Eagles-Texans Betting Preview: Will It Lead Them To A Reliable (8-0) Victory?
The Eagles are the league’s only undefeated team after winning 35-13 over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week eight, covering the 11-point spread. QB Jalen Hurts had 285 passing yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions.
Two teams trending in opposite directions will clash on Thursday Night Football when the Philadelphia Eagles meet the Houston Texans in an interconference matchup at NRG Stadium. The Eagles (7-0) are off to their hottest start since 2004 after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 35-13 on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Texans (1-5-1) have dropped two in a row and five of their last six games. Philadelphia and Houston have met just five times in the past, with the Eagles winning all five, including a 31-21 matchup the last time the teams played in Houston.
Odds
USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a complete list. Lines last updated at 9 a.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Eagles -800 (bet $800 to win $100) | Texans +560 (bet $100 to win $560)
Against the spread (ATS): Eagles -13.5 (-115) | Texans +13.5 (-105)
Over/Under (O/U): 46 (O: -108 | U: -112)
Key Injuries
Philadelphia
DL Jordan Davis (ankle) out
CB Josiah Scott (ankle) out
Houston
DL Maliek Collins (chest) out
WR Nico Collins (groin) out
WR Brandin Cooks (wrist/personal) is questionable
LB Christian Harris (thigh) is questionable
CB Desmond King (knee) is questionable
OL Justin McCray (concussion) out
Moneyline
Philly has scored 24 or more in six of their seven games this season, while the Texans have scored more than 20 points only once this season, although they have scored exactly 20 points three times.
The Texans have gained fewer than 300 yards of offense in half of their games this season and haven’t won at home.
The Eagles (-800) should win, but the moneyline isn’t worth any action due to a lack of value.
Against The Spread
Eagles -13.5 (-110) feels like a lot to lay down, especially since the Texans have only lost by that much only once this season.
Facing a similarly bad team offensively in the Steelers last week, the Eagles rolled to a 22-point win. They are 1-2 ATS on the road this season, yet their offense should overwhelm the Texans, who will not have a chance to keep up.
Over/Under
The Eagles have allowed 17 or fewer points in five of their last six games.
The Texans have scored more than 20 only once this season.
Philly’s offense is predicated upon the run game, so once it gets a lead, it will be able to slow the game down. That might keep their points down below where they could reach if the game were more competitive.
Prediction
Eagles 28, Texans 17
Why The Eagles Can Cover
Tight end Dallas Goedert is a key component of Philadelphia’s offense. He has 32 receptions for 421 yards (13.2 average), one touchdown, and seven explosive plays of 20 or more yards. He has also converted 22 first downs. Goedert’s best game was at Arizona on October 9th, when he caught eight passes for 95 yards (11.9 average). He had six receptions for 64 yards (10.7 average) in last Sunday’s win over the Steelers.
Defensively, linebacker T.J. Edwards has set the tone. He leads the team with 68 tackles, including 45 solo, with two sacks and four tackles for loss. He has broken up five passes. The fourth-year veteran has had double-digit tackle numbers the past two games, including 14 against Dallas on Oct. 16th and 13 versus Pittsburgh. He also had two pass breakups against the Steelers. See which team to pick here.
Why The Texans Can Cover
Rookie running back Dameon Pierce continues to be a problem for opposing defenses because of his versatility. He is Houston’s top rusher with 539 yards on 121 carries (4.5 average) and three touchdowns. He also has four plays of 20 yards or more, including one of 75 yards, and 32 first-down conversions. Pierce has caught 20 balls for 98 yards (4.9 average) in the passing game and one TD. He had a season-best 131 yards rushing and one score against the Los Angeles Chargers on October 2nd.
Defensive end Jerry Hughes continues to be a force on defense for the Texans. He has a team-high five sacks for 36 yards and five tackles for loss. He has 14 tackles, including nine solos, one forced fumble, one pass breakup, and one interception for 14 yards. He has registered a pair of sacks in two games, including on September 11th in the tie with the Indianapolis Colts and on September 25th in a 23-20 loss to the Bears at Chicago.
As to who will win Thursday Night’s week nine interconference matchup when the Philadelphia Eagles meet the Houston Texans? Using the history between these two divisional rivals is a solid indicator of what’s to take place. Although I’m not one to gamble, even I would confidently place a bet that the Eagles will turn their 20-year history against the Texans, of 6-0-0, solidly into 7-0-0! And that’s…”The Lex Of It”