Raiders vs. Texans prediction, odds, start time: NFL Week 2 preseason matchup from proven expert on 99-88 run
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- Las Vegas Raiders visit the Houston Texans in Week 2 preseason play Thursday at 8 p.m. ET from Reliant Stadium, with Las Vegas installed as a 1.5-point favorite and the over/under set at 39.5 via SportsLine consensus.
- Jeff Hochman, who is 99-88-3 (+686) over the past five NFL seasons, is leaning Under the 40.5 combined-point total after both teams mustered limited offense in their preseason openers — Las Vegas losing 27-14 to Arizona and Houston falling 27-7 to the Los Angeles Chargers.
- Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner from Indiana, will get another extended look for Las Vegas after completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in his preseason debut, while rookie Mike Washington Jr. added six carries for 63 yards including a 53-yard run.
- Houston will turn back to Davis Mills at quarterback after backup Graham Mertz was lost to a knee injury; Mills went 9-of-15 for 82 yards and a score in Week 1.
- Noah Whittington looks to build on his 13-carry, 40-yard opener for the Texans, though Houston's backfield is thinned by Josh Pitsenberger landing on injured reserve with an ankle injury after a nine-carry, 33-yard performance.
- Las Vegas finished last in the AFC West at 3-14 last season and was 1-7 on the road, while Houston went 12-5 and 7-2 at home in 2025, giving the Texans a stark venue advantage that the spread still slightly favors the visitors.
Why it matters: With both starters likely held out and quarterbacks like Mendoza and Mills auditioning for depth-chart position, the betting market's modest 1.5-point lean toward Las Vegas overstates the gap given Houston's 7-2 home record last season and the Raiders' 1-7 road mark in 2025.
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