The Raiders are one of our favorite teams to watch in the preseason here. While other teams are already established and are going through the motions, the Raiders have a lot of moving parts that they need to sort out. Not only do they have a new coach in Klint Kubiak bringing an entirely new offensive scheme, but they also have two quarterbacks in the building: Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza, trying to learn that scheme. That makes these games more meaningful for the Raiders.

On the flip side, the Texans have been to the playoffs in three straight years under C.J. Stroud. They didn’t make a lot of big moves this offseason, and some of the moves they made, like bringing in veteran running back David Montgomery, don’t really require a lot of preseason testing. In fact, after they just lost wide receiver Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL this week, the Texans have now opted to change up their plans and rest starters for this week's game.

🏅 Raiders vs. Texans Expert Pick: Raiders -1.5 (Use Polymarket To Trade On Anything)

The two major factors we discussed in the previous section are what have us on the Raiders despite the Texans being the overall better team. If the Texans were actually going all out here, it wouldn’t be close. The Texans have one of, if not THE, best defenses in the league. And their offense is a lot more solid than folks give them credit for.

But after the injury to Jayden Higgins, they are going to rest the starters. The Raiders, on the other hand, absolutely need to see what both Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza look like. Last week, both quarterbacks looked crisp, with Cousins leading a TD strike drive when he was in there, then Mendoza getting an extended look. Davis Mills is a pretty reliable player but, with him now starting the game, we can expect to see Brett Rypien take over even earlier into the contest. 

The Raiders simply have more on the line here with a lot of guys competing for their future within this new system. Even Aidan O’Connell has something to play for, being on the hot seat to make the roster at all. The joint practices this week reportedly did not go well for the Raiders and, when Klint Kubiak was asked whether that would factor into who plays in the preseason or not, he had one thing to say: “yes”.

 

 

 

👀 How To Watch Raiders vs. Texans NFL Preseason Week 2

  • Where: Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX
  • When: 8 PM ET on 8/20
  • Watch on TV: ESPN
  • Where to stream: ESPN+

🔢 Raiders vs. Texans Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

 

 

 

🏉 Raiders vs. Texans Injury Report & Latest News

Houston Texans: Head coach DeMeco Ryans changed course after Tuesday's joint practice and is expected to rest most of his starters, including QB C.J. Stroud, edge rushers Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, and CB Derek Stingley Ryans suggested that it was because the joint practices “provided competitive work,” but part of that decision could be based on the season-ending injury to Jayden Higgins. With someone like Tank Dell, who is on the fence himself about a return to action, I see no reason for them to push it with a preseason game. 

Las Vegas Raiders: OG Jackson Powers-Johnson left Monday's practice early with a knee injury and is out for Thursday. Wide receiver Dont’e Thornton is also out for Thursday’s game, so they signed Noah Brown to give them some more depth. Klint Kubiak hasn’t officially confirmed who is playing or not, but based on the comments we mentioned earlier, everyone else is on the table. 

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