The bigger opponent for the Houston Texans in Week 1 might be Hurricane Harvey, which is pounding the Houston area. The Texans have been forced to adjust their plans with less than two weeks to go before their opener with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the fallout could last several more weeks. Mother Nature is undefeated, and so are the Texans in their last six meetings with the Jags with the last two being decided by a total of four points. Houston won those games without J.J. Watt, who will be a matchup problem for the Jags offensive line.
Don't miss any of the NFL Week 1 action on Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 1 p.m. ET. This duel from NRG Stadium will be televised on CBS.
NFL Week 1 Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Jacksonville Jaguars +4.5
Houston Texans -4.5
Over/Under 42
Texans vs. Hurricane Harvey
There’s nothing more disruptive for a professional athlete than a change in routine. The Texans will have a big obstacle dealing with the weather situation in their hometown and it couldn’t have happened at a worse time with opening day just under two weeks away. Harvey laid down some serious damage to Houston and the aftermath will linger for several more weeks.
It’s hard to concentrate on football when residents of the city that support you are battling with a life-changing event. The Texans had to change their plans after their Week 3 preseason game, flying into Dallas where they will spend time before it’s safe to return home.
The Jags are the least of the Texans concerns at this point and that will put them behind in preparing for the opener. There is a chance the game can be moved to another location given the level of destruction Harvey has already left. Many players and coaches live and have family in the Houston area and that’s much more of a concern than a football game.
Blake Bortles vs. Chad Henne
Bortles was drafted as the franchise quarterback back in 2014, but he has yet to lead the team to more than five wins and a third-place finish in the AFC South. That’s nowhere near good enough, but the Jags aren’t giving up on the third overall pick. Bortles may have had his stiffest competition this preseason and new coach Doug Marrone opened the battle after some shoddy play during the exhibition season.
Marrone named Bortles the regular season starter last week, but did say the position will be evaluated on a game-by-game basis. The reason Bortles gets the nod in the opener, according to the coach, is his mobility. Facing the Texans fierce pass rush, Bortles has a better chance of extending plays by sneaking around the pocket.
That hasn’t helped him in his previous encounters with Houston. Bortles has never beaten the Texans in six starts and he’s been sacked 24 times. He’s completed just over 53 percent of his throws for an average of 208 yards per game with eight interceptions in those two games. Henne better start warming up now so he’ll be ready come game time.
Jags O Line vs. J.J. Watt & Jadeveon Clowney
The Texans played all but two games without Watt last season after he called it quits following the second contest to have his back repaired. In those two games the Texans collected nine sacks with Watt amassing 1.5 and Clowney 1.0. Without the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, the Texans still had the No. 1 ranked total defense in the NFL allowing slightly more than 300 yards per game.
After that opening flurry, the sack total dropped off and the Texans managed a total of 31 for the year to rank tied for 24th. But the D did its job by forcing opposing offenses to change their game plan.
Clowney played some end last season after Watt was lost for the year and excelled as a run stopper and pass rusher, collecting 12 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. The Texans could have the best set of ends in the game if both players remain healthy and there will be plenty of meetings at the quarterback during the year. Marrone blamed part of his team’s quarterback struggles on poor line play. That better get straightened fast or Bortles may not make it out alive.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sports every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
