NFL Week 8 Early Start Game of the Week: Houston Texans vs. Green Bay Packers

C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are taking the show on the road this week. They will travel to Wisconsin to take on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. The game will feature two of the best young quarterbacks in the game, Stroud and Jordan Love.

This will be just the sixth game between these teams (the Packers are 4-1) and the first featuring Stroud vs. Love.

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NFL Week 7: Houston Texans vs. Green Bay Packers

(Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook)

Details

• Opening line: Packers -2.5, o/u 48.5
• Closing line: Packers -3, o/u  48
• Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Start Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS
• Last Meeting: October 25, 2020-Green Bay Packers 35 – Houston Texans 20

Games featuring a pair of rising stars like Love and Stroud tend to draw a lot of fan interest and speculation, i.e., could this be a Super Bowl preview?

Houston probably has a more challenging road to the Big Game than the Packers. They could potentially have to face all three of the AFC’s heavyweights in the playoffs (Buffalo, Kansas City, and Baltimore). All three have excellent track records and are off to solid starts this season.

Along with the Texans, they are the top four teams on the DraftKings AFC Championship betting board. The Chiefs are favoured, followed by the Ravens, with the Texans and Bills tied for third-best odds.

Taking down a heavyweight is challenging, especially in the postseason. But by the time the playoffs arrive, fans will know just where the Texans stand concerning the Bills, Chiefs, and Ravens. Houston has already played and beaten Buffalo and will face the Chiefs and Ravens in Weeks 16 and 17.

As for the Packers, the road to Super Bowl 59 is not as treacherous. When the season began, they were tied with the Cowboys for the third-best odds of winning the NFC behind the 49ers and Eagles/Lions.

However, with how the early weeks of the season have played out, the 49ers are certainly vulnerable. The Cowboys are out of the picture, and the Eagles soon will be. But the Lions are still one of the league’s top teams. The Vikings, who the Packers lost to in Week 4, are undefeated.

Could this be a Super Bowl preview? Absolutely. But will it? We’ll have to wait a few months to find out.

Trends

• With Stroud as the starting quarterback, the Texans are 6-6 outright on the road but also 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS as road dogs.
• Under Love, the Packers have been a solid home team, going 7-4 outright and 3-2 SU and ATS when a home favourite.
• According to an industry average, 64% of moneyline tickets are for the Packers, but 63% of the handle is for the Texans’ moneyline.
• At home, the OVER is 1-1-1 for the Packers but 2-1 for Houston on the road. Bettors are going hard on the UNDER, 85% of tickets and 94% of the handle.

Bottom Line

This will be a great game featuring two excellent young quarterbacks, solid offensive play, and good defense. But the key to the game could be whoever establishes the run first and/or makes the fewest mistakes. Once they get the ground game on track and the opposing defense adjusts, throwing will become easier.

But it doesn’t matter how well an offense operates if it makes mistakes (e.g., penalties, missed assignments, turnovers, etc.).

Both defenses have performed roughly the same against the run. But the Packers have a better offensive line (advantage, Green Bay). Green Bay has a +9 turnover differential; Houston’s is 0.

Our Pick: Packers -3