We're back and ready to bring you another Week 8 NFL prediction and pick as we head over to Charlotte, NC to see the top-2 drafted quarterbacks duel it out. The Houston Texans (3-3) will take on the Carolina Panthers (0-6) as both teams look to improve their standings. Check out our NFL odds series for our Texans-Panthers prediction and pick.
The Houston Texans are coming off a win last week over the New Orleans Saints that saw their defense stand tall on the final few drives of the game. Rookie quarterback CJ Stroud finally threw his first interception of the season, but he tallied two touchdown passes as their offense continued to roll on. CJ Stroud will be intent on showing the Panthers why they made a huge mistake in passing him up as the #1 pick.
The Carolina Panthers are still winless and most recently dropped their last game to the Miami Dolphins. The Panthers were actually able to jump out to a quick 14-0 lead in that game, but quickly saw their chances evaporate once the Dolphins' offense got going. They've now lost five of their six games by more than a touchdown and will need this win desperately at home.
Here are the Texans-Panthers NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Texans-Panthers Odds
Houston Texans: -3.5 (-102)
Carolina Panthers: +3.5 (-120)
Over: 43.5 (-110)
Under: 43.5 (-110)
How to Watch Texans vs. Panthers Week 8
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET/ 11:00 a.m. PT
TV: FOX
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial), NFL Sunday Ticket if out-of-market
Why The Texans Could Cover The Spread
The Texans offense is surprising a lot of people this year and CJ Stroud is proving to be the best rookie in this quarterback class. He's been sensational in not turning the ball over and his ability to limit mistakes is very impressive considering how much they lean on him to throw the ball. While many thought he'd resort to using his legs this season, Stroud has been able to already establish himself as a dangerous pocket passer and can do a ton of damage downfield if his receivers can get open. Look for Stroud to continue building on his chemistry with Nico Collins downfield and look for Dalton Schultz to get in the endzone for the third week in a row.
To win this game, the Texans will have to execute their usual game plan on offense and hope that their defense can come up with some turnovers. Their defense has played very well all-around this year and they'll have a very opportunistic matchup in facing the mistake-prone Bryce Young. Expect the Texans' defense to come up with big stops as the Texans are likely to lead this game in time of possession. On the offensive side, look for both Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary to get involved in the running game as a two-headed attack.
Why The Panthers Could Cover The Spread
Not much has been going right for the Panthers this season, but they saw a great spark in offensive production at the start of their game against the Dolphins last week. Veteran receiver Adam Thielen is having a career resurgence after a few down years and he's become their go-to guy on offense. Not much else is going well for the Panthers as the addition of running back Miles Sanders hasn't panned out how they had hoped. Sanders continues to deal with nagging injuries and neither him nor Chuba Hubbard have been able to provide them with consistent running output. Expect Bryce Young to have to throw the ball as the Texans could stifle their running game once again.
To win this game, Bryce Young will have to limit his mistakes and play with confidence at home. While he was the number one pick in the draft, it's been a steep learning curve and his lack of a solid offensive line hasn't made learning on the job much easier. Expect him to continue struggling at points, but we've seen him have success when the connection with Adam Thielen is working out. Expect Young to once again look for Thielen as his safety valve while the Panthers try to put points on the board and keep this game manageable.
Final Texans-Panthers Prediction & Pick
This will be the first time we see the top two draft picks square off against each other and we're giving CJ Stroud the edge in this matchup. He's been the much better passer and is easily the best quarterback out of this rookie class so far. Until Bryce Young and the Panthers can find consistent ways the move the ball, they'll struggle to hang in with teams that can move down the field in a hurry. Expect the Texans to air the ball out and CJ Stroud to have a great performance on the road. I don't expect this game to be very close – let's take the Houston Texans to cover as they creep over .500 here.
Final Texans-Panthers Prediction & Pick: Houston Texans -3.5 (-102)
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