Even though preseason games aren’t usually indicative or regular season results, the New Orleans Saints defense continued to struggle at the outset of 2016. After a porous defense held the team back last season, it allowed 34 points to the Patriots in the first game of the preseason. The Saints hope to pick it up and look better in Week 2 of the preseason when they face off against the Houston Texans and their new quarterback and running back duo of Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller.
This Week 2 preseason matchup will be held on Saturday, August 20th, 2016, at 8 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
New Orleans Saints +3
Houston Texans -3
Over/Under 41
Odds Analysis
There is a clear trend with preseason games in that the road teams are usually three-point underdogs, and the bettors are choosing them heavily. Since these preseason games devolve into matchups between a lot of backups, it’s impossible to tell how they will turn out. With that in mind, gamblers prefer to take the three points in case the outcome comes down to the wire, and that’s the case here with the Saints being the more common wager.
Quarterback Rotation
Saints quarterback Drew Brees attempted just one pass in the opener, completing it for a 37-yard gain. He is still one of the best signal-callers in the game, and should be able to excel when he’s in the game, especially since Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is out due to injury. Brees isn’t expected to play a bunch, but any time he is in will be a big boost for the Saints’ chances.
In the first game, New Orleans backup signal-caller Luke McCown finished 18-of-27 for 143 yards and a touchdown and an interception. Third-stringer Garrett Grayson was 10-of-16 for 133 yards and an interception.
New starting Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler made his debut in the first preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers and finished 4-of-7 for 27 yards. He is trying to develop chemistry with many of the team’s top targets, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Osweiler play more than Brees, which would be an advantage for Houston.
Tom Savage played well as the backup for the Texans last time out, completing 14-of-24 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Weeden only attempted one pass, and it makes sense for Houston to let Savage get the experience so they can see what type of player they have behind Osweiler.
Coaching History
Saints coach Sean Payton is 21-22 in his preseason career. Payton has lost five straight preseason games over the past year-plus, but also went 3-1 in the previous two years, so it is tough to take anything from his career mark.
Texans coach Bill O’Brien has a 5-4 career record in preseason contests. He has gone 2-2 in each of his first two complete preseasons, and is 1-0 so far this year after the win over the 49ers.
Free ATS Pick
The Saints are the popular pick, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Texans come away with this victory. They have the home field edge, and Osweiler could see a good deal of action as he attempts to find a groove within the offense. Houston got a nice first outing from running back Lamar Miller and he could always break a big run. Brees has gone through many preseasons and it is old hat for him. The biggest thing is for him to stay healthy so the Saints won’t push it too much. WIthout Brees for extended playing time and a still-struggling defense, New Orleans could fall to Houston in this contest in NFL gambling.
NFL Odds: Texans 24, Saints 20
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