Texans vs. Rams Preseason Week 2 NFL Picks: Can Bryce Perkins Impress Again?
The Houston Texans are one of the worst teams in football but find themselves as road favorites against the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Check out our Texans-Rams picks.
Both the Texans and Rams enter Week 2 of the NFL preseason at 1-0 after victories. In their win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Rams turned to Bryce Perkins, who went 10 for 17 for 133 yards and two touchdowns while adding one score on the ground. He was the only quarterback to play for L.A., and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the same happen again this week.
Meanwhile, the Texans relied heavily on Jeff Driskel, who threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns but was also picked off three times. Driskel likely won’t see as much action this week with Kyle Allen back after testing positive for COVID-19 ahead of Week 1. This should create a more favorable offense for the Texans.
Here are my picks and predictions for Friday’s Week 2 preseason matchup between the Texans and Rams (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook).
Texans vs. Rams Game Info
Date: Friday,
Aug. 19, 10:00 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood,
CA
Weather: 67 degrees, 6% chance of
precipitation, 14-mph winds
Texans vs. Rams Odds Analysis
The movement for this game has been off the charts. The Texans opened as 2.5-point underdogs but are now favored by a field goal.
In addition, the total opened at 35.5 and has since risen to 38.5. According to Pregame, 71% of tickets but only 53% of the cash has come in on the Over. Such a trend typically indicates larger bets are being placed on the Under, which is good news for anyone who thinks this number is too high.
Texans vs. Rams Picks
Texans vs. Rams ML Pick
Rams (+140)
This spread is tricky for a few reasons. For the Texans, Allen is an unknown following his stint with COVID-19, but he does have experience starting in the NFL, and that should make him valuable under center this week. On the other side of the field, the Rams have Perkins. Is he really going to continue to do what he did last week, or will he come back down to earth?
The Rams proved in Week 1 against the Chargers that they don’t need their best players to still put points on the board. Perkins is playing for a roster spot, so even if Week 1 was a fluke, he will give it all he has.
The Texans barely escaped Week 1 with a victory but will likely be better this week with a more experienced QB. However, they’re also playing a better team.
One could go with the Rams against the spread and feel good about the team covering the field goal. However, the Moneyline seems like the best play at the moment because the Rams are the better side no matter who they put on the field.
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Texans vs. Rams O/U Pick
Under 38.5 (-110)
Many bettors got burned last week on the Rams-Chargers Under. It was an incredibly popular pick despite how low the number got. With the Rams nearly clearing the Over themselves, it’s no surprise that the number shot up this week.
However, this seems like a huge overcorrection. Perkins may still score three touchdowns himself, but it seems far less likely now that Houston knows what’s coming.
In their first game, the Texans managed just 17 points while giving up 13. Driskel throwing three interceptions certainly helped keep the game low-scoring, but Houston also turned a lot of heads with its running game. Dameon Pierce averaged 9.8 yards per carry in Week 1, and we could see more of him in this second contest.
Between Perkins electing to not throw the ball away, and the Texans looking to put pieces together in the running game, this feels like a game destined to go Under.
Where to Bet on Texans vs. Rams
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Texans vs. Rams picks made 8/16/2022 at 2:41 a.m. ET
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