We have a real barn burner on our hands for Thursday Night Football, with the Carolina Panthers taking on the Houston Texans. To be fair, the Panthers’ offense is loaded and their defense is surprising people, while the Texans have managed to put a competitive product on the field against all odds. However, with Tyrod Taylor getting struck down by the football Gods yet again, can the Texans remain competitive from an NFL betting perspective?
The following Panthers vs Texans NFL betting preview will give you the current odds, betting trends and picks for the Week 3 matchup, along with a stream link to watch games all season long.
Panthers vs Texans TNF Week 3 NFL Betting Preview and Stream
NFL Regular Season — Week 3 Thursday Night Football
Carolina Panthers (2-0, 0-0 Away) vs. Houston Texans (1-1, 1-0 Home)
Date: Thursday, September 23, 2021
Time: 8:20 p.m. EST
Venue: NRG Stadium — Houston, TX
Coverage: Click here for the stream
Coming into Week 3, the Panthers have the top scoring defense in the NFL (10.5 avg points allowed), which nobody predicted. Sure, they faced the Jets Week 1, but a convincing Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints has many taking notice. The only question mark for this loaded offense was at quarterback, but Sam Darnold has answered the call. He is finally reading defenses and throwing passes on time. If Darnold continues to force defenses to respect every inch of the field, the Panthers are capable of beating any team in the league.
The Texans may have been the most surprising team through two weeks. They nearly sent Urban Meyer back to college in Week 1, then they had the Cleveland Browns on the ropes last week. It may have come down to the fourth quarter if Tyrod Taylor did not get hurt. However, after what is being called a severe hamstring injury and not him ruining the tanking plan, rookie Davis Mills will be starting on Thursday. Mills went 8/18 with a touchdown and an interception last week. Going from the efficient Taylor to a mid-round rookie is quite the dropoff, which we will likely see on TNF.
Panthers vs Texans Odds & Spread
NFL betting odds for Panthers vs Texans are taken from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline: CAR: (-405) | HOU: (+320)
Spread: CAR: -7.5 (-110) | HOU: +7.5 (-110)
Total: 43.5 — Over: (-115) | Under: (-105)
Public (Spread) Betting Percentages: CAR: (85%) | HOU: (15%)
Odds to Win Super Bowl LVI: CAR: (+5500) | HOU: (+42000)
Panthers vs Texans NFL Betting Trends
– Carolina is 2-0 against the spread (ATS) this season.
– The Over is 0-2 for the Panthers this season.
– Houston is 2-0 ATS this season.
– The Over is 2-0 for the Texans this season.
Panthers vs Texans Stats
– Carolina is averaging 22.5 points per game (PPG) this season (T-No. 18 in the NFL).
– Carolina is surrendering 10.5 PPG this season (No. 1 in the NFL).
– Houston is averaging 29.0 PPG this season (T-No. 8 in the NFL).
– Houston is surrendering 26.0 PPG this season (No. 20 in the NFL).
Panthers vs Texans Prediction
The Panthers vs Texans NFL betting prediction uses the ESPN Football Power Index.
Panthers: 62.8%
Texans: 36.9%
Tie: 0.3%