3. Bet the over (50.5) when Houston travels to New England
Tom Brady and Deshaun Watson don’t have a ton in common when it comes to their style of play. They are, however, two of the most explosive quarterbacks to watch in the league. Putting them on the same field in the opener could lead to fireworks in Foxborough.
The Patriots are six point favorites in this one, but that’s not the bet you should jump on. Instead, back the over. 50.5 is a big number in terms of points, but these offenses have the ability to score in bunches. Picking who will win this game is tricky, determining how the game will flow is relatively simple.
The Texans come into this game hoping they have the old J.J. Watt back. No one should assume that’s the case until he actually proves it during a regular season game. He’ll likely show flashes of Pro Bowl play against the Patriots, but he’s not going to dominate the game. That means Brady will have ample time to pick this Texans secondary apart from the pocket.
In contrast, Watson will do a lot of his work out on the edge. The coaching staff doesn’t want him to take a bunch of hits this season, but they can’t make him a stationary target for defenses. Look for him to rack up yard and points on the ground against the Pats defense. Profit from the fireworks in what should be one of the most fun games of the week.