The 1-1 Texans host the 2-0 Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football this week. The Texans had a road loss last weekend, losing 31-21 to the Cleveland Browns while the Panthers made it look easy beating the Saints at home, 26-7. This game will be the Panthers first road game. It's early in the season, but the Panthers so far have good stats in some defensive categories. Panther QB Sam Darnold seems to have adjusted well to his new team. The Texans will need to figure out a way to stop RB Christian McCaffrey.
The Texans will start rookie QB David Mills so it could be either magic or tragic....
The Panthers were 3½ pt favorites early but the injury to Texan QB Tyrod Taylor made the line shoot up to 7½ to 9. If the Texan defense can keep on forcing some turnovers, I'll take a chance on the rookie holding his own so gimme those points:
Panthers 28, Texans 26
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TV = NFLN, Thursday, 7:20pm, 9/23/2021
Announcers = Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Kristina Pink
The line = Panthers by 7½ to 9
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Sunday viewing in the Houston area:
CBS (early) = LA Chargers @ Kansas City, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo
FOX (early) = New Orleans @ New England, Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth
FOX (late) = Tampa Bay @ LA Rams, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
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Other prime time:
SNF = Green Bay @ San Francisco (NBC)
MNF = Philadelphia @ Dallas (ESPN)