Colts vs Texans Odds: It’s The Battle Between Two Rookie Quarterbacks

The Indianapolis Colts will travel to Houston to take on the Texans in an AFC South rivalry matchup.

The Colts and Texans lost Week 1 with a rookie starting quarterback. Unless we get a tie in Week 2, one of the rookie quarterbacks will earn a win in his second game this season.

The Colts lost Week 1 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 31-21. Meanwhile, the Texans began their season with a 25-9 loss to the Ravens.

The Colts ultimately looked better in Week 1. Will that be the case in Week 2?

Take a look at the Colts vs Texans odds for this enticing matchup between rookie quarterbacks in Week 2 of the NFL season.

Anthony Richardson’s Debut Wasn’t So Bad!

The Indianapolis Colts drafted a University of Florida quarterback prospect, Anthony Richardson, with the fourth overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Richardson never won consistency in college, but scouts have sworn by his intangibles and believe they can fix everything else.

He only led the Florida Gators to a 6-6 record last season. He played under a new head coach in Billy Napier and didn’t have the best talent around him. But other great quarterbacks typically find ways to win ball games in college.

He didn’t.

But that didn’t stop the Colts from taking a chance.

All reports coming out of training camp and preseason were positive. He was coming in early and staying late. He was also polite to many staff members and fans who came to watch practice.

That’s all great. But what he does on the field is worth more.

In Week 1, against the Jaguars, Richardson completed nearly 65% of passes for one touchdown and an interception. He also earned 40 yards on ten carries, scoring another touchdown.

Nonetheless, Richardson had a solid debut. But winning games has previously been an issue. If the Colts want to be NFL division leaders, he’ll have to improve a lot more, along with the other players.

He’s currently questionable to play in Week 2 against the Texans. But the rookie quarterback is expected to play despite a bruised knee.

Not A Bad Debut For Stroud, Either

C.J. Stroud wasn’t all that bad in his first NFL game with the Texans.

The former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback was drafted second overall to be the franchise centerpiece of the Texans.

Stroud won a lot more than Richardson did in college. But he also had a lot more playmaking around him.

In the NFL, Stroud doesn’t have a top playmaking group. Against the Ravens, he threw for 242 yards while completing 63.6% of passes.

He finished eighth in passing yards but was sacked five times and finished with a QBR of 21.2, which was 27th in the NFL last weekend.

The former Buckeye quarterback didn’t score a touchdown like Richardson and Panthers’ rookie starter Bryce Young. However, Stroud was the only one of those rookie quarterbacks that didn’t throw an interception. However, he turned the ball over on a strip sack.

Stroud showed flashes. But the consistency wasn’t there just yet.

But Stroud also had the hardest assignment in Week 1. The Ravens will be one of the best defenses in the NFL this season, and Stroud had to face them in Week 1, in his rookie debut.

PFF graded Stroud as the best rookie quarterback after Week 1. They suggested that he had two throws that were turnover-worthy when he was under duress. Therefore, it’s on the offensive line to protect Stroud moving forward.

Let’s see how Stroud and Richardson stack up with the Colts vs Texans odds below.

Colts vs Texans Odds

The Indianapolis Colts are -1 on the NFL point spread against Houston Texans for Week 2. The total is at 40, with oddsmakers showing concern for both offenses.

Neither team is expected to surpass 20 points in this ball game with their rookie quarterbacks. However, the Colts probably have more to offer heading into this game.

The Colts were as high as +2 on Sunday. Meanwhile, the total has stayed around 40.5 since opening.

You won’t find any NFL sack leaders on the Texans. The defense was abysmal against the run and missed countless tackles against the Ravens in Week 1. Yes, the Texans only gave up 169 yards in the air and 110 yards on the ground. But the defense was poor against the run and average in the secondary.

The Texans also ran 14 more plays than the Ravens in Week 1 and earned just three more yards than the Ravens in that game.

On the other hand, the Colts gave the Jaguars a scare in the second half. The Colts led 21-17 at the beginning of the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on against a likely postseason candidate in the Jaguars.

The Colts have a better secondary and will be more effective against the run defensively than the Texans. After all, Dameon Pierce added just 11 carries for 38 yards against the Ravens last weekend.

Meanwhile, the Colts don’t have much of a running game. Jonathan Taylor is unavailable for now. But Anthony Richardson is a dynamic quarterback who is hard to get down.

As we suggested earlier, the Texans will miss tackles and leave open lanes for the Colts in the running game. This could be the game where Richardson breaks free for multiple big gains on the ground.

Take The Colts!

It’s not easy picking a winner in this game. We don’t have much to go off of between two teams with rookie quarterbacks who played just one game.

However, Houston’s defense is absolutely worse on paper. The pass rush might be a bit better, but Richardson can escape pressure and will be hard to drag down.

Meanwhile, Houston’s run blocking was so bad that Dameon Pierce only added 38 yards on 11 carries last weekend.

The Colts aren’t much better. But they’ll give Richardson more time in the pocket and open holes in the run game for Richardson or Indianapolis’ actual running back in Deon Jackson.

Jackson only rushed for 14 yards on 13 carries. That won’t get the job done. But the expectation is that he’ll improve against this Houston-run defense.

After careful consideration when looking at the Colts vs Texans odds, we’ll back the Colts at -1. Indianapolis looks more prepared to start the season.

For more NFL betting news, NFL odds and analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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