The National Football League will stage a pair of Monday Night Football games beginning with the Detroit Lions hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time start. This week, the two MNF contests should not overlap, as the second contest from the west coast featuring the Houston Texans and the Seattle Seahawks will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Don’t ask me, I don’t know why the NFL is playing multiple Monday night double-headers this season and like many I think it is a bad idea. But I suspect like most things in business it has something to do with increasing revenues.
What they put on display tonight are four teams with legitimate Super Bowl hopes. Initial high expectations for the Texans were dashed when DeMeco Ryans’ squad opened the season with three straight losses to the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars. They have only lit a flicker of hope with two wins in recent games against a pair of teams that have only two wins in 11 games combined, the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans.
In other words, the Texans haven’t beaten anyone except two of the league’s worst teams.
Not exactly Super Bowl credentials.
But before you write off the Texans chances tonight in Seattle against a Seahawks team that came into the week tied with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams for the top spot in the NFC West Division, know this, the Texans are better than their record. A road opening week loss to the Rams and a one-point last second defeat to the Buccaneers are not indicators of a bad team. What didn’t seem to align with a team in the hunt for a title was their third week setback in Jacksonville.
Like their first two losses, it was close on both the field and scoreboard. After that defeat the Texans were 0-3 but had been outscored by a combined 12 points and the bulk of those, seven, were in the 17-10 loss to the Jaguars on the road.
In other words, maybe the Texans winless season isn’t on a par with other teams still looking for a first win after three weeks such as the New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins. But, we can also deduce they are not on a par with legitimate Super Bowl hopefuls like their opponent tonight.
So, take the Seahawks here and lay the three points?
There is a problem with that from the perspective that the Texans third loss of the season put their record and talent in stark contrast … which on our charts means they are likely to win in upcoming games until their record and talent are more in alignment. Their two wins before their bye last week did come against weak opponents, but after the loss in Jacksonville the Texans were probably going to beat anybody they met. It just happened to be Tennessee and Baltimore on their schedule.
It is worth noting that the victories over those two weaklings came in convincing fashion, 26-0 and 44-10 respectively. Tonight, are the Texans more likely to even their season mark at three wins and three losses, or are the Seahawks the choice to pick up a fifth win in seven decisions and catch the 49ers and Rams in the NFC West after both those teams won yesterday?
My lean would be to the visitors in Seattle, and while cognizant of the concern going against the Seahawks on their home field looking to catch the leaders in their division, the Texans are still due wins.
The first game on the schedule tonight offers a much more likely scenario on the wins and talent scale.
The Lions and Buccaneers both lead their divisions and Tampa Bay Quarterback Baker Mayfield is the current leader in the football world to win this year’s Most Valuable Player Award. The irrepressible Bucs quarterback has played the first six weeks of the NFL campaign with a dramatic flair worthy of a Hollywood star. He has seemed to simply will his team to victories and overcome injuries like they were sign posts to wins.
The Bucs single loss on the season matches the best in the league. Tonight, they will be looking for a sixth win to add to their first-place bulge in the NFC South Division over an Atlanta Falcons team that lost last night and a Carolina Panthers squad who also has three losses on the season.
The Lions lead in the NFC North is more challenged after they dropped a second game of the season last Sunday night in Kansas City. With a loss tonight, the Lions would fall behind the Green Bay Packers and into the mix with a record comparable to the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears.
Are the Lions going to drop out of first place while the Buccaneers pad their division lead?
Not likely.
Both games offer wagering opportunities tonight.
Qoxhi Picks: Houston Texans (+3) over Seattle Seahawks