Through 2 Quarters
The experts predicted a win for the Carolina Panthers, but it’s no sure thing at this point. At halftime neither squad has the contest in the bag, but Carolina leads 7-6 over the Houston Texans.
The Panthers have enjoyed the tag-team combination of QB Sam Darnold and WR D.J. Moore. The former has accumulated 158 passing yards in addition to punching in one rushing touchdown, while the latter has caught six passes for 100 yards. Darnold has been efficient, with a passer rating of 131.40.
No one has had a standout game offensively for Houston, but they have gotten one touchdown from QB Davis Mills. Mills has been efficient, with a passer rating of 159.80.
Who’s Playing
Carolina @ Houston
Current Records: Carolina 2-0; Houston 1-1
What to Know
After a two-game homestand, the Carolina Panthers will be on the road. They will take on the Houston Texans at 8:20 p.m. ET Thursday at NRG Stadium. The Panthers should still be riding high after a victory, while Houston will be looking to get back in the win column.
This past Sunday, Carolina turned the game against the New Orleans Saints into a track meet and took the gold after outgaining them 383 yards to 128. Carolina strolled past New Orleans with points to spare, taking the matchup 26-7. The team ran away with 17 points in the first half and mostly just sat on those in the second to pick up the win. No one had a standout game offensively for Carolina, but they got scores from WR D.J. Moore, RB Christian McCaffrey, and WR Brandon Zylstra. QB Sam Darnold ended up with a passer rating of 147.90.
Meanwhile, it was all tied up 14-14 at halftime, but the Texans were not quite the Cleveland Browns’ equal in the second half when they met this past Sunday. Houston fell to the Browns 31-21. One thing working slightly against Houston was the run-of-the-mill game of their most targeted running back, RB Mark Ingram, who rushed for 41 yards on 14 carries.
The Panthers are the favorite in this one, with an expected 8-point margin of victory. Those interested in the spread don’t face an easy decision since they are 2-0 ATS and Houston 2-0.
Houston’s defeat took them down to 1-1 while Carolina’s win pulled them up to 2-0. A win for Houston would reverse both their bad luck and Carolina’s good luck. We’ll see if Houston manages to pull off that tough task or if Carolina keeps their momentum going instead.
How To Watch
- When: Thursday at 8:20 p.m. ET
- Where: NRG Stadium — Houston, Texas
- TV: NFL Network
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $19.00
Odds
The Panthers are a big 8-point favorite against the Texans, according to the latest NFL odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Panthers as a 7-point favorite.
Over/Under: -111
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Series History
Carolina have won both of the games they’ve played against Houston in the last seven years.
- Sep 29, 2019 – Carolina 16 vs. Houston 10
- Sep 20, 2015 – Carolina 24 vs. Houston 17
