Texans at Raiders: Game preview, odds, prediction

The Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders will meet up in a Monday Night Football matchup of potential AFC playoff teams in Mexico City, Mexico.

The NFL will take its show on the road on Monday night, as the Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders will do battle in Mexico City, Mexico. In a game that features two teams who could be headed to the playoffs, Oakland will be looking to continue their winning ways against a Texans team that is currently in first place in the AFC South. The game will feature one of the league’s finest young quarterbacks, who should be able to put on a show.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has gone from a good young quarterback, to one of the elite over the past two seasons. In 2016, he has led his Raiders to a 7-2 record through ten weeks, which is their best record in almost 15 years. The Raiders have not been to the playoffs since 2002, but that will likely change this season.

Over in Houston, the Texans spent a ton of money to bring quarterback Brock Osweiler into the fold this past offseason. Osweiler, who showed flashes of brilliance in his seven starts for the Denver Broncos last season, has struggled mightily as the main man in Houston this season. The Texans have won despite his poor play, but will need him to step up against a Raiders team that is far superior on both sides of the ball.

Odds

Line: Oakland (-6)

Over/Under: 45

The game will be played at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and will feature the highest winning percentage among the two teams of any international game this season. The fans should be in for a good one, as both teams have the ability to put points on the board. The Raiders secondary has been the most inconsistent unit on the team this season, and if Osweiler can get it going, this one could be closer than the six point spread.

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Oakland is probably going to win this one, and it could be by a couple of scores. They have a blitz-happy defense that will cause Osweiler fits, so expect Khalil Mack to rack up a sack or two against Houston on Monday night. Houston will need running back Lamar Miller to get it going early so they can keep the Raiders high-octane offense off of the field. If they cannot run the ball, it could be a long day for Texans fans.

Prediction: Raiders 31 Texans 20