Ence’s prediction: Texans depth gets the job done.
Photo By – Imagn Images. Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during training camp.
The Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans will meet in an NFL preseason game on Saturday with both teams seeking their first victory.
Each team will roll out its starters for the first time on Saturday. The Panthers hope that will lead to a better performance after allowing 30 points to the Browns, while the Texans prepare for a season as the favorites to win the AFC South.
Find out why my Panthers vs. Texans predictions are backing the home team in our NFL picks for Saturday, August 16.
Panthers vs Texans prediction
Panthers vs Texans Best bet: Texans -1.5 (-110)
Both the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans are expected to use their starters a bit more on Saturday. But I like Houston’s depth much more in this contest, which is why I’m backing them to cover a spread that has dropped a full point since the line opened.
Last week against the Vikings, the Houston backups held Minnesota’s run game in check. They surrendered fewer than three yards per carry and limited the Vikings to just 20 points.
That’s bad news for the Panthers, who struggled to run the ball last week and abandoned it early. Carolina is likely to hand it off a bit more, as the coaching staff determines the carry split between Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, and a stifled run game will stall out drives.
On the other side, the Panthers’ defensive backups made Shedeur Sanders look like Patrick Mahomes as the Browns scored 30 points in their opener. While their starters will see time, this is one of the worst defenses in the NFL from a season ago.
C.J. Stroud looked solid against the Panthers in their closed practice on Thursday and will see a couple of series here. He’ll then turn the ball over to Davis Mills and Kedon Slovis, both of whom played well last week and are battling for the backup role. I expect the Texans to push the ball down the field a bit more with those two behind center, as the coaching staff looks to settle the backup spot.
One other aspect to keep in mind is the Carolina kicking game. The Panthers have a battle going, and it will lead to them attempting more kicks in situations where they might be tempted to go for it or even punt. The inconsistency of both kickers may also cost them points.
Houston has more depth, better starters, and has the home-field advantage. The Texans performed better in Week 1, and I’ll back them to cover the spread in Week 2.
Panthers vs Texans odds
- Spread: Panthers +2 | Texans -2
- Moneyline: Panthers +111 | Texans -135
- Over/Under: Over 37.5 | Under 37.5
How to watch Panthers vs Texans
| Location: | NRG Stadium, Houston, TX |
| Date: | Saturday, 8-16, 2025 |
| Kickoff: | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | KTRK, ABC-13 |
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