Texans vs. Steelers Prediction & Odds: NFL Preseason Week 1 Preview
We could be in store for the first NFL preseason action for quarterback C.J. Stroud and receiver Stefon Diggs on Friday at 7 p.m. ET, when the Houston Texans travel to face the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
The Texans are favored by 2.5 points to beat the Steelers across our best sports betting sites, which also have Houston priced among the favorites by the Super Bowl odds. The key players fueling that belief from oddsmakers are also the reason we're targeting the favorites early in our Texans vs. Steelers prediction.
Target Texans starters early vs. Steelers
Odds via our best NFL betting sites; NFL picks confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.
Prediction: Texans 1Q moneyline (-125) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
As we broke down in our NFL preseason betting guide, one of the best ways to profit in the preseason is to stay informed on how teams plan to use their starters. Another is to pick your spots accordingly.
We're doing both with this first-quarter bet on the Texans, who plan to play their starters after shelving their first-team unit in last week's Hall of Fame Game against the Bears.
This time around, head coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters that "you'll see our ones go out and gets reps" against the Steelers, who have already indicated that they'll sit most (if not all) of their veteran starters in their preseason opener.
First look at Stroud, Diggs
If all goes according to plan, Friday will offer the first glimpse at the new QB-WR pairing that could make waves in the AFC this season.
Stroud and Diggs are expected to take the field together for the first time since this summer's blockbuster deal with the Buffalo Bills. I'd be shocked if offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik doesn't dial up at least one downfield shot (or more) in the first quarter against a Pittsburgh defense that will be missing nearly all of its playmakers.
Stroud saw a couple series in his preseason debut last year, which is why I have my eyes on the first-quarter moneyline, which isn't available at most of our best sportsbooks but is a compelling -125 at DraftKings.
Best odds: -125 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 55.56%
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Players to watch
| Career stats | C.J. Stroud (HOU) | Justin Fields (PIT) |
|---|---|---|
| Preseason | 11-for-20, 89 yards, TD, INT | 58-for-88, 699 yards, 7 TD |
| Regular season | 319-for-499, 4108 yards, 23 TD, 5 INT | 578-for-958, 6674 yards, 40 TD, 30 INT |
Texans vs. Steelers odds
See our full NFL odds here.
Texans vs. Steelers game info
- When: Friday, Aug. 9
- Kick off: 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Acrisure Stadium
- How to watch: NFL Network
- Favorite: Texans -2.5 (-110 via BetMGM)
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