Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans NFL Sports Betting Guide
The Jacksonville Jaguars plummeted to the bottom tier of the NFL last year, a very disappointing development after the Jags had reached the AFC Championship Game the season before. After losing starting quarterback Nick Foles in their opener as well as the game, many expect the Jaguars to remain in the basement.
Meanwhile, the Houston Texans are coming off a stinging loss to the New Orleans Saints where they failed to hold a last-second lead. Quarterback Deshaun Watson played like an MVP but also got banged up, so how healthy is he? If he’s fine, the expectation is that the Texans should roll.
Sign up now at PointsBet and a $100 bonus when you bet $50 >>
Details
- Opening Line: Texans -9.5
- Current Line: Texans -9 at PointsBet
- O/U: 43.5
- Location: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
- Start Time: 1:00 pm ET
- Last Meeting: December 30, 2018 – Houston defeated Jacksonville 20-3 at NRG Stadium
View consensus picks from 100+ experts for the Jaguars at Texans >>
Overview
The Jaguars were no match for the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1. The Jags’ defense was ripped apart by Patrick Mahomes and the other elite skill position players on the Chiefs’ roster. Mahomes had 300 passing yards in the first half alone. The Jags also lost starting quarterback Nick Foles to an injury and will now be led by rookie signal-caller Gardner Minshew, who played well in a relief performance in Week 1. He was 22-of-25 for 275 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. However, he will now have to handle the pressure of leading the team for at least half of the season. The Jaguars were decisively outplayed in the first half by the Chiefs, so their goal this week is to create a relatively competitive game into the fourth quarter, giving themselves a chance to steal the game in the final minutes of regulation.
The Houston Texans entered this season hoping they had found answers in their secondary and along their offensive line. The Texans have a franchise quarterback, Deshaun Watson, but need to give him help and support. In Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints, Watson did all he could, but his teammates weren’t able to help him win the game. Watson got hit several times while taking six sacks. He took a pounding and endured the physical punishment which will not lead to a fully healthy season. Despite being pressured, Watson led his team on a go-ahead touchdown drive in the final minute of the game. He gave Houston a 28-27 lead. The defense just had to hang on for half a minute.
It could not.
The Saints kicked a 58-yard field goal and stunned the Texans, 30-28. The Texans have to be able to rally and show improvement at various positions on their roster. They cut cornerback Aaron Colvin after the loss, a clear sign they were very upset with the level of play in their secondary. The question is will they be better here. They really looked like they missed Jadeveon Clowney in Week 1 – especially in the second half. It’s possible this defense just isn’t very good anymore.
Trends
- The Jaguars are just 7-16 ATS in their last 23 September regular-season games.
- Jacksonville is 2-5-1 ATS in its last eight games following an ATS loss.
- The Jaguars are 2-6-2 in their last 10 against the AFC.
- The Texans are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games following a straight-up loss.
- Houston is 3-0-1 ATS in its last four games against opponents with a losing record.
- The Texans are 6-2-1 ATS in their last nine games versus the AFC.
Bottom Line
Gardner Minshew might be a good quarterback, but he faces a steep learning curve, and will have a hard time being the announced starter, which is different from coming in to replace an injured player. The Texans face a must-win situation here. They should be able to play with the urgency needed to not only win, but win big.
Sign up now at PointsBet and get up to $1,000 back on your first two bets! >>
Dave Golokhov is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Dave, check out his archive and follow him @davegolokhov.