Panthers vs. Texans NFL Prediction
Are eight points too many for the Panthers to cover on the road tonight when they visit the Texans at 8:20 p.m. ET for Thursday Night Football? Carolina will attempt to become the first 3-0 team in 2021 with a win.
Game Snapshot
301 Carolina Panthers (-8) at 302 Houston Texans (+8); o/u 43
8:20 p.m. ET, Sunday, September 23, 2021
NFL Week 3 Regular Season
Carolina Panthers DFS Spin
Sam Darnold completed 26-of-38 passes for 305 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the Panthers’ 26-7, Week 2 win over the Saints. It was another excellent start for Darnold in a Panthers uniform, if not quite the monster one he appeared headed for at halftime. Darnold entered the break 16-of-20 for 216 yards and both his scores. The Panthers then took their foot off the gas with a 17-0 lead and Darnold made a few silly mistakes, including an “interception” that was really just a blind heave at his offensive line’s back. That miscue came with Christian McCaffrey briefly out of the game dealing with calf cramps. Darnold continued to pepper D.J. Moore with targets and worked harder to develop his deep connection with Robby Anderson this afternoon. He has cleared 8.0 yards per attempt in both games so far this season. The Texans are a green light matchup for this week’s short-week TNF date.
Houston Texans DFS Spin
Texans placed QB Tyrod Taylor (hamstring) on injured reserve. It’s a tough blow for the Texans as Taylor had played above expectations to this point of the year. The team will instead call up Jeff Driskel from the practice squad and opt to start third-round rookie Davis Mills on Thursday night against Carolina. With a touchdown and interception in relief for Taylor in Week 2, managers should run to their waiver wires for Carolina’s D/ST as a top option opposite Mills this week. The team simultaneously moved WR Nico Collins (shoulder) to injured reserve.
Panthers vs. Texans Betting Prediction
The underdog is 4-1 against the spread in the last five meetings between these two teams, while the Panthers have failed to cover in all six of their last six games played on Thursday night. Carolina is also 2-5 against the number in its last seven games as a favorite and is 4-12-1 at the betting window in its last 17 games as a road favorite. The Texans, meanwhile, are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games overall and are 4-0 against the number in their last four games as an underdog.
NFL WEEK 3 BETTING PREDICTION: HOUSTON TEXANS +8
