Jameis Winston’s second outing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a much improved effort from his Week 1 dud. But he takes on arguably the best defensive player in the league on the road in Houston’s J.J. Watt. Can Winston pass the big test ahead of him? Or will Watt give Winston one hell of a ride in NRG Stadium? Read on as we take a look at this week’s Buccaneers vs. Texans matchup.
Don’t miss out on the thrilling primetime games. Check out Thursday Night Football’s Redskins vs. Giants and Sunday night’s Broncos vs. Lions.
[sc:Football ]Tampa Bay Buccaneeers vs. Houston Texans Preview
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
When: Sunday, September 27, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6.5) at Houston Texans (-6.5); total: 40.5 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jameis Winston wasn’t spectacular, but his solid effort was more than enough to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 26-19 win against New Orleans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Winston made 14 of 21 passes for 207 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also rushed for a touchdown.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The rookie quarterback must be thankful for an impressive performance from his receiving corps. Wide receiver Louis Murphy caught three of four targets for 82 yards, including a long 54-yarder. Meanwhile, Vincent Jackson caught three passes for 54 yards and the lone receiving score.
Tampa Bay could use more of a rushing offense to fall back to. Running back Doug Martin had 78 yards, albeit on just 3.7 yards per carry, and that he also lost a fumble. Charles Sims, his backup, had 38 yards on eight carries.
The Buccaneers defense looked stellar in a hostile environment at New Orleans. They sacked the Saints’ Drew Brees four times, with defensive end Jacquies Smith leading the way with his three sacks and forced two fumbles. Tampa Bay’s defensive line should be able to win the battle in the trenches, especially facing Houston’s porous offensive line. The Texans have allowed six sacks through the first two games of the season.
The total has gone under in four of Tampa Bay’s last five games on the road.
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Betting on the Houston Texans
Ryan Mallett has just made his first start of the season as the Houston Texans’ signal caller, and he was a marked improvement from last week’s starter in Brian Hoyer. Mallett passed for 244 yards and a touchdown and added a six-yard scoring run in a 24-17 loss at Carolina.
Mallett was far from solid, though. He struggled with his completions, making 27 of 58 passes while throwing one interception. None too costly than his pass on fourth-and-16 from the Carolina 20, which sailed out of the end zone in the closing seconds with a chance to tie the game.
Getting the pressure off Mallett will be very difficult if Houston’s rushing offense remains close to non-existent in Week 3. Chris Polk got the lion’s share of the touches against the Panthers, rushing for 38 yards on 14 attempts for a measly 2.7 yards per carry. The Texans could use a boost in the backfield should Arian Foster return to the lineup as early as this matchup.
Foster led the Texans with 1,246 yards and eight touchdowns last season, but has sat out the first two games due to offseason groin surgery. His status remains unclear until the Texans return to practice this coming week.
The Texans could still be a devastating force on the other side of the ball. Pro Bowl defensive end J.J. Watt was up to his usual self with five tackles, one sack, two quarterback hurries and two tipped passes in Week 2. He now has three sacks after registering two in Week 1. Watt is a nightmare for any quarterback in the league, especially against a rookie in Tampa Bay’s Winston.
Houston has won three of its last four on the road, but is just 2-2 ATS.
Writer’s Prediction
Mallett exploits Tampa Bay’s questionable secondary as he leads the Texans (-6.5) to a big win and cover.
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