Texans Dolphins Betting – Texans Look To Parlay Strong Start Versus Dolphins
After years of flirting with consistency and toying with their fan base, the Houston Texans may finally be ready for the big time, and it seems as if the stars have aligned for their success. Their biggest obstacle, the Indianapolis Colts, have lost their franchise player and quarterback for at least the first couple of months of the sports betting season, while the other two teams in the division are struggling to find an identity. The time is now for the Texans to take control of the AFC South, and the next step comes this week with a trip to Florida to face the Miami Dolphins.
- Houston Texans @ Miami Dolphins
- Sunday September 18, 2011 – 4:15 PM ET
- Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida
NFL Betting Lines: Houston Texans -3
The Dolphins’ offense impressed week one, and if they had played at that level against any other team they very well could have opened their season with a win. Now it’s up to Tony Sparano and his club to maintain that level going forward, with another tough test against an AFC contender.
NFL Betting Preview: Houston Texans
Even without running back Arian Foster the Texans blew away the Manning-less Colts 34-7 in one of the most lopsided matchups of week one, and they are hoping their top option out of the backfield will be ready for Miami. Foster remains one of the most explosive threats in the league, and until he gets in to the lineup we won’t be able to see the Texans’ true potential. Quarterback Matt Schaub threw for 220 yards and a touchdown against Indianapolis but he did throw two interceptions, something that he won’t be able to afford to do against the Dolphins. The Houston defense did a good job of generating quarterback pressure and making plays on third down, and new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will likely go with even more looks this weekend.
NFL Betting Preview: Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins combined with New England to set an NFL record for most net passing yards in a season opener with 906, with Miami quarterback Chad Henne accounting for 416 of them with two touchdown passes. Running back Reggie Bush looked good in his debut both running the ball between the tackles and catching out of the backfield, but Miami’s offensive line could afford to get a better push up front. The Dolphins’ biggest concern is on defense, where they simply couldn’t slow down the Patriots’ attack. They get another shot to prove they can be better this week against Houston, and if they aren’t than they will have a hard time avoiding an 0-2 start.
NFL Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick
A tough early season schedule will force the Dolphins to elevate their level of play even further in order to escape falling to 0-2, and that could be a lot to ask for a team that may have already peaked with a strong sportsbook promo effort in an opening loss to a superior team. Houston finally has the talent on both sides of the ball to make a run in the AFC South, and with the Colts taking a step back, the time is now for the Texans.
NFL Betting Pick: Houston Texans - 3
