The San Diego Chargers host the Houston Texans in the second half of the Monday Night Football doubleheader. The two teams seem headed in opposite directions this season.
NFL picks and predictions, Texans vs. Chargers: Houston heavy favorites in MNF tilt
The Texans are comfortable picks to beat the Chargers in Monday’s late-night opener.
Complete game coverage | Chargers: Bolts From The Blue Texans: Battle Red Blog
San Diego is starting over with a new head coach and general manager. Mike McCoy comes over from Denver hoping to revive Philip Rivers' career, but the offensive line remains a big question mark. The team drafted D.J. Fluker in the first round to man the right side, while second-rounder Manti Te'o will join a young defensive group alongside Donald Butler.
While the Chargers appear to be in rebuilding mode, the Texans are trying to take the next step after winning the AFC South two years in a row. They get Brian Cushing back from injury and rewarded his play with a new contract extension. They also have J.J. Watt coming off a Defensive MVP campaign.
The consensus pick for this game is almost unanimous. Ten out of 11 ESPN analysts are picking the Texans to win, and all nine on CBS Sports are also going with Houston. The Texans are favored by 4.5 points, and all but one CBS analyst picks them to cover the spread.
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