The Raiders, meanwhile, were dominated by the Jets in New York in their season opener, but rewarded bettors with a back-door cover in a 19-14 defeat (they were +6.5 at kickoff).
The Line: Houston -3 (even), Total: 40
Line movements: This game has hovered between Houston -2.5 and -3 with decreased juice since opening. The total opened 39 at a few shops, but has mostly bounced between 39.5 and 40. For updated Vegas lines, see our live odds page.
Trends that matter: Houston is 5-13 ATS in its last 18 games. The total has stayed UNDER in four of Houston’s last five games and in five of Houston’s last seven away games.
Oakland is 1-4 ATS in its last five games and 0-5 SU in its last five games. The total has stayed UNDER in nine of Oakland’s last 12 games at home.
The Texans debut of Bill O’Brien, formerly of Penn State, was boosted by rookie running back Alfred Blue blocking a Washington punt and returning it five yards for a touchdown to give Houston a 14-6 lead in the second quarter. Defensive end J.J. Watt, fresh off signing a six-year, $100 million contract extension, registered five hits on Robert Griffin III, a blocked extra point, a recovered fumble, and a batted down pass that prevented the Redskins from rallying in the fourth quarter. Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick went 14 of 22 for 206 yards and one touchdown. In addition, Fitzpatrick had four carries for 10 yards and escaped throwing an interception for the first time in six games.
Rookie report: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, went down in the second quarter and was removed from the game after suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee. Clowney underwent surgery on Monday morning and will likely miss up to six weeks.
Meanwhile, Oakland’s rookie quarterback Derek Carr has won the starting spot over 11-year veteran Matt Schaub, who misses the chance to start against his former team. Carr went 20 of 32 for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to the Jets.
Injuries: Visit here for NFL Week 2 injury updates.
Weather: Weather will be warm, around 81 degrees, with partly cloudy skies. See wunderground.com for the latest forecast.
More betting info: Texans-Raiders matchup analysis | Power Ratings
The Linemakers’ lean: This is one ugly game, and the results will give us something to chew on for each of these team’s next outings. We don‘t have a pick on a side here, but because of suspect offenses and two decent defenses, we have a small offering on the total with the game staying UNDER 40.
