Pick details
| MATCHUP | Las Vegas Raiders | Houston Texans |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Spread | -1.5 100 | +1.5 -120 |
| Moneyline | -120 | +100 |
| Total | Over 37.5 (-110) | Under 37.5 (-110) |
| Where | NRG Stadium, Houston, TX | |
| When | Thursday, August 20, 2026 | |
| Time | 08:00 PM EDT | |
| TV | ESPN | |
Houston Texans Betting Preview
The Texans are coming off a blowout loss in their opener to the Chargers. The Texans have won 5 of their last 7 preseason games.
In the losing effort, Davis Mills threw for 82 yards and 1 touchdown while Graham Mertz had 23 passing yards. Noah Whittington led the Texans with 40 rushing yards while Marlin Klein and Josh Kelly combined for 59 receiving yards on 4 catches. Defensively, Aiden Fisher led the Texans with 7 tackles, Naquan Jones had 1 sack, and Dominique Robinson had 1 tackle for loss.
Las Vegas Raiders Betting Preview
The Raiders are coming off a loss to the Cardinals in their preseason opener. The Raiders are 0-6-2 SU in their last 8 preseason games. The Raiders haven’t won a preseason game since August 2023.
In the losing effort, Fernando Mendoza threw for 97 yards and 1 touchdown while Aidan O’Connell had 85 passing yards. Mike Washington Jr. led the Raiders with 53 rushing yards while E.J. Williams Jr. and Malik Benson combined for 67 receiving yards on 3 catches. Defensively, Greedy Vance led the Raiders with 10 tackles, Patrick Johnson had 1 sack, and Cian Slone had 1 tackle for loss.
Houston Texans vs Las Vegas Raiders Prediction
Those who have followed me over the years know my handicapping in preseason is all about the quarterback position. The rest of the positions are toss-ups, and you have no idea who is going to play nd for how long. The one constant thing is decent quarterback play and the guys who can put points on the board.
The Raiders probably should be favored considering they have the best quarterback, who will be taking snaps in Mendoza. However, the Raiders haven’t won a preseason game in 1,097 days. Sure, coaches and players have changed since then, but I need to see a win before I get on board. It’s like when the Ravens won a million preseason games in a row, we just blindly bet on them until they lost. We’re kind of at that point with the Raiders. Show me something, baby. I’ll grab the points with the Texans.
Randy Chambers's Pick: Houston +1.5
