The Houston Texans will try for their second victory of the season against a team that has yet to lose, when the Philadelphia Eagles visit NRG Stadium for Thursday Night Football. The Texans (1-5-1) have lost two in a row since their 13-6 victory against the Jaguars in Week 5. They have five victories since the start of last season, behind Detroit and tied with Jacksonville for fewest in the NFL. They got run over by the Titans in a 17-10 loss last Sunday, allowing 314 yards on the ground, the second-most in franchise history. The Eagles (7-0) are the +500 second favorite to win the Super Bowl at Caesars Sportsbook, behind the Bills (+240). They come in off an emphatic 35-13 home victory against the cross-state rival Steelers, where quarterback Jalen Hurts and the defense were nearly flawless. They have never started 8-0. The Texans will be without star receiver Brandin Cooks (personal).
Kickoff at NRG Stadium in Houston is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Philadelphia as a 13.5-point favorite in its latest Eagles vs. Texans odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 46. Before you make any Texans vs. Eagles picks or Thursday Night Football predictions, make sure you check out what SportsLine NFL expert Emory Hunt has to say.
Hunt is the founder and CEO of Football Gameplan, which has been supplying analysis of all levels of football since 2007, and a former running back at Louisiana-Lafayette. He knows the game from a player's perspective.
In addition, he has his finger on the pulse of the Eagles, going 37-21-1 on his last 59 spread picks on games involving Philadelphia, for a return of $1,371 for $100 bettors.
Now, Hunt has broken down the Eagles vs. Texans Thursday Night Football matchup from every angle and just locked in his picks and TNF predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Hunt's pick. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Texans vs. Eagles:
- Eagles vs. Texans spread: Philadelphia -13.5
- Eagles vs. Texans over/under: 46 points
- Eagles vs. Texans money line: Philadelphia -800, Houston +550
- PHI: Eagles are 9-4-1 ATS as the favorite under Nick Sirianni (since 2021)
- HOU: Texans are 6-5 ATS as home underdogs since the start of last season
- Eagles vs. Texans picks: See picks here
Why the Eagles can cover
Philadelphia is 5-2 against the spread this season and is 4-1 ATS all-time against the Texans, covering in four straight. The Eagles are sixth in the league in rushing, averaging 150 yards per game. The Texans rank last in the league against the run, giving up 186 per contest, 30 yards more than any other team. Miles Sanders, who is seventh in the NFL with 563 yards, will get plenty of work, and quarterback Jalen Hurts (303 rushing yards, six TDs) also can do damage with his legs.
Hurts has been having a lot more success in the pocket this season, completing 72 percent of his passes and averaging 9.2 yards per attempt. The third-year pro has passed for 1,799 yards and 10 TDs while throwing just two interceptions. Those are the Eagles' only turnovers and they share the NFL lead with 16 takeaways. Cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry are shutting receivers down, and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has four interceptions. Haason Reddick has 5.5 of their 23 sacks. See which team to pick here.
Why the Texans can cover
While quarterback Davis Mills is 3-14-1 straight-up as an NFL starter, he is 8-9-1 against the spread. The 2021 third-round pick from Stanford is leading the rebuilding offense following the trade of Deshaun Watson during the offseason. He is completing 63 percent of his throws, with 1,502 passing yards and eight TD passes. Running backs Rex Burkead and Dameon Pierce have combined for 44 receptions to keep Mills out of trouble.
Pierce has provided a reason for optimism since the 2022 fourth-round pick leads all rookies in rushing and is 12th in the NFL with 539 yards. He is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and broke a 75-yard run in a Week 4 loss to the Chargers. The Eagles' defense is stout, but its run-stopping ability is average. Philly is 15th against the run, allowing 115 yards per game. The Texans are plus-three in turnover margin, and cornerback Derek Stingley (one interception) is another rookie making an impact. NFL underdogs of four or more points are 39-22 ATS this season. See which team to pick here.
How to make Eagles vs. Texans picks
Hunt has scrutinized Thursday night's Texans vs. Eagles matchup and is leaning Over on the point total. He also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's sharing what it is, and which side to back, only at SportsLine.
Who wins Eagles vs. Texans on Thursday Night Football? And what critical X-factor makes one side a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Texans vs. Eagles spread you should be all over, all from the expert who's 37-21 on his recent spread picks involving Philadelphia, and find out.
