The Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans had similar games in Week 1. Both were playing relatively poor teams in the New York Jets and the Washington football team. Both have some serious issues on the offensive side of the ball. But the Texans managed to come out victorious while the Raiders came out ... less so.
Texans vs. Raiders live stream 2014: TV schedule, radio and how to follow online
Want to watch the Texans take on the Raiders in Week 2? You’re probably not the only one, so here’s how.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Oakland made the decision to start rookie quarterback Derek Carr over struggling veteran Matt Schaub, and while Carr looked solid at times, he didn't provide for much offensive oomph. Even against a Jets team that made a concerted effort to lose the game, Oakland still managed just 158 yards of offense.
Houston was never in danger of losing to Washington, but it was still a wholly unremarkable game, as Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 206 yards and a touchdown. He looked like a game manager, which is exactly what the Texans intended, and it was enough to beat a team like Washington.
How to watch
Where: O.co Coliseum
When: 4:25 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Announcers: Andrew Catalon, Steve Tasker and Steve Beuerlein
Radio: Texans local listings | Raiders local listings
Online streaming: NFL Sunday Ticket, Verizon NFL Mobile
Odds
The game opened at even money, but the visiting Texans quickly moved to be favored by about a field goal on some books, and 2.5 points on others, according to OddsShark. The over/under for the matchup is 39.5 and the under just might be a smart bet given the quarterbacks at play here.
Nuts and Bolts
Going with Carr was a risky move for the Raiders. If he struggles, benching him could hold his development back significantly, whereas giving him the reigns after Schaub flounders in the regular season could have been beneficial. Of course, even if he plays poorly they may not bench him as few in that organization can possibly hold delusions of a playoff run in 2014. The Raiders remain a team with some promising young talent that could surprise a good team on a good day.
The Texans may or may not be a good team at this point. If Fitzpatrick can continue not turning the football over and Arian Foster can stay healthy -- he had a big workload in Week 1, with 27 carries for 103 yards and two receptions for 17 yards -- then the Texans may surprise some people. But they're still the team that barely notched a pair of wins a season ago and are only narrow favorites against the Raiders, a squad that mustered just 25 rushing yards in Week 1.
Further reading
For more on the Raiders, head on over to Silver and Black Pride. For more on the Texans, the good folks at Battle Red Blog have you covered.
See More:
