The first game of the playoffs will be held Saturday at NRG Stadium, the site of Super Bowl LI. The Oakland Raiders and Houston Texans meet up in Houston, in a rematch of the Monday Night Football contest which took place in Mexico City.
Raiders vs. Texans live stream: How to watch NFL playoffs online
A rematch of the game that took place in Mexico City, but this time, it’s Brock Osweiler vs. Connor Cook.
The game is set for 4:35 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC and can be streamed online at WatchESPN.
Both teams are looking for their first playoff victory in years. The Texans haven’t won a playoff game since 2012, while the Raiders haven’t even made a playoff appearance since 2002. Houston (9-7) has home-field advantage which will be huge, considering seven of the team’s nine victories have come at home. Oakland (12-4), however, is still a great road team, having only lost two of eight road matchups this season.
There’s quarterback drama surrounding both clubs, which — depending on what type of football you enjoy watching — could make this matchup either fascinating or less interesting. The Raiders are playing third-string rookie Connor Cook, who is the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to get his first start in the playoffs. Derek Carr’s devastating leg injury in Week 16, along with backup Matt McGloin’s shoulder injury, thrusted Cook into action last week.
The Texans will once again turn to Brock Osweiler, who was benched in Week 15 and then entered last week’s game when Tom Savage suffered a concussion.
Both teams still have plenty of offensive weapons, though. Lamar Miller, DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller are all capable of making game-changing plays for Houston. In Oakland, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree serve as one of the best one-two punches at receiver in the NFL, while Latavius Murray and DeAndre Washington have produced on the ground.
On defense, the Texans boast the best overall defense in the NFL, despite losing J.J. Watt for the season. Meanwhile, the Raiders have perhaps the best defensive player in the league this season, Khalil Mack.
In the previous matchup between these two teams, the Raiders came out on top in a 27-20 shootout. The Raiders rode Carr in the victory. Oakland’s 20 carries went for only 30 yards against the Texans’ vaunted defense, but Carr tossed three touchdowns to only one interception. Houston hung around thanks to big games from Miller (113 rushing yards, one touchdown) and their tight ends. C.J. Fiedorowicz and Ryan Griffin combined for 114 receiving yards.
Osweiler also had a decent outing, throwing for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one pick.
It’s worth mentioning the Texans’ playoff flub last year, in which the Chiefs smoked the Brian Hoyer-led Texans in a 30-0 shutout. However, quarterback issues aside, this year’s Houston squad is much more balanced on offense, with a capable running back and more playmakers in the passing game.
Saturday’s game will likely be a defensive battle, as both teams have struggled on offense over the past few weeks. It’s not the sexiest matchup on paper, but the first game of Wild Card Weekend could always surprise us.
How to watch
Time: 4:35 p.m. ET
Place: NRG Stadium, Houston
TV: ESPN/ABC
Announcers: Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters
Online: WatchESPN
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