NFL Odds: Texans Hope C.J. Stroud Kicks Start New Era
Houston could surprise folks
Tune in to the “Ultimate Betting Show” on NESN or NESN360 on (Wednesday) at (5:30 p.m. ET) for NFL training camp previews. Next up: the Houston Texans
The Texans have been rebuilding for the past three seasons, and they hope this season can be the foundation for a new era of success.
Houston’s falling out with Deshaun Watson led it to reboot the franchise and wait for a new quarterback. C.J. Stroud potentially could be that player. The No. 2 pick of the 2023 NFL Draft was a controversial prospect with rumors he would fall in the draft and outlandish takes on the Ohio State product.
The Texans are a young team with potential, and the hope is Stroud and rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans can get the franchise back on track to when it consistently was in the postseason conversation.
2022 in review
3-13-3, last in AFC South
8-8-1 against the spread
8-8-1 over/under
Key offseason additions
Head coach DeMeco Ryans
QB C.J. Stroud (draft)
RB Devin Singletary
WR Robert Woods
TE Dalton Schultz
G Shaq Mason
EDGE Will Anderson Jr. (draft)
CB Shaquill Griffin
S Jimmie Ward
Key offseason losses
WR Brandin Cooks
Look ahead to 2023 (via FanDuel Sportsbook)
Super Bowl: +18000
Conference: +8500
Division: +1000
Win total: 6.5 (over +116)
To make playoffs: Yes +520 | No -800
2023 outlook
The market expects Houston to be bad, but there’s a bull case for them to surprise. The Indianapolis Colts are a mess with the Jonathan Taylor situation. The Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars will compete but neither presents a challenging threat in the AFC.
If Ryans proves to be an incredible defensive mind and if Stroud gets things going on offense, the Texans could be a fun team to watch. Last season, they played tight games with the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys, and there’s very little reason to suspect they won’t do so again.
While a Super Bowl or conference title would be ambitious, getting the points with the Texans could be a fun bet every week as you watch Dameon Pierce on the ground or Stroud slinging it to Nico Collins and Schultz.
