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Welcome to week three of the NFL and we have a good one tonight as the New England Patriots take on the Houston Texans in Foxboro. This should be a good match-up and Vegas has the line tight with the Patriots actually being +1 in this one. That is a bit of a surprise even considering the Patriots will be without Tom Brady and (likely) Rob Gronkowski.
The worry is that back-up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will also be out for this one and third stringer Jacoby Brissett will take the snaps. To say he’s inexperienced would be an understatement and the Texans are in a good position to continue their undefeated season and hand the Patriots their first loss of the year. You have to think that JJ Watt is salivating at the thought of a rookie quarterback right now.
That said, it’s hard to count the Patriots out as year after year they just seem to find a way to win games like this. We’ve seen them shorthanded before and seem them prove doubters wrong before. With the best coach in the game, Bill Belichek, anything is possible.
NFL Betting Tips:
The stats that I’m looking at this one is opposing yards. Last week against Miami, the Patriots allowed a big 389 yards passing to the Dolphins. A number that you have to think would really hurt them if it happened again this week. Meanwhile, the Texans have allowed 185 passing yards or less in their two games thus far this season and only 192 total rushing yards. That does not bode well for a Patriots team that is going to have to scratch for every yard in this one.
While I’d say that the opponents that New England has faced are a bit tougher than the opponents that Houston has faced, wins are wins and defense is defense. The Houston defense has been really impressive thus far this year and against a rookie quarterback, you have to like them. Texans -1 should continue their undefeated run and have the Patriots missing Brady for the first time this year.
College Football Betting Tips:
Of course, New England vs Houston isn’t the only big football game today. We also have some big CFB action as the Clemson Tigers face Georgia Tech in Georgia. This is a big game for both teams as both are yet to lose this season. Clemson is the fifth ranked team in the country and comes into this game as a 9.5 point favorite. I can’t help but think they are a bit vulnerable here. Tech is a tough team to beat at home and outside of last week’s destruction of Troy, they haven’t looked very impressive thus far this year. They barely squeaked by Auburn and let Troy play them way too tightly.
Historically, these teams have played each other tight with them splitting games the past two years and Clemson is 6-5 ATS against Georgia Tech since 1992. This one just feels like a close game, much like the Auburn and Troy games, and we’re taking the home team with the points. Georgia Tech +9.5
