Thursday Night NFL — Carolina Panthers at Houston Texans: It’s the Rookie’s Turn

The Houston Texans have been hit with all kinds of stuff this season, especially at the quarterback position. Deshaun Watson’s status is completely up in the air.

And BetOnline customers will have to evaluate how this team performs with a first-time starter at the controls after veteran Tyrod Taylor suffered a hamstring injury.

This isn’t necessarily the best time to run into the Carolina Panthers, who have won their first two games in a rather impressive fashion. This is the Thursday night NFL game, slated for an 8:20 PM ET kickoff at NRG Stadium.

Watson’s immediate future is in limbo, as he has some sexual assault charges on the table. He had previously demanded that the Texans trade him, but they won’t do it unless they can get the right price. And if he winds up having to be incarcerated, Houston has nothing to deal. So they are rolling the dice.

Taylor, who’s been with a number of NFL teams, was seen as someone who could keep the seat warm. But he was knocked out of last week’s game with the injury. And coach David Culley turned to rookie Davis Mills to take the team the rest of the way against Cleveland.

Mills, a third-round draft pick out of Stanford, who was the top-rated high school quarterback in the country, completed eight of 18 passes for 102 yards and gets his first NFL start here.

Meanwhile, Sam Darnold, a washout with the New York Jets, continues to attempt a comeback under Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

In the Thursday Night NFL betting odds posted on this game by the folks at BetOnline, the Panthers are laying a healthy number on the road:

Carolina Panthers -7.5 (-123)

Houston Texans +7.5 (+103)

Over 43 Points -110

Under 43 Points -110

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Culley and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly acknowledged that Mills was a bit intimidated on his first drive against the Brown. But ultimately they like the poise he showed. Yes, he can stand in the pocket, but decision-making is going to be a problem. And Mills was considered a “project” going into the draft, after just eleven collegiate starts.

Carolina has gotten off to a very good start defensively. In fact, in the first two weeks of the season, they have allowed fewer yards than any other NFL team, and also just 25% conversions on third down. So things won’t be friendly for Mills.

As for Darnold, so far, so good. He actually got to beat his old team, the Jets, in the season opener. Christian McCaffrey, the dual-threat back, is available and has made his presence known in a big way, with 170 rushing yards and 14 receptions.

We’d been interested in what might happen in the second year for head coach Matt Rhule, who turned around programs at Temple and Baylor, and o.c. Joe Brady, who transformed Joe Burrow into a Heisman Trophy winner when he was at LSU.

Houston was said to have the lowest level of personnel in the league, but they beat up on Urban Meyer, Trevor Lawrence and the Jags in the opener, and fought like hell before the Browns created some distance in the fourth quarter.

They aren’t going to give up under the 65-year-old Culley, who finally got a head coaching opportunity after 26 years as an assistant.

However, as Mills is going to take some lumps in this debut, we don’t expect a lot offensively out of the Texans. So perhaps going “under” the team total of 16.5 points is something to consider.

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