Barry Recks
The Houston Texans and the New England Patriots collide in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL preseason. Which side are you leaning to bet on? Will it be the intriguing Texans who have a shiny new quarterback? Or will it be the home team, the Patriots?
Read on for more about this Texans vs Patriots matchup in the 2023 NFL preseason game, including our predictions, picks, and latest odds to win this showdown, as brought to you by JefeBet. Also, don’t forget to check out other NFL content to help you make the best betting decisions.
Predictions, Odds, and Betting Preview for the Houston Texans vs New England Patriots NFL Preseason Week 1 Game on August 10, 2023
- Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
- When: Thursday, August 10, 2023, 7:00 PM ET
- Where to Watch: NFLN
- Spread: Houston Texans (PK) vs New England Patriots (PK)
- Over/Under: 38.5
All odds are provided by DraftKings.
Betting on the Houston Texans (PK)
Preseason record: 0-0
Perhaps there’s not a single story about the Texans heading into the preseason bigger than rookie quarterback CJ Stroud. The former Ohio State Buckeyes star is expected to be the future of the Houston franchise and Texans fans are all excited to watch him in action against the Patriots this coming Thursday.
Before he arrived in Houston, Stroud passed for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns against only 12 interceptions in four years in college. The Texans needed a big talent in the last draft to address a huge need on defense and they got that in Stroud, who is looking to improve Houston’s attack that averaged just 17 points per game last season. There are other notable additions to Houston this offseason like tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Devin Singletary, but they might not see action at all versus the Pats. In any case, the Texans have a great 5-1 record against the spread in their last six preseason games.
Betting on the New England Patriots (PK)
Preseason record: 0-0
The Patriots missed the playoffs last season with a sub-500 8-9 record. But at least they did not finish the 2022 NFL regular season with a negative differential, ending up with a plus-17 instead. For what it’s worth, that was better than what the likes of the Minnesota Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks had even though both those teams made the postseason.
New England still has Mac Jones as the starting quarterback, but Bailey Zappe and Trace McSorley likely would share the load under center in Week 1 of the preseason. Zappe had his moments in 2022. It can be remembered that he went 24/34 for 309 passing yards and two touchdowns in a 38-15 road win against the Cleveland Browns. The Patriots’ defense will look to put Stroud to the test right away, and one of that group’s most notable weapons is rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez, whom New England picked in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft to add to its stop unit that was fifth last year in defensive interception rate (3.19%).
The Patriots enter Thursday’s game with a 7-3 record against the spread in their last 10 preseason contests, dating back to 2019.
El Jefe’s Prediction on Houston Texans vs New England Patriots
The Texans are raring to show they’re a different team now. Even though most — if not all — starters are going to play for both sides, Houston can be expected to show some coherence on the field. Taking the Texans to at least cover the spread.
Prediction:
The Texans win, 24-21.
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