Raiders vs Texans: The Best NFL Preseason Play for Thursday Night

It’s a new regime in Las Vegas, as Klint Kubiak takes over as the new head coach for the Raiders. He is still trying to establish a new culture for a struggling franchise, meaning these preseason games are more important for the Raiders than most teams, especially a playoff team like the Texans…

We are still weeks away from the NFL regular season, but the Texans are already dealing with a significant season ending injury. Xavier Hutchinson went down at practice the other day, and is officially out for the season. If I’m DeMeco Ryans, I’m treading lightly with my starters tonight. Although he’s already announced that CJ Stroud and the starters will play tonight, it’s fair to assume it won’t be for long. 

The fact that after the Texans announced that Stroud and some starters would be playing tonight and the odds have barely moved. Houston flipped to a short -1.5 favorite after the news, but now the spread has been bouncing back and forth all afternoon. It’s a great sign to see the Raiders still garnering line respect with the news of Stroud and Co. starting for the Texans tonight.

These preseason games simply mean more for the Raiders, a young team that is still trying to establish their identity. Back the Raiders on the moneyline against the Texans on Thursday night. I’ll meet you at the cash counter after the Raiders look like the better football team on Thursday night.