Houston Texans vs. Green Bay Packers Betting Preview

Saturday night features a matchup of two teams who both had their fair share of quarterback controversies this offseason as the Houston Texans take on the Green Bay Packers. The Packers will host this one at Lambeau Field with kickoff scheduled for 8:00 pm ET.

For the Texans, DeShaun Watson started off the offseason by requesting a trade, but that notion was quickly derailed as he is under investigation for sexual assault by numerous women. With both a legal and NFL investigation still underway, Watson will likely not see the field anytime soon.

For the Packers, they found themselves in an offseason-long battle with reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, as the star quarterback also requested a trade. While no trade was made, the two sides did come to an agreement to work together this season, with a mutual parting likely happening next year.

Last Season’s Play

Last season, the Houston Texans finished third in the AFC South. With a record of 4-12, the only team they beat in the division were the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15). This team is squarely in the middle of a rebuild, and expectations should be tempered for the Texans this year.

Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers dominated the NFC North last season. With a record of 13-3, they finished five games ahead of the second-place Chicago Bears. In what could be Rodgers’ swansong in Green Bay, the expectations are high.

By The Numbers

Last season, Green Bay had the best offensive unit in the NFL. They ranked first in scoring averaging 31.5 points per game. The Texans ranked 19th, averaging 24 points per game.

On defense, it was once again the Packers with the advantage. They ranked 15th in scoring defense, allowing opponents just 23.2 points per game. The Texans ranked 27th allowing 29 points per game.

Current Game And Season Odds

For Saturday’s matchup, the Packers are the favorites playing at home. They are -160 to win while the Texans’ moneyline sits at +135. The spread features Houston +3 (-11), and the over/under for total points is 35.5.

From a divisional standpoint, the Packers are the favorites to win the NFC North again at -145. The Texans have the worst odds to win the AFC South at +2300.

In terms of winning the Super Bowl, the Packers are tied for the third-best odds to win it all at +1200. The Texans have the worst odds of winning Super Bowl LVI in the NFL at +25000.

Texans Look For Alternatives At Quarterback

While Watson is currently listed on the depth chart, it is really hard to see him ever playing for Houston again. Whether for legal reasons or a trade, his days could ultimately be numbered for the Texans.

Still, Houston has to find an alternative at quarterback and the two main names to watch are Tyrod Taylor and Davis Mills. Taylor was brought in this offseason to likely be the Week 1 starter, but Mills, who was drafted this year, could push him before the season is over.

The last time Taylor got a full season’s worth of reps was in 2017 with the Buffalo Bills, where he threw for 2,799 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for another 427 yards and four scores. For Mills, the Stanford product threw for 1,508 yards and seven touchdowns in five games.

While there are plenty of other positional battles worth noting for a rebuilding Texans’ team, Watson and the Texans have made the quarterback position the main focus for this offseason.

Packers Will Get Glimpse Of Future

When the Packers drafted Jordan Love with the 26th pick in the 2020 draft, two different storylines broke out of the selection. On the one hand, this was a major sticking point for a disgruntled Rodgers, as he wanted to see the Packers give him more help in pursuit of a title.

On the other hand, the Packers drafted their quarterback of the future, and they will likely see plenty of him on Saturday.

With an MVP ahead of him on the depth chart, Love has not gotten any regular-season reps through his one season. Still, that isn’t to say he isn’t talented. In 2019 with Utah State, he threw for 3,402 yards and 20 touchdowns.

While Aaron Jones signed a four-year deal to stay with the Packers this season as their primary running back, you probably won’t see much of him on Saturday. Instead, you could get a heavy dose of last year’s second-rounder AJ Dillon.

Last season, Dillon had just 46 carries but managed 242 yards (5.3 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns in that time. As a much more physical runner than Jones, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the second-year pro utilized a bit more this season.

Take The Packers To Win And Cover

Preseason is always tough to gauge, especially early on when regulars may get limited reps. Still, there is a big difference between these two teams, in both their starters and in their depth.

Expect Green Bay to come out strong at home and to not only win this one but to cover the 3-point spread as well.