughout the preseason, this is a tough way to start for him. It’s no surprise that Houston is favored in this one since it is a home game, but the Jaguars do have some intriguing pieces and would love to kick the season off on a high note with the upset.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 1 game is set for Sunday, September 10, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Jacksonville Jaguars +5.5
Houston Texans -5.5
Over/Under 40
Odds Analysis
The Texans are solid home favorites and are getting most of the early action as well, since 71 percent of bettors believe they will cover the spread. Houston can do so by winning by a touchdown, so the wager makes sense.
The scoring total is low since the quarterbacks are below average and both defenses may be good. The bettors are on board with that, as more than 60 percent of the money has come in on the “under” in the early part of the week.
Injury Report
Will Fuller - The Texans receiver broke his collarbone early in training camp and is expected to miss several games. Houston still has DeAndre Hopkins and Braxton Miller, but the third wide receiver spot is murky with Jaelen Strong also out due to suspension. Bruce Ellington was added on waivers from the 49ers in the preseason and could be the third wideout in this game.
J.J. Watt -- The Texans’ game-wrecking defensive end is back after missing the majority of last season with a back surgery. It is a scary place on the body to have surgery, and it will be interesting to see if Watt is back to his superhuman self or just a good player. Between Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, the Texans may have the best pass-rushing duo in the NFL provided Watt is healthy.
Player to Watch
Bortles -- The Jaguars’ quarterback had a nice year in 2015 and seemed on his way to becoming the franchise quarterback expected, but 2016 was awful and preseason was just as bad. Jacksonville actually contemplated handing the reins over to Chad Henne, which would have been a huge disappointment for Bortles and the franchise.
It didn’t happen, but time is running out for Bortles to prove he should lead this offense. This is a really tough matchup, although Bortles catches a break in that star cornerback A.J. Bouye is now on his team rather than Houston, where he played last season.
The Jaguars can’t afford to fall behind, because if the Texans pass rush revs up, Bortles could have an awful game and the calls for his benching will begin.
Free ATS Pick
It’s easy to see a scenario in which Houston scores early and blows this thing open, but Tom Savage isn’t much better than Bortles. More likely is a back-and-forth affair with plenty of punts and defensive stands.
Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette will aim to have a big impact in his first game. If the Jaguars can get their ground game going, this one will get a bit uncomfortable for Houston. The Texans should squeak out a win, but take the Jaguars to cover. A lot went wrong last year but this team got better in the offseason. If Bortles doesn’t torpedo their chances, the Jaguars will keep this close.
NFL Odds: Texans 21, Jaguars 20
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