Texans vs. Rams Point Spread: NFL Pre-Season Week 2 Odds, Prediction
We’re headed to SoFi Stadium in Week 2 of the NFL preseason as the L.A. Rams prepare to host the Houston Texans on Friday night. The defending Super Bowl champion Rams kicked their preseason off last week with a 29-22 win over SoFi Stadium’s other NFL tenant, the rival Chargers. The Texans also started with a bang, downing the Saints 17-13 at home in Week 1 of the preseason.
Houston is an early 3.5-point favourite to win on the NFL odds, with a total of 38.5.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
While it seems crazy that the Texans would be favoured over the Rams, keep in mind that Super Bowl contenders like L.A. generally don’t play their starters in the preseason to keep the team healthy. Teams that are expected to struggle, like Houston, usually use the preseason to work on new systems and to finalize lineups, so you’ll see more of their starters on the field.
These teams met in Week 8 of the regular season last year. L.A. won that battle 38-22 on the road. The last time they faced off in the preseason was 2019. That game was also played in Houston, with the Rams winning 22-10.
With last week’s win, Rams head coach Sean McVay improved his preseason record to 7-9 in his career. Houston’s Lovie Smith is 25-24 in his preseason head coaching career.
Houston Texans
Second-year quarterback Davis Mills is slated to be Houston’s No. 1 option this season and saw limited action in Week 1 of the preseason. Mills was 3 for 3 passing for 14 yards in two drives, although he failed to get a first down. Jeff Driskel handled the majority of the snaps, going 16 for 26 passing for 165 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. Jalen Camp led the receivers with 53 yards and a touchdown, while rookie Johnny Johnson III added 25 yards and a touchdown.
A bright spot for Houston last week was the play of rookie fourth-round pick Dameon Price, who carried the ball five times for 49 yards. Marlon Mack is expected to be the starting running back this season, but with the Texans looking to improve their run-game, Price should get the ball a lot in the preseason as the team grooms him to be the backup. Another rookie, second-round safety Jalen Pitre, also had a solid debut with four tackles, including one for a loss.
Rookie cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., the third overall pick, and rookie left guard Kenyon Green, the 15th pick, both missed last week’s game with injuries. Stingley (foot) is expected to play in the preseason, but it likely won’t be until next week. Green (knee) is more likely to play this week.
Los Angeles Rams
Third-string quarterback Bryce Perkins handled all the snaps last week, completing 10 of 17 pass attempts for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Starter Matthew Stafford and presumed backup John Wolford both did not dress for the game. Perkins was also L.A.’s leading rusher in the game, finishing with 39 yards and a touchdown. A.J. Rose also ran in a score. Lance McCutcheon was the top target in the air, finishing with 87 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
McVay announced on Wednesday that Wolford will get the start on Friday and Perkins will finish the game. It’s an interesting move considering the Rams have relied solely on Perkins at quarterback for every preseason game since 2019. It’s unclear if defensive tackle Bobby Brown III will play Friday. Brown looked good last week, but was helped off the field in the fourth quarter after he couldn’t put any weight on his right ankle. Brown, who had a sack in the second quarter, is suspended for the first six games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s PED policy, although he’s eligible to play in the preseason.
HOU
LAR