Washington Redskins vs Houston Texans preview, predictions, betting odds, live stream info
By Phil Watson
Washington Redskins vs. Houston Texans
The Washington Redskins and Houston Texans are coming off disappointing 2013 seasons, but hope to be on the road to recovery at NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday.
Both teams went from being division winners in 2012 to being near the bottom of the NFL in 2013 and each team comes into this season with a new coach.
Washington’s collapsed from 10-6 and the NFC East title to 3-13 last season, closing the year with Robert Griffin III on the bench and eight straight losses. Houston fell even further, from 12-4 and a championship in the AFC South to 2-14, the worst record in the league, and 14 consecutive losses to close the year.
Jay Gruden is now the coach in Washington, while Bill O’Brien is the guy in the big headset in Houston.
Details for Sunday’s game are below:
Date: Sunday, Sept. 7
Start Time: 1 p.m. Eastern
Location: Houston
Stadium: NRG Stadium
TV Info: FOX (Thom Brennaman, David Diehl, Laura Okmin)
Live Stream: DirectTV
Radio: Sirius XM Radio
Ticket information: For Texans ticket info click here. For Redskins ticket info click here.
Keys to Victory
Something has to give—both teams come in on lengthy losing skids and will be looking to get the new season off on the right foot. For Washington, the biggest question is Griffin—is he healthy and back to where he was as a rookie in 2012?
In 13 starts last season, Griffin completed 60.1 percent of his throws for 3,203 yards and 16 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions and ran for 489 yards and no touchdowns. Those were huge drops from his 2012 campaign, when he threw for 20 touchdowns with just five picks and ran for 815 yards and seven scores.
Griffin didn’t have a great preseason, but he didn’t have much of one—13-for-20, 141 yards, two interceptions, two fumbles. But more than anything, The Redskins need to get better defensively—they were 30th in the NFL, allowing 478 points last season and allowed opposing quarterbacks to ring up a 96.1 passer rating.
The Texans have a new face at quarterback this year in Ryan Fitzpatrick, who started nine games last season for the Tennessee Titans. But what the Texans are hoping for more than anything is a return to form and health for running back Arian Foster, who had 542 yards in eight games last season.
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Texans -3
Moneyline: Redskins 130, Texans -150
O/U: 45 at -110 over and under
Prediction
The Texans have a new attitude under Bill O’Brien, who worked wonders keeping Penn State afloat after Armageddon struck that longtime national collegiate power. O’Brien has NFL experience—he was at the controls as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots when they reached the Super Bowl in 2011 and they have an adequate game manager in Fitzpatrick, who could look great against Washington’s suspect pass defense.
Griffin comes to Houston with a lot of the luster knocked off—there were controversies about his relationship with owner Daniel Snyder, about whether or not he is liked in the locker room and an alarming tendency to be alertly tuned in to outside noise such as what is being said about him on social media.
Alfred Morris in the backfield is a big help for the Redskins. But their defense does not have J.J. Watt. Houston’s does.
And that might be enough.
Final Score: Texans 23, Redskins 21